A number of west end businesses will survive after city council approved a new route for the west valley LRT line Friday.
After strong opposition and feedback from business owners and residents, councillors voted against building an underpass at Stony Plain Road and 149 Street.
A large part of the reason to scrap the underpass plans was its $160 million price tag. Ward 1 councillor Andrew Knack said council could not justify the underpass’ hefty cost to make a small impact on traffic flow.
Knack called Friday night’s announcement a “big milestone.”
“The fact we got in the provincial budget the announcement for transit dollars, combined with the decision we made yesterday, really means that this project is going to be ready to go out to tender by the end of this year, and likely starting construction in 2019,” Knack said.
Todd Lutz, Fabutan’s owner at Jasper Gate Plaza, is relieved by the new LRT route.
“The last few days were a little bit stressful but I did have confidence in our council that they were going to make the right decision,” he said.
For Marian Switzer, The Gilded Rabbit’s owner, the announcement is a win for the whole community.
“We’re happy with the decision just because that means that we get to stay here and continue serve this neighbourhood and this community.”
City council also announced an LRT crossing on 178 Street and 87 Avenue and moving the LRT station at the Orange Hub next to the Jasper Place bus terminal.
With files from Angela Jung
