[lucx]

I listened to most of the June 1 Green Line Committee. I reluctantly supported the 2020 alignment but questioned if it needed to cross the river in Stage 1. After today’s presentation, I can accept that crossing the river is the best option available.

TLDR: Centre Street and Downtown roads will struggle to handle more buses. It needs LRT capacity. Stopping the line downtown gambles away this capacity with bad odds for major funding later vs available funding now.


- All options involve crossing your fingers for future funding. Stopping the line downtown is gambling that funding will still be available a decade from now. The current funding is basically committed. Future funding will likely be smaller chunks in the $100 million range – enough for the necessary incremental extensions, but not for the river crossing.

- If the underground Eau Claire station isn’t built in Stage 1, it's unlikely to ever be built after the site is redeveloped. I'm a little more convinced it's now or never for North LRT.

- Crescent Height appears to have 50/50 support for the surface line. Opposition seems to be about incomplete plans for traffic and parking rather than the line itself. Proponents like the idea of transforming Centre Street from a commuter road into a community corridor.

- If there's less traffic on Centre Street, I can accept the idea of crossing 16 Ave at grade. This eliminates a $250 million underground station allowing the line to extend much faster.