The city of Calgary had been moving forward with a plan to build an elevated line through downtown as part of its Green Line LRT. This week, however, a decision to look at some alternative options has put that approach back under review.
Supporters of the line argue that the shift carries an opportunity as much as a risk. They say it could ultimately produce a route that connects even more Calgarians, provided the mayor is willing to take bold action.
One supporter described the process as a familiar one, saying the city has gotten the crayons out a few times over the years to scribble down new ideas and new alignments, and that it feels like Calgary is at that point again.
As city hall examines different ways to get through downtown, Mayor Farkas has said there is a possibility that the downtown section is put on the back burner for now.
One option floated for the short term would be a bus bridge running through downtown to connect both the north and the south legs of the line by rail on either side.
That idea, however, has drawn scepticism. According to Binks, a supporter of the line, a bus bridge is not the best way to incentivise ridership, and it is not something Calgarians have indicated they would want.