28% increase
in ridership since opening day
Estimated 7,300 vehicles
removed from daily commute to Downtown Calgary
Estimated 3,250 tonnes
in reduced CO2 emissions
Challenge
- In the decade before 2006, Calgary’s population grew by 25%, topping one million. Ridership on the C-Train grew by twice that rate in the same period. By 2009, more than a billion riders had taken the C-Train, which was carrying over 269,600 passengers per day, more than any other light rail system in North America.
- The West LRT was procured as the city’s first LRT design-build project, and features the full suite of transit system components over eight kilometres of double-track alignment.
Solution
- We assisted the City with management of the entire project
- The mandate included: working closely with the City in the pre-design stages; developing alternative alignments; participating in public consultations and briefings; and developing a contracting strategy, risk management plan, project schedule, and associated cost estimates
- Hatch also executed the complete redevelopment of the City’s LRT Design Guideline Manual and system-wide traction power modernization strategy. During the procure stages we developed the request for qualifications , request for proposals, the design-build reference concept, and detailed technical schedules.
- Our team also extended its expertise during the procurement and project execution phases by providing construction quality management and project control services.
Highlights
- The largest capital infrastructure project in Calgary's history, and was completed within a five-year period, from funding approval to revenue service
- There was an extensive public consultation process involved 115 public meetings with over 3,000 people in attendance
- The West LRT marked a number of “firsts” for the CTrain system: the first design-build project carried out by the City using an integrated project team of City of Calgary and Hatch personnel; the first LRT project in Calgary to feature an elevated guideway and station; and the first underground CTrain LRT station
- The West LRT was the recipient of major project awards: Consulting Engineers of Alberta Awards of Excellence; Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta (APEGA) Project Achievement Award; Association of Consulting Engineering Companies Canadian Consulting Engineering Award of Excellence; American Council of Engineering Companies (ACEC) of New Jersey Honour Award; and the ACEC Engineering Excellence National Recognition Award
- An estimated 7,300 vehicles no longer access downtown Calgary on a daily basis, reducing CO2 emissions by an estimated 3,250 tonnes on an annual basis
Project numbers
CAD$1.4 billion construction cost8 km of double-track alignment
3 new roadway bridges
3 pedestrian bridges