Green Line downtown support high, but affected businesses strongly oppose
A survey shows 65% of Calgarians back the elevated alignment, but over 80% of businesses along the route want alternatives.
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Two-thirds of Calgarians support building the Green Line elevated above downtown streets, but the people who'll live with it every day feel very differently.
City administration is presenting a quarterly update to council's executive committee Tuesday on the $6.25-billion transit project. A survey of 1,250 Calgarians found 65% backed the elevated alignment proposed for 10th Avenue S.W. in the Beltline and 2nd Street downtown — the provincial government's preferred option.
But in one-on-one interviews with downtown businesses and property owners, more than 80% opposed the elevated concept. Businesses cited concerns about impacts to downtown vibrancy, property values, safety, noise, and shadowing from the overhead structure.
Downtown residents themselves were more divided than the broader city. While 26% of downtown survey respondents opposed the plan, those actually operating along the proposed route were far more consistent in their pushback.
"Perceptions of the elevated route are generally positive across Calgary, but downtown residents in particular hold stronger reservations," research firm Stone Olafson noted in the report.
The tension between citywide support and intense local opposition mirrors transit debates across Canada — backing for transit expansion drops sharply once neighbours face construction and permanent infrastructure above their buildings.