[Update: Approved] First Leg of the Green Line LRT

[Flames0910]

Originally Posted by Lubicon

The Province has been signalling this, and actually flat out stating it for some time now. I'm not sure any heads up was required, we all saw the headlines and press clippings.

Two weeks ago they were accused of trying to kill the project by the NDP and laughed it off:

"We passed legislation guaranteeing funding for the green line" -Ric McIver, June 1

https://twitter.com/LeeBTodd/status/1273359833727557632

[Skaloper]

I'm glad to see that each level of government is going to take another look before approving it. Calgary cannot make up for shortfalls in funding so we need to ensure the Provincial and Federal portions are still fully funded.

[Ducay]

Pull the funding until its grade separated from the moment it crosses into downtown until its passes 16th Ave.

[Torture]

Originally Posted by Ducay

Pull the funding until its grade separated from the moment it crosses into downtown until its passes 16th Ave.

The reason the city ended up recommending NOT tunnelling the entire distance was because it was too risky with where the water table for the Bow is and could have had cost overruns in the billions, but ok.

But let's take it a step further, why even have a city council? We should just let the provincial government make all of our decisions, right?

[accord1999]

Originally Posted by Torture

The reason the city ended up recommending NOT tunnelling the entire distance was because it was too risky with where the water table for the Bow is and could have had cost overruns in the billions, but ok.

That section North of the Bow could still be grade-separated if the bridge went into a portal on the Bluff with a shallow tunnel and underground 16th Ave Station.

But let's take it a step further, why even have a city council? We should just let the provincial government make all of our decisions, right?

It might have been better if the Province had fully reviewed the Council's decisions earlier; then we would haven't the Council approving a 40 km Green Line in 2015, then just a 20 km Green Line Stage 1 in 2017, and now where Stage 1 is split into three segments and the river crossing segment is dependent on the other two staying on budget.

[Regorium]

Originally Posted by accord1999

That section North of the Bow could still be grade-separated if the bridge went into a portal on the Bluff with a shallow tunnel and underground 16th Ave Station.





It might have been better if the Province had fully reviewed the Council's decisions earlier; then we would haven't the Council approving a 40 km Green Line in 2015, then just a 20 km Green Line Stage 1 in 2017, and now where Stage 1 is split into three segments and the river crossing segment is dependent on the other two staying on budget.

This would be my ideal alignment for the river crossing.

[81MC]

Originally Posted by Torture

Oh COME ON!

https://twitter.com/user/status/1273349963192262656

Mark my words. The UCP pulls funding, raises questions of our mayors competency, and the Conservatives mayoral candidate uses its failure as a talking point during next election.
Then the UCP provides funding, once a UCP puppet is in place, and friends of the UCP happen to own some strategic land.

I have zero faith at all in the UCP reviewing in good faith. We’ve seen the childish antics already, and they will sure as #### use this opportunity.

[GGG]

If the goal is to run a conservative slate in the next municipal election this project would need to be funded. You would be throwing away the SW vote. So if this is a political play to gain power in an election it will be to fund it and take credit.

If it is about not spending tax dollars then it gets killed at the expense of future UCP votes.

The cowardly move would be to hold a referendum.

[Tyler]

Originally Posted by GGG

If the goal is to run a conservative slate in the next municipal election this project would need to be funded.

https://www.manningcentre.ca/

[Jimmy Stang]

Originally Posted by 81MC

Mark my words. The UCP pulls funding, raises questions of our mayors competency, and the Conservatives mayoral candidate uses its failure as a talking point during next election.
Then the UCP provides funding, once a UCP puppet is in place, and friends of the UCP happen to own some strategic land.

I have zero faith at all in the UCP reviewing in good faith. We’ve seen the childish antics already, and they will sure as #### use this opportunity.

A potential puppet mayoral candidate would also make sure that everyone knew how hard they tried to stop it. "I suggested a referendum and was the only one that voted with common sense but Silly Hall didn't listen!"

[Wormius]

Feds could cover the funding difference if UCP bows out. Makes the UCP look even pettier than before, and Liberals might get a few seats next election in Calgary.

[SebC]

Originally Posted by Wormius

Feds could cover the funding difference if UCP bows out. Makes the UCP look even pettier than before, and Liberals might get a few seats next election in Calgary.

And piss off the rest of country by funding Calgary's project at 2/3rds when everyone else gets 1/3rd.

