Fantasy Transit Maps

[dkazzed]

Realistic Bahn - Google My Maps

Diese Stadt ist ab nun Eigentum der Bundesrepublik Deutschland!

www.google.com

Correction to your Manning/Marquis Station comment, they're finally developing the area! There's a random four-lane boulevard and roundabout! https://maps.app.goo.gl/jEkY2VJq9PHioYsD9 They're mostly working on single-family and townhomes right now and I believe the first few families have already taken possession of their homes in Marquis West, but there are plans for commercial and multifamily where the four-lane boulevard is. Build the Henday and they will come.

 

[The_Cat]

I like Platinum 107's Northwest Line (orange), which could also be a key bus route if it’s not already the case. I also think a potential idea for a bus route could be something like Connors Road-90 Avenue-50 Street South-Roper Road East-34 Street South-Whitemud East-Meadows Transit Centre.

 

[dunno]

My Fantasy LRT map. 10 Lines of glorious transit investment!

Edmonton's Grand LRT: Past, Present, Future and Imaginary! - Google My Maps

Hey! Come and check out the Edmonton's Grand Heavy/Commuter Rail network here: https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1urxVGZPJCuwMsM4Jvd0UedNz7Sk38Xz1&usp=sharing Come one and all and take a peak at my plan for the future of the Edmonton LRT! In here you'll find lines that exist, are under...

www.google.com

I actually quite like this. It incorporates a lot of the things I see as both realistic (long-term) and no-brainers for the future of rapid transit in Edmonton. Having the Metro Line split off at South Campus and head down Terwillegar to Windermere, the 87-Whyte Ave LRT, something down 137th Ave, etc. I didn't think about a Whitemud line but I also quite like that. The Jasper line is the only major one I have gripes with. The part in the central zone makes a lot of sense and is something I've thought about too -- having something down Jasper and 124th through Oliver/Westmount. But I think having it rip through a bunch of industrial areas in the NW doesn't make as sense. I'd either continuing down 124th to 118th and then switching to 127th St past Calder all the way to the Palisades or have it turn off 124th at 111th and then go down Groat/St Albert Trail to Village Tree. I also think having what is the Festival Line on your map go all the way down 118th Ave through Alberta Ave/Parkdale to NAIT and then interlining with the Metro Line makes more sense.

I've done various transit fantasy maps over the years, but here is the latest one I did earlier this year:

Above is the macro, metro-level view of it. This fantasy is what I also perceive as realistic for the city to about the 2070s, if Edmonton remains bullish on transit. This includes LRT, BRT, and RER services. The black lines are two RER lines that interline at Blatchford to the Airport. One goes to Stony Plain and the other to Elk Island from there. Aside from the part down 109th St past Jasper to the Yellowhead and the eastern line past 17 St/the Yellowhead, these RER lines utilize existing rail ROWs. From the current Heritage Streetcar terminus just past 100 Ave to the new Blatchford RER station, this line would be underground. There'd also be a new bridge adjacent to the High Level and the portion between Gov't Centre and the Airport would either share track with HSR or have an adjacent ROW. Gov't Centre would be the main intercity rail hub, though. RER could be a redevelopment catalyst for the CPR yards in West Ritchie too. The thinner colour lines are BRT and the thicker ones are LRT, but that might be hard to perceive at this level. So here's just RER and LRT:

Green: Valley Line, from Lewis Farms to Beaumont Centre
Blue: Capital Line, from Horse Hills to past 41st Ave (who knows what it'll be called then)
Red: Metro Line, from 41st Ave to Bellerose (St Albert)
Yellow: Energy Line, from Wedgewood to Bethel (Sherwood Park)
Purple: Aurora Line, from Bethel to Jasper Place (essentially utilizes existing track of Valley and Energy Lines)
Turquoise: Festival Line, from Manning Centre to Village Tree

And here's a closer look at things with BRT again:

