New vision for Green Line includes bridge over Prince's Island and trains on Centre Street N.
Route under downtown would emerge from redeveloped Eau Claire Market
The Green Line LRT could emerge from a tunnel inside a new development in Eau Claire before crossing the Bow River on a new bridge that includes a multi-use pathway.
That's part of the vision unveiled Tuesday night by city administration, showing its final recommendations for the new train line running from the deep southeast to just north of downtown.
The project went back to the drawing board, and to public engagement, when there were issues raised with the way the line would run through downtown and onto Centre Street N.
Costs were prohibitive and tunnels too deep in the original plan. Much of the southeast section of the line remains largely unchanged.
Emerging from building
In the new vision, the train emerges from inside a redeveloped Eau Claire Market, much like it does at the new Central Library, with a station incorporated into the proposed building.
Previous plans put the trains on Second Street S.W. adjacent to the market site.
The route would continue on a new bridge that would cross over the wetlands on Prince's Island and curve onto Centre Street, where trains would run down the middle of the road, flanked by car lanes.
Previously, the city wanted to run the line underground along Centre Street. The new plan calls for an above-ground station at Ninth Avenue N.
Underground stations would be located through downtown and the Beltline, but exact location and details remain to be finalized.
BRT improvements
Also part of the new plan are improvements to the North Central BRT, which include dedicated bus lanes running down the middle of the Centre Street Bridge.
The $4.9-billion project has generated significant debate since it was first proposed. The route has been shortened from its original version that stretched far into north Calgary.
The city says it received over 5,000 comments during the latest round of public engagement, which wrapped up last month.
The new recommendations are expected to be presented to the council's Green Line committee on June 1, and, if approved, would move to a council vote in mid-June.