C-Train to airport

[Jetsfan]

Tourism Calgary’s CEO is urging city council to fast-track an LRT connection to the international airport, as well as the now-postponed Airport Trail tunnel.

http://www.calgaryherald.com/travel/...639/story.html

[troutman]

I'd like that.

[albertGQ]

No wonder YYC wanted to close that exclusive deal with Associated Cab. They probably knew there was a direct C-train track in the works

[BlackArcher101]

The article doesn't make sense... we've already missed the boat on infrastructure money, and then he says they should tap a source of money out of the City's control (the improvement fees, of which the airport already won't use for this). An article that goes nowhere it seems.

[Joborule]

IF, and I mean IF the line will connection the NE to the future NCLRT line, then sure, it should be an LRT project, and be built the same time the NCLRT is done. If not, then I don't see it being worth the money since the catchment I wouldn't imagine be all that high. Most people prefer to cab up to and from airport, and for those arrivals that would make use of the train, it would likely to get be used to get downtown to hotels. Hence the NCLRT tie in. Any other use would be for employees I imagine.

[frinkprof]

Airport LRT shouldn't be a high priority. Comes after:

SE LRT/8th Avenue Subway (about equal in terms of need)
North Central LRT
Mount Royal University Spur
East LRT

Airport LRT lines typically have low ridership numbers, especially relative to their costs. This should not be done unless the airport authority pays for it. If it comes to that, they may just want to build their own automated people mover that connects to the future north central line, or perhaps their own direct train link to downtown.

[Ducay]

Adding an Airport LRT line would simply add awkward baggage to the equation. Sure you may get 1000 riders a day going to the airport, but at a huge relative cost. Like Frink said, there are about 100 other transit/infrastructure plans that are needed more than this.




And imagine the further outrage from cabbies!

[flamesfan6]

anyone else find it rediculous that the only real way to get to the airport after the barlow closure is via deerfoot... the road that is never going to get you to the airport on time?

[fredr123]

The airport building is open 24 hours a day 7 days a week 365 days a year. It is large, heated in the winter and cooled in the summer. When the ctrain makes it out to the airport, dealing with homeless people and panhandlers is going to be an ongoing and perhaps unwinnable battle.

[drewboy12]

Originally Posted by fredr123

The airport building is open 24 hours a day 7 days a week 365 days a year. It is large, heated in the winter and cooled in the summer. When the ctrain makes it out to the airport, dealing with homeless people and panhandlers is going to be an ongoing and perhaps unwinnable battle.

No i've never seen this before except in for a few in Chicago O'Hare. if there is good Airport security around the clock there will never be this problem. even in O'Hare there was only one spot, and it was on a broken escalator that was walled off that i saw homeless people.

[ken0042]

Originally Posted by Ducay

Adding an Airport LRT line would simply add awkward baggage to the equation.

Well, there would be common folk like you and me who would use the train to get to the airport for our week long vacations. However I think the majority of riders would be business people who come to Calgary for the day for a meeting, and fly back to another city at night.

However I agree that 8th street subway and/or SE LRT needs to be a higher priority.

[frinkprof]

Originally Posted by ken0042

Well, there would be common folk like you and me who would use the train to get to the airport for our week long vacations. However I think the majority of riders would be business people who come to Calgary for the day for a meeting, and fly back to another city at night.

Actually, most riders of transit to airports are usually airport employees. A lot of business travelers can write off cab fares, so they often choose that.

[RW99]

As much as I would like to have an airport LRT as it would be very convenient for me, there are higher priorities.

On a side note, I never went into the thread about the little boy that died on the platform downtown. So I don't know if it was discussed about people saying we need gates or plexiglass protecting everyone from the c-train. What's everyone's thoughts on that? Personally I think it would be a bad idea.

[Rathji]

Originally Posted by frinkprof

Airport LRT shouldn't be a high priority. Comes after:

SE LRT/8th Avenue Subway (about equal in terms of need)

Originally Posted by ken0042

However I agree that 8th street subway and/or SE LRT needs to be a higher priority.

As much as I would love a SE LRT line, the 302 as it runs now isn't ever truly full. Maybe 1 day in 10 that I ride it I share a seat or see those that get on close to downtown standing.