The lines are, from south to north:
Light brown: Route 8, down Ellerslie between Windermere and Ellerslie at the eastern edge of the city
Bright red: Route 23, down 23 Ave from Leger to 17 St
Teal: Route 50, down 50th St from Mill Woods to Clareview (including new bus bridge across the North Sask)
White: Route 99, from Davies to the Pallisades
Orange: Route 111, from Jasper Place to Abbottsfield, mostly down 111/112 Ave
Mint: Route 82, down 82 St from Stadium to Crystallina
Pink: Route 118, down 118th Ave and Victoria Trail from NAIT to Manning Centre
Light purple: Route 137, mostly down 137th Ave from Village Tree to Clareview

In this hypothetical scenario, the next LRT line would likely be an upgrade of the Pink Route 118, at least for the length of 118th Ave. This fantasy also assumes a certain level of sprawl in keeping with growth -- I wouldn't have lines out to the middle of farmland if this was to be built for 2023, but I was imagining the footprint of Edmonton in 50 or 60 years.

And just for fun, the central area:

 

[yeggator]

Correction to your Manning/Marquis Station comment, they're finally developing the area! There's a random four-lane boulevard and roundabout! https://maps.app.goo.gl/jEkY2VJq9PHioYsD9 They're mostly working on single-family and townhomes right now and I believe the first few families have already taken possession of their homes in Marquis West, but there are plans for commercial and multifamily where the four-lane boulevard is. Build the Henday and they will come.

Wait, you actually read all the station descriptions? That makes me so happy! Yeah, it looks like I need to update some of them (I made the map a while back). And yeah, after 40 years since they annexed that land, they're finally developing it. Crazy.

 

[yeggator]

I actually quite like this. It incorporates a lot of the things I see as both realistic (long-term) and no-brainers for the future of rapid transit in Edmonton. Having the Metro Line split off at South Campus and head down Terwillegar to Windermere, the 87-Whyte Ave LRT, something down 137th Ave, etc. I didn't think about a Whitemud line but I also quite like that. The Jasper line is the only major one I have gripes with. The part in the central zone makes a lot of sense and is something I've thought about too -- having something down Jasper and 124th through Oliver/Westmount. But I think having it rip through a bunch of industrial areas in the NW doesn't make as sense. I'd either continuing down 124th to 118th and then switching to 127th St past Calder all the way to the Palisades or have it turn off 124th at 111th and then go down Groat/St Albert Trail to Village Tree. I also think having what is the Festival Line on your map go all the way down 118th Ave through Alberta Ave/Parkdale to NAIT and then interlining with the Metro Line makes more sense.

I've done various transit fantasy maps over the years, but here is the latest one I did earlier this year:
View attachment 523516

Above is the macro, metro-level view of it. This fantasy is what I also perceive as realistic for the city to about the 2070s, if Edmonton remains bullish on transit. This includes LRT, BRT, and RER services. The black lines are two RER lines that interline at Blatchford to the Airport. One goes to Stony Plain and the other to Elk Island from there. Aside from the part down 109th St past Jasper to the Yellowhead, these RER lines utilize existing rail ROWs. From the current Heritage Streetcar terminus just past 100 Ave to the new Blatchford RER station, this line would be underground. There'd also be a new bridge adjacent to the High Level and the portion between Gov't Centre and the Airport would either share track with HSR or have an adjacent ROW. Gov't Centre would be the main intercity rail hub, though. RER could be a redevelopment catalyst for the CPR yards in West Ritchie too. The thinner colour lines are BRT and the thicker ones are LRT, but that might be hard to perceive at this level. So here's just RER and LRT:
View attachment 523517
Green: Valley Line, from Lewis Farms to Beaumont Centre
Blue: Capital Line, from Horse Hills to past 41st Ave (who knows what it'll be called then)
Red: Metro Line, from 41st Ave to Bellerose (St Albert)
Yellow: Energy Line, from Wedgewood to Bethel (Sherwood Park)
Purple: Aurora Line, from Bethel to Jasper Place (essentially utilizes existing track of Valley and Energy Lines)
Turquoise: Festival Line, from Manning Centre to Village Tree

