Victoria Park BIA Releases Independent Study on Green Line Elevated Alignment

Article content

Study Identifies Critical Business, Community and Urban Design Considerations That Should Be Addressed Before Elevated Rail Infrastructure Advances

Article content

CALGARY, June 18, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Victoria Park Business Improvement Area (BIA) has released an independent study examining the potential impacts of an elevated Green Line alignment along 10 Avenue S.W. and 2 Street S.W. through Victoria Park and downtown Calgary.

Article content

Article content

The report, authored by transit researcher Dr. Willem Klumpenhouwer, examines the potential impacts of an elevated rail alignment through a major urban commercial district, and has identified several critical considerations that should be addressed before project planning and design move forward.

Article content

Article content

“Major transportation projects have the potential to shape communities for generations,” said David Low, Executive Director, Victoria Park BIA. “This study highlights the importance of carefully evaluating not only the transportation outcomes, but also the impacts on businesses, residents and public spaces within the commercial corridor.”

Article content

Article content

The study reviews projects in Vancouver, Tokyo, The Hague and Bangkok, where elevated rail was constructed within wider corridors, between 30 and 45 metres wide. It notes that a wider right-of-way allows for more flexible column spacing and activation space beneath structures. By comparison, the 10 Avenue corridor is approximately 20 metres wide, creating constraints on similar design approaches.

Article content

The report concludes that the absence of comparable examples limits the ability to reliably predict the long-term commercial impacts of an elevated alignment on a corridor like 10 Avenue and notes that cities frequently choose underground alignments in dense urban corridors, citing Vancouver’s SkyTrain as an example.

Article content

Article content

While the study does not provide specific recommendations on alignment options, it identifies several key areas that warrant further assessment and consideration as part of future project planning. Construction disruption is identified as the most consistently documented impact across projects reviewed. The report references Toronto’s Eglinton Crosstown project as a cautionary example, noting that more than 300 businesses closed during a prolonged 15-year construction period.

Article content

Based on the study’s findings, the Victoria Park BIA is calling on the City of Calgary to undertake several steps before any alignment decision is finalized, including:

Article content