Edmonton Public Transit

[SHOFEAR]

Originally Posted by Hardhatdan

Uh it's Thuggan. Get it right.

The south sides north side.

[TimB09]

Originally Posted by Hardhatdan

Uh it's Thuggan. Get it right.

I grew up in Steinhauer...Duggan, I mean Thuggan wasn't as bad as it is now. My parents still live in Steinhauer and their neighbours were broken into the other night. That never happened 10-15 years ago.

That area has gone downhill the past few years.

[Xelebes]

Originally Posted by SHOFEAR

sweet. Duggan thugs will be just a train ride away from their downtown thug pals.

They're already on the train, as far as I can tell. (I live in the area.)

[mintzilla]

God help anyone trying to cross the tracks east west anywhere along that strtch. The additional slowdown and speed up time needed for a new station is not only going to add time to the train commute but also Increase the time the traffic arms are down.

Can’t have the ainley kids walk 5 mins from Southgate though... then they couldn’t be obese like their parents...(mild sarcasm)

[Coldrsx]

City receives funding for Valley and Metro Line LRT expansion
March 11, 2019

The City of Edmonton is one step closer to building two new light rail transit (LRT) extensions following a funding commitment from the federal and provincial governments today.

The Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, Mr. Jon Carson, Member of the Legislative Assembly for Edmonton-Meadowlark, and His Worship Don Iveson, Mayor of Edmonton, announced a combined investment of over $2 billion in both the Valley Line West and the Metro Line Northwest LRT projects.

“Edmonton is one of Canada’s fastest growing cities, and we are planning and building our city with this growth in mind. We are undertaking the most ambitious expansion of our LRT network in our history so we can grow smart and sustainably, and keep more than a million people moving,” said Mayor Iveson. “Today's announcement is a true representation of partnership between all levels of government, a partnership that is needed in order to continue to make valuable investments like these that will benefit the generations to come.”

The Government of Canada is providing over $1 billion for both projects through the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Plan, including approximately $948 million for the Valley Line West LRT and approximately $127 million for the Metro Line Northwest LRT.

The Government of Alberta reaffirmed its commitment of approximately $1.17 billion towards both projects through the Climate Leadership Plan, including approximately $1.04 billion for the Valley Line West LRT and approximately $131 million for the first phase of the Metro Line Northwest LRT.

“Today’s funding commitments will allow the City to move forward with our plans to bring light rail transit to west and northwest Edmonton,” said Linda Cochrane, City Manager, City of Edmonton. “These projects are a major step in growing our LRT network, creating another transportation option for thousands of Edmontonians and providing better connections to where people live, work and play.”

With federal and provincial funding in place, the City can finalize its municipal funding requirements for both projects and bring them to City Council for consideration this spring. The City can also move forward with procuring the contractors that will extend the Valley Line by 14 kilometres from downtown to Lewis Farms in west Edmonton, and the Metro Line by 1.5 kilometres from NAIT into Blatchford.

It will take about one year to select a contractor for the Valley Line West LRT project, and another five to six years to complete construction. It will take about one year to complete design and select a contractor for the Metro Line Northwest LRT extension into Blatchford, and another four years to complete construction and commissioning. Construction on both projects is anticipated to begin as early as 2020.


For more information:
edmonton.ca/valleylinewest
edmonton.ca/metronw

Media contact:
Lindsay Yarmon
Senior Communications Advisor
Integrated Infrastructure Services
780-496-8191

[Harrison]

^Great news! Full speed ahead on LRT expansion!

[DKaz]

Good news. Would be nice to see a Metro Line expansion towards St. Albert which looks like a minimum completion of 2030 at this point.

I wonder how the signal testing is going? Would be very nice to see NE frequency restored and Metro Line frequency increased.

[mintzilla]

^wouldnt that expansion be dependant on the build out of blatchford? 2030 is optimistic imo

[DKaz]

Originally Posted by mintzilla

^wouldnt that expansion be dependant on the build out of blatchford? 2030 is optimistic imo

True, and I said minimum. Train lines take so long to build here compared to Vancouver, roughly double the time. I'm guessing weather's a factor.

[Jasper and one o nin]

What is the total cost for the 1.5 km metro extension and how can it possibly cost that much?

[DKaz]

Originally Posted by Jasper and one o nin

What is the total cost for the 1.5 km metro extension and how can it possibly cost that much?

$258 million if City of Edmonton is not contributing anything, but usually it's a three way split so $375? That's Alberta Advantage at work.

[Hardhatdan]

Originally Posted by DKaz

True, and I said minimum. Train lines take so long to build here compared to Vancouver, roughly double the time. I'm guessing weather's a factor.