And here's a closer look at things with BRT again:
View attachment 523518
The lines are, from south to north:
Light brown: Route 8, down Ellerslie between Windermere and Ellerslie at the eastern edge of the city
Bright red: Route 23, down 23 Ave from Leger to 17 St
Teal: Route 50, down 50th St from Mill Woods to Clareview (including new bus bridge across the North Sask)
White: Route 99, from Davies to the Pallisades
Orange: Route 111, from Jasper Place to Abbottsfield, mostly down 111/112 Ave
Mint: Route 82, down 82 St from Stadium to Crystallina
Pink: Route 118, down 118th Ave and Victoria Trail from NAIT to Manning Centre
Light purple: Route 137, mostly down 137th Ave from Village Tree to Clareview

In this hypothetical scenario, the next LRT line would likely be an upgrade of the Pink Route 118, at least for the length of 118th Ave. This fantasy also assumes a certain level of sprawl in keeping with growth -- I wouldn't have lines out to the middle of farmland if this was to be built for 2023, but I was imagining the footprint of Edmonton in 50 or 60 years.

And just for fun, the central area:
View attachment 523519

How do you propose we should run the Energy Line down Whyte Ave? At-grade or grade-separated (probably underground)?

 

[yeggator]

I actually quite like this. It incorporates a lot of the things I see as both realistic (long-term) and no-brainers for the future of rapid transit in Edmonton. Having the Metro Line split off at South Campus and head down Terwillegar to Windermere, the 87-Whyte Ave LRT, something down 137th Ave, etc. I didn't think about a Whitemud line but I also quite like that. The Jasper line is the only major one I have gripes with. The part in the central zone makes a lot of sense and is something I've thought about too -- having something down Jasper and 124th through Oliver/Westmount. But I think having it rip through a bunch of industrial areas in the NW doesn't make as sense. I'd either continuing down 124th to 118th and then switching to 127th St past Calder all the way to the Palisades or have it turn off 124th at 111th and then go down Groat/St Albert Trail to Village Tree. I also think having what is the Festival Line on your map go all the way down 118th Ave through Alberta Ave/Parkdale to NAIT and then interlining with the Metro Line makes more sense.

I've done various transit fantasy maps over the years, but here is the latest one I did earlier this year:
View attachment 523516
The black lines are two RER lines that interline at Blatchford to the Airport. One goes to Stony Plain and the other to Elk Island from there. Aside from the part down 109th St past Jasper to the Yellowhead, these RER lines utilize existing rail ROWs.

The existing CN rail ROW doesn't directly follow the Yellowhead east of Edmonton. It cuts across the northeast corner of Sherwood Park and then runs to Ardrossan before heading further southeast to Tofield.

 

[dunno]

How do you propose we should run the Energy Line down Whyte Ave? At-grade or grade-separated (probably underground)?

Underground. I didn't delve into that but basically, beyond what already exists for underground sections, I would propose the following areas to be underground:
- Energy Line from Whyte/98 or 97 St to 111 St/89 Ave
- Energy Line from SUB to North Sask River crossing west of Groat
- Energy Line from just before Valleyview Crescent in Laurier Park to 87 Ave/145 St
- Festival Line from 122 Ave/97 St to 107A Ave/95 St
- Festival Line from 102A Ave/95 St to 126 St/111 Ave (Edmonton's longest stretch of U/G light rail)
- RER A/B from just south of Blatchford Gate to 100 Ave west of 109 St
- Metro/Capital Lines under University Ave

And above ground:
- Metro Line from Polish Hall to where the temp NAIT station currently is on the other side of Princess Elizabeth (so a rebuilt Kingsway-RAH elevated station at 106th and 112 with pedway access to the mall and Glenrose
- Metro Line over the Grand Trunk Railyards (as planned)
- Metro Line from Simpson Dr in Terwillegar Towne to 170 St/Ambleside Link (elevated Windermere station)
- Capital Line from just before Anthony Henday to 15 Ave/127 St (elevated Ellerslie Station)

I think that's it.

 

[dunno]

The existing CN rail ROW doesn't directly follow the Yellowhead east of Edmonton. It cuts across the northeast corner of Sherwood Park and then runs to Ardrossan before heading further southeast to Tofield.

Sorry, you're right. It'd been a bit since I zoomed in on that part but you reminded me of my actual idea, which was to follow the CN ROW until 17th Street across the river, and then just have a new, straight ROW alongside the Yellowhead until Elk Island.

