Repairs to WEM transit centre to take longer than anticipated

An overhaul of the West Edmonton Mall transit centre is taking longer than planned because the structure was in worse shape than originally thought, an Edmonton Transit spokeswoman says.

Work on the centre on the mall’s south side started last May and was expected to be finished early this year.

However, when staff assessed the condition of the more than 30-year-old building, they decided roof rafters couldn’t remain as intended and the centre should be taken down to its steel columns, Jennifer Badry wrote in an email.

The $3-million project includes replacing the building, putting in extra security cameras, creating a larger heated indoor waiting area with more seats, adding public art and upgrading the platform.

Bus stops have been moved during construction to 87 Avenue between 172 and 175 streets.

While the centre is scheduled to open in a month, the stops will stay longer on 87 Avenue because the city received money under the federal Public Transit Infrastructure Fund late last year allowing it to go ahead with upgrades to the busway and sidewalks, Badry says.

About $38 million from the fund will be put toward fixing bus-only roads at 10 transit centres, including West Edmonton Mall, and replacing the aging Belvedere, Castle Downs and Jasper Place bus transit buildings.

Construction should be finished by the end of the year.

The upgrades are among 43 transit projects the city is doing with a total of $298 million from the federal fund, which range from safety tiles in LRT stations and new LED lighting to designing future LRT lines.