2024 Mid-Season LRT Construction Update

Main page content begins here

LRT expansion plays a critical role in enhancing mobility and access for Edmontonians and will transform the way people live, work and play in the city for decades to come.

The following update is prepared twice per year to help City Council and Edmontonians stay informed on the progress being made to advance LRT expansion and renewal across our city. It provides an overview of the current stage of each major LRT project, work completed in the first half of 2024, anticipated timelines for construction and operations, and current/upcoming work Edmontonians will see and experience over the coming months.

Anticipated Project Timelines

Valley Line West (Downtown to Lewis Farms)

Budget

$2.6 billion

Completed work (January to July 2024)

Valley Line West is a 14-kilometre LRT extension from downtown to Lewis Farms, and the second stage of the Valley Line. This extension will include 14 stops and 2 stations. In 2024, Marigold Infrastructure Partners (MIP), the company building Valley Line West, continued working along various sections of the alignment. Most notably, this work included:

Completion of concrete deck pours on Stony Plain Road bridge
Completion of girder installation for Anthony Henday Drive bridge and foundation installation at the east approach spans
Completion of rebar work for the first embedded track slab installation at Stony Plain Road and 139 Street
Completion of 95% of Y-piers for the elevated guideway
Completion of fabrication of all concrete spans for the elevated guideway
Completion of piling foundations and prep work at various utility complexes
Completion of foundation and structural steel erection at the Gerry Wright Operations and Maintenance Facility
Initial structural slab work, wall panel installation, vaults and duct banks at the Lewis Farms Storage Facility
Continuing drainage and roadwork in several areas to prepare for construction

Watch MIP’s annual look-ahead video outlining planned work in 2024.

Hyundai Rotem Company is supplying 46 low-floor light rail vehicles (LRVs) for Valley Line, which will be compatible along the entire alignment to provide a seamless customer experience. Manufacturing of the first LRV (parts and components only) began in March. Final design review of the vehicles continues in 2024.

Stakeholder Relations/Public Updates

The City and MIP connect regularly with community members and businesses affected by LRT construction. The stakeholder relations program runs year-round and includes business outreach, regular stakeholder meetings and citizen working groups.

Stay up-to-date with LRT news from the City of Edmonton and construction updates from Marigold Infrastructure Partners. For more information, visit the Valley Line West project website.

Current/upcoming work

MIP expects to work along the majority of the alignment in 2024, including:

First embedded track slab installation at Stony Plain Road and 139 Street in summer 2024
Completing the permanent roadwork along Stony Plain Road between 131 and 139 Street in late summer 2024
Continuing drainage work at various locations along Stony Plain Road from 121 Street to 156 Street
Anticipated reopening of Stony Plain Road bridge for active mode (cyclists/pedestrians) and vehicle traffic in fall 2024
Continuing installation of elevated guideway spans along 87 Avenue
Continuing roadway and stop construction along 107 Street
Continuing work on the Anthony Henday Drive bridge (east and west approaches)
Continuing work on Grovenor Stop, and starting construction on Glenora, NorQuest, Meadowlark, Glenwood/Sherwood and Aldergrove Stops, and various utility complexes
Continuing structural work at Misericordia and West Edmonton Mall Stations

Lewis Farms Storage Facility

Work on the train storage facility at Lewis Farms will continue throughout 2024, including roofing and parking lot construction. The completion of steel installation and metal decking is expected in 2024.

Gerry Wright Operations and Maintenance Facility

Expansion of the Gerry Wright Operations and Maintenance Facility on 75 Street is ongoing. In 2024, work will continue on piling, structural steel installation, metal decking, yard drainage and footings and grade beams for the Automatic Vehicle Inspection System building.

Work along Stony Plain Road

Major construction is underway along Stony Plain Road from 121 Street to 156 Street. Permanent road paving from 131 to 139 Street, along with sidewalk construction, is currently underway and expected to be completed in late summer 2024. Work will continue along Stony Plain Road in 2025. The road is being reconfigured to accommodate one lane of traffic in each direction, LRT tracks in the middle and wider sidewalks for pedestrians. Most adjacent streets will be right in/right out only.

Landscaping/Tree Removals

MIP completed the majority of tree removals for the project in spring 2023.

The City’s project agreement with MIP ensures trees are preserved and protected wherever possible. MIP crews are required to work in such a way that trees are not damaged. When root systems of trees from private properties are encountered by construction work and cannot be avoided, a professional arborist assessment will be completed. Trees determined to be non-viable, or pose a risk of falling, will be removed.

While some tree removals are unavoidable, more trees will be planted than removed. The City Plan is committed to expanding Edmonton’s urban tree canopy and pledges that two million net new trees will be added to Edmonton by 2050.

