Southeast LRT delays caused by cracks on piers 'deeply disappointing': mayor
The Valley Line Southeast LRT will not open this summer as planned.
The CEO of TransEd announced at Davies Station on Wednesday cracks had been found on three concrete piers that support the elevated tracks.
After further investigation, the company found a total of 18 piers that "may require strengthening."
"This issue will unfortunately delay the service commencement," TransEd CEO Ronald Joncas said. "We understand the disappointment and frustration…we were all anticipating and getting ready for the opening of the Valley Line Southeast LRT this summer. Sadly, this will not be possible.
"Once our engineering have completed the design to strengthen the pier and our construction experts have determined the additional construction work required, we will be in a better position to announce the target service commencement date."
The CEO said he's disappointed and apologized to Edmontonians. Joncas added there's no risk to the public and that it's safe to walk and drive under elevated sections along the LRT route.
DELAYS AND DISAPPOINTMENT
Construction started in 2016 and the route was scheduled to open in December 2020, but crews found a large concrete mass under the now open Tawatinâ Bridge in 2018 that delayed construction for months. Officials then delayed the opening date to within 2021, the end of 2021 and summer 2022.
Edmonton Mayor Amarjeet Sohi said the latest delays are "frustrating and deeply disappointing."
"TransEd has not delivered this project as expected. They are responsible for this delay and they will be held accountable to get the work completed and open a line that is safe to ride."
The Valley Line Southeast LRT is a public-private partnership, or P3, between Edmonton and TransEd, Sohi and City Manager Andre Corbould explained. The federal and provincial government also provided funding for the project.
When contracts were signed, the city expected to save about $500 million through the P3, Corbould said.
"We buy a product, we don't design it, we don't engineer it and we don't build it ourselves. Specialists do that," Corbould explained.
Other large projects such as the Walterdale Bridge, the 102 Avenue Bridge and the Metro Line LRT experienced years of issues and delays before they opened.
On Wednesday, Sohi asked administration for a comprehensive review on how the city builds such projects.
Corbould said TransEd will cover the financial costs of the delays.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
Toxic testing standoff: Family leaves house over air quality
A Sherwood Park family says their new house is uninhabitable. The McNaughton's say they were forced to leave the house after living there for only a week because contaminants inside made it difficult to breathe.
Decoy bear used to catch man who illegally killed a grizzly, B.C. conservation officers say
A man has been handed a lengthy hunting ban and fined thousands of dollars for illegally killing a grizzly bear, B.C. conservation officers say.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
An emergency slide falls off a Delta Air Lines plane, forcing pilots to return to JFK in New York
An emergency slide fell off a Delta Air Lines jetliner shortly after takeoff Friday from New York, and pilots who felt a vibration in the plane circled back to land safely at JFK Airport.
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
First court appearance for boy and girl charged in death of Halifax 16-year-old
A girl and a boy, both 14 years old, made their first appearance today in a Halifax courtroom, where they each face a second-degree murder charge in the stabbing death of a 16-year-old high school student.