Quote:
Originally posted by Eagle Eye+Apr 26 2005, 02:52 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Eagle Eye @ Apr 26 2005, 02:52 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-Reaper@Apr 26 2005, 01:33 PM
Well, apparently I'm a dirty, rotten liar.
The underground proposal for the Calgary LRT was canned due to budgetary constraints.
Originally, Calgary Transit had planned on building the C-Train system in a subway format where the trains would run underground underneath 8th Avenue SW/SE instead of above ground on 7th Avenue. In 1980, the new City Hall municipal building was voted by Calgarians to be built on already existing government owned land instead of leasing office space from private businesses. Design of the new 14-storey municipal building included a parkade to be built underground, including at the time, a subway for the LRT system to be constructed. Unfortunately because the LRT system was already $23.3-million over budget, underground LRT in Calgary was put to a halt and all that was ever built was the shell of the tunnel.
A link:
http://www.barp.ca/bus/lrt/calgary/anderson.htmlhttp://www.barp.ca/bus/lrt/calgary/anderson.html
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I have heard that the underground LRT is still an option in the future as there would be too many trains coming downtown when the complete system is up and running in the next 30 years. I have heard a rumour that there is a shell of a station built under Bankers Hall, and that the new building where Cowboys is currently will have the same thing (maybe they are making the private sector pay for most of the upgrades as newer buildings are built). I can't remember where I heard this rumour, but I am sure that someone will straighten me out. [/b][/quote]
Underground LRT may happen, but I will give you a good reason why it probably wont.
Coring is EXTREMELY expensive.
To build a tunnel of that size would cost a fortune, and would probably raise taxes....
The NW leg was the most expense of the 3 legs to build just because of that reason. The coring between Lions Park and Banff Trail and coring between Banff Trail and University was a lot of money for the city to cough up when it was being built.