Airboy
Senior Member
Preliminary work get started this summer.. New drainage.
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Capital Line LRT
- Thread starter Daveography
- Start date
NateTheUrbanist
Active Member
Once the Capital Line South extension is completed, will an extension of Capital Line North to Fort Saskatchewan be the next logical extension?
CplKlinger
Senior Member
I think that's too far for a local LRT line to be honest. The EMSTC's commuter bus service will be a good first step; the service plan under development might apparently call for weekend service. If we were to go with some sort of rail-based solution, I'd truly love to see regional rail connecting the local communities. Maybe it could be a light rail line that's faster, or maybe it could be something heavier. I'd love to see rail, I just don't think it should be merged with a local line.
The_Cat
Senior Member
Even if the Capital Line was extended to 153 Avenue/Gorman, Anthony Henday Drive would be more accessible, possibly meaning better access for Fort Saskatchewan bus service. I'm thinking once Highway 15 is twinned, commutes to Edmonton will be less.
IanO
Superstar
We need to connect the NW and we need to connect YEG in about 10-15.
The_Cat
Senior Member
I agree, 153 Avenue is a low priority, especially when Clareview Station connects with Manning Drive and other NE connections.
EdwardEdm
Active Member
Gorman is on the list, but the Metro Line to at least Castle Downs is ahead of it. It looks like Gorman is likely beyond 15 years.
In 2016 the priorities were:
1. Valley Line West- full line
2. Metro Line- NAIT to Blatchford
3. Capital Line South- Century Park to Ellerslie
4. Downtown Circulator- University to Boonie Doon
5. Metro Line- Blatchford to Castle Downs
6. Valley Line SE- Mill Woods to Ellerslie
7. Capital Line North- Clareview to Gorman
8. Capital Line North- Gorman to Alberta Hospital
9. Capital Line North- Alberta Hospital to Edmonton Energy and Technology Park
10. Metro Line- Castle Downs to Campbell Road
11. Capital Line South- Ellerslie to Heritage Valley Town Center
12. Festival Line- Boonie Doon to Sherwood Park
13. Downtown Circulator- Downtown to University
14. Capital Line South- Heriitage Valley Town Centre to EIA
With the City Plan this was further distilled down to:
Capital Line- Clareview to Heritage Valley Town Centre
Metro Line- Blatchford to Health Sciences
Valley Line- Lewis Farm to Mill Woods
The North side then raised hell that they were not getting any LRT under the City Plan to a population of 1.25 million, so, in February Council voted to include the Metro Line from Blatchford to Castle Downs (and extend the WVLRT to a the new Lewis Farms Rec Centre)
The City Plan also essentially killed LRT as being the mode used on Whyte Ave.
So a revised version of the above priorities now looks like this:
1. Valley Line West- full line
2. Metro Line- NAIT to Blatchford
3. Capital Line South- Century Park to Ellerslie
4/5. Capital Line South- Ellerslie to Heritage Valley Town Center
4/5. Metro Line- Blatchford to Castle Downs
6. Valley Line SE- Mill Woods to Ellerslie
7. Capital Line North- Clareview to Gorman
8. Capital Line North- Gorman to Alberta Hospital
9. Capital Line North- Alberta Hospital to Edmonton Energy and Technology Park
10. Metro Line- Castle Downs to Campbell Road
11. Capital Line South- Heriitage Valley Town Centre to EIA
Of course, who knows where #6 and beyond really fall now. The one thing Gorman has going for it is that is/ was shovel ready and is a relatively easy build given it uses an existing Railway RoW for a good portion of it's length. Hell, it's been shovel ready since 2010... 12 years ago now, but, as I recall the funding was transferred to build the Metro Line to NAIT all in one shot. Of course, while Gorman might have a place in line, there could be a push to get the Metro Line to Campbell Road in order to get it into St. Albert.
Sources:
City Council - February 22, 2022
CplKlinger
Senior Member
Going off that: When I was on the Valley Line tour a month or two ago, I asked the city staff about the circulator route. They confirmed that it's dead in all but name now; council hasn't made any formal vote to kill it, but its coverage is being replaced by BRT routes like the proposed BRT on/near Whyte. I'm not sure if BRT will cover all of it or not though.
Edmcowboy11
Senior Member
I would be happy to see Gorman and further proceed if more money was found, but I do think that there are other areas that would draw more people to the LRT.
occidentalcapital
Senior Member
It would be council's decision, though.
I don't disagree with re-prioritizing things, but eventually we'll need another east-west based rail route.
I would say go South, NW, Airport, then the secondary N-S route, then start building circle lines.
Tropical
Active Member
I remain consistently surprised that a Capital Line stop at 95 Street to serve Little Italy/Chinatown/Boyle isn't #1 on the to-build list. I anticipate that the implications for dense infill, accessibility to services and transit for equity-seeking communities would all be significant.
thommyjo
Senior Member
I think whyte ave BRT makes more sense. Dedicated lanes as part of a full redesigned with bike lanes and widened sidewalks too.
IanO
Superstar
Historic look streetcar bus connecting University Station, up 112st to Whyte, down Whyte to the SE line station at 83st. Maybe 4 of them simply doing that circle route.
EdwardEdm
Active Member
That's not inherently ruled out by the priorities of which lines get built first. As it is, there is already a plan to replace Coliseum with two stations, one further north, and one further south.
IanO
Superstar
I don't see them ever putting two stations there.