Edmonton’s Centre Line LRT is likely two decades away from being built, but on Tuesday city councillors agreed the train should go down Whyte Avenue all the way to the University LRT station.
In the initial design, released in February, the line went to 112th Street then headed north across the North Saskatchewan River and connected to the Valley Line west LRT at 102nd Avenue downtown.
Construction on the Valley Line west has not started.
Coun. Andrew Knack said it’s better for the line to run to the University LRT Station near 114th Street and 89th Avenue.
“That’s where you’re going to want to connect people to, you need that transfer point,” he said. “If you’re five blocks away from the LRT station with this other line, that doesn’t really make a lot of sense.”
Council’s urban planning committee directed city staff on Tuesday to focus on that, putting the idea of the Centre Line LRT crossing the river on hold.
A design concept released in February had the Centre Line reaching 112th Street, just shy of the University LRT Station at the University of Alberta. (City of Edmonton)
The city had determined that in its current condition, the High Level Bridge doesn’t have the structural capacity to carry an additional load of LRT trains.
So the question remained whether a new bridge would have to be built across the river.
Mayor Don Iveson agreed the Centre Line LRT should connect with the Capital Line first.
“How do we connect it effectively to existing system with a reasonable transfer? Let’s spend our energy on that,” he said, “and then spend our energy after that looking at where is best to cross the river.”
Whtye Avenue mixed
“There will be some type of mass transit that will ultimately run down Whyte Avenue, with the idea of connecting the Valley Line southeast to the existing Capital Line,” Knack said. “And they will use Whyte Avenue as that corridor.”
Cherie Klassen, executive director of the Old Strathcona Business Association, said there is mixed reaction from businesses on Whyte Avenue to the project.
“It will increase walkability, make the street more pedestrian friendly,” she told the committee. “As our area becomes more dense, we need more options for other transportation, other than parking.”
She said a number of the area’s 700 businesses have concerns
“They’re concerned that adding an LRT won’t fit,” Klassen said.
Some are concerned about losing mature trees and others about parking along the avenue. But the biggest concern, she said, is how construction of the line will impact them.
“Some of the businesses are very, very concerned that they wouldn’t survive.”
The city plans to discuss the LRT design with the University of Alberta, Alberta Health Services and the Garneau community.
Emerging technologies
Coun. Michael Walters said Tuesday’s direction to city staff means council will get a new concept design back.
“You’re going to get businesses, community members, citizens to react, which will change multiple times no doubt.”
Knack said with emerging smarter technologies such as trackless train, he doubts whether the end product for the Centre Line will even be a light-rail transit.
“We are years away from anything even being close to the idea of construction.”