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Valley Line (Edmonton)

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Valley Line
A Valley Line train heading east on 102 Avenue in Downtown Edmonton
Overview
LocaleEdmonton
Termini
Stations
  • 12 (Phase 1)
  • 16 (Phase 2)[1]
  • 28 (total)
Service
TypeLight rail
SystemEdmonton LRT
Operator(s)TransEd Partners OMGP
Depot(s)Gerry Wright Operations and Maintenance Facility[2]
Rolling stock
History
Planned opening
  • Phase 2: 2028[3]
Opened
  • Phase 1: November 4, 2023
Technical
Line length
  • 13.1 km (8.1 mi)
  • 27 km (17 mi) at full build-out
Number of tracks2
CharacterAt-grade, elevated, street running
Track gauge1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Electrification750 V DC Overhead line
Operating speed80 km/h (50 mph) maximum[4]
Route map
Map Valley Line highlighted in green
Legend
0Phase 2 (2028)
Lewis Farms
Alberta Highway 216.svg
Highway 216
Anthony Henday Drive
Aldergrove/Belmead
(182 Street)
West Edmonton Mall
Misericordia
Meadowlark
Glenwood/Sherwood
(95 Avenue)
Jasper Place (156 Street)
Stony Plain Rd/149 Street
Grovenor/142 Street
Glenora
Groat Road
124 Street
Brewery/120 Street
The Yards/116 Street
MacEwan Arts/112 Street
NorQuest (107 Street)
Alex Decoteau
(106/105 Street)
 102 Street
Churchill
Capital Line Metro Line
Capital and
Metro lines
 Quarters
Tawatinâ Bridge over
North Saskatchewan River
 Muttart
Strathearn
Holyrood
Bonnie Doon
Avonmore
Mill Creek
 Davies
Parking Davies Transit Centre
75 Street
 Gerry Wright OMF
Alberta Highway 14.svg
Highway 14
Whitemud Drive
 Millbourne/Woodvale
Grey Nuns
Mill Woods
Mill Woods Transit Centre
Handicapped/disabled access All stations are accessible
This diagram:

The Valley Line is a low-floor urban light rail line in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. The 13.1-kilometre (8.1 mi) line runs southeast from downtown at 102 Street stop to Mill Woods Town Centre at Mill Woods stop and connects to the Capital and Metro lines at Churchill station, downtown. The line is being constructed in phases, with phase 1 being the current open 12-station portion between 102 Street and Mill Woods that commenced operations on November 4, 2023. The second phase, consisting of the 14-kilometre (8.7 mi), 16-station portion between 102 Street and Lewis Farms, began construction in 2021 and is expected to be completed in 2028.[5][6][3][7] Upon completion, the entire Valley Line is expected to serve more than 100,000 commuters daily,[8] nearly matching the current Capital Line and Metro Line in terms of capacity and ridership.

Unlike the other trains in the system, the Valley Line operates low-floor Bombardier Flexity Freedom trains, which were first designed for Line 5 Eglinton in Toronto.[9] Forty other new low-floor light rail vehicles were ordered in 2021 from Hyundai Rotem for the Valley Line, to be put in service when phase 2 to Lewis Farms opens.[10]

Valley Line Southeast (Downtown to Mill Woods)

[edit]
Inside a Valley Line light rail vehicle (LRV) as it travels toward Mill Woods, 2023

Planning studies for an LRT route from downtown to Mill Woods began in early 2009.[11] In December 2009, Edmonton City Council approved a new low-floor train route that would leave a new ground-level station at Churchill Square on 102 Avenue between 100 and 99 Streets before stopping in The Quarters redevelopment on 102 Avenue between 97 Street and 96 Street. From here the route enters a tunnel and travels beneath 95 Street descending into the river valley to cross the North Saskatchewan River on the new Tawatinâ Bridge,[12] east of Louise McKinney Park. The route then climbs the hill adjacent to Connors Road then proceeds east along 95 Avenue and southbound at 85 Street. The route travels southbound along 85 Street, crossing the intersection north of Bonnie Doon Mall and shifting to 83 Street, continuing south and east. Just north of Argyll Road, the line is lifted onto an elevated guideway over Davies Industrial. Finally, the line proceeds south along 75/66 Street until it reaches Mill Woods Town Centre. Within this line the proposed stops are: Quarters, Muttart, Strathearn, Holyrood, Bonnie Doon, Avonmore, Davies (to include a bus terminal and park & ride),[13] Millbourne/Woodvale, Grey Nuns, and Mill Woods Town Centre. The maintenance and storage of vehicles for the line is at the Gerry Wright Operations and Maintenance Facility (opened in 2018), at Whitemud Drive and 75 Street.[14]

