Project background
On July 4, 2023, Council approved an updated 30-year strategic plan for Calgary Transit, known as RouteAhead. RouteAhead is to guide operating and capital investments and improvements to the customer experience. The RouteAhead identified key projects in Calgary such as the 144 Avenue Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) associated with the Symons Valley Transit Terminal as an important transit corridor that will support rapidly growing communities.
The City is launching a functional planning study for the 144 Avenue North Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) corridor and Symons Valley Transit Terminal. This study aims to improve transit service and connectivity in North Calgary, focusing on the growing area’s future mobility needs and constraints.
The 144 Av N BRT will serve as a vital cross-town route, linking major transit lines like the Red Line LRT, Green Line LRT, Shaganappi Primary Transit Network (PTN), and Blue Line LRT. The primary goal of the BRT functional planning study is to deliver a safe, reliable, and sustainable transit service that effectively meets the community's future mobility demands. The functional planning study will provide a recommended functional plan, protect the necessary right-of-way, and support the business case to acquire funding.
Part of the Functional Planning Study will look at the Symons Valley Terminal; a key part of the Symons Valley Centre project, phase 1 and 2, set to be built in 2028. This terminal will serve as a major transit hub, enhancing transit services by supporting the future 144 Avenue BRT and various local bus routes. To ensure the terminal operates smoothly and integrates effectively with the overall project, the planning for the 144 Avenue North BRT will be closely aligned with the Symons Valley Centre development.
Through this Functional Planning Study, we will:
- Work with the public and key audience to understand the opportunities and/or constraints, as well as their needs, wants, concerns, and ideas;
- Develop a preferred design for the 144 Av N BRT corridor including BRT route, stations, access to transit service, transit priority measures, roads, and intersections;
- Recommend the preferred design option of the Symons Valley Terminal including walking, wheeling, cycling, driving, and transit service;
- Determine the phasing and cost of the project.
Study area
The purpose of a BRT functional planning study is to develop a recommended functional plan for a future transit corridor and prepare the project to be ready to advance the design and construction. When the funding is secured for the next stages, the recommended functional plan would go to detailed design where the specific features would be planned in further detail.
We want to hear from you! Public input is a valuable part of developing the plan. Your feedback will help inform future phases of the study.
How your feedback will be used
We will collect input from the public, along with technical data, City policies, budgets and best practices to inform the plan. The studies findings will show how transit connects with other transportation modes along the corridor and help guide future transit development.
The engagement process for the 144 Avenue North BRT study will be conducted in three phases:
Phase 2: Explore
Engagement is now closed
In Fall 2024, we kicked off the public engagement process to better understand opportunities and constraints for transit users in north Calgary. Using the public feedback received in Phase 1, and outcomes from our technical analyses, we are now sharing transit corridor concepts. In this phase, we are looking for feedback on these concepts to help us refine and choose a preferred plan.
Through this phase of engagement, you can:
- Review what we heard during Phase 1 engagement and learn how we used it to inform the route options explored
- Share your thoughts to help our project team select a preferred route and refine the proposed station locations and pathway and bikeway connections.
- Learn about next steps
How we used public feedback
Below is a summary of feedback we gathered in Phase 1: Discover, and what we did with that feedback to inform the route options we are sharing now for public input in Phase 2: Explore.
To review the detailed What We Heard report and Verbatim Feedback, visit the Document Library on this page.
What we heard:
What we did
We’re proposing that the 144 Avenue N BRT corridor is serviced as a future MAX line, which would mean more frequent and reliable transit.
To help keep things moving smoothly, we are recommending that the bus stations be spaced farther apart to reduce travel time. We’re also exploring transit priority measures—like dedicated transit lanes and traffic signals that will give buses priority and more green light time.
What we did
The bus rapid transit (BRT) route along 144 Avenue N will create an important east-west transit corridor that will provide more transit options and better connections in north Calgary. It will link to major north-south primary transit routes, including the Red Line LRT, the future Green Line LRT, and the future Blue Line LRT north extension. Additionally, it will connect to two future Primary Transit Network (PTN) routes located along Shaganappi Trail and Beddington Trail.
The corridor will also feature the proposed Symons Valley Transit Terminal, making it easier for transit users to transfer between other local bus routes and access Park & Ride options for nearby communities.