[Mull]

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calga...park-1.5992355
https://engage.calgary.ca/greenline

I know the project is over in cost, and how... crazy this sounds given that.. but I hope if there is some massive bridge, they spend and make it look good given its key location. Otherwise it sort of bugs me... but perhaps just criticizing for the sake of it




The design of the bridge carrying the Green Line over the Bow River shows that it will not include a support pier in the river.

[Muta]

Still wish they'd just spend the money, do it properly, and tunnel it all the way to 16th Ave N.

[octothorp]

I'm a total nimby curmudgeon about messing with the wetlands at the east end of Prince's Island. Won't somebody think of the beavers?!

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by octothorp

I'm a total nimby curmudgeon about messing with the wetlands at the east end of Prince's Island. Won't somebody think of the beavers?!

Meh, it's basically man made at this point, and has been altered several times through Calgary's history, either by people or floods. Outa the way beavers, it's progress time!

[BurningYears]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

Meh, it's basically man made at this point, and has been altered several times through Calgary's history, either by people or floods. Outa the way beavers, it's progress time!

[Mull]

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calga...ince-1.6023036

UCP government wants a business case for Calgary's Green Line

Nenshi says technical issues resolved after months of discussion

Mayor Naheed Nenshi said there's a reason why the city's business case isn't already on a desk at the legislature.

"They wouldn't accept it because they had all these questions that have now apparently been resolved — with exactly what we had before," said Nenshi.

The city paused procurement on the megaproject last December, because the province said it had technical concerns with what the city wants to build.

What exactly those concerns are have never been publicly explained. Even members of council say they don't know what the technical issues are on the provincial side....

Nothing was revealed in public about the private session as the board determined releasing information would be harmful to intergovernmental relations, constituted advice from officials and that it could be harmful to economic and other interests of the city.
....
The province is refusing to publicly release the letter Transportation Minister Ric McIver sent to the city

What in the world did the Province say to the City? Should be transparent, get ego's out.

Well good news if the Province isn't challenging technical issues now.

[Joborule]

Originally Posted by Mull

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calga...ince-1.6023036


What in the world did the Province say to the City? Should be transparent, get ego's out.

Well good news if the Province isn't challenging technical issues now.

We're getting ####ed in the polls, so Kenny want's to change the narrative now and boost his numbers back up.

[frinkprof]

New CEO of Calgary's Green Line confident downtown tunnel can go ahead


The new CEO of the $5.5-billion Green Line said that conditions beneath downtown Calgary aren't ideal but they shouldn't derail the construction of a new CTrain tunnel.
Darshpreet Bhatti was hired as the new public face of the megaproject last summer.


His responsibilities include ensuring the City of Calgary has good relations with stakeholders along the Green Line route and with contractors who will design and build the project.


One of the first things he did after moving from the Toronto area to Calgary was to pore over the work already completed in preparation for the eventual construction of the Green Line.


Concerns have been raised by Green Line opponents in recent years about the technical challenges of building a two-kilometre CTrain tunnel under the city's downtown core.
His conclusion: the tunnel can be built.


"The soil conditions in downtown Calgary are not the most ideal for the type of work we need to do, so we have to be cognizant of those risks and manage them carefully," said Bhatti.


However, he doesn't believe there's any legitimate reason that the underground portion of the line should not go ahead.


"I don't think that there's anything that's raised a flag to me to suggest that the construction is not even viable."


[...]


Technical experts have ruled out using a tunnel boring machine to help build the underground portion of the line, so the more conventional "cut and cover" method will be used.


[...]


The downtown tunnel will stretch from the transit bus barn in Victoria Park though the Beltline, under the Canadian Pacific Railway mainline and below Second Street S.W. before the line emerges in Eau Claire.


He said public communication will be key because this will be a major inconvenience in the core.


"We're basically doing open heart surgery in the downtown of a major metropolitan city and disruption will come," said Bhatti.


[...]


The procurement process for determining who will build the LRT line itself was forced to restart following a lengthy negotiation with the provincial government on funding for the project.


The Green Line board says $675 million has been spent on the project already, primarily for land acquisition, engineering work as well as preparation work along the alignment for construction.


Bhatti estimates it could take until the fall of 2023 or early 2024 before main construction on the Green Line begins.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calga...nnel-1.6251636