On June 1, 2011, City Council approved $39 million in funding to proceed with preliminary engineering for the Valley Line.[11] In November 2011 City Council voted to allocate $800 million to the project, with the hopes of starting construction by 2014 and an expected completion date of 2018.[15] A funding plan was approved in October 2012 in which the city would contribute $800 million into the project with the remaining $1 billion coming from the provincial and federal governments.[16]

On February 15, 2012, city council approved the Downtown LRT concept plan. The Downtown LRT Project became part of the Southeast to West LRT project.[17] The city hoped to have money in place by the end of 2013 for the $1.8-billion LRT line from downtown to Mill Woods to start construction in 2016. City council committed $800 million, the federal government invested $250 million, and $235 million would come from the provincial government, leaving a $515 million funding gap delaying the project.[18] On March 11, 2014, it was announced that the project would be completely funded[19][20] with an additional $150 million from the federal government and $365 million from the provincial government.[21][22]

Land procurement began in 2011[23] and utility relocation began in 2013,[24][25][26][27] completion of the first stage was expected in 2020.[28][29] The official groundbreaking of the Valley Line was on April 22, 2016.[30][31]

Valley Line and the Davies Transit Centre under construction (January 2021)

In September 2019, it was revealed that the segment of the line was a year behind schedule of its projected December 2020 opening date. The 2019 construction season posed a challenge to crews due to frequent rain.[32]

In December 2019, completion of the line was pushed back until 2021 after TransEd found a car-sized piece of concrete underneath the north berm of the Tawatinâ Bridge.[33] The line's completion was subsequently delayed to late 2021,[34] then to first quarter of 2022, and again to July 2022.[35][36]

The Churchill connector, which connects the Valley Line and above-ground lines to the Churchill LRT station, under construction

On August 10, 2022, the City of Edmonton and TransEd announced another delay, as inspections in mid-July found cracks in three supporting piers on elevated portions of the line.[37] Further inspections revealed that 30 of the 45 piers were cracked. An initial assessment named lateral thermal expansion as a potential factor in creating the cracks. Later analysis determined that the rebar was inadequate, and ideas were being tested as to how to best repair the piers.[38][39] Before the damaged piers were discovered, trains were being tested on tracks between the Gerry Wright OMF and the Mill Woods stop.[40] During pier remediation, testing took place only on portions of the line that were not elevated.[41] On January 3, 2023, the structural repairs of the cracked pillars were complete, and testing expanded to all sections of the line, including the elevated portions.[42]

On June 26, 2023, TransEd announced they were replacing 140 kilometres (87 mi) of signalling cables in ducts, as some were oxidized. The work started immediately, and was expected to be done from downtown to Whitemud Drive by the end of August. The remaining section south to Mill Woods was slated to be done after the line opened, with the work undertaken at night when no trains are running. On October 24, the City of Edmonton announced that the line would open on November 4 after testing resumed and independent certifiers submitted final approval.[43] The inaugural train had later departed from Mill Woods stop at 5:15 am that morning.[44]

Valley Line West (Downtown to Lewis Farms)

[edit]

An expansion to Lewis Farms, with the West Edmonton Mall en route, is in the early stages of construction as part of the 27-kilometre (17 mi) Valley Line.

The option approved by Council in 2010 has the west LRT extension run from downtown along 104 Avenue and Stony Plain Road to 156 Street, then south on 156 Street to Meadowlark Health & Shopping Centre, and then west along 87 Avenue to West Edmonton Mall and beyond. Proponents of this route cited opportunities for transit-oriented development.[45][46]

In 2016, the Valley Line West received funding through the Government of Canada’s Public Transit Infrastructure Fund (PTIF) to review the preliminary design that was completed in 2013. The funding covers work to determine the most appropriate project delivery method (P3, for example) and to develop a business case for construction funding.

