The City of Calgary is conducting a functional rail study to extend the Red Line LRT further south, with the potential addition of two new stations at Silverado and 210 Avenue South. This expansion is expected to serve over 55,000 residents in various communities in the area, as well as future developments in the southwest. The goal of the project is to meet the transit needs of both current and future residents, while also improving customer service experiences. The study will focus on determining the right-of-way, alignment, station locations, and environmental impacts of the proposed extension.
In addition to the new stations, the study will also explore the construction of a new LRT maintenance and storage facility at 210 Avenue South. This facility is considered critical for the further expansion of the transit network and will help accommodate the growing population and transit needs in the area. The city is seeking feedback on the proposal through a survey on its website, which includes questions about station usage, access, safety features, and design preferences. While some residents support the extension, others have expressed concerns about the potential safety issues and impact on their communities.
The completion of the study is expected next year, but actual construction for the Red Line extension may still be years away. A functional study is necessary to develop a business case for securing funding from other levels of government before the design and construction phases can begin. Ward 13 Coun. Dan McLean believes that the project is much needed in the rapidly growing communities he represents and hopes that funding can be secured within a few years. Despite other prioritized transit projects in the city, McLean argues that extending the Red Line would be more cost-effective and less complex than some of the other projects.
While the Green Line and Blue Line extensions are currently ahead of the Red Line in terms of priority, McLean believes that the Red Line extension is a more straightforward project that does not involve extensive tunneling or major infrastructure changes. He hopes that the city will prioritize the project and start working on it as soon as possible to meet the transit needs of the growing population in the area. Overall, the extension of the Red Line LRT in Calgary is seen as a necessary project to improve transit services and accommodate the rapid growth of the city and surrounding communities.
