Edmonton Light Rail Transit, commonly referred to as the LRT, is a
light rail system in
Edmonton
Edmonton ( ) is the capital city of the Canadian province of Alberta. Edmonton is situated on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Metropolitan Region, which is surrounded by Alberta's central region. The city ancho ...
, Alberta. Part of the
Edmonton Transit Service
The Edmonton Transit Service (ETS) (previously known as Edmonton Transit System) is the public transit service owned and operated by the City of Edmonton in Alberta, Canada. It operates Edmonton's bus and light rail systems. In , the system had ...
(ETS), the system has 18 stations on two lines and of track. As of 2018, it is number seven on the
busiest light rail transit systems in North America, with over 113,000 daily weekday riders.
The ETS started operation of the original LRT line in 1978, expanded by 2010 into the
Capital Line
The Edmonton LRT Capital Line is a light rail transit line running from northeast Edmonton to the south. Operated by the Edmonton Transit Service, the line provides access to Downtown Edmonton and the University of Alberta. The Capital Line cur ...
, running between
Clareview in Edmonton's northeast and
Century Park in Edmonton's south end.
The first phase of the newer
Metro Line
The Metro Line is a light rail transit line on the Edmonton LRT system. The line operates from northwest Edmonton to south Edmonton, and was scheduled to have begun operation by spring 2014 but instead opened on September 6, 2015, at a reduced ...
started service between the
University of Alberta
The University of Alberta, also known as U of A or UAlberta, is a public research university located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It was founded in 1908 by Alexander Cameron Rutherford,"A Gentleman of Strathcona – Alexander Cameron Rutherfor ...
campus and hospital in Edmonton's southcentral and the
Northern Alberta Institute of Technology
The Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) is a applied sciences institute in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. NAIT provides careers programs in applied research, technical training, applied education, and learning designed to meet the dema ...
northwest of downtown Edmonton in 2015, with further expansion to north Edmonton and neighbouring city of
St. Albert planned into the future.
Construction of the first phase of the
Valley Line, from downtown Edmonton to
Mill Woods
Mill Woods is a residential area in the city of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Located in southeast Edmonton, Mill Woods is bounded by Whitemud Drive ( Highway 14) to the north, 91 Street to the west, 34 Street to the east, and Anthony Henday ...
in southeast Edmonton, began in spring 2016, and no date has been announced for opening the line. Construction on the second phase of the Valley Line, connecting downtown to west Edmonton, began in fall 2021 and is scheduled for completion by 2027.
History
In 1962,
Canadian Bechtel Ltd. was commissioned to develop a plan for Edmonton's rapid transit system. Construction began in 1974 with a budget of $65 million. Edmonton became the first city in
North America
North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...
with a metropolitan population of less than one million to build a modern
light rail system.
The population was just over 445,000 when construction started on the route in 1974. It also became the first city in
Western Canada
Western Canada, also referred to as the Western provinces, Canadian West or the Western provinces of Canada, and commonly known within Canada as the West, is a Canadian region that includes the four western provinces just north of the Canada†...
to operate a rapid transit system. Testing of the new line started in 1977 with regular service starting April 22, 1978, in time for the
1978 Commonwealth Games. The line followed a
CN right-of-way from Belvedere Station to Stadium Station (near
Commonwealth Stadium
Commonwealth Stadium is an open-air, multipurpose stadium located in the McCauley neighbourhood of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It has a seating capacity of 56,302, making it the largest open-air stadium in Canada. Primarily used for Canadian fo ...
), via an intermediate stop at Coliseum Station (near
Northlands Coliseum
Northlands Coliseum is a now-unused indoor arena located in Edmonton, Alberta, situated on the north side of Northlands. It was used for sports events and concerts, and was home to the Edmonton Oilers of the World Hockey Association (WHA) and ...
), and then continued in a tunnel under 99 Street to Central Station, at Jasper Avenue and 100 Street, including an intermediate stop at Churchill Station. The original line was 6.9 km long.
[
Planning influences included the rail systems of Toronto (for dimensions), Montreal (underground environment), Cleveland (reuse of existing rail ]right of way
Right of way is the legal right, established by grant from a landowner or long usage (i.e. by prescription), to pass along a specific route through property belonging to another.
