Green Line LRT might have to be built in stages: report
Posted Mar 13, 2016 7:21 am.
Last Updated Mar 13, 2016 10:15 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The Calgary Green Line LRT project could be broken up into stages if funding from the province doesn’t come through soon.
A report to the city’s transportation committee suggests October as the deadline to get the funding commitment from the Notley government.
If it doesn’t come by then, staff recommends city council consider doing it piecemeal.
The report, to be presented March 16th, says it’s uncertain how much of the Green Line can be built in the initial phase without some idea of the funding contribution, but the city continues to focus on getting the entire project done in the next 10 years.
The former Conservative federal government announced last summer that it would provide its share, $1.53 billion, but since then the city has been waiting for the new Liberal government to release guidelines for the formal application process.
As for the province’s one-third share, that could come in the April budget, but there’s been no indication it will be included.
Mayor Naheed Nenshi sent a letter to provincial government back on January 18th, formally asking for the NDP government’s commitment.
The $4 to $5 billion Green Line would add nearly 40 kilometres of track to the existing LRT network, and would link the northeast community of North Pointe and the southeast community of Seton to the downtown core.
