LIGHT-RAIL TRANSIT IN CALGARY, 1981-1995: A RETROSPECTIVE REVIEW

In the past 14 years, the city of Calgary has invested approximately $543 million (Canadian) in developing a three-leg radial light-rail transit (LRT) system. Currently the LRT system consists of 30 km (18.6 mi) of double track, 31 stations, and 85 light-rail vehicles and carries approximately 100,000 passengers each weekday. Approximately 87% of the system is composed of surface operation in the right-of-way of city streets and an existing rail corridor. The present transportation and land use policies for downtown Calgary reinforce the importance of public transit for downtown work travel. Access-mode planning at the LRT stations also provides for a comprehensive range of access modes and effective coordination of feeder bus and LRT transfers to optimize the development of the transit market. Strategies have also been developed to integrate surface LRT operations within a shared right-of-way with private automobile, pedestrian, and bicycle traffic while giving priority to LRT operations through traffic signal preemption. These factors have enhanced the attractiveness of the LRT system for travel to downtown and suburban employment and educational and retail centers. The impact of LRT on travel behavior in Calgary and the planning and design lessons that can be learned from the first 14 years of LRT operation are examined. The lessons learned encompass systems planning and design, access-mode planning, personal security, and fare collection, in addition to overall experience gained with LRT operations.

• Record URL:
  • http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/conf/1995/cp8/cp8v2-002.pdf
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/0309061520
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
• Corporate Authors:

  Transportation Research Board

  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Authors:
  • Hubbell, J
  • Colquhoun, D
  • Bolger, D
  • MORRALL, J
• Conference:
  • Seventh National Conference on Light Rail Transit: Building on Success--Learning from Experience
  • Location: Baltimore, Maryland
  • Date: 1995-11-12 to 1995-11-15
• Publication Date: 1997

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 15-26
• Monograph Title: SEVENTH NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON LIGHT RAIL TRANSIT, BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, NOVEMBER 12-15, 1995. VOLUME 2: WITH ASSOCIATED PAPERS ON ISSUES AND FUTURE OF RAIL TRANSIT
• Serial:
  • Transportation Research Board Conference Proceedings
  • Volume: 2
  • Issue Number: 8
  • Publisher: Transportation Research Board
  • ISSN: 1073-1652

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Access; Conferences; Fare collection; Light rail transit; Right of way (Land); Security; Strategic planning; Systems analysis; Traffic signal preemption; Travel behavior
• Geographic Terms: Calgary (Canada)
• Subject Areas: Highways; Planning and Forecasting; Public Transportation; Security and Emergencies;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00749872
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 0309061520
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Jun 2 1998 12:00AM