Edmonton's newest LRT Line expected to be running by late 2021
The company tasked with building and maintaining Edmonton's latest addition to its light rail transit network has released a more precise completion target for the southeast Valley Line LRT.
In an interview with CTV News Edmonton on Monday, an official for TranEd said the $1.8-billion project has now reached its safety and communications systems testing phase and that he expects the new line will be operational by late 2021.
"Right now we’re looking at a year delay from the original date," said TransEd spokesperson Dallas Lindskoog.
"We've got a team of individuals testing every single component of the system that we built," he said. "Most of them are installed now, so they're testing those wires and the connectivity."
The roughly two-dozen trains are all in place for the low-floor transit system. The track has been laid - but the finer details are still in the works.
Lindskoog said the Tawatinâ Bridge, which crosses the North Saskatchewan River, is "progressing nicely."
"We've gotten past the actual construction of the concrete work, the cables, all of that is complete," he said. "The rail is across the bridge, all the overhead catenary system that you see… is installed."
Up next for that section, said Lindskoog, is the bridge's underslung shared-use path and the reestablishment of the trail network in the river valley.
"In order to get that done though we've still got some work to do in the parks," he said. "We've got to reestablish Louise McKinney Park and Henrietta Muir Park as well."
The new line's twin tunnels' southern portal is located at Louise McKinney Park.
According to Lindskoog, TransEd has a "contractural requirement" to complete the bridge's pedestrian walkway, as well as cosmetic features such as landscaping, before launching the new LRT line for public use.
"We don't want a whole bunch of leftover work as well," he said. "We want the system completely turned over. All of the roads, all of the landscaping, all of the rail – when the train goes into operation."
Originally slated to open by the end of 2020, construction on the 13.1-kilometre line has met its share of challenges.
The first major snag came in 2018, when construction crews encountered a large concrete mass in the North Saskatchewan riverbed. That discovery meant work on the Valley Line's Tawatinâ Bridge was delayed and caused subsequent ripple effects on the rest of the project.
DELAYS DUE TO COVID-19: TRANSED
"We've been trying to make up time since that encounter with the concrete," said Lindskoog, "and then the pandemic landed. We've been trying to make up for some of the efficiencies that we've lost there."
"Working with a mask on, working and maintaining distance is challenging," he said.
Lindskoog pointed to worker absenteeism due to pandemic-related family issues as one cause of construction delays.
"We've had very little positive cases of COVID on the project," he added.
According to the TransEd spokesperson, the project also faced supply issues for building materials because of COVID-19.
FINISHING TOUCHES
One major aspect of the southeast Valley Line is the twin tunnels that runs from 102 Avenue and 96 Street to Louise McKinney Park, beneath Edmonton's Quarters district.
Lindskoog said finishing touches are being completed on those, as well as the elevated platform known as Davies Station – which will include a full Park & Ride and a transit centre.
The TransEd spokesperson believes, once complete, his company's signaling system won't face any of the hiccups that plagued Edmonton's Metro LRT line in 2017.
Assuming there are no further setbacks, by 2022, Edmontonians can expect the 11-stop electric rail line to be available to transport them from millwoods to the city's downtown – and vice versa – in about 30 minutes.
TransEd will begin testing trains on Connors Hill and the new Tawatinâ Bridge this summer.
The $1.64-billion Stage 2 of the Valley Line LRT will see construction of the west section which will run from 102 Street to Lewis Farms.
With files from CTV News Edmonton's David Ewasuk
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NDP motion regarding Palestinian statehood passes after major Liberal alterations
A motion from the federal New Democrats initially calling on Canada to recognize the 'State of Palestine' passed amid widespread acrimony on Monday, after the Liberals drastically altered its wording to see the government simply work towards that aim as part of a two-state solution.
'He didn't want to die': Family of Calgary man killed in standoff speaks out
Family of a Calgary man killed after a 30-hour standoff with police last week are speaking out, sharing details of the tense and heart-wrenching experience.
Toronto family doctor who called patient's body 'perfect' suspended for 3 months: tribunal
A family doctor in Toronto has been suspended for three months after a disciplinary tribunal found that he failed to follow proper protocols while examining a patient's breasts and made inappropriate comments about her body.
Ohio mom who left toddler alone 10 days when she went on vacation pleads guilty to aggravated murder
An Ohio mother whose 16-month-old daughter died after being left home alone in a playpen for 10 days last summer while she went on vacation was sentenced Monday to life in prison with no chance of parole.
Retired teacher pleads guilty to paying for sex with 15-year-old in Collingwood, Ont.
In a Barrie courtroom on Monday, a retired high school teacher from the Niagara Region pleaded guilty to sexual touching and obtaining sexual services from a 15-year-old boy in Collingwood in 2021.
Hertz CEO out following electric car 'horror show'
The company, which announced in January it was selling 20,000 of the electric vehicles in its fleet, or about a third of the EVs it owned, is now replacing the CEO who helped build up that fleet, giving it the company’s fifth boss in just four years.
5 charged in Calgary kidnappings that targeted women
Calgary police have charged five men in a pair of kidnappings last year that targeted innocent victims.
Demand soars for solar eclipse glasses in Canada. Are they worth buying?
The demand for total solar eclipse glasses used to safely view the rare celestial event has been ramping up as sellers, along with astronomy and eye-care experts in Canada, warn that viewing the eclipse with the naked eye is dangerous.
Canadian commander of volunteer fighter group dies in Ukraine
A Canadian-born commander of the so-called Norman Brigade, a volunteer fighting group in Ukraine, has died.