The city says the southwest Bus Rapid Transit project is a long-term transportation solution for Calgary but two councillors want to pause planning on the next phase and are proposing a stop to the tendering process.
The plan calls for bus-only travel lanes along 14th Street, from Southland Drive to 75 Avenue SW, and a tunnel under 90th avenue so buses can move passengers with fewer delays.
The service will run from the downtown to Woodbine and directly connect passengers to major destinations like the Southland Leisure Centre, Heritage Park, Mount Royal University, Marda Loop and other areas in the city’s south.
Ward 11 Councillor, Jeromy Farkas, and Ward 13's Diane Colley Urqhuart want to stop the tendering process for phase two of the project from Glenmore Trail to Woodbine.
They say the cost has ballooned from $40 million to $65 to $100 million in the past decade and that the city needs to take another look to see if the money would be better spent elsewhere.
“There's a number of investments that would, much more in my opinion, improve transit whether its an electronic fare payment, tap and go technology, LRT extension to the airport, there's a number of different pieces that I think the southwest BRT, given that its costs have exploded in recent years, needs to be measured against,” said Farkas.
Calgary’s mayor supports the project and says there’s been enough study and that the BRT expansion is needed.
“Seven years ago when I took office, one of the things I said is we have to stop making transit decisions based on politics, we can't horse trade votes for transit decisions and that's why we have the route ahead plan that sets out a 30 year plan for transit in priority order and we knock them off in priority order as funding becomes available, this one is a priority,” said Nenshi.
Council is expected to debate the notice of motion on Monday.
For more on the Southwest BRT (Bus Rapid Transit) project click HERE.
(With files from Shaun Frenette)
