[Daveography]

I'm somewhat with Loken on this. Transit shouldn't just follow the growth, we should be building to entice growth where we want it; that means focusing on the existing city footprint, the inner city in particular.

 

[Daveography]

E.g., this is great news and should be the next priority:

YEG City Planning‏ @PlanEdmonton 15 hours ago
Admin today updated #yegcc on concept plans for urban LRT between #yegdt & Whyte Ave via High Level Bridge - yes, more urban connectivity~PO pic.twitter.com/OBjcy5887p

Item 6.4: http://sirepub.edmonton.ca/sirepub/mtgviewer.aspx?meetid=1863&doctype=agenda&itemid=59738

 

[Das Ponto]

After the Valley Line is complete what do you think they will tackle next? Or what will they actually tackle next vs. what you think?

 

[Daveography]

@Das Ponto IIRC the priority list stands at:
1. Metro Line "Plan A" (U/C)
1. Valley Line to MWTC (U/C)
2. Valley Line to Lewis Farms
3. Metro Line to Blatchford
4. Capital Line to Heritage Valley
5. Capital Line to Gorman
6. Southside Circulator (Festival & Energy Lines)
7. Metro Line to St. Albert

My preference:
1. Metro Line "Plan A" (U/C)
1. Valley Line to MWTC (U/C)
2. Valley Line to Lewis Farms
3. Southside Circulator (Festival & Energy Lines)
4. Metro Line to Blatchford
5. Metro Line to St. Albert
6. Capital Line to Heritage Valley
7. Capital Line to Gorman

In short, focus on serving more of the established city and underserved areas before expanding further outside Henday.

 

[Daveography]

City invites public input on future LRT route
July 12, 2017

Edmontonians are encouraged to participate in a study to determine a new street level LRT (Light Rail Transit) route that would connect Strathcona, Downtown, Bonnie Doon, and east Edmonton. The study begins dialogue about a central LRT route, which was identified in the City’s Long Term Network Plan.

Once complete, the study will inform a concept plan with the recommended route, the position of the LRT tracks in the road, stop locations, and bike and pedestrian connections. The concept plan will be presented to City Council for approval before the end of 2018.

Public engagement activities take place in four phases beginning in July, and continuing in fall 2017 and throughout 2018. During this first phase of engagement, the public is invited to provide input on what is important to consider when planning LRT, as well as where they would like to travel to and from in the study area.

“The views of Edmontonians are extremely important during this phase of the study as we investigate potential options for this future LRT route,” said Satya Gadidasu, project manager, City of Edmonton. “Understanding what’s important to people when planning LRT, and where they want to go and where they are coming from will help us create a route that works well for Edmontonians.”

Edmontonians are invited to provide feedback at public events and pop-up engagement activities this summer, and through an online survey at edmonton.ca/centrelrtstudy.

Public Events

Date: Wednesday, July 12, 2017
Time: 4 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Location: Bonnie Doon Community Hall, 9240 93 Street

Date: Thursday, July 20, 2017
Time: 11 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Location: City Room, City Hall, 1 Sir Winston Churchill Square

Date: Saturday, July 22, 2017
Time: 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Location: St. Anthony District Archives and Meeting Centre, 10425 84 Avenue

Centre LRT Study Street Team

The Centre LRT Street Team will be attending events and activities this summer to share project information and gather public views throughout July and August.

A technical evaluation, along with City policies and public input will be used to create a proposed LRT route that will be shared with the public in November 2017 for feedback. Further input will be gathered during 2018, to determine station locations, where tracks fit in the roadway, integration into communities, business and residential accesses, and connectivity with bike paths and pedestrian walkways.

Low-floor, urban style LRT is different than the high-floor LRT system currently in Edmonton. It is different as it operates at street-level in dedicated lanes, using traffic signals to flow with traffic through intersections. It features frequent, sidewalk level stations and can fit more seamlessly into communities. It will connect with the east leg of the Valley Line LRT in the Bonnie Doon area, which is currently under construction, and to the future west leg of the Valley Line in the Downtown area. The Valley Line is also a low-floor LRT system.

There is currently no timeline for construction of this LRT route.

Phase one of the four-phase engagement process is open until August 13, 2017.

Media contact:
Dale Shekooley
Senior Communications Advisor
780-496-6119

The City’s Long-Term Network LRT Plan, adopted in 2009, defines the future size, scale and operation of Edmonton’s LRT system. Expanding the LRT network is one way the City plans to meet the objectives of the Transportation Master Plan and Municipal Development Plan. The LRT Network Plan balanced Edmonton’s long-term transportation needs with a commitment to grow green and create a compact, integrated urban environment featuring a high-quality, accessible transportation mode.

 

[Daveography]

City invites public input on future Centre LRT route
Edmontonians are being invited to take part in a study that will help determine a future street-level LRT route connecting Strathcona, downtown, Bonnie Doon and east Edmonton.

"The study begins dialogue about a central LRT route," the city said in a news release Wednesday ahead of the first of several planned open-house events.

Results will be used to develop a concept plan for the Centre LRT with a recommended route, the position of the tracks in the road, stop locations, and bike and pedestrian connections.

The concept plan will be presented to city council for approval before the end of 2018. There is currently no timeline for construction.