I was thinking about this.
With port access you can get all your pre cast elevated sections from Asia with no issue.
You can't do that here.
Does anyone know if the majority of elevated track sections are from Asia in Vancouver? That changes the whole dynamic of elevated vs at grade and all the earth works/drainage that fits with the at grade works.

[Jasper and one o nin]

Originally Posted by DKaz

$258 million if City of Edmonton is not contributing anything, but usually it's a three way split so $375? That's Alberta Advantage at work.

Right, but $375 million to build rail on undeveloped land with one station seems excessive. I'm not one to complain about the city, but it seems they could do a better job with procurement.

[240glt]

Originally Posted by DKaz

True, and I said minimum. Train lines take so long to build here compared to Vancouver, roughly double the time. I'm guessing weather's a factor.

Weather is definitely a factor but the Skytrain is far more technical to build and requires much better planning and coordination. Watching Skytrain sections get built is almost like watching an orchestra perform, everything is in synch and timed perfectly with many moving parts. This city can't seem to manage LRT projects, I blame incompetence in the city, which we know administration is rife with, and a culture of excusing poor planning and engineering which has been the case in Edmonton since I moved here.

[Hardhatdan]

Originally Posted by 240glt

Weather is definitely a factor but the Skytrain is far more technical to build and requires much better planning and coordination. Watching Skytrain sections get built is almost like watching an orchestra perform, everything is in synch and timed perfectly with many moving parts. This city can't seem to manage LRT projects, I blame incompetence in the city, which we know administration is rife with, and a culture of excusing poor planning and engineering which has been the case in Edmonton since I moved here.

This is just hyperbole on both ends.

[240glt]

Originally Posted by Hardhatdan

This is just hyperbole on both ends.

Or maybe you're so ingrained in the culture of excusing poor performance you don't know any different

[s211]

Originally Posted by Hardhatdan

This is just hyperbole on both ends.

Nope.

[DKaz]

Originally Posted by Hardhatdan

I was thinking about this.
With port access you can get all your pre cast elevated sections from Asia with no issue.
You can't do that here.
Does anyone know if the majority of elevated track sections are from Asia in Vancouver? That changes the whole dynamic of elevated vs at grade and all the earth works/drainage that fits with the at grade works.

They pre-cast the concrete sections right in the city, at least for the Millenium (with one N) Line and Canada Line, not sure about the Evergreen extension to the Millenium.

Originally Posted by Jasper and one o nin

Right, but $375 million to build rail on undeveloped land with one station seems excessive. I'm not one to complain about the city, but it seems they could do a better job with procurement.

$250 million per km at grade through undeveloped land is excessive. Vancouver got much better value from their builds.

Millenium Line (2002) (I seriously hate that the spelled it with one N) - $61 million/km
Canada Line (2009) - $100 million/km
Evergreen Extension to Millenium Line (2016) - $128 million/km

The most expensive will be the Broadway Extension to the Millenium Line pegged at $496 million/km, but the BC NDP did mandate union labour on that line. I can't remember if the original 2002 line also used union labour or not as it started when the BC NDP were in power. When the BC Liberals were elected in spring of 2001, the construction of the line was less than a quarter complete and they were calling for the new government to cancel the construction while they still could. 8 months later it was in partial operation and 16 months later the line was in full operation. How crazy is that?

Originally Posted by 240glt

Weather is definitely a factor but the Skytrain is far more technical to build and requires much better planning and coordination. Watching Skytrain sections get built is almost like watching an orchestra perform, everything is in synch and timed perfectly with many moving parts. This city can't seem to manage LRT projects, I blame incompetence in the city, which we know administration is rife with, and a culture of excusing poor planning and engineering which has been the case in Edmonton since I moved here.

I loved watching Skytrain get built. The Valley Line on the other hand...

[SHOFEAR]

the issues with the SELRT line that have occurred which haven't been reported in public is staggering.

I'll give some benefit of the doubt when it comes to construction costs compared to Vancouver.

Labour costs are higher
clay conditions, and needing to haul in aggregate/gravel vs crush on site
needing to generate 12 months worth of equipment payments, but having them sit idle for 4 or 5 months a year

[240glt]

I loved watching Skytrain get built

I did the HVAC for a number of the Skytrain stations on the Millenium line. It was nothing fancy or overly technical for those were still some of my favorite projects.

I lived in the condo right at the corner of Lougheed and Rochester, where the Skytrain turns down North Road from Lougheed. We had a rooftop patio and watching the precast sections get set right above that major intersection without disrupting traffic was almost like magic.