Service Over Studies: The Case for MAX Green

Nov 5

3 min read

For years, north Calgary has heard the same message: better transit is coming, just wait. In the meantime, buses along the Centre Street corridor have been running at capacity, leaving riders to wait. On November 3, Executive Committee chose a different path, voting to direct City administration to focus its efforts on improving MAX Green bus rapid transit. For Ward 3, it is a long-overdue shift from promises to practical service.

Why Ward 3 Has Been Waiting

Plans for upgraded bus service along the MAX Green corridor have taken a back seat to the prospect of a Green Line LRT extension to the north. Bus improvements were repeatedly put off because the train was said to be coming.

That wait has gone on long enough. Councillor Yule ran on the position that the Green Line to Ward 3 is not a realistic near-term prospect, and he sees no political will or committed funding to bring the line north any time soon. Residents should not have to put their daily commutes on hold for a project that is realistically decades away.

What Was Considered

Administration presented four scenarios for improving Max Green service. They ranged from a curbside dedicated BRT lane running from Keystone Hills to downtown, to a fully dedicated BRT transitway following the future Green Line north alignment.

The curbside option carries a high-level estimate of roughly $511 million and a much shorter timeline. The fully dedicated transitway is estimated at about $2.087 billion and would take far longer to build. With early estimates putting a north LRT extension in the range of $4 billion, Executive Committee members weighed what the City can realistically afford against what riders need now.

Councillor Yule, together with Councillors Atkinson and Kelly, brought forward an amendment directing Administration to advance design work on a curbside-running BRT rather than undertaking additional studies or researching alternative options. Administration is expected to report back by Q3 2027.

What the Preferred Scenario Would Deliver

The curbside scenario builds on the existing Max Green infrastructure, and includes:

Dedicated bus lanes to the downtown
New curb-running lanes north of roughly 78 Avenue
A Crescent Heights bus station
New terminals at 96 Avenue and Keystone (144 Avenue)
Utility, street lighting, pedestrian, and safety improvements along the corridor

City administration has noted that this approach has the lowest capital cost, limited land acquisition needs, and a shorter implementation period. It also offers a benefit for the future, including property acquisition and utility relocation done now that would not need to be repeated if an LRT line is eventually built.

Why Service Matters More Than Another Study

Every day, roughly 30,000 people rely on the MAX Green corridor to get where they need to go, making it one of the busiest transit corridors in the city. That is very close to the daily ridership projected for the Green Line South once it opens, and more than what the west leg of the Blue Line LRT carries today. These are not projections or future riders - they are Calgarians who already depend on this route, on buses that are approaching capacity. They are the reason improvements can no longer wait.

Councillor Yule has expressed deep frustration with the pattern of studying and re-studying options while riders wait. He sees the MAX Green decision as a chance to stop debating possibilities and begin delivering something tangible. For Ward 3 residents, that means faster, more frequent, and more reliable trips, with the improvements arriving in years rather than decades.

This decision does not close the door on a future LRT. Executive Committee also endorsed a review of a potential $12 million for continued preparatory work on the north portion of the Green Line.

What Happens Next

No funding for the project has been approved at this stage. City administration will return with a report on the costs, benefits, impacts, and trade-offs of the curbside scenario by Q3 2027.

The recommendation passed at Executive Committee will now go to City Council for a final vote and approval. Ward 3 residents are encouraged to share feedback and comments as this work moves forward.