Councillor seeks to make 1st phase of Green Line longer

Days after city council approved the first phase of the Green Line LRT, a city councillor is looking for ways to make the initial line longer.

Council approved the first stage of the next LRT line Monday. The 20-kilometre line would run from 16th Avenue North to Shepard Station at 126th Ave. S.E. and is estimated to cost $4.6 billion.

• 1st phase of Green Line LRT approved by city council

Coun.Shane Keating says he's going to ask council to allow companies to bid for the contract based on what they can build for that price.

"What can we add to the length of stage one or phase one as part of the budget within phase one? Rather than just saying 'I'm going to build this amount,' I want to say 'what extra are you going to give us rather than just the price?'" Keating said.

He says it's possible companies bidding on the Green Line contract may offer to build more than 20 kilometres for the same amount of money in order to land the job.

"A decision was made that phase one is from 16th to Shepard and here's the estimated cost and here's what's going to be detailed over the next year. I truly believe that it won't be from 16th to Shepard. I think it'll be longer," he said.

Keating will bring forward his motion to city council later this month.

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