A similar ''right of access'' also exists on land held by a gov ...
), as well as Netherlands and Germany (feeder bus routes with timed-transfers, and choice of rolling stock). Operating practices were influenced by the MBTA Green Line
The Green Line is a light rail system run by the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) in the Boston, Massachusetts, metropolitan area. It is the oldest MBTA subway line, and with tunnel sections dating from 1897, the oldest subway ...
, British trams, and the Canadian National Railway
The Canadian National Railway Company (french: Compagnie des chemins de fer nationaux du Canada) is a Canadian Class I freight railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, which serves Canada and the Midwestern and Southern United States.
CN i ...
.
When the line opened, fare collection was modelled on traditional rapid transit lines, with booth attendants. Low volumes of activity at some entrances led to weekend closures of alternate station entrances. In November 1980, Edmonton Transit (as it was then named) switched to a modified European-style "proof of payment" system, retaining the old turnstiles to issue the new receipts. Fares were now collected by automated ticket vending machines with irregular proof of payment inspectors, which permitted keeping all entrances open and required fewer staff.
Every station on the line built since 1983 has been built with full accessibility for persons with disabilities. The 1998 and 2001 upgrades to the Belvedere and Clareview stations involved installation of roofs and lengthening of platforms to accommodate five-car trains.[
The LRT system had an estimated 18,220 weekday passenger boardings in 1978.][ 24 years later, after the completion of six new underground stations in the downtown and with a new terminus at the University of Alberta, boardings more than doubled to 39,550 in 2002.][ The LRT system continues to expand, and operated with 18 stations, of double track and ridership of 110,786 average weekday boardings in 2018. Extensions of the LRT system has resulted in significant increases in ridership; ridership increased nearly 78% in the first full year of the South Campus and Century Park extensions (2011 versus 2008), and increased 15% in the first full year of the NAIT extension (2016 versus 2014).
]
Network
The system has two lines. The Capital Line, runs from northeast Edmonton to south Edmonton via Downtown
''Downtown'' is a term primarily used in North America by English speakers to refer to a city's sometimes commercial, cultural and often the historical, political and geographic heart. It is often synonymous with its central business distric ...
. A second line, the Metro Line, connecting Downtown with northwest Edmonton, began limited operations in September 2015. There are further projects to create a new 27-kilometre line that will extend to Mill Woods Town Centre
Mill Woods Town Centre is a shopping centre located in south Edmonton, Alberta, Canada in the neighbourhood of Mill Woods. It contains service and retail including North Central CO-OP and Shoppers Drug Mart. Some surrounding satellite stores are ...
in the southeast part of the city and to Lewis Farms in the west end of the city.
During construction, surface area was preserved (although costs increased) by tunnelling under the downtown core and the University of Alberta
The University of Alberta, also known as U of A or UAlberta, is a public research university located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It was founded in 1908 by Alexander Cameron Rutherford,"A Gentleman of Strathcona – Alexander Cameron Rutherfor ...
main campus. The underground portions of the LRT connect to the Edmonton Pedway
The Edmonton Pedway system is a network connecting office buildings, shopping centres, and parkades in downtown Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It consists of approximately of year-round climate-controlled tunnels, and walkways between the second fl ...
system with links to many buildings. The LRT crosses the North Saskatchewan River
The North Saskatchewan River is a glacier-fed river that flows from the Canadian Rockies continental divide east to central Saskatchewan, where it joins with the South Saskatchewan River to make up the Saskatchewan River. Its water flows event ...
between the Government Centre and University stations on the Dudley B. Menzies Bridge
The Dudley B. Menzies Bridge is a dedicated LRT bridge crossing the North Saskatchewan River in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Named after Edmonton engineer and politician Dudley Blair Menzies, the bridge was the "first concrete segmental box girde ...
, a dedicated LRT and pedestrian bridge.
Storage, maintenance and operations of the LRT are controlled from the D.L. MacDonald Yard
D.L. MacDonald Yard is the maintenance facility, garage, and operations centre for the Capital and Metro light rail transit lines operated by Edmonton Transit Service, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Located to the northeast in the Kennedale indu ...