 

[erudyk_29]

I've gone back and forth and produced about 1000 different versions of Edmonton's future transit map
MRT and LRT

Line 1 (Blue): This is the old Capital Line, it's been extended in both directions, and converted to an Automated-Light Metro, south to the Airport and Leduc with stops also added at a new Southwest Side neighborhood, Twin Brooks and Heritage Valley. In the north it's extended to Fort Sask with intermediate stops at Gorman and Horse Hill.

Line 2 (Red): This is the Metro Line, it has also been converted to ALM and significantly extended. To the northwest, it follows exactly the plan the city has, but has been extended to St Albert, with a stop in Downtown St Albert I've called Sturgeon and another one at Erin Ridge. It splits from Line 1 at Health Sciences / Jubilee (which I'm changing to just Jubilee for simplicity sake). It then drops into a subway tunnel under Whyte. There is a stop between 110th and 109th st called Garneau, next is a stop called Whyte which is between 106th and 107th st. Then it turns slightly south of Whyte Ave towards the Strathcona Junction station, this is a massive regional transit hub with the Red and Purple lines coming together at the south Regional Rail station and where the Prairie Link HSR terminates. There will be a cross-platform transfer at Strathcona station (as I'm calling it) with the Purple Line. Then it goes back to Whyte Ave and emerges from the tunnel just before the Mill Creek Bridge. Next it stops at 91st at a station called St Jean which serves the titular campus. It next raises up to a viaduct to go over top of the Valley Line (Line 3) and has an elevated station at Bonnie Doon. It drops down and has one more stop at Kenilworth before entering a long stretch without stations along Sherwood Park freeway, this wiill be the fastest portion of the system most likely. It then enters Sherwood Park, with stops at Ordze, another at Centre in the Park (called Broadmoor), Bethel, and finally Emerald Hills.

Line 3 (Green): This is the Valley Line with an extension to the southeast. There's another station at Mill Woods and 50st, called Crawford Plains maybe, or Meyokumin (there's about 4 neighborhoods right around here so an encompassing name is difficult to find. Then it crosses the Henday and has a station called Ellerslie which is, surprise surprise at Ellerslie Road. It then dives straight south and stops at Beaumont Central.

Line 4 (Yellow): This is Edmonton's (semi) loop line, it's going to be a streetcar style service. It starts at Victoria Park and Rundle Road (potential future TOD). This station is called Rundle, next is at 40 st and 118 ave, this stop is called Beverly, at 50st the stop is called Beacon Heights, and is a transfer station with the Orange Line (Line 6) next stop is Highlands at 58th st, next is Montrose at 66th st. It then exchanges with Line 1 at Coliseum. Parkdale stop is at 88st, Alberta Ave stop is at 97st. It then turns southwest at Princess Elizabeth Avenue and switches with Line 2 at Kingsway (simplified from Kingsway / Royal Alex). It then dives through Airway Park where there will be a stop. Then it joins 111th Ave, the next stop is called Iveson (named after Don Iveson obviously, he was mayor for 8 years and has a lasting legacy in the city so I'd be surprised if he doesn't get some things named after him) it's located at 124st. It has a transfer with the Purple Line (Line 5) here. Next stop is 131st, Amisk (Beaver in Cree), the next stop is just before 142nd st and is called Science Centre as it's right next to the Telus World of Science. The line turns south down 149st and stops at 108th Ave at a station called McQueen, south to Stoney Plain road for a transfer at Jasper Place with Line 3 (the Valley Line). Next stop is Crestwood at 95 Ave, then Laurier at 87 Ave. Then it joins with the Whytemud and becomes a freeway median, which I'm aware isn't ideal, but there isn't another great way to do this that wouldn't cost obscene amounts of money with the difficult geography here. Next stop is Whytemud at 53rd Ave, Then it turns to the median of Terwillegar and stops at Rabbit Hill Road, at a station called Rabbit Hill and turns southeast down Rabbit Hill Road, before quickly turning east and following it's own ROW along what I believe is a pipeline ROW and stops at a station called Ogilvie. Next after a bridge across the Whitemud, it stops at a station that is depressingly close but not quite close enough to Century Park called Sweet Grass, there is potential for a transfer with Line 1 here at a new station also called Sweet Grass that's again clsoe but not close enough to Century Park. The line crosses over highway 2 on a viaduct and then dips south to 28th Ave. The next station at Mill Woods Rd is called Meyonohk, it then joins up with Line 3 (Valley Line) again, terminating at Mill Woods.

