Edmonton's Valley Line Southeast LRT set to open Nov. 4
The 13-kilometre line will link Mill Woods to downtown
Edmonton's long-awaited Valley Line Southeast LRT line is set to open for passenger service on Nov. 4.
The City of Edmonton and TransEd, the public-private partnership behind the project, made the announcement Tuesday.
The $1.8 billion project — a 13-kilometre, low-floor line that links Mill Woods, in the city's southeast, to downtown — was supposed to open nearly three years ago, in December 2020.
Final operational exercises will be conducted by TransEd over the next few weeks ahead of the launch, the city said. As well, final work on curbs, landscaping and maintenance will be completed.
"I know many Edmontonians have been looking forward to opening day for the better part of two decades. Valley Line Southeast will offer an affordable and climate-friendly choice to move around our city for decades to come," Mayor Amarjeet Sohi said in the news release.
Ronald Joncas, the CEO of TransEd said he was excited to welcome passengers to the new link.
"This has been a long journey, with challenges and detours, but we're confident in the system we've built," Joncas said.
"Our focus has always been, and will continue to be, delivering a safe, reliable system to Edmontonians."
A formal grand opening ceremony will be held in 2024, said the news release.
The project has faced numerous setbacks during the construction.
In August 2022, cracks were found in numerous concrete piers that support elevated sections of track.
In June, TransEd said that signalling cables along the entire route needed to be replaced before the line can go into operation.
Tim Cartmell, who represents the southwest Edmonton ward of pihêsiwin, said he is "pleased to see that we're finally going to see some people on this very expensive new railway."
But he said there is also a lot to learn about the city's procurement process, including whether it's better to break up mega-projects into "smaller, more manageable bits and pieces."
TransEd is a partnership of companies that includes Fengate Capital Management, Bechtel, Ellis-Don, and Alstom. Other key team members include Transdev, ARUP, and IBI Group.
The planned opening date of the line caught some Edmonton commuters by surprise.
"That's really cool," said Mill Woods resident John Lino, who said he was expecting more delays. "It's going to be really useful because if I'm going to uni next year, I can just hop on that train and go straight downtown."
Jose Damacio's commute to work downtown usually requires three buses but the Mill Woods Transit Centre is just a short walk away.
"That will be great for many people, not just me," Damacio said.
Although he doesn't work Saturdays, Damacio said he planned to ride the LRT on opening day "just for fun."
Operating hours at the new line will match those of the Capital and Metro lines:
- From the 102nd Street stop, service will begin at 5:15 a.m. seven days a week.
- From the Mill Woods stop, service will begin at 5:00 a.m. Monday - Friday, and at 5:15 a.m. Saturday and Sunday.
- Final trains depart 102nd Street stop and Mill Woods stop at 1 a.m. Monday - Saturday, and at 12:30 a.m. Sunday.
Trains will start running at 10-minute frequency and progressively move toward five-minute frequency during peak morning and afternoon hours, deputy city manager Adam Laughlin said.
"The size of the trains and the carrying capacity of the trains are much greater than that of a bus and so the current demands will will adequately be served," Laughlin said.
Puneeta McBryan, president of the Downtown Business Association, welcomed the news that the line is opening.
"We expect downtown businesses will be able to tap into new workers who live further away, perhaps in Mill Woods along this transit line, who right now don't have easy access to downtown and we do still have labour challenges for businesses downtown," she said.
