$2.24B price tag raises questions about west LRT
Provincial commitment of $1.5B would make project doable: Iveson
An estimated $2.24-billion price tag for the west LRT line has some councillors rethinking their commitment.
“It’s a daunting cost,” said Ward 9 Coun. Tim Cartmell, after city officials released an update Tuesday that increased the price from the 2016 estimate of $1.8 billion.
“It doesn’t seem like there would be a whole lot left to do anything else,” said Cartmell. “I don’t know if that’s wise.”
The project would run low-floor LRT from downtown along Stony Plain Road, past West Edmonton Mall and out to the Lewis Farms transit centre. The figure includes money to extend the elevated portion of the line from over 170 Street to over 178 Street. It also includes $160 million to sink traffic on 149 Street under the LRT along Stony Plain Road. It does not include grade separation for 104 Avenue and 109 Street downtown.
The 149 Street underpass would save southbound traffic roughly one minute during the afternoon rush, officials say. It would also require the sale or expropriation of roughly 20 local businesses and a three-storey apartment building.
“Two-point-two-four billion. Think of that,” said Ward 11 Coun. Mike Nickel, worried rapid changes in driverless vehicles and transit technology could make council regret the project.
“We’re in very difficult times for cities in general ... The last thing I want to do is overspend.”
Mayor Don Iveson said he’s expecting to see a provincial commitment to transit in Edmonton in the budget next week, hoping it will match the previous $1.5 billion promised to Calgary.
Matched with federal and city dollars, that would be enough to build the $350-million north LRT extension into Blatchford, as well, Iveson said.
The west LRT could be ready to tender this spring. The design goes to public hearing for review March 21.
Edmonton needs mass transit because streets in highly congested areas just can’t handle that many cars — driverless or not, Iveson said.
“If the funding is sufficient, we’ll (also) be able to go south toward the new hospital and perhaps be on Blatchford, over the Yellowhead and up to Griesbach,” he said, referring to planned extensions on the existing Capital Line.
In the report, city officials said the 149 Street traffic underpass has pros and cons.
It will block access to the ravine, impact local businesses and create an unfriendly pedestrian environment. That “is inconsistent with the principles to promote a walkable and urban area” along Stony Plain Road.
On the other hand, they wrote, many residents during the public consultation said they were concerned about traffic congestion.
Officials were unavailable to speak to the recommendation Tuesday. A spokeswoman said they will not do media interviews until the public hearing.
Ward 1 Coun. Andrew Knack is against the underpass option.
“There’s a better use for that money,” he said, arguing for $160-million worth of smarter, more responsive traffic signals to benefit the whole city.
Stony Plain Road businesses are suggesting an alternative — leaving the intersection at grade but restricting traffic to one-way westbound on Stony Plain Road.
In the report Tuesday, city officials agreed that would improve traffic. They suggested one westbound lane with a parking lane. But, they warn, it would mean partially restricting access to Stony Plain Road from the south and the tracks could interfere with emergency response.
Knack doesn’t buy that and wants more detail.
The area has back alleys, he said. The parking lane could also be used as flex space if some businesses wanted to open a patio on the sunny side of the street.
“What could that do to the vibrancy of Stony Plain Road? This is the whole point,” said Knack, saying low-floor LRT is meant to rejuvenate the area by making it walkable. “We’ve spent 10 years talking about this and one of the key drivers is the revitalization of Stony Plain Road.”