Council barely approves airport tunnel

[hampstor]

CALGARY - After delays, rejections and the undaunted advocacy of Mayor Naheed Nenshi, council has approved $295 million to construct a tunnel beneath the new airport runway.

The decision exacts a bruising toll on city coffers and signals that nearby businesses and the tunnel’s users should help recoup that money.

The mayor has for years before his election touted the Airport Trail extension as a vital northeast link both for the airport and crosstown traffic. He strove to win the support of colleagues by arguing that the cost of building alternate routes or delaying the project would be even more costly in the long run



Read more: http://www.calgaryherald.com/news/Co...#ixzz1DNxf1Mwd

I would like to have seen the traffic study on barlow north of mcknight that showed exactly how much traffic was actualy going into the airport vs. traffic using barlow as a way to avoid deerfoot.

Also they're talking about a toll road too. yeah, right, the people I know who live in the NE and would pay a toll to go to the airport is zero considering they will be able to access it from the north end (with the completion of metis trail connecting from 80th to stoney) for an additional few minutes of travel time.

I don't believe this runs an LRT line to the airport either.

[Tik-Tok]

I really don't understand this. People are whining about Barlow being closed, and that access being shut off. So why not just connect Barlow to McCall Way, the tunnel would only be half the size, and serve more people than what the current proposal does. McCall way already exists, so it it would only be a matter of widening it.

(Green line, my proposal)

[Twin_Cam_Turbo]

I think Tik-Tok has the right idea here.

[syeve]

I just want to drive in a tunnel.

[kaput]

.

[Xtrema]

Waste of $ IMO, no matter how cheap it is to do it now vs the future.

It serves nobody except for people in the NE.

Everyone else will do Deerfoot and Airport Rd. I like Tik Tok's idea better. But I'm pretty sure Airport authority probably wants to claim that space and get rid of roads as well.

[Twin_Cam_Turbo]

Although tunnel blasting would be fun.

[Tik-Tok]

Originally posted by Xtrema
But I'm pretty sure Airport authority probably wants to claim that space and get rid of roads as well.

Probably, but another bonus is that it would only be under a taxiway, instead of being under a taxiway AND cruicial runway. If a tunnel were to suddenly collapse, I think I'd rather it collapse under a slow moving airplane, then one at highspeed landing or taking off.

[frinkprof]

Originally posted by Tik-Tok
I really don't understand this. People are whining about Barlow being closed, and that access being shut off. So why not just connect Barlow to McCall Way, the tunnel would only be half the size, and serve more people than what the current proposal does. McCall way already exists, so it it would only be a matter of widening it.

(Green line, my proposal)

McCall Way will not go all the way to the terminal because of the new runway and taxiways being constructed.

Barlow Trail is in the process of being realigned to connect with McCall Way via a new traffic circle just north of 48th Avenue. Barlow Trail north of there is scheduled to close April 3rd, 2011.

[frinkprof]

Originally posted by Xtrema
Waste of $ IMO, no matter how cheap it is to do it now vs the future.

It serves nobody except for people in the NE.

Everyone else will do Deerfoot and Airport Rd. I like Tik Tok's idea better. But I'm pretty sure Airport authority probably wants to claim that space and get rid of roads as well.

When the southeast portion of the ring road is completed, it will be faster for the following communities to take the ring road to Airport Trail (which will connect to the ring road) and the tunnel:

Skyview Ranch, Saddleridge, Martindale, Taradale, Castleridge, Falconridge, Coral Springs, Whitehorn, Temple, Horizon Industrial, Sunridge Industrial, Rundle, Pineridge, Monterey Park, Marlbourough, Marlbourough Park, Abbeydale, Penbrooke, Applewood Park, Large chunks of Foothills Industrial, Copperfield, MacKenzie Towne, MacKenzie Lake, Cranston, Auburn Bay, Mahogany,Chaparral, Silverado, Sundance, Somerset, Bridlewood, Priddis, Okotoks, High River, Nanton, Chestermere, Strathmore, Langdon, Brooks, De Winton, Alderside, Black Diamond, Turner Valley, Irricana, Beiseker, Medicine Hat.