Preparation work, such as the relocation of underground utilities and clearing of land along the route, began in 2019.[47]

The Government of Canada provided approximately $948 million for the Valley Line West expansion, and the Government of Alberta in 2020 committed approximately $1.04 billion for the project.[48] As of 2020 the expansion was projected to cost approximately $2.67 billion in total.[49] In 2020, the City of Edmonton selected Marigold Infrastructure Partners to build the western section of the Valley Line.[50] Early construction work began in 2021 and the line formally commenced construction on May 27, 2022. It is expected to be completed in 2028.[3]

Service levels

[edit]

Trains run every 10 minutes, but run every 5 minutes at peak times. Service starts daily at 5:15 am from the 102 Street stop. From the Mill Woods stop, service starts at 5:00 am on weekdays, and 5:15 am on weekends. Last trains depart both stops at 1:00 am Monday–Saturday, and 12:30 am on Sundays.[51]

Stations

[edit]

Valley Line Southeast

[edit]
Stop Grade-level Transfer Area Opened Location[52]
102 Street stop Surface Downtown November 4, 2023 53°32′35″N 113°29′41″W / 53.54306°N 113.49472°W / 53.54306; -113.49472 (102 Street stop)
Churchill station Surface[a] Capital Line Capital Line
Metro Line Metro Line		 Downtown November 4, 2023 53°32′36″N 113°29′23″W / 53.54333°N 113.48972°W / 53.54333; -113.48972 (Churchill station)
Quarters stop Surface Downtown November 4, 2023 53°32′40″N 113°29′1″W / 53.54444°N 113.48361°W / 53.54444; -113.48361 (Quarters stop)
Muttart stop Surface Southeast November 4, 2023 53°32′11″N 113°28′46″W / 53.53639°N 113.47944°W / 53.53639; -113.47944 (Muttart stop)
Strathearn stop Surface Southeast November 4, 2023 53°31′54″N 113°27′46″W / 53.53167°N 113.46278°W / 53.53167; -113.46278 (Strathearn stop)
Holyrood stop Surface Southeast November 4, 2023 53°31′40″N 113°27′27″W / 53.52778°N 113.45750°W / 53.52778; -113.45750 (Holyrood stop)
Bonnie Doon stop Surface Southeast November 4, 2023 53°31′10″N 113°27′20″W / 53.51944°N 113.45556°W / 53.51944; -113.45556 (Bonnie Doon stop)
Avonmore stop Surface Southeast November 4, 2023 53°30′34″N 113°27′18″W / 53.50944°N 113.45500°W / 53.50944; -113.45500 (Avonmore stop)
Davies station Elevated Southeast November 4, 2023 53°30′0″N 113°26′39″W / 53.50000°N 113.44417°W / 53.50000; -113.44417 (Davies station)
Millbourne/Woodvale stop Surface Southeast November 4, 2023 53°28′30″N 113°26′20″W / 53.47500°N 113.43889°W / 53.47500; -113.43889 (Millbourne stop)
Grey Nuns stop Surface Southeast November 4, 2023 53°27′46″N 113°26′4″W / 53.46278°N 113.43444°W / 53.46278; -113.43444 (Grey Nuns stop)
Mill Woods stop Surface Southeast November 4, 2023 53°27′30″N 113°25′50″W / 53.45833°N 113.43056°W / 53.45833; -113.43056 (Mill Woods stop)

Valley Line West (under construction)

