Abstract Manager

In 2023, Calgary City Council approved RouteAhead, a 30-year strategic plan for Calgary’s transit system. In RouteAhead, one of the strategic directions is set to focus on the planning of the Primary Transit Network (PTN). The City has proceeded to undertake a functional planning study (FPS) for two PTN routes, namely 144 Av North Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) and Shaganappi Tr PTN. This will bring both studies to shovel-ready state to potentially leverage funding opportunities from all levels of government to advance to design and construction.

Both studies started with understanding existing conditions and future communities build-out through a multi-disciplinary lens of asessment in land use and mobility. Both studies included three phases of engagement – Discover, Explore, and Reveal, in the forms of in-person open houses, and pop-up events at diferent community amenties. As outcomes of both studies, we made final  recommendations on BRT alignment and configuration, station location and design (including typology and amenities), transit priority measures, active modes and first mile / last mile connectivity, transit hub design and multi-modal integration, and transit implementation / staging plan, including immediate short-term improvement recommendations that could benefit transit users.

For both studies, the project team developed BRT corridor alignment and corridor configuration concepts as well as station planning and design. Early on, the project team organized a two-day visioning workshop with City internal interested parties to develop project vision, goals and objectives. The workshop also developed a multiple account evaluation (MAE) framework to shortlist transit alignment and configuration options and select the preferred option. It is worth noting that the MAE is a multi-faceted framework considers key goals and objectives, such as mobility, community well-being, feasiblity & deliverability, and equity and inclusion.

The project team conducted detailed mobility modelling in Vissim to anlayze traffic operations of the mobility netweork to validate and quantify the transit benefits in terms of transit travel time, transit speed and reliability, as well as transit network accessiblity. In addition, the project team also paid special attention to active modes and first mile / last mile connectivity by filling in missing links of active modes network within 800 m of the stations.

For the conference presentation, we will discuss the study background and process, key planning considerations (e.g., integration of land use and transportation, accessibility, social equity), study recommendations we made that are supported by technical analyses and engagement with interested parties (e.g., concept development, shortlist and selection), best practices uncovered through the studies, and lessons learned for PTN transit planning in Calgary that could be applicable to other jurisdictions