LRT Expansion Planning

[thommyjo]

Centre/festival line was cancelled due to the crossing at the high level. There was no good option discovered as the high level can't handle the load and another bridge would be too expensive. Stantec I believe did the analysis. Their report was basically "nothing will work" haha

 

[chrisvazquez7]

I’m sure something like the Centre Line will be built someday. But it might be 50 years from now.

I still think a better solution then a High Level Bridge alignment, is to build a low bridge west of Walterdale Bridge, like I explain in this post.

Here’s the map:

 

[erudyk_29]

If High Level isn't going to work and they aren't willing to put up the money to build a new bridge (at this time) could they run the line down 107th st like originally planned but instead of join up with High Level. Bury the line just before Jasper and join the Capital/Metro tunnel, having Grandin, University and Health/Science Jubilee be connectors then turning east ,resurfacing and running down 80th ave. That way they wouldn't need to use High Level or build a new bridge and run it down an existing LRT Bridge. Obviously this would mean they wouldn't be able to use low-floor as they would need to use existing high floor stations, but I think the benefits outweigh the negatives.

 

[The_Cat]

I wonder if an east-west route like Camrose-Edmonton-Stony Plain might also work, running along the CN line. Another consideration could be a connection with Bremner, next to Sherwood Park.

 

[The_Cat]

One suggestion, I wonder if multi-use trails could be added adjacent to the proposed LRT bridge crossing the Henday (South LRT) and Blackmud Creek.

 

[erudyk_29]

One suggestion, I wonder if multi-use trails could be added adjacent to the proposed LRT bridge crossing the Henday (South LRT) and Blackmud Creek.

Multi-Use Trails should also be incorporated into any line crossing the Henday into Sherwood Park as currently anyone who wants to do so has to go the long way around through Petrolium way and make their way through the city via the River Valley trail network. Or brave the treacherous crossing at Baseline or Wye roads. Such a trail would make a morning/evening commute into the city (as long as it isn't to the west-end) viable and safe for a reasonably healthy individual on a bike. Also is anyone aware if their are plans to extend the main Whitemud Ravine trails past the henday. A completely connected Whitemud Ravine would be an absolutely gorgeous bike ride/run/walk.

 

[yeggator]

Made a fantasy map for the LRT recently. I included a SW branch of the Metro Line that splits from the Capital Line at South Campus, serves the Riverbend and Windermere areas along Terwillegar Drive and then swings west across the river to serve Riverview, which I've always thought was way too isolated from the rest of the city. I also changed the Festival Line to split off the Valley Line east of Misericordia, travel down 87 Ave, go under Parkdale and across the river and continue on to Whyte Ave. I know there's been lots of controversy about LRT in that area in the past but I'm hoping that low-floor LRT, with its mitigation of boom gates and better neighbourhood integration, will be more palatable to the residents there. I also the Whyte Ave portion should be underground cause there is way too much pedestrian and vehicle traffic in that area to build reliable surface LRT. The Festival Line also goes to Sherwood Park. Initially, I was thinking of sending the LRT straight down Baseline Road to Highway 21 but I changed it to travel down to Festival Place instead, cause that area is full of high-density development now.

Edit: I just took screenshots. Station names are somewhat clear now.

 

[Platinum107]

Made a fantasy map for the LRT recently. I included a SW branch of the Metro Line that splits from the Capital Line at South Campus, serves the Riverbend and Windermere areas along Terwillegar Drive and then swings west across the river to serve Riverview, which I've always thought was way too isolated from the rest of the city. I also changed the Festival Line to split off the Valley Line east of Misericordia, travel down 87 Ave, go under Parkdale and across the river and continue on to Whyte Ave. I know there's been lots of controversy about LRT in that area in the past but I'm hoping that low-floor LRT, with its mitigation of boom gates and better neighbourhood integration, will be more palatable to the residents there. I also the Whyte Ave portion should be underground cause there is way too much pedestrian and vehicle traffic in that area to build reliable surface LRT. The Festival Line also goes to Sherwood Park. Initially, I was thinking of sending the LRT straight down Baseline Road to Highway 21 but I changed it to travel down to Festival Place instead, cause that area is full of high-density development now.

Also why isn't my pdf file showing up?

Sounds cool!