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ The Valley Line platform at Churchill is at street level; connections to the Capital Line and Metro Line are made inside the underground station.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "Valley Line – West". Edmonton.ca. Retrieved February 2, 2019.
  2. ^ "Gerry Wright Biography" (PDF). City of Edmonton. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 28, 2015. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  3. ^ a b c "Valley Line West LRT". majorprojects.alberta.ca. Government of Alberta. Retrieved September 17, 2021.
  4. ^ "FLEXITY Freedom" (PDF). Bombardier Transportation. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 6, 2014. Retrieved May 1, 2013.
  5. ^ "Valley Line (SE to West LRT): Mill Woods to Lewis Farms". Edmonton Transit System. 2015. Archived from the original on February 9, 2016. Retrieved June 16, 2015.
  6. ^ "Valley Line LRT Animation". City of Edmonton. December 3, 2013. Retrieved June 16, 2015.
  7. ^ "Edmonton Valley Line West LRT celebrates first construction season". Mass Transit. May 22, 2022. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  8. ^ "EllisDon -Edmonton Valley Line LRT".
  9. ^ "Bombardier Wins Order to Supply Light Rail Transit System for City of Edmonton's Valley Line in Canada". Bombardier Transportation. Retrieved February 12, 2016.
  10. ^ Cook, Dustin (November 10, 2021). "City of Edmonton selects Hyundai Rotem Company to provide 40 light-rail vehicles for Valley Line West LRT". Edmonton Journal. Retrieved November 10, 2021.
  11. ^ a b "Southeast LRT Project History". City of Edmonton. Retrieved May 26, 2012.
  12. ^ "Southeast LRT (Valley Line) Names Approved". City of Edmonton Naming Committee. Archived from the original on November 14, 2013. Retrieved November 14, 2013.
  13. ^ "Southeast to West LRT – Approved Concept Plan Amendment" (PDF). City of Edmonton. Retrieved November 19, 2012.
  14. ^ "Operations and Maintenance Facility" (PDF). City of Edmonton. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 26, 2014. Retrieved August 28, 2014.
  15. ^ "City fast-tracks LRT expansion with push for $800 million". Edmonton Journal. Postmedia Network. Retrieved November 19, 2012.
  16. ^ Kent, Gordon (October 17, 2012). "Council approves P3 funding plan for southeast LRT line". Edmonton Journal. Postmedia Network. Archived from the original on February 3, 2013. Retrieved November 19, 2012.
  17. ^ "Southeast to West LRT: Mill Woods to Lewis Farms". City of Edmonton. Archived from the original on February 9, 2016. Retrieved May 27, 2012.
  18. ^ Dykstra, Matt (November 13, 2013). "Federal government projects a $3.7 billion budget surplus which could help Edmonton LRT line". Edmonton Sun. Retrieved November 14, 2013.
  19. ^ Tumilty, Ryan (March 11, 2014). "Southeast LRT funding includes $200 million interest-free provincial loan". Metro News. Retrieved March 12, 2014.
  20. ^ Kent, Gordon (March 11, 2014). "Southeast LRT on track after province promises to fill $600 million funding gap (with video)". Edmonton Journal. Archived from the original on April 18, 2014. Retrieved March 12, 2014.
  21. ^ Simons, Paula (May 26, 2014). "Cash for Valley Line is fine, but transit funding must be consistent". Edmonton Journal. Archived from the original on June 20, 2014. Retrieved May 27, 2014.
  22. ^ Dykstra, Matthew (May 26, 2014). "Edmonton gets a final piece of funding for southeast portio of Valley LRT line". Edmonton Sun. Retrieved May 27, 2014.
  23. ^ "SIRE Public Access". sirepub.edmonton.ca. Retrieved June 2, 2016.
  24. ^ Edmonton, City of (June 2, 2016). "Project History :: City of Edmonton". www.edmonton.ca. Retrieved June 2, 2016.
  25. ^ "Fact Sheet; Valley Line (SE to WEST LRT); May 2014" (PDF). City of Edmonton. May 30, 2014. Retrieved August 28, 2014.
  26. ^ "Connors Road Construction". EPCOR. Retrieved July 24, 2014.
  27. ^ "2014 Construction on your streets". City of Edmonton. Retrieved July 25, 2014.
