Feds to help cover budget overrun on rail crossing overpass in south Edmonton

Ottawa has committed to helping cover the inflated cost of the train overpass at 50 Street and 82 Avenue in southeast Edmonton.

Federal Transport Minister Omar Alghabra announced an extra $30.8 million for the project Tuesday morning at a news conference at the construction site.

The price of putting in the train overpass, widening 50 Street to six lanes, and rebuilding the intersection was driven up by more than 23 per cent by supply chain issues, inflation, and reduced material and labour availability.

In early 2022, Edmonton's city council allocated an additional $34.3 million to finish the project but hoped Ottawa would contribute more.

The federal top-up creates a couple of options for council, Mayor Amarjeet Sohi said Tuesday.

"We can either reduce the debt-servicing cost, which would help taxpayers… or we could use this additional money to do additional work that is required in our city."

In total, the work at the rail crossing will cost about $180 million.

Inflation continues to impact the budget but less so than in previous years, Adam Laughlin, the deputy city manager of integrated infrastructure services, told reporters.

"Still trending on budget, still trending on schedule," he said of the project.

'A PAIN POINT'

The city has estimated 35,000 vehicles use the 50 Street corridor each day. The rail crossing at 82 Avenue blocks traffic 64 times a day, resulting in more than five hours of delays.

"You might be there for five minutes, you might be there for 15 minutes, or you might be there 45 minutes," the mayor, who commutes from the southeast, said.

When the majority of the construction work is completed in 2026, 50 Street will feature three lanes in each direction from Sherwood Park Freeway to 90 Avenue and mixed-use lanes for cyclists and pedestrians.

"It really has held up traffic and been quite a frustrating experience. So all around this is going to be a transformative project for Edmontonians," Ward Métis Coun. Ashley Salvador noted.

The federal money will come from the National Trade Corridors Fund.

"By easing congestion, improving travel times for commuters and reducing delays for businesses and industries along 50 Street, 82 Avenue and elsewhere, the merits of this project are clear to everyone," Alghabra said.

"This project is very important for the people of Edmonton, the businesses of Edmonton and we supported it in 2018 and today we're continuing the work we started then."

In 2018, the federal government contributed more than $39 million to the project.

With files from CTV News Edmonton's Jeremy Thompson