.
The LRT operates approximately between 5:00 a.m. and 1:00 a.m. daily. During peak-times, trains departing Clareview to Downtown run approximately every five to ten minutes, and run every 15 minutes during off-peak hours. Trains from Century Park to Downtown run on a five-minute frequency during peak-times and run every five to ten minutes during off-peak times. After 10 p.m. trains run every 15 minutes. Before the opening of the Metro Line, the city held a naming contest, to determine the names of the five current and future LRT lines. On January 31, 2013, the city announced the names: Capital Line, Metro Line, Valley Line, Energy Line, and Festival Line.
Stations
The Capital Line has 15 stations: Clareview, Belvedere Belvedere (from Italian, meaning "beautiful sight") may refer to:
Places
Australia
*Belvedere, Queensland, a locality in the Cassowary Coast Region
Africa
* Belvedere (Casablanca), a neighborhood in Casablanca, Morocco
*Belvedere, Harare, Zi ...
, Coliseum
The Colosseum ( ; it, Colosseo ) is an oval amphitheatre in the centre of the city of Rome, Italy, just east of the Roman Forum. It is the largest ancient amphitheatre ever built, and is still the largest standing amphitheatre in the world t ...
, Stadium
A stadium ( : stadiums or stadia) is a place or venue for (mostly) outdoor sports, concerts, or other events and consists of a field or stage either partly or completely surrounded by a tiered structure designed to allow spectators to stand o ...
, Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill (30 November 187424 January 1965) was a British statesman, soldier, and writer who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom twice, from 1940 to 1945 during the Second World War, and again from 1 ...
, Central
Central is an adjective usually referring to being in the center of some place or (mathematical) object.
Central may also refer to:
Directions and generalised locations
* Central Africa, a region in the centre of Africa continent, also known as ...
, Bay/Enterprise Square, Corona
Corona (from the Latin for 'crown') most commonly refers to:
* Stellar corona, the outer atmosphere of the Sun or another star
* Corona (beer), a Mexican beer
* Corona, informal term for the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, which causes the COVID-19 di ...
, Government Centre, University
A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, t ...
, Health Sciences/Jubilee, McKernan/Belgravia, South Campus/Fort Edmonton Park
South Campus/Fort Edmonton Park station is an Edmonton Light Rail Transit station in Edmonton, Alberta. It is served by the Capital Line. It is a ground-level station located on the University of Alberta's South Campus approximately two blocks to ...
, Southgate
Southgate or South Gate may refer to:
Places Australia
*Southgate, Sylvania
*Southgate Arts and Leisure Precinct, an area within Southbank, Victoria
Canada
*Southgate, Ontario, a township in Grey County
* Southgate, Middlesex County, Ontario
Ed ...
, and Century Park stations. Of these, Churchill, Central, Bay/Enterprise Square, Corona, Government Centre, and University are underground. The three newest stations opened in September 2015 for the Metro Line: MacEwan, Kingsway/Royal Alex, and NAIT.
Another 12 stations will be built for the first phase of the Valley Line, which is planned to open in 2022.
All existing stations have a centre platform
An island platform (also center platform, centre platform) is a station layout arrangement where a single platform is positioned between two tracks within a railway station, tram stop or transitway interchange. Island platforms are popular on ...
.
Rolling stock
The rolling stock
The term rolling stock in the rail transport industry refers to railway vehicles, including both powered and unpowered vehicles: for example, locomotives, freight and passenger cars (or coaches), and non-revenue cars. Passenger vehicles can b ...
of the Capital Line is composed of trains of either Siemens-Duewag U2 or Siemens SD-160
The SD-100 and SD-160 are light rail vehicles (LRV) that were manufactured by Siemens Mobility between 1992 and 2013 for the North American market. The vehicles were all constructed at the Siemens facility in Florin, California.
The primary di ...
cars. ETS operates 37 U2 cars, some of which have been in operation since the system opened in 1978. ETS also operates 57 SD-160 cars, of which 37 were ordered between 2005 and 2007, with the first cars entering revenue service on January 27, 2009. An additional 20 cars were purchased in 2010 and 2011 for use in the Metro Line and were delivered from March 2012 to April 2013.