Try just uploading it as a picture and/or just send the link to the pdf

 

[erudyk_29]

A huge problem with getting LRT down Whyte is that currently it is a major through traffic route as well as being one of our busiest pedestrian areas so managing to fit LRT directly down it is a massive undertaking. As I see it there are a few solutions: run the line down 80 ave, bury it under Whyte, Somehow r-route much of the traffic on Whyte so cutting down lanes wouldn't be an issue, or (my personal favorite but obviously most ridiculous) bury car traffic like the big dig in Boston and build the LRT line on top. (Last one is mostly a joke but it would be cool.

 

[EdmTrekker]

The dream map posted has missed the boat by providing no direct link to the UA from Strathcona, Camrose, Wetaskiwin, Leduc and more. These should all pair up and at least one line to the UA for NE and SE.

 

[The_Cat]

There is a possibility that a line could be built along the CN right-of-way from 75 Street (at Davies Station) east to 50 Street and 34 Street, meeting up with the CN line to Tamarack and points southeast.

 

[yeggator]

Made a fantasy map for the LRT recently. I included a SW branch of the Metro Line that splits from the Capital Line at South Campus, serves the Riverbend and Windermere areas along Terwillegar Drive and then swings west across the river to serve Riverview, which I've always thought was way too isolated from the rest of the city. I also changed the Festival Line to split off the Valley Line east of Misericordia, travel down 87 Ave, go under Parkdale and across the river and continue on to Whyte Ave. I know there's been lots of controversy about LRT in that area in the past but I'm hoping that low-floor LRT, with its mitigation of boom gates and better neighbourhood integration, will be more palatable to the residents there. I also the Whyte Ave portion should be underground cause there is way too much pedestrian and vehicle traffic in that area to build reliable surface LRT. The Festival Line also goes to Sherwood Park. Initially, I was thinking of sending the LRT straight down Baseline Road to Highway 21 but I changed it to travel down to Festival Place instead, cause that area is full of high-density development now.

Edit: I just took screenshots. Station names are somewhat clear now.

View attachment 317113

View attachment 317114

Converted this from a PowerPoint drawing to a map on Google. Added some stuff to the Capital Line to the airport.

Future Edmonton LRT - Google My Maps

Moved regional rail lines to separate document. This map now includes light rail and the gondola.

www.google.com

Edit: I have since added Chris Vazquez's routes for regional rail lines on the map.

 

[ChazYEG]

Converted this from a PowerPoint drawing to a map on Google. Added some stuff to the Capital Line to the airport.

Future Edmonton LRT - Google My Maps

Moved regional rail lines to separate document. This map now includes light rail and the gondola.

www.google.com

WOW! Just WOW!
I would love to see this vision built, one day. Looks like a proper rail system for a city to be proud of!

 

[yeggator]

WOW! Just WOW!
I would love to see this vision built, one day. Looks like a proper rail system for a city to be proud of!

Honestly, I've never been happy with the proposals the city put out for a line down Whyte Ave. I think it would be inefficient to funnel so many people through Stony Plain Road if they're trying to get to the University or anywhere else on the south side, and it's equally inefficient for people in the south side trying to get to destinations like WEM. Now that I'm old enough to be more aware of the city's plans, I'm gonna be a strong advocate for rerouting the Energy Line straight down 87 Ave once we get closer to building the Energy Line.

 

[erudyk_29]

Converted this from a PowerPoint drawing to a map on Google. Added some stuff to the Capital Line to the airport.

Future Edmonton LRT - Google My Maps

Moved regional rail lines to separate document. This map now includes light rail and the gondola.

www.google.com

Edit: I have since added Chris Vazquez's routes for regional rail lines on the map.

Festival Way would be my stop!! I somewhat agree with the statement that this area has some of the best mixed use in the metro region. It's really nice to walk through and many of the shops are very busy (Remedy, Vickies). The area itself is very nice but it's lack of access to high quality transit (fixed by your plan here). Means that it (in it's current state) has little to no incentive to actually live there. Put that together with the fact the the Park has incredible levels of stigma about high density and the people who live in it and you've got a recipe for failure. It also doesn't help that the mall is literally across the street with far more options. I love this area in terms of it's urban design but it fails to really understand the market that it's in and the types of people around it. Hopefully rail extensions like the one you've shown here would help bring the idea of urban living out of the dumpster in the eyes of Sherwood Parkians (or whatever the hell we're called)!!