Expropriation an option as Calgary pushes forward on 17th Avenue transitway

Calgary says it may have to expropriate up to 43 properties on International Avenue to keep the new 17th Avenue transitway project on schedule.

The roadway needs to be widened for transit lanes, bus stops and other improvements.

DougCassidy, the city's director of real estate and development services,said the city needs a few metres from multiple properties that front17thAvenue S.E. Nine propertiesare needed infull, while the rest of the land will come fromslivers of properties.

• Calgary looks to buy dozens of 'slivers' of private land along 17th Avenue S.E. BRT route

He saidnegotiations are continuing but the city is prepared to expropriate if needed.

"We've advanced the expropriation process in order to ensure that land is available to construct the transitway in 2017 in the event that we're not able to acquire the land through negotiations," he said.

'It's exciting'

Cassidy said he expects the city will have all the land required before it comes to expropriation.

Andrew Marriott just opened a Tim Hortons restaurant on the busy commercial stripand he's well aware the city needs land.

"It's exciting, we're going to be able to take about 10 to 15 feet of frontage that currently exists where it's some soft landscaping,we're gonna actually have that decorative and hard landscaping and benches and upgrading of the street front right in front of our restaurant," he said.

The transitway project is expected to cost $96 million and will be completed in late 2018.

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