The Capital Line uses five-car trains during peak hours, four-car trains on weekends, and two-car trains are used for late night service. The Metro Line will operate three-car trains until the permanent NAIT station is opened, as the temporary NAIT station
NAIT station is an Edmonton Light Rail Transit station in Edmonton, Alberta. It serves the Metro Line. The station will be temporarily located north of Princess Elizabeth Avenue, on the south side of the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology's ...
can only accommodate three-car trains. The permanent station will be 125 metres long to accommodate a five-car train. All other extensions to the Capital and Metro lines will have five-car platforms.
The future Valley Line (currently under construction) will initially use new low-floor Bombardier Flexity Freedom
The Alstom Flexity Freedom is a low-floor, articulated light rail vehicle developed by Bombardier Transportation (and later Alstom) for the North American market. It is marketed as part of the Bombardier Flexity family which includes other ...
vehicles. Forty other new low-floor LRT vehicles were ordered in 2021 from Hyundai Rotem for the Valley Line, to be put in service when the West extension to Lewis Farms opens.
Safety and security
All LRT stations are monitored by CCTV cameras
A closed-circuit television camera can produce images or recordings for surveillance or other private purposes. Cameras can be either video cameras, or digital stills cameras. Walter Bruch was the inventor of the CCTV camera. The main purpose ...
. All trains are equipped with operator alert systems which allow passengers to contact the train operator in the event of an emergency. Likewise, all stations are equipped with blue emergency help phones which connect with ETS Security. The stations are patrolled by transit peace officers.
Despite the security measures, there have been several incidents on trains or at stations. In 2008, there were 328 crimes against persons reported on transport property.
Some of the most serious incidents include:
* In 1988, a woman was strangled to death in a Churchill Station washroom.
* In 2010, a woman was shot and killed at Stadium Station.
* In 2012, a man was beaten to death on board the LRT between Stadium
A stadium ( : stadiums or stadia) is a place or venue for (mostly) outdoor sports, concerts, or other events and consists of a field or stage either partly or completely surrounded by a tiered structure designed to allow spectators to stand o ...
and Belvedere Station.
*In 2018, a man was stabbed at South Campus/Fort Edmonton Park station
* In 2021, a male student was assaulted and stabbed at University Station.
* In April 2022, an elderly woman was assaulted and pushed onto the tracks at Health Sciences/Jubilee
* In June 2022 near Churchill Station, Edmonton Police Service
The Edmonton Police Service (EPS) is the municipal police force for the City of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific O ...
officers fatally shot an armed suspect
Fares
The cash fare for passengers using ETS buses and the LRT, since 1 February 2019, is $3.50 for adults, seniors and youth. Children 12 and under ride free with fare-paying rider.
Passengers can also purchase books of transit tickets or monthly transit passes. Seniors can purchase an annual transit pass at a discounted rate.
Passengers paying a cash fare at a fare machine at an LRT station are issued a transit ticket, which is validated as an LRT ticket after being time-stamped. This ticket is valid both as proof of payment and as a transfer. Transfers allow the passenger to transfer from the LRT to a bus, from a bus to the LRT and between buses, and is valid for 90 minutes from the time it was stamped. Passengers paying a cash fare or validating a ticket on a bus obtain a transfer at the time the fare is paid. Transfers also serve as proof of payment for 90 minutes.
Passengers in an LRT proof-of-payment area must present proof of payment upon request by a transit peace officer. Proof of payment includes LRT tickets, transfers, validated transit tickets and transit passes. Failure to provide proof of payment can result in a $250 fine. Proof-of-payment areas include all LRT trains and LRT station platforms, unless the ticket vending machines are located on the platform itself.
In 2007, ETS, the University of Alberta
The University of Alberta, also known as U of A or UAlberta, is a public research university located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It was founded in 1908 by Alexander Cameron Rutherford,"A Gentleman of Strathcona – Alexander Cameron Rutherfor ...
