The Airport Trail Tunnel - Frequently Asked Questions
The Airport Trail Tunnel (or Underpass) project is a large and complicated piece of infrastructure. Previously, we've made a video explaining how the tunnel would work and where it would go.
But now that the tunnel is moving ahead, there are other questions about the project that some people may have. Here are 20 of the most common questions asked about the project.
For the latest information about the Airport Trail Tunnel project, please visit the project website.
1. Is the tunnel needed?
Yes. Connecting the airport to Calgary helps connect people, goods and services locally, regionally and globally and meets the objectives of the Calgary Transportation Plan.
The tunnel is an integral part of the multi-model transportation network in the northeast quadrant of Calgary.
- It is expected the northeast will be one of Calgary’s fastest growing areas in the next 60 years with 125,000 residents living in communities north of McKnight Boulevard between Deerfoot Trail and Stoney Trail.
- Extensive industrial and commercial projects will result in 70,000 jobs in this area.
- By 2025, 27 million passengers are projected to pass through the Calgary International Airport annually and more than 17,000 employees will work on the airport campus. That means roughly 70,000 people will travel to and from the airport on a daily basis. The tunnel will ultimately provide a critical east-west link for motorists between Centre Street and Stoney Trail.
- The tunnel is the most viable way to provide future LRT to the airport terminal from the northeast LRT line.
There are environmental benefits as well. The reduction in travel time and distance to the airport for travellers and airport employees and their supporting services such as taxis, hotel shuttles and primary transit provides a key environmental benefit by reducing green house gas emissions.
2. Why was it so important to get a deal and build the tunnel now?
The tunnel is an important link in the overall northeast road network.
3. What will the tunnel cost The City?
In February, 2011, Council approved $294.8 million for the tunnel, including $36 million in financing costs.
The agreement between The City and the Calgary Airport Authority (YYC) sees the tunnel built as part of the first of three project stages. The first stage also includes widening Airport Trail between Deerfoot Trail and Barlow Trail to six lanes and extending Airport Trail through the tunnel to 36 Street N.E.
The estimated cost of this stage of the first stage is $280 million, which is within the $294.8 million budget approved by Council in February.
4. Where will the money come from?
The funding for this stage of the project is coming from a variety of sources, including provincial grant funding, the Municipal Sustainability Initiative, capital reserves and short-term borrowing.
5. Are other projects being impacted in order to fund the tunnel?
No current projects will be affected by the tunnel project.
City Council reviews and approves long-range plans that define priority, timing, and funding of major infrastructure construction projects and lifecycle maintenance programs for the Transportation Department. Like any project, the tunnel will figure into future decisions about infrastructure development.
6. If the tunnel is Stage 1, what is included in the other stages?
Stage 2 includes construction of interchanges along Airport Trail at Barlow Trail and 19 Street NE. At this time, Airport Trail will be extended from 36 Street to Metis Trail. Airport Trail between Metis Trail and Stoney Trail is currently under construction and will open later this year.
Stage 3 includes The City and YYC partnering on the construction of infrastructure providing access and egress from Airport Trail to the airport when warranted by traffic levels. This stage is not anticipated to be required for at least 20 years.
7. What will the additional work cost?
Stage 2 will cost an estimated $50 million in 2011 dollars.
The third stage will be shared 50/50 by The City and YYC. The City’s share will cost an additional estimated $66 million (2011 dollars).
8. Where will that money come from?
Future stages of this project will be addressed as funding sources are identified and secured and subject to Council approval of the necessary budgets.
9. How long will construction take?
The City is committed to having the tunnel operational and Airport Trail extended to 36 Street NE concurrently with the new airport runway, which opens in the spring of 2014.
10. Why doesn’t it extend Airport Trail beyond 36 Street?
Stage 1 of this project sees Airport Trail connect from Deerfoot Trail on the west to 36 Street on the east.
