A thread to discuss public transit in Calgary. Information, questions, current issues, pros, cons, ideas, future plans, past experiences, whatever. I'm not sure if there will be enough interest here to sustain this thread, but it's a topic that comes up often enough in other threads.
I've compiled a bit of an information resource below to let everyone know what is currently happening with the system, and what is to come. All to the best of my knowledge of course, so if you have any other information, post it and I'll make the changes. I wanted to include renderings and maps but didn't want it to be too graphic-heavy so I kept a lot of the images in spoilers to make browsing a little easier. Just click the *Show* buttons to see the images. I left the future LRT system map in since it paints the most complete picture.
CURRENT PROJECTS
LRT INFRASTRUCTURE
West LRT
Stations: 7 - 11th Street West, Sunalta, Shaganappi Point, Westbrook, 45th Street, Sirocco, 69th Street
Status: Under Construction
Completion: Opens December 10th, 2012
Stations: Rebuilding and/or relocation of all platforms along 7th Avenue
Status: 1st, 3rd, 4th, 6th, 7th and 8th Streets completed. City Hall and 11th Street Under Construction, Centre Street to be done
Completion: 2012
Model: SD160 Series 8
Number: 38 on order
Arrival Status: 11 units have arrived as of 01/12/11
Spoiler!
Exterior:
New Seating Arrangement:
Video:
BUS
Airport Service
Description: The bus service to the airport is being improved and revamped. There will be two new routes and eventually a tram.
Completion: New route to/from McKnight-Westwinds Station by 2011, new BRT route to/from downtown by 2012.
Routes 430 and 57 are existing (57 currently goes all the way to terminal, but doesn't in above map due to Barlow Trail closure).
Route 100 would be in service by 2011
Route 310 is a BRT route that would be in operation by 2012
Long Term:
Route 310 is replaced by "European-style" Tram.
New Buses
Model: Nova LFS 40102
Number: 49 on order
Arrival Status: 11 have arrived as of 01/12/11
SYSTEM IMPROVEMENTS
Spoiler!
Systemwide 4-car LRV Capacity and Traction Power Upgrades
Stations: All but Shawnessy, Somerset, Dalhousie, McKnight, Crowfoot, 7th Avenue.
Status: Whitehorn station completed, Southland Station next to be extended, all others to be done.
Completion: 2014
Advanced Passenger Information System
Description: Realtime vehicle arrival information for LRT and BRT lines using GPS/INS or similar and visual displays at stations
Status: In development
Completion: 2012
Electronic Fare Payment Systems
Description: Ability to pay fares on LRT and BRT (possibly more) using some form of Smartcard technology, machines that take plastic and/or bills
Status: In development, technology not officially chosen
Completion: 2012
Improved CCTV Security at LRT Stations
Description: New and more cameras with better resolution
Status: In development
Completion: 2014
You could also mention projects like expanding suburban stations to 4 car capacity - Whirehorn Station is underway, getting its new platform this weekend.
1. a more customer-oriented culture at Calgary Transit.
2. In the next 20 years see the completion of the SE LRT, 8th ave Subway, North Central Line (centre street alignmment), airport connection, East Calgary Line (17th SE), and the beginnings of an inner city C-tram system.
3. Simple improvements like smart cards, real time GPS tracking of vehicles, etc.
You could also mention projects like expanding suburban stations to 4 car capacity - Whirehorn Station is underway, getting its new platform this weekend.
Seeing Whitehorn station on Friday when there was absolutely nothing on the platform was a little weird. No shelters, no benches, no garbage cans, nothing. The south platform entrance will be nice for the times when I have to use the station.
IMO we need the 8th Ave Subway fast. Trains are full and 7th Ave is at capacity. I'd also like to see a connector to the airport, or perhaps even a branch.
N-central LRT alignment should go back to Center Street and connect to the SE LRT. It would provide much better service to the North and having the N-line branch off from the NE-line means the final capacity for both gets cut in half.
Is there really going to be two an Eastbound and Westbound station on the same block on 7th Ave, as that drawing seems to imply? Two trains could completely block off emergency vehicles and buses if that happens.
Is there really going to be two an Eastbound and Westbound station on the same block on 7th Ave, as that drawing seems to imply? Two trains could completely block off emergency vehicles and buses if that happens.
Yes, both at City Hall station and at the new 11th Street Station.
Location: Close enough to make a beer run during a TV timeout
Exp:
Is the SE route pretty much set? Last I heard it was still up for debate.
It also seems like a lot of stations close together; especially further south. For example, what purpose will the Shepard station serve? Do that many people take the LRT to Canadian Tire?
Is the SE route pretty much set? Last I heard it was still up for debate.
It also seems like a lot of stations close together; especially further south. For example, what purpose will the Shepard station serve? Do that many people take the LRT to Canadian Tire?
The SE route is mostly set, but things could still change a bit, particually how the WLRT route "changed" - changing the location of the tracks vs the adjacent roadway.
I don't think any of the stations are very close together. No closer together then stations on other lines. Shepard Station on 126th Ave serves a lot of commercial, and there's a lot of growth in that area happening.
Is the SE route pretty much set? Last I heard it was still up for debate.
It also seems like a lot of stations close together; especially further south. For example, what purpose will the Shepard station serve? Do that many people take the LRT to Canadian Tire?
The route has been approved (I think anyway, the only part outstanding may be the downtown routing), and council actually voted to have the project move to the top of the priority list for transportation projects in the city.
I believe most of the station areas in the southern portion of the line are slated to be TOD nodes. So it isn't necessarily what is there now so much as what the transit connection will enable to be built in the future.
Cgy transit cutting off dt service during flames games is not cool.
Probably better than cutting off downtown service during a work week. They schedule track maintenance for long weekends for good reason. Sure it sucks that a hockey game was scheduled for the same time as a track shutdown, but there's nothing Calgary Transit could do about it - they likely had this shutdown scheduled before the NHL schedule came out, if even if it was the other way around, the shutdown would have happened anyway. There aren't any more long weekends this year.
That Southeast route makes no sense. There is literally no room for level-grade train tracks on 52nd street (south of 130th) without bulldozing the relatively new schools/houses there. They can't possibly be thinking elevated tracks in that area--residents would simply not go for it--and they're just now finishing up the 52nd street widening, not to mention the effects on real-estate values. I'd love to see true subways, but that isn't happening.
Edit:
Quote:
I believe most of the station areas in the southern portion of the line are slated to be TOD nodes. So it isn't necessarily what is there now so much as what the transit connection will enable to be built in the future.
Are TOD nodes those bus terminals they're building everywhere? I guess that's better then nothing, and explains the weird location of the stations.
Location: Close enough to make a beer run during a TV timeout
Exp:
Quote:
Originally Posted by Bob
That Southeast route makes no sense. There is literally no room for level-grade train tracks on 52nd street (south of 130th) without bulldozing the relatively new schools/houses there.
What are you talking about? The LRT right of way is on the west side of 52nd. There's even a sign that has been there for years: link
Basically the sign says "We are running the LRT through here at some point, so no bitching when your green space here goes away."
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