Airport Tunnel Rejected Again? **UPDATE** It's built!

[Bigtime]

Originally Posted by burn_this_city

Hey man we need culture.

If they do finally get this tunnel built they better put some super sweet concrete airplanes on the sides.

[Byrns]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

If they do finally get this tunnel built they better put some super sweet concrete airplanes on the sides.

What do you think the other $450 million is for?

[You Need a Thneed]

I'm all for 1:1 scale concrete airplanes being built as public art!

[Bobblehead]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

Now those guys building a hotel right now at the corner of McKnight and Barlow could be royally screwed, as is the existing hotel there (Sandman I think).

There is also a Hilton, Sheraton Cavalier, Best Western Port-o-Call, Greenwood, Marriott Residence Inn, and Country Inn and Suites all before you get to 32nd.

Most of those were built long ago when there still was a tunnel in the plans. They must be choked.

[Joborule]

BS, the city knew for a damn long time that they should be getting the tunnel done. Because they've lacked the foresight to get it done by the time the Airport Authority needs to build the runway shouldn't mean it's held off for 5-10 years. At a more expensive price too. Plus calgary taxpayers are not going to be happy about that down the road.

The lack of a tunnel is going to create a mess that will need fixing like other places in the city. Do it now. Save the money, and cut down on commute times and Deerfoot usage for NE residents and business.

I'm feeling this is going to become an election bidding chip.

[Bigtime]

Originally Posted by Bobblehead

There is also a Hilton, Sheraton Cavalier, Best Western Port-o-Call, Greenwood, Marriott Residence Inn, and Country Inn and Suites all before you get to 32nd.

Most of those were built long ago when there still was a tunnel in the plans. They must be choked.

At least the Port-o-Call is the closest to Deerfoot access, the other ones are definitely screwed unless that tunnel gets put in.

[SebC]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

Or is this just another grandstanding show by McIver to make people think we could get it for cheaper?

Of course it is. If he really wanted to save the tunnel he could have done so much earlier.

Originally Posted by WilsonFourTwo

I don't want to spend twice as much (the alarmist number normally being thrown around) any more than the next guy, but pulling money from other CURRENT critical problems is not the answer.

[...]

If the city can find a responsible way to pay for the construction, I'll be 100% on board. Stealing from Paul to pay Peter is not appropriate.

Except Peter will cost four times as much if we don't pay him now... Sorry, Paul.

Originally Posted by Joborule

I'm feeling this is going to become an election bidding chip.

It's already an election issue. For example, here's Naheed Nenshi's airport access platform.

[Bunk]

Nenshi's been such a hound for council on this issue that some have jokingly named it the 'Nenshi Memorial Tunnel'.

Not sure why they couldn't put off a non-urgent project like the Bowfort Road/Trans Canada interchange which is costing something like $250 million to pay for this clearly urgent project. If the City actually commits to it, they may actually have some real success getting the province and federal government to pay a share.

Originally Posted by SebC

It's already an election issue. For example, here's Naheed Nenshi's airport access platform.

[Ironhorse]

Typical short sighted policticians. They don't give a rat's rear end about impact 10-15 years from now, by then it's no longer their problem; they are only interested in the next election or two.

[Ironhorse]

Hypothetically speaking, if the Airport was in the SW, would there be a tunnel being built right now? You bet your arse it would be.

The NE does not have the political clout with city council, either now or when the LRT was put at ground level on 36th Street.

[habernac]

Originally Posted by Joborule

BS, the city knew for a damn long time that they should be getting the tunnel done. Because they've lacked the foresight to get it done by the time the Airport Authority needs to build the runway shouldn't mean it's held off for 5-10 years. At a more expensive price too. Plus calgary taxpayers are not going to be happy about that down the road.

The lack of a tunnel is going to create a mess that will need fixing like other places in the city. Do it now. Save the money, and cut down on commute times and Deerfoot usage for NE residents and business.

I'm feeling this is going to become an election bidding chip.

The City of Calgary? Foresight? hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!

[fredr123]

Originally Posted by Bobblehead

There is also a Hilton, Sheraton Cavalier, Best Western Port-o-Call, Greenwood, Marriott Residence Inn, and Country Inn and Suites all before you get to 32nd.