Line 5 (Purple): The backbone of this line is the old High-Level Streetcar, and is most likely the most expensive per kilometer of track line, as it requires a total replacement of the High-Level Bridge to accommodate 2 directional train traffic. It is also likely to be the workhorse line at the centre of the network, as it is the best connection between the two main Regional Rail stations (Strathcona and Oliver) In the south it starts with a transfer with Line 3 at Avonmore, it follows 76 Ave across Mill Creek Ravine to 97th st and a station at Ritchie. Next stop is that mega-hub at Strathcona with a cross-platform transfer with Line 2. It continues, following the streetcar alignment. There is one more stop beside the farmers market and Fringe Theatre called Market maybe? Then it crosses the newly upgraded High Level and continues following the streetcar alignment, and stops at Government Centre transferring with Line 1 and 2 before dropping into a tunnel under Jasper Ave. There are 3 stops between 109th st and 124th st, Victoria, Oliver (name to be changed when the new name comes out) and J124. Then it's going to transfer with Line 3, next stop is at 107th Ave and called Westmount, next is a transfer station at Iveson Station on107 Ave. Next is a stop at 115 Ave called Inglewood. Then 120th Ave is called Sherwood, then Calder Station at 128th Ave and Kensington at 133rd Ave, next is Pembina at 137th Ave where it transfers with Line 6, then it terminates at a transfer station with Line 2 at 153rd Ave, probably called Caernarvon.

Line 6 (Orange): This is like a Crosstown line servicing the northside along 137th Ave, I'm not going to go into detail about stops here though. It turns south at 50th St, where it basically goes in a straight line south, crossing the river on a new bridge where there currently is a pedestrian bridge. it turns west on Terrace Rd and winds through Holyrood, Ottewell etc for an interchange at Bonnie Doon and Holyrood.

Line 7 (Dark Grey): This is the Terwillegar Line, it starts at the Rabbit Hill station on the loop line, next stop is Terwillegar station at 23rd Ave, then it hops over the Henday and has a station at Windermere Blvd called Windermere. Then terminates at Langdale. This is by far the shortest line but is in one of the fastest growing parts of the city, so would hopefully be well used.


I also made a Regional Rail and Intercity Rail plan but this post is long enough already so I'll do those later.

 

[Yeggy]

To be Frank, Until Sherwood Park gets serious about its built form spending the cash to get the line to the municipal boarder is a waste of money. The community is a planning disaster.

 

[erudyk_29]

^ My guy, these are Fantasy Maps, no one is saying it's feasible at this point. This is a perfect world, Cities Skylines with infinite money and cheats on scenario. I know that Sherwood Park is not looking to get LRT any time soon, but as a resident of SHPK and in a perfect world, I would like to be able to take the train to school.

 

[ChazYEG]

Where do y'all make these maps?

 

[erudyk_29]

Where do y'all make these maps?

I did mine on Google Earth right in my web browser. Google Maps also has features. You could also go on scribble maps or something like that. Also I'm sure you could do it in QGIS or ArcGIS or something like that but I'm not sure exactly how

 

[yeggator]

Where do y'all make these maps?

Google My Maps (on Google Drive). I used to also just draw lines on screenshots.

 

[erudyk_29]

The old Street Car Network

This is (I think) what the network looks like laid out over the city. Very impressive considering the population of the city at the time. It was difficult as some of the street names are different and a lot of them have changed alignments at least a bit over the years. Mainly in the Cromdale Area, where I basically gave up since the road network is completely different.

Here's an alternate history map of what might have been if the city hadn't removed the streetcar network, but instead kept, upgraded and worked on it like Toronto or Melbourne.