Avenuer
Senior Member
That's the second station north of Blatchford Market / NAIT, closer to the Yellowhead.
Metro Line LRT | ?m | ?s | City of Edmonton
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MacLac
Senior Member
Wait what?! Two new stations are being built? The first one….closest to the current NAIT station will be called “NAIT.” The furthest away closer to the Yellowhead = Blatchford Gate? No?
CplKlinger
Senior Member
You're correct that there's two stations, and the second one is Blatchford Gate. The NAIT one is also called Blatchford Market because that's the name of the future commercial and residential district in that part of Blatchford.
Gronk!
Senior Member
Blatchford LRT station is getting solar panels
CplKlinger
Senior Member
The capital project website was updated with Q2's updates.
"The two new stations are nearing completion, with final mechanical, electrical and architectural finishes underway. Solar panel installation at the stations are nearing completion. For the utility complex buildings, structural work has been completed, and mechanical, electrical, interior finishing and exterior paneling work is ongoing. Concrete trackway and rail installation was completed in November 2022. Catenary pole installation was completed in December 2022. The connection between the new and existing overhead catenary wire at NAIT station was completed in June, marking a major milestone for the project. LRT and traffic signals installations began in March and this work is ongoing. Primary site lighting installs, along with construction of road crossings, cycle track, and landscaping are progressing through the summer. Work on the plaza near the new NAIT station will begin in July. Coordination with Blatchford projects and adjacent stakeholders is ongoing. Further information on the project can be found at https://www.edmonton.ca/projects_plans/transit/nw-lrt"
"The two new stations are nearing completion, with final mechanical, electrical and architectural finishes underway. Solar panel installation at the stations are nearing completion. For the utility complex buildings, structural work has been completed, and mechanical, electrical, interior finishing and exterior paneling work is ongoing. Concrete trackway and rail installation was completed in November 2022. Catenary pole installation was completed in December 2022. The connection between the new and existing overhead catenary wire at NAIT station was completed in June, marking a major milestone for the project. LRT and traffic signals installations began in March and this work is ongoing. Primary site lighting installs, along with construction of road crossings, cycle track, and landscaping are progressing through the summer. Work on the plaza near the new NAIT station will begin in July. Coordination with Blatchford projects and adjacent stakeholders is ongoing. Further information on the project can be found at https://www.edmonton.ca/projects_plans/transit/nw-lrt"
husky
Active Member
There's a report going to Executive Committee on Sept 20 providing options for operation of the two new stations. One option is to leave the new Blatchford Station closed and not operational for now.
EdmTrekker
Senior Member
Closed and not operational? People are going to laugh at City Council - one line opens 3 years late and the other is completed but no one lives there so they close it.
IanO
Superstar
What was the originally anticipated population for 2023/24 in the area versus what there is?
Friendmonton
Active Member
They could at least open it for the residents of Westwood and improve pedestrian access. It could be ten years before there’s anyone living there.
husky
Active Member
From the report it looks like the difference in operating dollars is only about $2,000,000 so I will be curious what council decides to do. That $2,000,000 may be easy cost savings for them but it is also sort of wasted dollars maintaining the unopened station. I wonder if it might spur conversation to focus development in Blatchford to the LRT areas.
thommyjo
Senior Member
Seems silly to not try to utilize the station somehow. Either for bus transfers, nearby neighborhoods with some good walking, biking (hell, even a temporary park n ride).
Park and ride for concerts and events at rogers? Gravel lots like century park did for years.
Then yeah, change blatchford plans to accelerate growth towards LRT areas.
Park and ride for concerts and events at rogers? Gravel lots like century park did for years.
Then yeah, change blatchford plans to accelerate growth towards LRT areas.
The_Cat
Senior Member
I think there could be Park and Ride (for the time being), and bus routes going to St. Albert, Spruce Grove and parts of North and West Edmonton could use it.
TravellingChris
Active Member
You've gotta love City Council and the Department of Transportation. They won't spend the money to elevate stations where it would be really useful, like Bonnie Doon and Heritage Valley, but they'll pay to build a station years before it's needed and consider keeping it closed--all the while spending money to maintain it.
TAS
Senior Member
I think if among the options there is a plan for how an open station could and will be utilized and the subsequent benefit it could provide is presented, then yes that option should be considered.
But if there are no feasible options provided, then the city should take that $2M savings in operational costs and put it to something else to support active transportation.
In a way this is on point for how Blarchford is going - it has way more infrastructure than what the population supports. One thing, the trees and other landscaping that have been planted a few years ago now are going to be quite mature by the time people actually live on some of these streets.
EtoV
Active Member
It's better to build it now if we have the ability, than build it down the line. Being a green/brownfield site makes it a lot cheaper and easier, and costs will continue to rise for construction the more you wait.