_QR77 Newsroom
3/9/2010
The Calgary Airport Authority is moving forward on building a new runway -- and there won't be a tunnel involved in the project.
With the rejection by the federal and provincial government to the project, the City pulled the plug on the idea... for now.
Plan B is to reserve the land necessary for the tunnel, so that in the future it could be built under the new runway if money (estimated to be in the billions) becomes available.
Roadway improvements will also be made on sections of Country Hills Boulevard as well as 36th Street near McKnight.
The improvements on those two roadways would cost $10.5 Million.
Alderman Jim Stevenson is disappointed.
"I believe in my heart it's going to be a problem in the next 10 to 15 years and it's going to be a real hardship on the businesses in the area."
Airport Trail Access Committee Spokesman Grant Galpin is also unimpressed with the City's contingency plans, saying they will be completely insufficient within just a few short years.
He's also unconvinced the airport will be open to building the tunnel once the runway is up and running.
Barlow Trail between 48th Avenue N.E. and Airport Road will be permanently closed on April 3, 2011.
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