(U of A), and MacEwan University
, mottoeng =
, type = Public University
, established =
, closed =
, founder =
, parent =
, academic_affiliations = AUCC, ACCC, AACTI ...
partnered to provide students with a universal transit pass (U-Pass), which is valid on the LRT and all ETS buses as well as on Strathcona County
Strathcona County is a specialized municipality in the Edmonton Metropolitan Region within Alberta, Canada between Edmonton and Elk Island National Park. It forms part of Census Division No. 11.
Strathcona County is both urban and rural in ...
and St. Albert Transit Systems. NAIT students voted to join the program in 2010. The U-Pass allows unlimited LRT and bus use. This service was temporarily suspended in fall 2020 through winter 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
.
Expansion
Overview of planned lines
The City of Edmonton prioritized completion of the Metro Line to NAIT for 2014, followed by expanding the system to the southeast and west. City council approved funding to begin preliminary engineering on the Valley Line from Mill Woods to Lewis Farms in June 2011.
Capital Line expansion
Future plans call for expanding the Capital Line to Gorman in the northeast and Heritage Valley in the south.
Metro Line expansion
NAIT to St. Albert
Beyond NAIT, the Metro Line will travel through Blatchford (the sustainable neighbourhood being developed on the grounds of the former City Centre Airport), go over the CN railway
The Canadian National Railway Company (french: Compagnie des chemins de fer nationaux du Canada) is a Canadian Class I freight railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec, which serves Canada and the Midwestern and Southern United States.
CN i ...
yard north of Yellowhead Trail
Yellowhead Trail is a expressway segment of the Yellowhead Highway (Highway 16) in northern Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It carries a significant amount of truck traffic to and from the industrial areas of north Edmonton and serves as a key c ...
, and continue north along 113A Street, and west along 153 Avenue. The City of St. Albert has also begun preliminary plans to extend the LRT line into their borders.
On May 19, 2010, the transportation department announced its recommendation for an extension of the Metro Line from NAIT station to St. Albert. This extension is expected to eventually serve 42,000 to 45,000 passengers daily.
Valley Line
The Valley Line is a proposed , low-floor urban line running southeast to west from Mill Woods
Mill Woods is a residential area in the city of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Located in southeast Edmonton, Mill Woods is bounded by Whitemud Drive ( Highway 14) to the north, 91 Street to the west, 34 Street to the east, and Anthony Henday ...
to Lewis Farms, crossing through downtown. The line will be constructed in phases, with phase 1 being the , 12-station portion between Mill Woods
Mill Woods is a residential area in the city of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Located in southeast Edmonton, Mill Woods is bounded by Whitemud Drive ( Highway 14) to the north, 91 Street to the west, 34 Street to the east, and Anthony Henday ...
and 102 Street (downtown) allowing passengers to connect with the Capital Line
The Edmonton LRT Capital Line is a light rail transit line running from northeast Edmonton to the south. Operated by the Edmonton Transit Service, the line provides access to Downtown Edmonton and the University of Alberta. The Capital Line cur ...
and Metro Line
The Metro Line is a light rail transit line on the Edmonton LRT system. The line operates from northwest Edmonton to south Edmonton, and was scheduled to have begun operation by spring 2014 but instead opened on September 6, 2015, at a reduced ...
at Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill (30 November 187424 January 1965) was a British statesman, soldier, and writer who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom twice, from 1940 to 1945 during the Second World War, and again from 1 ...
. Construction started in 2016 with completion in late 2021.
Mill Woods to Downtown
In December 2009, the Edmonton city council approved a new low-floor train route that would leave a new ground-level station at Churchill Square on 102 Avenue between 100 and 99 streets before stopping in The Quarters redevelopment on 102 Avenue between 97 street and 96 street. From here the route enters a tunnel and travels beneath 95 street descending into the river valley
A valley is an elongated low area often running between hills or mountains, which will typically contain a river or stream running from one end to the other. Most valleys are formed by erosion of the land surface by rivers or streams over ...
