City officials unveiled the revised plan Tuesday afternoon for getting the Green Line LRT project through downtown Calgary.

The original plan called for a four-kilometre-long tunnel that would stretch from Centre Street north and 16th Avenue to Fourth Street S.E. in the Beltline.

After discovering technical challenges that could potentially push the project over the $4.9-billion budget and result in stations up to seven stories underground, the Green Line team sharpened its pencils.

The revised plan shows the train line will remain on the surface of Centre Street from 16th Avenue north before going onto a bridge that will carry it over the Bow River and Prince’s Island and landing at a surface station in Eau Claire.

From there, the Green Line will head into a tunnel below Second Street S.W. and go under the CPR mainline before turning east underneath 11th Avenue. 

It will emerge from the tunnel by the Victoria Park bus barn.

Coun. Shane Keating, who chairs council’s Green Line committee, said he expects some won’t be happy with the revisions but said this is a good solution to the challenges the city is facing.

“It’s just not possible to satisfy everyone,” said Keating. 

The changes were necessary to keep the megaproject within its budget while still delivering on the goals of the Green Line.

“This fits within the budget. It gives the best customer experience. It gives the best ridership for the return on investment and that’s what we have to look at,” he said.

Coun. Druh Farrell told the committee she has concerns with how the revised Green Line plan will affect Prince’s Island and the River Walk in Eau Claire.

She said she’ll be looking for details from Green Line officials as the plan is further refined.

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