As cities expand, both in footprint and population, transit service needs to follow suit. Major Canadian cities are experiencing tremendous levels of growth — mostly due to immigration — and are undertaking significant infrastructure projects as a result. The overall population density of most Canadian cities is still too low to make subways financially feasible, but other higher-order transit schemes are replacing lower-capacity buses and providing more service to more people. 

Capital Line LRT, image by Jakub Limanowka via Wikimedia Commons

Founded in 1908, the Edmonton Transit System operates over 200 routes in the Alberta capital. Edmonton's trolley bus network mostly replaced the streetcars which began running at the system's inception, but this 127-kilometre web of electric bus routes was itself dismantled in 2009. The backbone of the current transit network is the light rail system, which began in 1978 with the Capital Line. It was a historic move, as Edmonton became the first city in North America with a population of less than one million to boast a modern light rail route. Connecting northeast Edmonton to the south with stops in the downtown core and University of Alberta, the route underwent a series of expansions over its lifetime. Now consisting of 15 stations spread along a 21-kilometre length, future plans include a one-stop extension of the northern leg and a four-stop extension to the southern city limit. Preliminary engineering work and concept plans for the expansion have been completed. 

Metro Line LRT, image by Forum contributor Daveography

While the planned extensions of the Capital Line continue to develop, an additional LRT line was constructed nearly forty years after the original. Opening in 2015, the Metro Line links central Edmonton to the northwest. It piggybacks off the Capital Line for seven stations in the core, but then departs on a new and separate 3.3-kilometre track serving three stops. The project is the first segment of a broader extension that could see the line stretch to the northwestern city limits, providing a possible connection to the City of St. Albert. 

The biggest transit project currently underway — in fact the largest construction project in Edmonton history — is the $1.8 billion CAD Valley Line LRT. Homes and businesses along the route are currently undergoing demolition and relocation. Made possible through contributions by the City of Edmonton, Province of Alberta, and Government of Canada, the 27-kilometre route runs from the suburban residential neighbourhood of Mill Woods in the southeast to Lewis Farms in the west. One of the largest shopping centres in North America, the West Edmonton Mall, will also be served by a dedicated station. A journey along the entire length of the new line will take about an hour, as the 25 stops and three stations will be spaced further apart than on the current LRT routes. The end result will be the provision of a more localized service. 

Valley Line LRT route, image via City of Edmonton

Churchill Station will be the city's central LRT hub, as all three lines will intersect at this downtown junction. The project will be constructed in two phases, with the leg between Mill Woods and Churchill being built first. The Valley Line LRT will utilize a distinct fleet of low-floor trains, Bombardier's Flexity Freedom vehicles, which are also expected to be in use for the Eglinton Crosstown project in Toronto. The remainder of the LRT system will continue to use Siemens vehicles. 

A consortium of world construction and engineering companies, TransEd Partners, was recently selected to design, build, operate, maintain, and finance the first stage of the Valley Line LRT. The group consists of several leading firms, including Fengate Capital Management, Bechtel, Ellis-Don, and Bombardier. The new line is expected to be operational by 2020. 

Edmonton LRT expansion, image by Thankyoubaby via Wikimedia Commons 

The multiple transit projects now underway and in the planning stages are part of Edmonton's shift towards becoming a more compact and sustainable city, a future outlined in the City's strategic vision. By investing in key infrastructure projects that can move people more efficiently, the City hopes urban sprawl will be curbed, and walkable neighbourhoods will begin to develop around transit hubs. We'll continue to track the progress Edmonton and other cities are making in their transit sectors, and you can too by checking out the designated Forum threads for the Valley Line, Capital and Metro LRTs. As always, you can find more information in the Database file linked below and you can get involved in the discussion by leaving a comment at the bottom of this page.