The agreement with YYC requires that interchanges be constructed along Airport Trail at 19th Street and Barlow Trail at the same time as an extension of Airport Trail to Metis Trail. The cost of these interchanges are estimated to be $79 million and YYC has agreed to contribute $20 million. The City will only proceed with the construction of Stage 2 once it has secured funding for its share of the costs.
11. What can residents and businesses expect in terms of detours during construction?
The majority of the tunnel construction will take place off the current road network and should result in few delays to commuters. There may be some delays associated with the widening of Airport Trail between Deerfoot Trail and Barlow Trail and the associated intersection upgrades.
12. What work has been done in recent years on the northeast road network?
The City has responded to growth by investing in a number of transportation developments and improvements totalling nearly $600 million over the past several years.
With the Province of Alberta completing the northeast portion of Stoney Trail (ring road), residents can now access that expressway from multiple locations. In addition, Metis Trail is being extended from 80 Avenue to Airport Trail, and there are plans to upgrade Country Hills Boulevard.
Public transit is also being expanded and enhanced. The LRT extension to the Westwinds station has allowed for thousands of people who live in the far northeast to use the LRT system and a further extension to Martindale and Saddle Ridge is currently underway. And with the expansion of communities in the northeast, Calgary Transit continues to enhance bus service.
13. Was that work necessary if we are building the tunnel?
The City is committed to keeping Calgarians on the move.
We have responded to growth by investing in a number of transportation developments and improvements totalling nearly $600 million over the past several years. With the Province of Alberta completing the northeast portion of Stoney Trail (ring road), residents can now access that expressway from multiple locations. In addition, Metis Trail is being extended and Country Hills Boulevard from Barlow Trail to Stoney Trail will be upgraded from a two-lane rural road to a six-lane arterial road providing for more efficient traffic flow.
Public transit has also been enhanced over the past decade. The LRT extension to the Westwinds station has allowed for thousands of people who live in the far northeast to use the LRT system and a further extension to Martindale and Saddle Ridge is currently underway. And with the expansion of communities in the northeast, Calgary Transit is providing more extensive bus service.
14. Why does The City need to have separate insurance for this project?
The City has insurance however, construction projects require certain specific insurance coverage.
When the tunnel opens, The City will also be placing a type of insurance policy with sufficient limits to deal with the aviation exposures relating to having a tunnel and roadway under an active runway. The annual premium for this insurance is estimated to be $1 million.
15. The agreement says The City is responsible for delay costs. What are they?
The City has agreed to offset any costs of delays to the runway construction project that are a direct result of tunnel construction.
No delay costs have been incurred to date and project management practices will be focused on avoiding potential costs in the future. However, in the event the runway opening is delayed, those costs could potentially be up to $1 million per week.
16. Why would The City cover those costs?
YYC has been working for a number of years on plans to construct a new runway. The City’s decision to proceed with construction of the tunnel came after YYC had already started its planning and design work.
Since construction of the tunnel does impact construction of the runway, The City agreed it was appropriate to consider covering delay costs YYC would not otherwise have incurred.
17. The agreement says The City will cover integration costs. What are those costs?
Construction of the tunnel under the runway and taxiways requires changes to the design of that infrastructure as well as changes to how the airport project will be managed. That means YYC will have costs which it would not otherwise have occurred.
Some examples of integration costs are:
- ensuring overall construction management and management team are aligned and working together;
- the cost of working collaboratively to ensure The City and YYC designs are complementary and coordinated; and
- adjusting onsite work or activities (like truck routes) because one project is impacting the other.
Visit the Calgary Airport Authority’s website at www.YYC.com or call 403-735-2197 for more information.
19. Where can I get regular project and construction updates from The City?
Visit www.calgary.ca/ti or call 3-1-1 for regular project updates.
20. Where can I get the latest update on the Airport Tunnel project?
Visit The City of Calgary's Airport Tunnel page.
- Daorcey from Mayor Nenshi's team (with considerable help from Transportation)
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