Passenger service on the Capital and Metro Line LRT lines will be shut down Sunday to allow the city to again test the Thales Canada Inc. signalling system.
Starting at 5 a.m. Sunday, trains will be running on the tracks but people will not be permitted to board, the City of Edmonton said in a news release.
The shutdown will continue for the full day Sunday.
Edmonton transit will have replacement buses operating every seven to eight minutes along the Capital Line.
Metro Line replacement buses will run between NAIT and Churchill Station, including eastbound stops at Bay and Central stations.
Passengers are asked to wait at bus stops with red “LRT Replacement” signs. The city is also warning drivers to expect delays at LRT crossings during testing on Sunday.
This is the third system-wide closure this year as part of the city’s testing of the signalling system.
During this shutdown, some track work and maintenance will also be done, the release said.
The Metro Line LRT opened in 2015, more than a year and a half late. The signalling system on the line wasn’t properly merged with the one on the Capital Line LRT, resulting in slower trains and reduced frequencies.
Last December, Thales said it was confident all problems with the signalling system had been fixed.
The city continues to run tests to ensure Thales Canada has met its contractual obligations.