The Centre LRT line will connect with the east leg of the Valley Line LRT in the Bonnie Doon area, which is now under construction, and to the future west leg of the Valley Line in the downtown area.

Like the Valley Line, the Centre LRT will be a low-floor, urban-style system operating at slower speeds and with stops at sidewalk level.

Public engagement activities will continue into the fall and next year.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/lrt-future-centre-planning-1.4201582

City invites public to weigh in on future Edmonton central LRT line
Edmontonians will soon have their say on plans for a proposed LRT route that would run from Strathcona and Bonnie Doon through downtown to the city’s east side.

On Wednesday, the city announced new dates for public consultation.

At issue is whether the proposed street level LRT would run on the road, where it would stop and how it would connect with and bike and pedestrian networks, according to a news release.

“The views of Edmontonians are extremely important during this phase of the study as we investigate potential options for this future LRT route,” said Satya Gadidasu, the project manager of the plan, in the release.

“Understanding what’s important to people when planning LRT, and where they want to go and where they are coming from will help us create a route that works well for Edmontonians.”

http://www.metronews.ca/news/edmont...-public-future-edmonton-central-lrt-line.html

Edmonton looks at Whyte Avenue alignment for new LRT

 

[Daveography]

Bit late for the article, but here's my photos from the open house last week:

 

[Daveography]

 

[Daveography]

Public consultations underway for Edmonton LRT expansion
The City of Edmonton is asking for input from residents on future LRT expansion to the east end.

Edmontonians are being encouraged to participate in a study to determine a new street-level central LRT route from Strathcona, through downtown and Bonnie Doon, to the east end.

The city said the public consultations will be part of the concept plan on a route, position of the LRT tracks on roads, stop locations and bike and pedestrian connections.
The concept plan is scheduled to be presented to city council for approval before the end of 2018, but there is no timeline for construction of the central LRT route.

The first of four phases of public consultations is currently underway. There are two events left this month: Thursday at city hall and Saturday at the St. Anthony District Archives and Meeting Centre.

The other phases will happen in the fall and next year.

http://globalnews.ca/news/3612236/public-consultations-underway-for-edmonton-lrt-expansion/

 

[archited]

I suspect the wrong route will be chosen anyway, public-engagement cynic that I am.

 

[Daveography]

Does Whyte Avenue or 76 Avenue make more sense for southern LRT corridor?

Edmontonians have a look at the Valley Line LRT design.
Vinesh Pratap, Global News
Edmonton planners have landed on Whyte Avenue as the southern corridor for a central circulator LRT system, although the final plan isn’t set in stone yet.

“I’m pretty certain it’s not 76 Ave. I’m presuming it means it’s Whyte,” Councillor Ben Henderson said after a briefing. “That’s where the ridership is.”

Those two options for the southern leg have been talked about for months. Plans for the central circulator were to be made public later this month, however they’ve been delayed Henderson said.

“The next question is how? That’s the real complicated question.”

Deputy city manager Adam Laughlin confirmed a public open house is on hold for the time being.

“As much as we’d love to come out and say, ‘here it is, and here’s where it will go,’ it’s just we don’t have clear pieces that are on the north-south portions that will get you into the downtown,” he said.

https://globalnews.ca/news/3855492/...the-question-about-more-traffic-on-76-avenue/

 

[archited]

76th Avenue for about 101 different reasons!

 

[Das Ponto]

I agree for sure. NO idea why 82 would even be considered.

 

[Daveography]

Whyte Avenue preferred route for Centre LRT: City administration
Whyte Avenue, spanning from Bonnie Doon to the University of Alberta, is one of the busiest stretches of road in Edmonton and now there’s talk of putting an LRT there.

The Centre LRT is being touted as a way to connect the south side of the river from east to west. It would specifically connect downtown, the University of Alberta, Old Strathcona and Bonnie Doon. The city says the line would be a low-floor LRT, meaning stops would be located at street-level, operate at posted speeds and use traffic signals; this is the same type of style being used for the Valley Line LRT.

The route is being studied but city administration has already identified what it believes to be the most sensible route going east to west.

“Administration is confident the preferred east/west connection of the route will be located on Whyte Avenue and not 76 Avenue,” reads a pamphlet distributed to residents who live along Whyte Avenue.

Councillor Ben Henderson, whose ward’s south edge is along Whyte Avenue, said that route makes the most sense.

“I’m not sure there is another connection that would work,” he said.

“It’s certainly where the businesses [are], where the most need and demand is for transit. It’s the natural straight route to get from Bonnie Doon through to the hospital.”

The city explored 76 Avenue but Henderson said that would have been very disruptive to those neighbourhoods.

He dispels concerns over traffic and the long wait times that have plagued other LRT lines in the city, adding there is the possibility for the line to run underground or above ground at intersections.

https://globalnews.ca/news/3938495/whyte-avenue-preferred-route-for-centre-lrt-city-administration/

 

[Daveography]

I agree with this selection. Whyte is our "other" downtown, already a has lots of density and more coming soon, and is a major attraction destination for locals and tourists alike. 76 Ave might be an attractive corridor for future growth, but misses so many important existing nodes that deserve high-quality transit yesterday.