At slower traffic times on Deerfoot, you could probably add to the list: Evergreen, Shawnessy, Midnapore, Millrise, Douglasdale, Deer Ridge, Deer Run, Parkland, Queensland, and perhaps more.

The other problem is that the closing of Barlow Trail will add traffic to an already clogged Deerfoot, and that without the tunnel, road upgrades to all the surrounding network (Metis, Country Hills Boulevard (including some needed expropriation), 36th Street, etc.) will still be needed, and that has a greater cost than the tunnel.

[Tik-Tok]

Originally posted by frinkprof
McCall Way will not go all the way to the terminal because of the new runway and taxiways being constructed.

Hence why I said...

the tunnel would only be half the size

Meaning there would still need to be a tunnel, but it wouldn't need to be as long.

[300zxfairlday]

One of nenshi's priorities was to get the tunnel build. I'm glad he is trying to keep up with his promises.

[Abeo]

I wish people would just say it: They want the tunnel to connect country hills (etc) with 36th st for commuters. None of this access to the airport excuse.

Widen deerfoot to 4+ lanes from 32nd to stoney, be done with it.

[frinkprof]

Originally posted by Tik-Tok


Hence why I said...



Meaning there would still need to be a tunnel, but it wouldn't need to be as long.

Fair enough, I misunderstood. The problem then becomes paying the airport for the substantially more land needed, that the airport likely would not be on board due to them wanting to develop some of those lands, and that widening all that road still has a cost as well. The second one would be the ultimate deal-breaker though.

[frinkprof]

Originally posted by Abeo
Widen deerfoot to 4+ lanes from 32nd to stoney, be done with it.

This would cost substantially more and is the Province of Alberta's jurisdiction anyway.

[Abeo]

Originally posted by frinkprof
This would cost substantially more and is the Province of Alberta's jurisdiction anyway.

It is going to have to be done eventually, its a problem now, and from what I've heard the province will give it back to the city once the ring road is done. Correct me if I'm wrong, I don't have the access to info you do.

In any case, Barlow as it sits now is a commuter road primarily, with a tiny bit of the traffic going to the airport.

[Wrath]

I love how people ALWAYS complain that this city NEVER thinks about the future when it comes to infrastructure....and when it does people cry about it.

[benyl]

Originally posted by Tik-Tok

(Green line, my proposal)

How does the airport authority plan on having planes take off and land when it is blowing 50-60 km/h out of the W or WSW with the alignment of these new runways?

That is going to be interesting watching a 777 coming into land with a a massive crab angle. haha

[frinkprof]

Originally posted by Abeo


It is going to have to be done eventually, its a problem now, and from what I've heard the province will give it back to the city once the ring road is done. Correct me if I'm wrong, I don't have the access to info you do.

I believe that's just for maintenance of Deerfoot Trail, not for capital infrastructure improvements.

You have all the access to information that I do.

Originally posted by Abeo
In any case, Barlow as it sits now is a commuter road primarily, with a tiny bit of the traffic going to the airport.

As someone else said, people take it to avoid Deerfoot. A lot of the issue with Barlow closing is that it leaves one route for most people to access the airport, which is to take Deerfoot, which can be highly unreliable and this is exacerbated when you add that additional traffic to it (from Barlow). The tunnel, combined with a completed SE ring road provides a primary access to the airport for basically everyone along ring road and 22X, as well as an important secondary access for when Deerfoot is backed up (which isn't uncommon).

Also, the airport tunnel will be providing an east-west link (yes commuter link) for future development in the city's northeast. In this case, it is either build the tunnel, or pay to upgrade all the surrounding routes (at a higher projected cost) to provide those connections at a sufficient capacity.

[Tik-Tok]

Originally posted by benyl


How does the airport authority plan on having planes take off and land when it is blowing 50-60 km/h out of the W or WSW with the alignment of these new runways?

New runways will be Cat III, so autoland. A 777 can land at insane crosswinds, check out these initial crosswind test landings.