LRT expansion - your voice matters
02
2009
On November 9, Council will hold a Public Hearing on the proposed route for the future LRT extension to Mill Woods.
This is the result of the motion I made in Council last year to expedite route planning for the Mill Woods leg of the LRT. Over the past year, City staff have considered numerous possible routes and consulted with hundreds of residents. They are recommending a route that travels up 66/75 Street, turns onto 83 Street (rising over Argyll Road) then 85 Street, then turns west along 95 Street, north onto Connors Road, and crosses the river not far from the Muttart Conservatory. The line would connect to Churchill Station downtown.
This line will serve almost 50,000 riders a day.
I am a strong supporter of extending the LRT. I have heard some concerns from residents along the route, but I’m confident these can be addressed.
LRT is one of City’s biggest priorities, but at a cost of $900 million to $1.2 billion for the Mill Woods line, we can’t afford to build it on our own. Of every dollar you pay in taxes, only about five cents goes to the City – we need funding from the provincial and federal governments to make this happen.
I’m working with my colleagues on Council to develop a strategy to fund LRT in partnership with the Province and the federal government. Dave Thiele and I have also been meeting with the MLAs and MP in our area to talk about LRT plans and the need for their support.
LRT is a great investment, and the Province and federal governments get a significant part of their investment back in income and business taxes. There is a lot of excitement about LRT, and I believe we’ll get where we need to go.
You can help. Come to City Hall on November 9 to tell Council how you feel – and tell your MLA and MP, too.
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