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.