What we did
We are proposing that the new BRT route along 144 Avenue N connect to all three LRT lines – Red Line, Blue Line, and future Green Line - as well as other north-south Primary Transit Network (PTN) routes. These connections will make it easier for transit users to get downtown faster, with more convenient transfer options along the way.
What we did
The project team has explored an east extension of the bus rapid transit (BRT) corridor to serve additional communities in north Calgary, including Carrington, Livingston, and other communities in the northeast areas.
What we did
We have reviewed pathway and bikeway connections that will better connect transit users to future station locations. In the next phase of the project, we will develop a functional design that will explore MAX-style station features such as heated shelters, floor-level boarding, and real time information displays. We will also look at accessibility improvements in more detail.
Snow clearing is handled by The City’s Operational Services team, so it’s not within the scope of our project. However, the 144 Avenue N BRT is proposed to be serviced as a MAX line, and MAX lines are a top priority for snow clearing in Calgary.
What we did
A connection to the North Pointe Terminal is not within the scope of this project.
How we selected the route options
Routes explored
Building on the public engagement feedback from Phase 1 and a detailed technical review, we identified several possible routes which are described on the map below.
Route options
Crowfoot, Tuscany & 144 Avenue North Routes
We chose the Crowfoot, Tuscany, and 144 Avenue North routes because they best meet the needs and goals of the study:
- Projected future population growth and jobs
- Connection to key community destinations
- Early estimate of project cost (maintenance and operating)
- Impacts to development (infrastructure needs, land use etc,.)
To learn more, click on the route icons below.
Deciding on the transit service upgrade
The study looked at future land use, transportation plans, transit needs, traffic performance (traffic flow, congestion etc.), and available land space. It found that a dedicated bus lane isn't needed for the whole 144 Avenue N corridor. Instead, buses should share the road with other vehicles but get priority at important intersections.
Transit Priority Measures and other improvement measures may include:
- Special lanes that let buses move ahead of other traffic at intersections.
- Extending and/or advancing green lights for buses.
- Adjusting traffic lights to improve flow.
- Adding extra lanes for turning.
Having buses share the road is cheaper to build, operate, and maintain, and can still give priority to transit where needed.
Feedback form is now closed
Help our project team select a preferred route and refine the proposed stops, station locations, and pathway and bikeway connections. Please share your thoughts by completing the feedback forms below.
Route options 🛣️
We would like your feedback on the Tuscany and Crowfoot routes, to help the project team select a preferred route.
Tuscany Route
Crowfoot Route
Stops and stations 🚌🚏
Pathway and bikeway connections 🚴♂️🚶♀️
Please note: Connections farther into communities will be addressed through other programs and projects.
Next steps
Select the Preferred Route
We will refine and finalize the preferred route for the transit corridor based on public feedback and technical analyses.
Finalize Transit Stations
We will develop the functional design of the proposed bus stations including station size, location, and amenities.
Develop Intersection Improvements
We’ll finalize the functional design of any intersection changes required for the preferred transit route. This will also include enhancements to bikeway and pathway connections.
Develop a Transit Implementation Plan
We will develop an implementation plan to determine when and how the BRT route will be implemented.
Past engagement phases
Phase 1: Discover
Phase 1: 144 Avenue N BRT Virtual Presentation
Transit development priorities
We want to confirm what we heard from Calgarians in the RouteAhead to help us plan for transit solutions for the area and the long-term plan for 144 Avenue N BRT transit corridor.
RouteAhead transit development priorities:
| Safety (Feeling safe, secure while getting to, waiting for, and riding on transit) | Frequent service (Schedule buses to arrive at stops more often) | Network design (Ensure transit runs to major destinations and where people need to go, in all areas) |
| Reliable arrival and departure times | Environmentally friendly (Transit’s low emissions contributes to a more environmentally friendly Calgary) |
Next steps
In December 2024, we will share a report summarizing the feedback we received during Phase 1: Discover. This report will inform the project team’s work to prepare for Phase 2: Explore, where we will share design concept options for public feedback.
For each project phase, we’ll create a dedicated “What We Heard” report, ensuring that we build on insights from one phase to the next. Through our reporting process we will also share how public input influenced the design concept options and the preferred plan.
