Calgary Public Transit - Discussion

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by The Fisher Account

If cost is already the prime issue, is crossing the river supposed to be.. cheaper? And where are you supposed to build the train barns?

A bridge over the river terminating on the surface at Eu Claire(or even beyond) is going to be a lot cheaper than the underground downtown section. Note the current south route has a bridge to Lynnwood over the Bow anyway, so probably close to a wash, there.

[Table 5]

Originally Posted by The Fisher Account

If cost is already the prime issue, is crossing the river supposed to be.. cheaper? And where are you supposed to build the train barns?

I think you could run a surface track down the Centre Street Bridge, and terminate somewhere between Chinatown and the Calgary Tower. Yes it may take out car lanes (or you share, like they do in other places), but them's the breaks if we can't afford to go underground.

Barn wise, seems like there's empty land above Bedington Trail.

[The Fisher Account]

Yeah but I think based on what Gondek said, federal funding would be pulled with those kind of scope changes.

[Table 5]

There's a federal election coming up in the not too distant future, and Im sure the Liberals wouldn't mind scoring a few easy points. Shifting already committed money from one scope to another seems like something that should be the easiest hurdle to clear...but then again, I'm no fancy bureaucrat.

[The Fisher Account]

Originally Posted by Table 5

There's a federal election coming up in the not too distant future, and Im sure the Liberals wouldn't mind scoring a few easy points. Shifting already committed money from one scope to another seems like something that should be the easiest hurdle to clear...but then again, I'm no fancy bureaucrat.

Guess what city PP's brother works for?

[powderjunkie]

Originally Posted by The Fisher Account

The key right now is just to start this thing.

The rest is all politics.

It's a really weak argument.

Let's spend $6B on a bad project because we can spend a bunch more money soon to make it less bad. Go Team!


Let's not forget that the original plans pre-2015 were for a SE BRT and north central LRT sooner than later. For a while it looked like we could have everything we wanted and more (even though that pricetag never made sense even at that time)...but reality set in within a few years.

Instead of reverting to the bang for buck option in the SE that could absolutely be converted to rail when (but in our lifetimes the better word is probably IF) demand justified it, it's been full steam ahead with tunnel vision on nothing but trains and tunnels (but maybe only kinda sorta tunnels now).

The OPEX is going to be absurd for this level of ridership, too. This is so ####ing stupid. We could have gotten a lot of great transit infrastructure for this $6B in capital if a few people were willing too pull their heads out of their asses sooner.

[powderjunkie]

Originally Posted by The Fisher Account

If cost is already the prime issue, is crossing the river supposed to be.. cheaper? And where are you supposed to build the train barns?

south of 96 Ave (Aurora Business Park).

As Table 5 said, run down Centre St. Still gotta be underground from 4th Ave south for a number of reasons

Originally Posted by The Fisher Account

Yeah but I think based on what Gondek said, federal funding would be pulled with those kind of scope changes.

Federal funding may be pulled for the current scope change. Honestly it probably should be.

Spoiler!

The only concern with shifting focus to the north is delivery timeline. But I'm not sure ~2034 is really any crazier than 2031 at this point. The business case is beyond obvious in the north.

[Bill Bumface]

Originally Posted by 81MC

Au Claire

Originally Posted by Fuzz

Eu Claire

In before "Oh! Clare!"

[Icon]

Originally Posted by Bill Bumface

In before "Oh! Clare!"

Oak Lair.

[Bigtime]

Ah yes, Au Claire. Right next to Princess island.

[Torture]

Originally Posted by Table 5

There's a federal election coming up in the not too distant future, and Im sure the Liberals wouldn't mind scoring a few easy points. Shifting already committed money from one scope to another seems like something that should be the easiest hurdle to clear...but then again, I'm no fancy bureaucrat.

I mean, that's essentially what they're doing just in a different way - they're building the 'core' of the line so that they can extend north or south as future funding comes available.

[You Need a Thneed]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

Ah yes, Au Claire. Right next to Princess island.

and a short drive away from Calf Rope Bridge.

[You Need a Thneed]

Originally Posted by Torture

I mean, that's essentially what they're doing just in a different way - they're building the 'core' of the line so that they can extend north or south as future funding comes available.

That's why its so important to get this core section done.

Once that's done, you can extend lines with far smaller chunks of money.

[moncton golden flames]

If the focus is to build the core of the Green Line, then I feel it should be from 16 Ave N to Inglewood/Ramsay. Get the expensive, underground work done right away and begin expansions in both directions as money becomes available. Eau Claire to Ogden seems ridiculously expensive for very little ridership and is one sided (to the South only).

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by moncton golden flames

If the focus is to build the core of the Green Line, then I feel it should be from 16 Ave N to Inglewood/Ramsay. Get the expensive, underground work done right away and begin expansions in both directions as money becomes available. Eau Claire to Ogden seems ridiculously expensive for very little ridership and is one sided (to the South only).

Problem is they need to build tracks to a maintence yard somewhere. But I agree on your reasoning.

[Ahuch]

Originally Posted by moncton golden flames

If the focus is to build the core of the Green Line, then I feel it should be from 16 Ave N to Inglewood/Ramsay. Get the expensive, underground work done right away and begin expansions in both directions as money becomes available. Eau Claire to Ogden seems ridiculously expensive for very little ridership and is one sided (to the South only).

They actually cut the Ogden station too, it stops in Lynnwood

[topfiverecords]

Originally Posted by Ahuch

They actually cut the Ogden station too, it stops in Lynnwood

Those people in Eau Claire are sure gonna be bummed that they won't be able to make their long planned trip down to Ogden anymore, and those Lynwood folks sure are gonna be disappointed when they take a ride in to finally visit Eau Claire Market.

[moncton golden flames]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

Problem is they need to build tracks to a maintence yard somewhere. But I agree on your reasoning.

Could they acquire land at Bonnybrook Road & Ogden Road for a facility? It looks fairly underutilized on Google Maps and not far from a Ramsay Terminus.

[Joborule]

Originally Posted by moncton golden flames

Could they acquire land at Bonnybrook Road & Ogden Road for a facility? It looks fairly underutilized on Google Maps and not far from a Ramsay Terminus.

The proposed facility is in that general area. Beside the Highfield Station.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by topfiverecords

Those people in Eau Claire are sure gonna be bummed that they won't be able to make their long planned trip down to Ogden anymore, and those Lynwood folks sure are gonna be disappointed when they take a ride in to finally visit Eau Claire Market.

Pfft...I'd rather spend time in Ogden than Eau Claire. We have a very respectable pub. And a couple Monasteries.

Theres even a serviceable car wash!

And the Pizza is exceptional!