  28. ^ "City of Edmonton Valley Line Stage 1 – Light Rail Transit (LRT) Project Environmental Impact Screening Assessment Update" (PDF). Edmonton. City of Edmonton. Retrieved May 1, 2016.
  29. ^ "Valley Line (SE to West LRT)" (PDF). City of Edmonton. September 2013. Retrieved August 28, 2014.
  30. ^ Bartko, Karen (April 12, 2016). "Valley Line LRT construction to start April 22, says new website". Corus Entertainment Inc. Global News Edmonton. Retrieved May 1, 2016.
  31. ^ "Valley Line (SE to West LRT): Mill Woods to Lewis Farms". Edmonton. City of Edmonton. Archived from the original on February 9, 2016. Retrieved May 1, 2016.
  32. ^ Dyer, Kelsey (September 6, 2019). "'Get it finished': Valley Line LRT project facing delays". Edmonton. Retrieved September 8, 2019.
  33. ^ Labine, Jeff (December 11, 2019). "Concrete mass in river delaying Valley Line southeast LRT | Edmonton Journal". Retrieved December 13, 2019.
  34. ^ Rosove, Jay (June 14, 2021). "Edmonton's newest LRT Line expected to be running by late 2021". CTV News Edmonton. Retrieved September 17, 2021.
  35. ^ "Opening of Valley Line Southeast LRT delayed again as first train crosses Tawatinâ Bridge".
  36. ^ "DBRS Morningstar Comments on TransEd Partners General Partnership's Delay in Service Commencement". www.dbrsmorningstar.com. December 22, 2021. Retrieved December 28, 2021.
  37. ^ Riebe, Natasha (August 10, 2022). "Edmonton's Valley Line Southeast LRT delayed again after inspectors discover cracks in piers". CBC News. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
  38. ^ Gibson, Caley (September 2, 2022). "More cracks discovered in concrete piers along Valley Line LRT southeast extension – Edmonton". Global News. Retrieved September 3, 2022.
  39. ^ Wakefield, Jonny (November 19, 2022). "'Profoundly disappointed': Two-thirds of concrete pillars on new Edmonton LRT line now need repairs". Edmonton Journal. Retrieved November 20, 2022.
  40. ^ "Light Rail Vehicle (LRV) Train System Testing on 66 Street – TransEd Valley Line LRT". Retrieved February 23, 2021.
  41. ^ Smith, Madeline (August 10, 2022). "Long-delayed $1.8-billion Valley Line LRT stymied yet again". Edmonton Journal. Retrieved August 12, 2022.
  42. ^ Valley Line Southeast LRT [@yegvalleyLRT] (January 3, 2023). "Now that the structural repairs are completed, trains are moving along the elevated sections of the track" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  43. ^ Antoneshyn, Alex (October 24, 2023). "Valley Line Southeast LRT to open to public in November". CTV News Edmonton. Retrieved October 24, 2023.
  44. ^ Hunt, Stephen (November 4, 2023). "'The most Edmonton experience I've ever had': Hundreds of transit lovers show up to ride first Valley Line train". CTV News Edmonton. Bell Media. Retrieved November 4, 2023.
  45. ^ Kent, Gordon (September 3, 2009). "Edmonton unveils west and south LRT plans". Archived from the original on November 7, 2009. Retrieved December 2, 2011.
  46. ^ "City Proposes Southeast and West LRT Routes". September 3, 2009. Archived from the original on June 16, 2011. Retrieved December 2, 2011.
  47. ^ "Keeping track: Progress on Valley Line West LRT". Transforming Edmonton. City of Edmonton. January 9, 2020. Archived from the original on May 11, 2022. Retrieved March 15, 2024.
  48. ^ Edmonton, City of (September 30, 2020). "Valley Line". www.edmonton.ca. Retrieved September 30, 2020.
  49. ^ "Valley Line West LRT expansion lives on after call from councillor to rescind approved funding". Edmonton Journal. Retrieved September 30, 2020.
  50. ^ Gibson, Carly (October 21, 2020). "City of Edmonton selects Marigold Infrastructure Partners for Valley Line West LRT project". Global News. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  51. ^ "Edmonton's Valley Line Southeast LRT set to open Nov. 4". CBC. October 24, 2023. Retrieved October 25, 2023.
  52. ^ a b "Valley Line LRT Maps". City of Edmonton. Retrieved July 9, 2017.
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