Green Line might be off the tracks but city's northern BRT plan rolls on

While debates over the future of the Green Line LRT continue, work on a related component of the project—the north central bus rapid transit (BRT) system—remains underway.

Each month, the Green Line board receives financial updates, including progress on the BRT project, which aims to improve bus service along the busy Centre Street corridor. The Green Line is planned to extend across the city from the northern to southeastern edges, though the full build-out is expected to take decades.

The city has been focusing on enhancing the bus experience for current users, with the goal of eventually launching a MAX BRT service along the route. Danny Panday, the city’s transit systems lead, confirmed that work on the BRT project is advancing despite the uncertainties surrounding the Green Line. The ongoing construction currently focuses on the stretch from 28th Avenue North to Beddington Trail.

New heated bus shelters, similar to those on other BRT routes, are being installed. The upgrades also include turn bays and adjustments to traffic lights to help buses move more efficiently along the corridor. In addition to the $50 million allocated in the Green Line budget for these BRT upgrades, the city council has approved an extra $60 million to continue improvements in 2025 and 2026. New stations and traffic signal changes are planned for next year along the section from 96th Avenue to Country Hills Boulevard.

However, it remains unclear when the fully upgraded BRT route—stretching from downtown to 160th Avenue North—will be completed. Panday emphasized two primary challenges: securing funding and minimizing disruptions for transit users during construction.

"The big challenges, I would say, is just being able to have all the funding in place, one. And then the second part is, you know, being very thoughtful about the impacts on citizens as we go through," Panday explained. He noted that minimizing delays for buses is essential since the corridor is already a vital transit route.

"As we get funds, we build stuff out. And as we see more opportunities for various levels of government providing funding, we go after those," Panday added. "Unfortunately, it's a very challenging spot to be in."

Preliminary estimates suggest that upgrading the entire BRT route could cost up to $500 million.

Ward 3 Coun. Jasmine Mian expressed her support for continuing the BRT improvements despite the uncertainty over the Green Line LRT.

"Of course, I would love to have a train in this area and will keep pushing for that. But I think in the meantime, these improvements are really important to residents," Mian said.

With around 30,000 people riding buses along the Centre Street corridor daily, she emphasized that enhanced travel times and amenities are crucial for attracting and retaining transit users.

"I want those riders to have a great experience, so I'm happy to see some of these improvements include things like the installation of canopies and lighting, heating at these improved stations, things like queue jumps [at intersections] and dedicated lanes for transit, which make the riding experience better," Mian said.

As the population in the northern part of the corridor continues to grow, Mian acknowledged that balancing immediate needs with long-term goals remains a priority.

She noted that while residents welcome the current transit upgrades, they also want to ensure these investments align with future plans for the Green Line.

"They want to ensure that every dollar that we put into the BRT is also a good investment for the long-term potential LRT," Mian concluded.