to cross the North Saskatchewan River on the new Tawatinâ Bridge, which will be constructed east of Louise McKinney Park. The route then proceeds to climb the hill adjacent to Connors Road then proceed east along 95 Avenue and southbound at 85 Street. The route will travel southbound along 85 Street crossing the traffic circle and shifting to 83 Street, continuing south and east towards Wagner Road. Finally the line will proceed south along 75/66 Street until it reaches Mill Woods Town Centre. Within this line the proposed stations are: Quarters, Muttart, Strathearn, Holyrood, Bonnie Doon, Avonmore, Davies (to include a bus terminal and park & ride), Millbourne/Woodvale, Grey Nuns, and Mill Woods Town Centre. The maintenance and storage of vehicles for the line will be at the new Gerry Wright Operations and Maintenance Facility, at Whitemud Drive
Whitemud Drive is a major east–west freeway in southern Edmonton, Alberta, that stretches from 231 Street at the western city limit to Anthony Henday Drive just east of Edmonton in Strathcona County. The portion in southeast Edmont ...
and 75 Street.
On February 15, 2012, city council approved the Downtown LRT concept plan. The Downtown LRT Project became part of the Southeast to West LRT project. The city hoped to have money in place by the end of 2013 for the $1.8-billion LRT line from downtown to Mill Woods to start construction in 2016. City council committed $800 million, the federal government invested $250 million, and $235 million would come from the provincial government, leaving a $515 million funding gap delaying the project. On March 11, 2014, it was announced that the project would be completely funded with an additional $150 million from the federal government and $365 million from the provincial government.
Downtown to Lewis Farms
A planned expansion to Lewis Farms, with the West Edmonton Mall
West Edmonton Mall (WEM) is a shopping mall in Edmonton, Alberta, that is owned, managed, and operated by Triple Five Group. It is the second most visited mall in Canada, after the Toronto Eaton Centre in Toronto, followed by Metrotown Mall in ...
en route, is in the engineering phase as part of the 27-kilometre Valley Line.
The option approved by Council in 2010 was to have the west LRT extension run from downtown, along 104 Avenue and Stony Plain Road
Stony Plain Road is an expressway and arterial road Edmonton, Alberta. Parkland Highway is an alternative route to the corresponding section of Highway 16 in Parkland County.
Overview
Stony Plain Road
Stony Plain Road is an Expressway ...
before diverting south on 156 Street towards Meadowlark Health And Shopping Centre, then along an 87 Avenue alignment to West Edmonton Mall and beyond. Proponents of this route cited opportunities for transit-oriented development
In urban planning, transit-oriented development (TOD) is a type of urban development that maximizes the amount of residential, business and leisure space within walking distance of public transport. It promotes a symbiotic relationship between ...
.
On November 1, 2018, the Government of Alberta announced a contribution of $1.04 billion towards the second phase of the Valley Line, extending it west to Lewis Farms with an estimated completion date of 2027-28.
Controversy
The Valley LRT to Mill Woods generated opponents particularly on the location of the route. The Edmonton Chinese community opposed the city's plan to lay the tracks on 102 Avenue as it is directly in front of a Chinese elderly care facility. Despite demands to relocate the route to 102a Avenue, the city council voted for the original proposal. Another group opposed the route saying that the new LRT bridge crossing the North Saskatchewan River will have a negative impact on the river valley and the removal of the existing footbridge during construction (to be replaced by pedestrian space on the LRT bridge) would temporarily displace an existing river crossing. The city states that impact is minimal, no other alternative routes were suitable, and has proceeded with construction.
Concerns in 2008 and 2009 over community impacts along the proposed west leg of the Valley Line and north leg of the Metro Line led to a larger debate over the vision guiding the various expansion plans, and the criteria used to select the routes.
The adoption of a new signalling system (see below) for the Metro Line pushed back the start date from April 2014 to September 2015, when the line finally began operation at a frequency of 15 minutes, rather than 5. Trains only ran at a maximum of between the Churchill and NAIT stations, creating passenger delays and traffic congestion. An independent safety auditor cleared trains to run at their full as of February 19, 2017.
Completed extensions
Capital line
On April 26, 1981, ETS opened a northeastern-bound extension of 2.2 km on the CN right-of-way to Clareview Station. In June 1983, the light rail tunnel downtown was extended by 0.8 km to Bay and Corona stations. The D.L. MacDonald Yard
D.L. MacDonald Yard is the maintenance facility, garage, and operations centre for the Capital and Metro light rail transit lines operated by Edmonton Transit Service, in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Located to the northeast in the Kennedale indu ...
