We’re developing a plan for the Downtown Segment of Green Line, building on the Government of Alberta's plan and alignment. This study will advance the design, validate the cost estimates, and help us understand potential impacts to existing infrastructure. For many, the Green Line will be part of daily life - a link to work, school, services, entertainment, and each other. That's why this phase of the study is focused on listening to the people who will use it.

This year, our team is building a functional plan for the Downtown Segment. Beginning with the Concept Plan for an elevated route developed by the Province, our team will consider:

• Station concepts and locations

• How people will get on and off the trains at stations

• If and how adjacent buildings and amenities may connect

• Designs for the guideway that the trains will travel along

• Options for how public spaces under the guideway might be used

Where possible, feedback received during engagement will be used to advance the design and recommendations for the Downtown Segment.

Planning for a new LRT line is a long-term, multi-year process. Additional work will be needed to help us advance beyond the functional plan to detailed design and then construction.

Planning for Green Line began in 2011, aiming to improve mobility, reliability and connectivity for tens of thousands of daily riders.

From 2021 to today, the route for the Downtown Segment has changed a few times.  

• In 2021, the approved plan proposed a deep tunnel connecting the four downtown stations. As the design moved forward, cost risks were identified. Due to the cost risks, Council approved a shorter route that included the deep tunnel and ended at the Lynnwood/Millican station. This lowered the expected daily ridership from 55,000 to 32,000. 
• In September 2024, the Government of Alberta shared concerns with the revised route for Phase 1. Their concerns included lower ridership projections, and the risk and costs of a deep tunnel downtown. To avoid these trade-offs, the Province appointed a consultant to develop an alternative route for the Downtown Segment. 

• The City and Province came to an agreement to continue advancing work on the Southeast Segment as the Province’s consultant developed the alternative for the Downtown Segment.   
• December 2024 the Government of Alberta released their report for the Baseline Elevated Concept to and through downtown. 
•  In January 2025, Council directed us to undertake a functional plan for the Downtown Segment, based off the Baseline Elevated Concept. This is what we are currently seeking feedback on. 

More history on engagement for the Green Line project can be found here.

What is an elevated route or guideway?

• A guideway is an above ground structure for the tracks that the light rail vehicles (LRV) will travel along. Through this study we will determine what the guideway will look like for the Green Line from the Event Centre/Grand Central Station, through the Beltline and along 2 Street S.W.

• The elevated route is the path the guideway will be built along. This means that the LRVs will be above ground travelling along a guideway, kept separate from people driving, walking and wheeling.

Why are you doing a functional study of the Downtown Segment of Green Line? Didn’t you do this before?

• Yes, we have done other studies of how the Green Line LRT will travel through downtown and connect to existing LRT and bus routes.

• However, in 2024 the Province released their concept for an elevated route through the downtown.

• In early 2025 Council directed us to develop a Functional Plan that builds on the concept that the Province released. Through this study we will move that concept to the 10–15% design stage. This will help us validate and refine the provincial cost estimate. 

Has a final decision been made on whether the Downtown Segment will be elevated or underground?

• Not yet. Functional planning and validation work for the Downtown Segment is underway.

• Engagement has begun with targeted interest-holders and the public.

• The recommendation of an elevated route running east-west on 10 Avenue S. and north-south on 2 Street S.W. is the starting point for our study, and a recommendation will be made to Council dependent on the outcome of this work. 

What happened to the deep tunnel option downtown?

• After months of work with the Province of Alberta in 2024 on a path forward for the largest infrastructure investment in Calgary’s history, in January 2025 Council approved moving forward with an elevated route for the Downtown Segment of Green Line. We are studying the elevated route to figure out how the Green Line LRT will travel through downtown and connect to existing LRT and bus routes.

• In September 2024, the Government of Alberta withdrew its funding for the project, citing concerns with costs and potential risks of the downtown tunnel. After negotiations between The City and The Province, an interim agreement was reached on October 10, 2024, to restore provincial funding. One of the requirements to restore the funding was to develop a new alignment for the Downtown Segment that would not include the extensive tunnelling previously approved. The City is now developing a Functional Plan (study) for an elevated downtown alignment. Part of the Functional Plan requirements are to conduct public engagement and receive broad public support before moving ahead.

Will the Downtown Segment of Green Line still go along 11 Avenue S.?

• This study will determine what east/west route the Downtown Segment will travel along to connect the Event Centre/Grand Central Station to the 7 Avenue S. Station.

When will construction begin on the Downtown Segment?

• It is unknown when construction will begin for the Downtown Segment of Green Line.

• There are several design stages for infrastructure projects before construction can start.

• After the functional study, the route and stations must undergo further design engineering before construction can begin.

Public input is important, but it’s one piece of the puzzle. The project team will also consider budget, policies, bylaws, technical analysis, best practices, and research within its decision making process.

What you need to know: Elevated Concept

We are exploring the concept of an elevated Green Line LRT route through downtown, along 10 Avenue S. and 2 Street S.W. The elevated route is being considered to support reliable transit operations, improve connections and reduce impacts to street-level mobility.

Images to spark your imagination

We are sharing early sketches to help illustrate what an elevated Green Line LRT and route may look like in this area. They were produced by AECOM and the Government of Alberta and will be updated as this study moves forward.

The images are being shared to help you picture what an elevated route and stations may look like, along with what might be on the ground underneath them. They are not the final drawings of what they will look like. Throughout the study more sketches will be created that reflect what is technically possible and the feedback we receive through engagement.

2 Street S.W. – 10 Avenue S. Station (Aerial View)
An aerial view of the elevated alignment along 10 Avenue S. in the Beltline showing surrounding development.

2 Street S.W. – 10 Avenue S. (Street View)
A street-level view showing how the elevated guideway and pillars could appear from the pedestrian perspective, including the public space beneath.

2 Street S.W. – 7 Avenue S. (Street View)
A street-level rendering showing the elevated guideway near 7 Avenue S. and how people may experience the area around the station, sidewalks and nearby buildings.

Route map (Aerial view)

An aerial view of where the Green Line LRT may travel from the Grand Central Station, along 10 Avenue S. through the Beltline and up 2 Street S.W. into the downtown. It also highlights the proposed location of the two stations along this route. The Eau Claire station location is shown, as the connection between the Downtown Segment and the future Eau Claire station is being considered.

Please note: all visuals presented are early concepts for discussion purposes only. More precise designs will be developed following engagement and further technical and cost analysis. 

Factors to consider

The survey asks for your thoughts on the elevated Green Line LRT Downtown Segment concept. This includes the proposed route and design. As you review the images, we encourage you to consider factors including but not limited to:

• An elevated route through downtown.

• The proposed route along 10 Avenue S. and 2 Street S.W.

• Potential station locations near the Event Centre, Beltline and 7 Avenue S.

• Connections to the existing Red and Blue LRT Lines.

• Opportunities for public spaces beneath the guideway, including lighting, landscaping, safety and amenities.

• How the elevated infrastructure could interact with adjacent development and future growth.

• Potential property impacts in the surrounding area.

• Impacts to mobility and access, including walking, cycling, driving and transit.

• Considerations related to noise and vibration.

• Safety and comfort for people using the stations, sidewalks and spaces nearby.

We’ll post a What We Heard and a What We Did report in Spring 2026, so you can see how your feedback shaped the plan.

Technical work: After we review your feedback, we will use it to:

• Identify community priorities

• Shape planning and design

• Inform future decisions

• Determine future engagement opportunities and topics