Below are the four options the project team reviewed for the Red Line South Extension. Each option was reviewed using a set of technical, financial, economic, environmental, and community-focused criteria to understand its benefits, opportunities, challenges, and trade-offs between the options.

Due to the constraints and available land in the area, Options 1-4 are nearly identical between Somerset Station and 194th Avenue, as there is a natural corridor available through this area, and the location of the future Silverado station has been planned for a long time. As a result, the evaluation below focuses specifically on the location of the 210 Avenue station, the Maintenance and Storage Facility (MSF) site, and other related considerations, such as the possibility of further southward extensions.

The preferred option (Option 3) was chosen because it provides the best balance of benefits for the community and future transit users. It will deliver high-quality transit service with well-designed station facilities, including a park and ride and bus terminal. The dedicated LRT corridor reduces future risks and helps the system run more efficiently, while also minimizing noise and visual impacts for nearby residents. This option supports safe and accessible walking, wheeling, and transit connections, aligns with feedback received during Phase 1 engagement, and offers similar construction, operating, and maintenance costs compared to the other options.

The table below shows how each option performed against these criteria using a green (meets most criteria), yellow (meets some criteria), and red (meets least criteria) rating system.

Community feedback from Phase 1 engagement played an important role in the evaluation process. Calgarians shared what mattered mostand this feedback helped guide decisions about the recommended route and station layouts.

The second table below shows how the top themes from Phase 1 directly influenced the selection of the recommended option.