Green Line LRT tunnel through downtown looking more likely

It's looking more and more likely the Green Line LRT will go underground through downtown Calgary.

The transportation and transit committee was toldthe underground option is ranked higher than four other options, asanelevated line could lower property values downtown.

The city is examiningfive possible routes for the Green Line to get from 20th Avenue Northover or under the Bow Riverthrough downtown using elevated, street level or underground sections beforefinally makingits way to the Beltline.

In April, the city said digging a tunnel underneath Crescent Heights, under the river and all the way under the city core at Second Street at an estimated cost of $1.8 billion has been identified as the best option.

The other options under consideration are building a new bridge to carry LRT cars over the Bow River, then either carrying the line above grade over downtown, or building a shorter tunnel below the city centre.

Those optionswere believed to be roughly $500 million lessthan the full-tunnel option.

Property values

Richard Morden, a property managerwith Bentall Kennedy, said the company'sclients want the LRT to go underground along Second Street S.W.

He told councillors an elevated line would hurt land values, resulting in a loss of nearly $5million peryear in property taxesnot to mention the effect on street life.

"It's essential to maximize sunlight, retain pedestrian activity, keep animation at street level so that retail and restaurants do not suffer, and that of course means an elevated guideway is our absolute worst, worst choice in terms of vibrancy for the core," he said.

He also pointed to undeveloped sites that will be affected if an elevated line is built.

"The all-tunnel option is the best," said Morden.

Finalizing the route

The cheapest option under consideration is to run the LRT line down the middle of the existing Centre Street Bridge, pegged at about $700 million less than the full-tunnel route.

City council will make a final decision on the downtown alignment in September.

TheGreenLine's route through the Beltlineis still to be determined and could includeunderground, street-level or elevated routeson 10th Avenue, 11thAvenue or 12thAvenue in the city's south.

That section will,in turn, connect with the southeast portion of the Green Line, which isfurther along in the planning process and has a setroute.

The committee also recommendedcouncil move ahead on land acquisition along the entire route.

Themega-project will ultimatelysee a newC-Train line stretch 40 kilometres across the city, from North Pointe to the southeast community of Seton.

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