Green Line LRT | ?m | ?s | Calgary Transit

[Social Justice]

As long as there aren't any 'At-grade' crossings I'm okay with it.

We might even be able to get a sweet multi-use pathway along the bridge. Plus, I'd be kind of cool when the train emerges from the bluff and passengers get a brief view of downtown.

 

[zagox]

As long as there aren't any 'At-grade' crossings I'm okay with it.

We might even be able to get a sweet multi-use pathway along the bridge. Plus, I'd be kind of cool when the train emerges from the bluff and passengers get a brief view of downtown.

My worry is the next shoe to drop will be terminating the Phase 1 build-out at Eau Claire with the bridge and Crescent Heights section left for Phase 2. I hope I am wrong but the northern section will no longer be materially cheaper to build as part of Phase 1 if the alignment daylights downtown.

Agree that getting a 9th Ave station would be a nice feature of this approach, that section of Crescent Height has a lot more urban potential than the 6 lane monstrosity that is 16th Ave.

 

[Mountain Man]

Sounds like an issue with bad soil there or something, definitely not a unique problem here. As long as it's a new bridge (and not centre street) and there are no at grade crossings, it's fine, having the train elevated on it's way into downtown from the north might make for some spectacular views of the city.

 

[Zoom]

My way of thinking as well. I don't care how it gets across the Bow River as long as it's a separate path. The issue might be how to do it at the Eau Claire area. Having it come out of the ground at Eau Claire would be a disruption to a great riverpath system unless they can get it out of the ground and raised above the river pathway.

Sounds like an issue with bad soil there or something, definitely not a unique problem here. As long as it's a new bridge (and not centre street) and there are no at grade crossings, it's fine, having the train elevated on it's way into downtown from the north might make for some spectacular views of the city.

 

[zagox]

My way of thinking as well. I don't care how it gets across the Bow River as long as it's a separate path. The issue might be how to do it at the Eau Claire area. Having it come out of the ground at Eau Claire would be a disruption to a great riverpath system unless they can get it out of the ground and raised above the river pathway.

The original 2015 option assessment of a new LRT bridge from Eau Claire to Crescent Heights said that "for this option to reach an at- grade station at 2 Avenue a 150 metre tangent would be required. In order to have enough space for the 2 Avenue station the LRT will cross the bow river pathway at-grade before transitioning to the bridge."

They also said that "design considerations can be given to providing walking and cycling space along the new bridge over the Bow River, which would improve the pedestrian and cycling network," so that offsets that impact to some extent.

Most notably, the new bridge option was estimated at $540 million cheaper than the all-tunnel option that was selected. And that was assuming good geological conditions for tunneling, which don't seem to exist upon further geotechnical investigation.

 

[Silence&Motion]

Here's the bridge option from the 2015 report that @zagox linked to.

That section of 2nd Street is extremely tight! I have no idea how they're going to land the bridge there, run the LRT at surface, include a station, and then dive into a tunnel. Maybe this can be somehow coordinated with the demolition of Eau Claire market. There's a lot of potential to combine the Eau Claire redevelopment with the design of 2nd ave station to create a transit mall.

That terrible gated townhouse complex to the north also seems like it will be a problem. The entrance to their parking garage is right where the bridge would have to land. Would expropriation be an option for that property?

 

[Surrealplaces]

The bridge option has some good points. If there was a way to have it even 10' higher at the river pathway that would be fine by me. Either that or literally have a flat at grade crossing at the pathway, and from a shade point of view, that option might even be better. The only inconvenience would be having to stop to let the train go by. As someone who cycles and walks down that path the odd time. I could live with it.

 

[zagox]

The bridge option has some good points. If there was a way to have it even 10' higher at the river pathway that would be fine by me. Either that or literally have a flat at grade crossing at the pathway, and from a shade point of view, that option might even be better. The only inconvenience would be having to stop to let the train go by. As someone who cycles and walks down that path the odd time. I could live with it.

Another bike/ped bridge could be built to the east connecting Sien Lok park to Prince's Island, with an 'express' cycle track going under the LRT once it starts to climb on Prince's Island, then reconnecting to the main pathway at 3rd ave via a new Jaipur bridge (which is due for replacement anyway). There could be a flat at grade crossing at 2nd ave oriented towards pedestrians and 'local' bike traffic going into Eau Claire. That would probably be an improvement in cycling compared to the current setup with cyclists and pedestrians sharing the same area.

 

[darwink]

Here's the bridge option from the 2015 report that @zagox linked to.

That section of 2nd Street is extremely tight! I have no idea how they're going to land the bridge there, run the LRT at surface, include a station, and then dive into a tunnel. Maybe this can be somehow coordinated with the demolition of Eau Claire market. There's a lot of potential to combine the Eau Claire redevelopment with the design of 2nd ave station to create a transit mall.

That terrible gated townhouse complex to the north also seems like it will be a problem. The entrance to their parking garage is right where the bridge would have to land. Would expropriation be an option for that property?

Expropriation is always an option. Not needed though. There is plenty of room there. probably easier and cheaper to just tear down ECM anyways and compensate for the lost land and having to redo planning if there is an insurmountable obstacle.

 

[Chinook Arch]

Is there enough room though? 2nd street It doesn't look wide enough to have bidirectional tracks, and also an access road to the underground parkade. Or are you referring to the Eau Claire Mall? I believe @Silence&Motion is referring top the small cluster of townhomes.

Expropriation is always an option. Not needed though. There is plenty of room there. probably easier and cheaper to just tear down ECM anyways and compensate for the lost land and having to redo planning if there is an insurmountable obstacle.

 

[Chinook Arch]

Another bike/ped bridge could be built to the east connecting Sien Lok park to Prince's Island, with an 'express' cycle track going under the LRT once it starts to climb on Prince's Island, then reconnecting to the main pathway at 3rd ave via a new Jaipur bridge (which is due for replacement anyway). There could be a flat at grade crossing at 2nd ave oriented towards pedestrians and 'local' bike traffic going into Eau Claire. That would probably be an improvement in cycling compared to the current setup with cyclists and pedestrians sharing the same area.

I was thinking the same thing. We have an at grade crossing at 4th avenue, where cyclists and pedestrians can cross, as well as the one under the bridge. Should be able to do the same in Eau Claire.

 

[darwink]

Is there enough room though? 2nd street It doesn't look wide enough to have bidirectional tracks, and also an access road to the underground parkade. Or are you referring to the Eau Claire Mall? I believe @Silence&Motion is referring top the small cluster of townhomes.

Oh yeah. Lots of room. 12 meters is more than wide enough. Just under half a woonerf, half LRT.

 

[UrbanWarrior]

This debacle is so friggin embarrassing. Now we're going to have another at-grade station downtown, with more pedestrian track crossings... in the middle of our downtown goddamn core. Colour me pissed.

 

[Alex_YYC]

Any chance they can get rid of Eau Claire market, and have it come out of the ground there? It should allow enough distance to have it go up over the path.

 

[googspecial]

This debacle is so friggin embarrassing. Now we're going to have another at-grade station downtown, with more pedestrian track crossings... in the middle of our downtown goddamn core. Colour me pissed.

To quote you from another thread "Are we in bizzarro world???". An at grade crossing on the river pathway is bonkers...