Valley Line LRT | TransEd/Marigold | City of Edmonton

Buses can run really slow, especially in winter. Buses stop at the same red light as other traffic, they get caught in traffic jams and they stop at bus stops, which can take longer to load than LRT. Also, how long do people want to wait in cold weather for a bus?
 
They are also much noisier and rougher riding than LRT, not a great experience for people who easily get motion sick. Also no A/C, with the exception of the newest 7000 series, but it will be another decade before the whole fleet has it and buses shed their reputation of being hot in the summer.
 
The latest update on Building Edmonton came out:

Marigold Infrastructure Partners (MIP) and the City have developed a plan to accelerate roadwork and trackwork in key areas in 2025. This work will result in significant traffic restrictions, but will reduce the overall duration of traffic impacts by more than half. The accelerated plan will also get many of the roads into their final configuration by the end of 2025. Work also continues at many other sites along the alignment, including at stops and stations, the Lewis Farms storage facility, Gerry Wright operations and maintenance facility, and the elevated guideway along 87 Avenue. MIP has achieved 43.4% progress (as of the end of June 2025) as measured by the Independent Certifier. The first Light Rail Vehicle manufactured by Hyundai Rotem Company is expected to be shipped from South Korea at the end of June 2025, arriving in Edmonton at the end of July.
 
ChazYEG said:
Me. I'm people. Absolutely hate taking the bus unless I really have to, but will happily hop on a train.
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Totally. Bus stops are a big issue in Edmonton. Many are ugly, don’t have shelters/benches. Are next to loud/dirty arterials. Aren’t warm in winter. Might not have sidewalks or safe connections.

Really hurts “choice” riders when the experience can be so bad. Trains offer a much cleaner, safer, and enjoyable trip usually due to their ridership, infrastructure size, and more holistic investment (ex. Improving roads and crossings vs slapping down a sign on a sidewalk).
 
The_Cat said:
Buses can run really slow, especially in winter. Buses stop at the same red light as other traffic, they get caught in traffic jams and they stop at bus stops, which can take longer to load than LRT. Also, how long do people want to wait in cold weather for a bus?
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This is a yellow school bus story in mortheast Edmonton, but same idea.
My work colleague's son was on bus for first day of school and he was 50 minutes late getting home - there was so much vehicle traffic apparently around the school that it slowed things to a crawl to get out of district with one main road out.
 
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One thing I noticed about this part of the route was that Jasper Avenue has the #2 and #5 bus routes while 104 Avenue has the #7. I’m not sure about past service but there’s no bus connection between Jasper and 104 until downtown. Valley Line West will help with the connection at 107 Street.
 
Some pics from tonight .

Also saw:

(1).More concrete for the tracks at Glenora
(2) More sidewalks at SPR. (152-153 Street)
(3) More construction around 87 Ave/163 Street
(4) Misericordia Station starting to take shape with the staircase/escalator.
(5) other construction as a result of the warm weather
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Around 156 Street, there’s a lot of digging for the duct banks and utilities. I’m guessing that much of the utility construction from 156 Street West will be done, with much of the utilities between 142 Street and Groat Bridge, and possibly between 107 and 121 Street complete by the end of October. I’d say the construction season has been a huge success.
 
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