I guess if you took into account all the express buses from the deep SE it might be a bit more, but they run what 3 or 4 buses per rush hour? The 117 in Mackenzie Towne on a very bad day might have 1 or 2 people standing for the last bus of the morning.

I know it isn't a good idea to wait until these buses are overflowing to start building the c-train line but they could easily add 1 or 2 more express buses per rush hour and have the 302 run a bit more often to scale up to hold up to twice the riders.

I don't see the population growing that much down here in the next 5 years to tax that potential. I would be surprised if we saw anything started or even firmly announced in the next 5 years.

[ken0042]

Part of the reason for the 302 not being so full is the time it takes to run. From Downtown to Mckenzie Towne takes almost an hour; compared to just under 1/2 an hour for the train to Sommerset.

So much of what you said is the "problem" as I see it with Calgary Transit's philosophy; they will not add any service unless there is a demand for it. However the public doesn't use Calgary Transit outside of the M-F 9-5 commutes because the service isn't offerred.

Look at the merging of the 92 and 416 bus routes. Now if somebody in Elgin wants to take the bus they are looking at a 45 minute ride from Anderson; something that takes 15 minutes in a car.

So I think the city and CT should increase service; and do it long enough to allow people to change their habits. As opposed to waiting for people to start using crappy service; and then look at improving it. I can't think of any other form of "customer service" where this model works; provide crappy service and once enough people want to use the crappy service, improve your infrastructure and staffing to make it decent service.

[frinkprof]

Originally Posted by Rathji

As much as I would love a SE LRT line, the 302 as it runs now isn't ever truly full. Maybe 1 day in 10 that I ride it I share a seat or see those that get on close to downtown standing.

I guess if you took into account all the express buses from the deep SE it might be a bit more, but they run what 3 or 4 buses per rush hour? The 117 in Mackenzie Towne on a very bad day might have 1 or 2 people standing for the last bus of the morning.

I know it isn't a good idea to wait until these buses are overflowing to start building the c-train line but they could easily add 1 or 2 more express buses per rush hour and have the 302 run a bit more often to scale up to hold up to twice the riders.

I don't see the population growing that much down here in the next 5 years to tax that potential. I would be surprised if we saw anything started or even firmly announced in the next 5 years.

Good points. However, don't forget the feeder bus service that currently goes to the south LRT line stations both during peak and throughout the day. Routes 36, 41, 153, 409, 410, the Cranston half of route 14, and also the mainline route 24. The SE line will be a bit different than other lines, in that its purpose will be to serve employment areas (industrial areas and the new South Hospital/Seton employment area) as well as some suburb-downtown commutes. Another impetus, and why I mention the feeder routes, is to take pressure off the over-capacity south line.

As for the route 302, you're right, the growth in demand for it hasn't been as quick as for the 301 when it started up. However, I think demand will slowly grow. Once the park and ride facilities in Mackenzie Towne and Douglasdale are up and running, the economy ramps up again and the new South Hospital comes online, those buses will get fuller and some new runs will be added.

The SELRT is starting to gather up political will to build it. I'd have to disagree that it won't start in the next 5 years.

[Rathji]

Originally Posted by frinkprof

The SELRT is starting to gather up political will to build it. I'd have to disagree that it won't start in the next 5 years.

I really hope you are right. That would make me very happy.

[Acey]

Originally Posted by RW99

On a side note, I never went into the thread about the little boy that died on the platform downtown. So I don't know if it was discussed about people saying we need gates or plexiglass protecting everyone from the c-train. What's everyone's thoughts on that? Personally I think it would be a bad idea.

It was discussed and deemed to be impractical for Calgary.

[chemgear]

"I felt a great disturbance in the Force, as if millions of cabbies suddenly cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced."

[Ducay]

Originally Posted by Rathji

I really hope you are right. That would make me very happy.

I think the fact that the $800M in GreenTrip money is back on the table makes the SELRT a much more viable option. Even Bronco is pushing for it. I can't see there being too much opposition to it getting built with that sort of funding available. While I'm not the biggest fan of the SE LRT, its a good way to take advantage of that funding while we can.