New LRT station opens at NAIT Saturday well ahead of schedule
It isn't a very long line of track or the biggest stop along Edmonton's LRT network, but the new Metro Line expansion is open ahead of schedule – and on budget.
The NAIT/Blatchford Market LRT station on 109 Street and 116 Avenue was completed in December and opened to passengers Saturday.
The station was initially expected to be finished in 2025. Mayor Amarjeet Sohi said Tuesday the completion was a "significant infrastructure milestone."
“This extension further strengthens our LRT network and provides the north side of Edmonton with greater access to transit service," he said in a press release.
Tuesday, the city said the station had also been completed within its budget.
The new larger platform replaces the temporary NAIT LRT station. The city said the larger space will help meet future increases in ridership.
"The existing station is 100 metres long and accommodates up to three trains, whereas the new platform is close to 150 metres in length and allows to accommodate up to five trains long," said City of Edmonton project manager Eva Cheung.
It's around 100 metres more of a walk from the NAIT campus, but some students Saturday said they don't mind more steps if it means a more comfortable stop.
"I’m super excited about it," said student Leilah Zacharias. "I take this to school every single day and it’s super freezing all the time, so the fact that it’s going to be warmer makes me excited and makes me want to come to school more."
"It’s Canadian winter, it gets cold out here," said student Peter Grant. "So it’s good students have a place to wait for the train."
Bus and LRT service at the new NAIT/Blatchford Market station will remain the same as the temporary station, which has been closed. The city said work to demolish it and reclaim materials would start in the weeks following the opening.
Down the line, another station has also been completed but remains closed.
The Blatchford Gate LRT station is located further north. The city said it won't be opened until it meets the city's Transit Service Standards, which dictate when and how to add more service.
The area's member of Parliament said having the stop ready is important for unlocking the community's potential.
"That vision of 35,000 people living on the old airport site, the Blatchford community, making sure that that community is linked by LRT is really important," Randy Boissonnault, Edmonton Centre MP.
Both new stations are part of the first phase of the 1.6-kilometre Metro Line LRT northwest expansion.
The next phase will connect Blatchford Gate to a future station in Castle Downs.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Hackers release corporate data stolen from London Drugs
Retailer London Drugs says cybercriminals who stole files from its corporate head office last month have released some of the data after it refused to pay a ransom.
Toronto man falls off his chair after seeing $70M Lotto Max win in his bank account
A Toronto man who won $70 million in a recent Lotto Max draw literally fell off his chair when he saw the funds in his bank account.
Montreal-area high school students protest 'sexist' dress code
Approximately 50 Montreal-area students — the vast majority of them female — were suspended Wednesday after their school deemed the shorts they were wearing were too short. On Thursday, several students staged a walk-out to protest what they believe is a "sexist" dress code that unfairly targets girls.
Oilers' Henrique, Stars' Hintz out for Game 1 of West final
Top-line Dallas Stars centre Roope Hintz will still be out of the lineup for the Western Conference Final opener Thursday night against Edmonton, which is still without forward Adam Henrique.
'Looking over our shoulders': A killing looms large in a little B.C. town
Something shifted in the pretty little village of Lumby, B.C., after Tatjana Stefanski vanished. It used to be the sort of place where parents let their kids roam free or play in the local creek, but everything has changed.
What is 'slapped cheek disease' and should parents be concerned?
Despite its rough name, experts say most cases of 'slapped cheek disease' are mild and not a cause for concern.
American Airlines retreats after blaming a 9-year-old for not seeing a hidden camera in a lavatory
American Airlines has distanced itself from a court filing in which the carrier said a nine-year-old girl should have noticed there was a camera taped to the seat of an airplane lavatory.
Unknown Newfoundland soldier from the First World War heads back home from France after 100 years
Canadian soldiers and government officials arrived in northeastern France this week for a historic mission: returning an unknown Newfoundland soldier back home.
Calgary Philharmonic takes action following investigation into 'deeply troubling' comments by 2 musicians
The Calgary Philharmonic has confirmed its taking action after controversial online comments made by two members of the orchestra.