CALGARY – A community group called ‘Ready to Engage!’ will submit a petition Monday, asking City Council to reconsider the Southwest Transitway and Bus Rapid Project.
The group held a final petition drive at the Braeside Community Centre Saturday to drum up more support for their opposition to the city transit plan.
READ MORE: Concerned Calgarians rally against bus rapid transit project
Earlier this month, Calgary police announced there was not enough evidence to warrant charges in a public meeting that some said got out of hand back in February.
“There was yelling, there was swearing, there was pushing and shoving,” Mayor Naheed Nenshi said of the Woodcreek Community Association meeting.
“There were incidents of physical assault on City of Calgary staff. There were threats of violence, and yes, there was a death threat.”
The next day, Mayor Nenshi cancelled all upcoming public engagements on the project.
Nenshi said public engagement would continue, but only through online feedback systems and virtual town halls.
The bus rapid transit project is a 22 kilometer bus route from Woodbine to the downtown core, with 12 proposed stations.
Some concerns from residents are that southwest neighbourhoods would get flooded with people and parking along the street, and that traffic would be backed up because of the two train-only roads going each direction.
The transitway project on 14 Street S.W. is already approved and funded, and construction could start this year. The meetings were meant to fine tune its design.
WATCH: Southwest Transitway causes concerns
The group members will present the petition at 9 a.m. Monday at City Hall.
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