Most of those were built long ago when there still was a tunnel in the plans. They must be choked.

And Acclaim hotel, recently opened on the north side of the airport, is having a good laugh.

[Bigtime]

Originally Posted by fredr123

And Acclaim hotel, recently opened on the north side of the airport, is having a good laugh.

If they really wanted to gamble on the tunnel not being built they should go ahead and expand right now.

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by burn_this_city

Hey man we need culture.

Frankly if you're going to expect people to pay real estate prices on par with Toronto and parking rates second only to NY, you do. If you want to play with the big dogs, it's time to switch from the farmer mentality into a big-city one, and provide services and infrastructure that stacks up to the rest of the world.

[Bobblehead]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

If they really wanted to gamble on the tunnel not being built they should go ahead and expand right now.

Absolutely.

I work in in the Franklin area and there are a number of times when we can't book rooms or meeting space at anyplace along Barlow. There is going to be a huge demand for something more in the corridor between the airport and downtown.

And how is this for talking out both sides of your mouth:

Ald. Joe Connelly, a mayoral candidate who backs the tunnel project, voted against it because it could have imperilled federal aid for Canada Olympic Park, which is on Bowfort.

Read more: http://www.calgaryherald.com/busines...#ixzz0uLQSKE8Q

We know how much easier/cheaper the Elbow interchange was after years of dawdling.

[Bigtime]

Connelly is such an idiot, he should just drop out of the race now.

I guess flip-flopping is what "Cowboy Ethics" is all about.

[mykalberta]

I think the Tunnel should be built because its fairly clear the growth for Calgary should be to the East and this Tunnel address that growth. As for those hotels, most at least near the 16th ave/barlow interchange will Deerfoot anyways. A tunnel doesnt really help those guys imo - closing barlow screws them either way.

Growth to the East and lowering the traffic on Deerfoot should be the reason to build this tunnel. Heck if they want put a toll road on the tunnel to help pay for it so be it.

[burn_this_city]

Originally Posted by Table 5

Frankly if you're going to expect people to pay real estate prices on par with Toronto and parking rates second only to NY, you do. If you want to play with the big dogs, it's time to switch from the farmer mentality into a big-city one, and provide services and infrastructure that stacks up to the rest of the world.

Culture doesnt affect those things, supply and demand do. People make more money here so parking and land are more expensive.

[getbak]

Originally Posted by Ironhorse

Hypothetically speaking, if the Airport was in the SW, would there be a tunnel being built right now? You bet your arse it would be.

The NE does not have the political clout with city council, either now or when the LRT was put at ground level on 36th Street.

I think that's backwards logic. The city would probably have developed differently and the SW would be a less desirable area if the airport had been located there. People don't want to live next to airports, that's why the areas next to airports tend to be less desirable, not the other way around.

You have to remember that everyone who lives east of the airport chose to move into a neighbourhood that is on the other side of the airport from the rest of the city. Those areas were completely undeveloped when the airport was built, so there isn't a single person living there who didn't choose to put themselves in that situation.



To me, that's the whole issue with the tunnel. I don't care if it costs $300 million now or $1 billion 10 years from now. I just don't see why it's needed at all.

City Council should take the money that they've allocated for the tunnel and add it to the budget for expanding Country Hills Blvd and making that the main access point to the Airport from the NE. Making Country Hills the main East-West corridor would only add an additional 3km to a single trip to the Airport (1.5km further north, then 1.5km back south) compared to where the tunnel is planned to run.

The people who will be most hurt if the tunnel isn't built are the hotels along Barlow between 16th and McKnight. However, the Airport Authority has said that there are plans for an alternate access to the airport from the south (via McCall Way, I believe) for commercial vehicles who need access to the airport. If the hotel shuttles can get in and out that way, it would make a lot more sense, and be a hell of a lot cheaper than building a $300 million tunnel that the vast majority of Calgary's residents would never have any use for.

[kermitology]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

Connelly is such an idiot, he should just drop out of the race now.

I guess flip-flopping is what "Cowboy Ethics" is all about.

It's his trademark.