, between Belvedere and Clareview, opened in December 1983 to store and service the vehicles. The line was extended in September 1989 by 0.8 km to Grandin station (now Government Centre station, close to the Alberta Legislature
The Legislature of Alberta is the unicameral legislature of the province of Alberta, Canada. The legislature is made of two elements: the Lieutenant Governor of Alberta,. and the Legislative Assembly of Alberta. The legislature has existed s ...
). On August 23, 1992, the next extension opened from Grandin to University Station, partially via the Dudley B. Menzies Bridge, crossing the North Saskatchewan River
The North Saskatchewan River is a glacier-fed river that flows from the Canadian Rockies continental divide east to central Saskatchewan, where it joins with the South Saskatchewan River to make up the Saskatchewan River. Its water flows event ...
with a lower level for pedestrians and cyclists, and partially via a tunnel into the station. Major upgrades to the Belvedere and Clareview stations were made in 1998 and 2001 respectively.
On January 1, 2006, the line was extended 0.6 km south through the University Campus to Health Sciences Station, which is located at street level. On April 25, 2009, McKernan/Belgravia and South Campus stations were opened as part of the south LRT expansion, with Southgate and Century Park opening on April 24, 2010. The first of the new Siemens SD-160
The SD-100 and SD-160 are light rail vehicles (LRV) that were manufactured by Siemens Mobility between 1992 and 2013 for the North American market. The vehicles were all constructed at the Siemens facility in Florin, California.
The primary di ...
light rail vehicle train cars for the new extension were shipped by rail from Florin, California
Florin is a census-designated place (CDP) in Sacramento County, California, United States. It is part of the Sacramento– Roseville–Folsom Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 52,388 at the 2020 census, up from 47,513 at th ...
, on April 24, 2008, arriving in Edmonton on May 9, 2008 (37 vehicles in total).
The LRT expansion was developed entirely at surface level with several underpasses after 2006, one at Belgravia Road and the other under 111 Street south of 61 Avenue. A short busway has been constructed from the South Campus station roughly parallel to Belgravia Road in conjunction with the South LRT expansion.
Metro line
On April 27, 2007, the city began detailed planning of a new LRT line that will run north from Churchill Station, to the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology
The Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) is a applied sciences institute in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. NAIT provides careers programs in applied research, technical training, applied education, and learning designed to meet the dema ...
(NAIT), and eventually beyond to north-end neighbourhoods with a terminal station south of St. Albert.
The Metro line branches off the Capital Line at Churchill Station, runs west along 105 Avenue to the MacEwan University
, mottoeng =
, type = Public University
, established =
, closed =
, founder =
, parent =
, academic_affiliations = AUCC, ACCC, AACTI ...
City Centre Campus, then north along 105 Street, Kingsway (Avenue), and 106 Street, to Kingsway Mall
Kingsway Mall (formerly Kingsway Garden Mall) is a shopping centre located in central Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. The mall, constructed in 1976, completed a $70-million redevelopment from 2007–2009. The "Revealing" held the weekend of 13 Novembe ...
and NAIT.
In April 2008, Edmonton City Council approved $45 million in funding to build a tunnel under the Epcor Tower
Epcor Tower is an office tower in downtown Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. The tower is capped by two spires that are capped with four flagpoles each. When the spires were taken into account, it was the tallest building in Edmonton from 2011 to 2017. ...
site immediately, while it was still under construction, with the aim of saving $140 million more than would have been required to dig under the tower once it was completed. This step was taken even though the rest of the project had not yet been approved, because of the time constraint posed by the construction of the new tower. Construction on the tunnel began in August 2009 and was completed by approximately September 2010.
On July 2, 2009, the federal and provincial governments approved the reallocation of funding from the proposed Gorman Station extension to the Metro line as the city felt that NAIT was a higher priority.
The expansion added three stations to the system; MacEwan station
MacEwan station is an Edmonton Light Rail Transit station on the Metro Line in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It is located across from MacEwan University on 105 Avenue between 103 and 104 Street. The station opened on September 6, 2015.
