North Calgary councillor touts BRT route as a fix for uncertain Green Line

Some councillors are callingon the City of Calgary set upa bus rapid transit (BRT) route in north Calgaryin light of what they say is increasing uncertainty around funding for the Green Line LRT project.

Coun. Jyoti Gondek has been pushing for a transit solution for northern Calgary for some time.

She suggested a multi-modal approach, setting up a BRT for north Calgary right away while work continues on the Green Line in the south.

"Maybe we wait and do downtown right instead of trying to rush it right now," she said.

"If you look at the car and the number of transit options they have, they simply don't exist in the north north-central Calgary has nothing."

Others look at a bus routeas a permanent Green Line replacement.

Coun. Joe Magliocca, who has been vocally against the Green Line, says the city simply can't take the risk of pouring money into a project of thatmagnitude, especially with its current economically precarious situation.

"We just don't have the capital. We don't have the money to do it," he said.

Maglioccais instead on board with using themoney committed toward the Green Line so far to set up a BRTas soon as possible.

• Green Line future at risk after 86% cut in provincial funding over next 4 years
• Bill 20 would let province pull Calgary's Green Line LRT money without cause

The city was expecting $555 million in provincial funding over the next four yearsbut that number was slashed to just $75 million an 86 per cent decrease in October's provincial budget.

The former provincialgovernment had pledged a total of $1.53 billion toward the $4.9-billion project in a signed agreement, matchingamounts committed by the federal government and the city.

The current Alberta government has said the remainder of thatmoney will come in future years and the transportation minister has voiced that he remains committed to the project.

However, the government has also proposed a bill that would let it pull all of that money with just 90 days' notice and without cause.

• OPINION | Green Line revisited: Why these former transit managers now say buses are better than rail

City council's Green Line committee is expected to hear about possible next steps on Nov. 15.

Construction on the southeast leg from Shepard Stationto Victoria Parkhas already been delayed until 2021, as planners reviewthe plan for the stretch from 16th Avenue North through downtown, to the Beltline and Ramsay.

If completed,the full 46-kilometre Green Line track will have 28 stationsand almost a quarter-million Calgarians are expected to use it daily.