Shuttle buses, temporary free parking and detours make up Red Line closure plan

The City of Calgary and the Calgary Municipal Land Corporation (CMLC) have announced a number of measures to help transit users and drivers through a "very rare" planned transit disruption later this month.

Starting Nov. 24, construction work will force the temporary closure of the Red Line of the CTrain between Chinook and City Hall/Bow Valley College stations.

In addition, lanes of traffic along northbound Macleod Trail between 25 and 12 Avenue S.E. will be shut down and pedestrians looking to get to Stampede Park from Macleod will be detoured.

City officials say shuttle routes and additional parking will be among the changes made to help commuters in the downtown core.

"We know how important CTrain service is to our customers," said Doug Morgan, the general manager of operational services with the city said in a statement on Monday.

"We are working hard to provide alternatives, including the largest replacement shuttle service in our history, temporary park and ride locations, and parking alternatives. Travellers – whether on transit or driving – should know their options and plan extra time."

During the construction period, shuttle buses will be replacing Red Line service between the affected stations. They will depart every five minutes and will stop at each of the closed stations along the regular LRT route.

Express routes will also be put in place to help riders, the city says:

• The Red Line Anderson Express will take commuters from Anderson Station to the downtown replacement shuttle stops along Ninth Avenue with no stops along the way; and
• The Red Line Heritage Express will take commuters from Heritage Station to the downtown replacement shuttle stops along Ninth Avenue with no stops along the way.

Each of those routes will operate only on weekdays between 6 a.m. and 7:30 p.m.

Commuters will also be able to take advantage of some free parking on weekdays.

The city says 1,000 parking stalls have been set aside at Heritage Park for the duration of the project.

"From there, customers can either catch MAX Yellow to downtown or MAX Teal to Westbrook Station with a transfer to the Blue Line to get downtown," the city said.

Temporary parking will also be available at the Stampede Grounds for $7 per day while the construction is ongoing. Approximately 600 spots are being made available so drivers can either walk or take one of the replacement shuttles to get where they need to go.

Drivers heading into the downtown core are being asked to consider alternative routes, such as Glenmore Trail to Crowchild Trail to Bow Trail to enter from the west or Deerfoot Trail to Memorial Drive to enter via the Fourth Avenue flyover.

Anyone heading northbound on Macleod Trail should expect delays because of lane closures, the city says, but all three lanes will be open between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m. on weekdays to facilitate the morning rush hour.

"Commuters should keep in mind that any of these routes will be busier than usual, and they should leave extra time," the city said.

"In addition, those who can are encouraged to think about adjusting work hours to avoid peak travel times, and to consider carpooling where possible."

Additionally, the city is offering a 25 per cent discount on all monthly passes for December.

"This is an important connector in Calgary’s emerging Culture + Entertainment District (C+E), and bringing a revitalized CTrain station and a new east-west roadway to The C+E will elevate the experience for everyone who lives, works and plays in the area," said CMLC president and CEO Kate Thompson in a statement.

"We know these kinds of disruptions are inconvenient, and we are grateful to Calgarians for their patience while we work to deliver an incredible new district for everyone."

The work is expected to be completed by 4 a.m. on Dec. 4.

Further details on the city's measures to manage traffic into the downtown core during the nine-day construction period can be found online.