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Calgary considering life in the carpool lane – Metro US

Calgary considering life in the carpool lane

It may soon be easier to get to work on time, as long as you bring a fellow co-worker with you.

A study that documents the use of carpooling lanes where there has to be two or more people in the car is being reviewed at the Land Use, Planning and Transportation Committee on Tuesday.

“We don’t physically have the capacity to add more lanes in this city,” said Ald. John Mar. “The overall benefit from these lanes is that we’ll reduce the amount of congestion.”

Mar requested the study during a city council meeting last September. A final implementation strategy will be included as part of the 2009 Calgary Transportation Plan to be presented to City Council in June.

“I’m anxious to see what the recommendations are. One (road) that I certainly hope that is being looked at is Deerfoot Trail,” Mar said.

However, on a major highway like Deerfoot Trail, Jerry Bellikka of Alberta Transportation said it’s difficult to see how carpool lanes might be implemented.

“You would have to add another lane,” Bellikka said. “Where else would they put carpool lanes?”

Transit and carpooling are said to improve the city’s air quality and reduce a citizen’s ecological footprint, according to city documents.