History
Con ...
at MacEwan University
, mottoeng =
, type = Public University
, established =
, closed =
, founder =
, parent =
, academic_affiliations = AUCC, ACCC, AACTI ...
, Kingsway/Royal Alex station near Kingsway Mall
Kingsway Mall (formerly Kingsway Garden Mall) is a shopping centre located in central Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. The mall, constructed in 1976, completed a $70-million redevelopment from 2007–2009. The "Revealing" held the weekend of 13 Novembe ...
and the Royal Alexandra Hospital, and NAIT station
NAIT station is an Edmonton Light Rail Transit station in Edmonton, Alberta. It serves the Metro Line. The station will be temporarily located north of Princess Elizabeth Avenue, on the south side of the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology's ...
at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology
The Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) is a applied sciences institute in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. NAIT provides careers programs in applied research, technical training, applied education, and learning designed to meet the dema ...
. MacEwan Station is located just east of the downtown MacEwan University campus, and west of the proposed downtown hockey arena, at 104 Street and 105 Avenue. The Kingsway/Royal Alex Station is located on the north side of Kingsway, to the south of the hospital. As part of the plan, the Kingsway Transit Centre was relocated to the southeast corner of 111 Avenue and 106 Street, to provide service to both Kingsway Mall and the LRT station. The NAIT Station is located north of Princess Elizabeth Avenue
Princess Elizabeth Avenue, is an arterial road in central Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, that runs on a southwest to northeast path, cutting through the city's normal grid pattern. It skirts just to the south of Blatchford (formerly Edmonton City ...
, on the south side of NAIT's swimming pool and hockey arena.
The Metro Line was completed at a cost $90 million under its estimated $755 million budget, with a total project cost of $665 million.
Signalling system
The Metro Line
The Metro Line is a light rail transit line on the Edmonton LRT system. The line operates from northwest Edmonton to south Edmonton, and was scheduled to have begun operation by spring 2014 but instead opened on September 6, 2015, at a reduced ...
and the Capital Line
The Edmonton LRT Capital Line is a light rail transit line running from northeast Edmonton to the south. Operated by the Edmonton Transit Service, the line provides access to Downtown Edmonton and the University of Alberta. The Capital Line cur ...
use fixed block signalling. The new Metro Line was originally built to use only CBTC, but was converted to the fixed block system after the City fired Thales
Thales of Miletus ( ; grc-gre, Θαλῆς; ) was a Greek mathematician, astronomer, statesman, and pre-Socratic philosopher from Miletus in Ionia, Asia Minor. He was one of the Seven Sages of Greece. Many, most notably Aristotle, regarded him ...
, the contractor originally chosen to install the CBTC system. The Metro Line's fixed block system was provided by Alstom. The fixed-block system became active in March 2021, allowing trains to run at full speed along the metro line track for the first time since the line opened. The city claims that frequencies in the downtown core will reach 2.5 minutes with the fixed-block system, but the current schedule is for 5-minute headways.
The signalling system divides the track into sections called blocks protected by signals that maintain at least one empty fixed block between trains. The CBTC system was supposed to use computer control to maintain a fixed distance of empty space (a moving block) between trains. This would have allowed trains to operate closer together, which increases the frequency of trains arriving at stations and increases an LRT system's overall capacity for ridership.
The CBTC uses computers on trains that report into a central controller to pinpoint the exact location of each train and constantly adjust the speed, spacing and routing of trains to keep trains safe and on schedule. It safely tightens up the spacing between trains so that Metro Line and Capital Line trains can share the same tracks between Health Sciences/Jubilee station and Churchill station. Edmonton Transit runs peak-time trains every 5 minutes through downtown, but this frequency could have been increased to every 2.5 minutes when the Metro Line originally intended to be operational. This goal was abandoned by the City after August 2021, having restored 5 minute frequency on the Capital Line. The Metro Line continues to operate on a 15 minute frequency.
References
External links
Edmonton Transit Service
(Official website)
Edmonton Transit Service–Future LRT
* - Published by the City of Edmonton; illustrates motorman procedures
{{Canadianmetros
Railway lines opened in 1978
600 V DC railway electrification
Railway companies established in 1978
Electric railways in Canada
Standard gauge railways in Canada
1978 establishments in Alberta