The much-delayed Edmonton Southeast Valley LRT Line project in Edmonton, Alberta has suffered a major construction delay that will likely delay its public opening to an indefinite date in 2023, well past the most recent tentative date of July 29, 2022.
Priority funding consideration is being made for the Edmonton Capital Line South LRT extension project’s first phase, according to Infrastructure Canada. In addition, Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) in Texas has launched a pilot program providing qualified riders with half-price fares.
Ottawa (Ontario) City Council, in a landmark 19-3 vote, has approved Stage 2 of the city’s Confederation Line LRT project, as well as a crucial extension to the Trillium Diesel Multiple Unit operation. This represents the largest capital project in the National Capital’s history. However, Stage 1 of the Confederation Line continues to experience delays. Meanwhile, in Alberta Province, the Government of Canada, through its agency Infrastructure Canada, recently announced federal funding totaling more than C$1 billion for two Edmonton LRT projects.
More than 3,000 Edmontonians viewed their city’s first low-floor LRV during the week of July 27 at Bonnie Doon Mall. The seven-section, double-ended Bombardier Flexity Freedom car was on public display after recently arriving by CN from the Kingston, Ontario plant. It is 131 feet long with couplers folded; 137 feet with couplers out. There are 82 seats; the cars can accommodate 275 passengers.
Construction of Edmonton, Alberta’s eight-mile Valley Line LRT, begun in April 2016, is nearing the half-way point. The project involves two significant firsts for the city that is the province’s capital: It will be Edmonton’s first low-floor LRT line; and the first built under the P3 (public-private partnership) method.
TransEd Partners, the consortium building the first phase of Edmonton’s light rail Valley Line, has released images of the first Bombardier Flexity Freedom LRV for the project.
The two pioneering Canadian LRT cities, Calgary and Edmonton, located in the western province of Alberta, are both planning a major shift in their design and operating philosophies.