Anthony Henday Drive LRT Bridge girder installation
Progress on Stony Plain Road Bridge over Groat Road
Work in progress on 107 Street
Gantry crane on elevated guideway along 87 Avenue near Misericordia Community Hospital
Elevated guideway segments at Misericordia Station
Lewis Farms storage facility
Interior of Gerry Wright Operations and Maintenance Facility
Aerial of Gerry Wright Operations and Maintenance Facility
Drainage work in downtown Edmonton

Metro Line Northwest (Phase 1) - NAIT to Blatchford

Budget

$291 million

Completed work (January - July 2024)

Metro Line Northwest from NAIT to Blatchford is a critical mass transit connection into the city’s downtown core. The 1.6-kilometre extension is a high-floor system with “urban” LRT design features for a more seamless integration with the developing Blatchford community.

Phase 1 of the extension opened on January 20, 2024, with service to the NAIT/Blatchford Market Station (replacing the former temporary NAIT Station). Further north, Blatchford Gate Station will open when the criteria for the City’s Transit Service Standards ( Policy C539A) are met. The new stations have longer platforms which increases capacity from three-car trains up to five-car trains, helping with future ridership demand.

Upon completion of Phase 1, crews began re-purposing the area of the former temporary NAIT Station. Crews have salvaged existing shelter material and demolished the station platform. Throughout 2024, crews will add landscaping and architectural elements. Public art will be installed in 2025.

Current/upcoming work (Phase 2):

With Phase 1 complete, it sets the stage for future phases of the Metro Line Northwest, which is a key priority reaffirmed by City Council.

As part of the 2023-2026 Capital Budget, $20 million has been approved to acquire land to accommodate future construction of Phase 2, a 4.2-kilometre extension from Blatchford to Castle Downs. In 2024, members of the City’s real estate team have connected with affected property owners, and are working with them towards voluntary acquisition. Phase 2 delivery funding has not been secured.

For more information, visit Metro Line Northwest.

Former NAIT Station concrete demolition
Rendering of repurposed NAIT Station area
Blatchford Gate Station (with solar panels)
NAIT/Blatchford Market Station (with solar panels)

Capital Line South (Phase 1) - Century Park to Ellerslie Road

Budget

$1.34 billion

Completed work (January - July 2024)

Capital Line South (Phase 1) is a 4.5-km high-floor LRT extension from Century Park station to north of Ellerslie Road and will help serve the growing population of south and southwest Edmonton. In June 2024, Capital Line Design-Build Ltd., a member of the Ledcor Group of Companies, with AECOM as their design partner, was awarded the Design-Build contract for Phase 1. Over the coming months, Capital Line Design-Build Ltd. will be working on detailed design, with major construction anticipated to start in 2025. Major construction is anticipated to take 4–5 years to complete, followed by testing and commissioning.

Early works construction along 111 Street, including utility relocations, began in 2022 and will continue throughout 2024. In June 2024, EllisDon, the City’s contractor for early works, began construction of the visual screen fence for eligible homeowners and condo buildings along the LRT alignment.

To stay informed on the project, we encourage residents/businesses to subscribe to the City’s ongoing email construction notices by visiting Capital Line South.

Current/upcoming work

Early works construction continues at various locations and intersections, mainly along 111 Street. Early works construction is anticipated to be complete by the end of 2024 so Capital Line Design-Build Ltd. can begin major construction in 2025. Early works over the coming months includes:

Shallow drainage and lift station work at 23 Avenue and 111 Street (EllisDon)
Removal of tunnel boring machine at 23 Avenue and 109 Street (EllisDon)
Manhole installation at 23 Avenue and 109 Street (EllisDon)
Utility relocations along 111 Street and in Blackmud Creek (Telus)
Utility relocations at 23 Avenue and 111 Street (Shaw)
Utility connection along 111 Street at Blackmud Creek (Bell)
EPCOR Water work along 111 Street at 19 Avenue, Blackmud Creek and between 9 and 12 Avenue

Visual Screen Fence Along 111 Street

Crews began construction of the visual screen fence in June 2024 and are working in sections along 111 Street. Fence construction is anticipated to be complete by the end of 2024. Prior to the start of installation, the City contacted residents and confirmed the consent of eligible property owners as the new fence is being built along the property line.

In order to make room for fence installation (and access for heavy equipment), tree pruning and tree removals on public and private property will occur throughout 2024. Prior to any tree work, the City’s forestry department and EllisDon performed bird sweeps to ensure bird nesting would not be affected.

Visual screen fence installation south of 9 Ave
Early works construction at the 23 Avenue and 111 Street intersection
Lift station at 23 Ave and 111 Street
Rendering of Heritage Valley North LRT Station

LRT Renewal Program

Each year, the LRT Renewal Program focuses on replacing aging infrastructure to keep the existing transit service operating safely and smoothly. This work can vary from smaller projects, like replacing deteriorating concrete and platform warning tiles, to major projects like station redevelopments. This is what we call our “TLC for LRT” work.

Escalator Upgrades Replacements

Last year, crews worked on two escalator replacements at Central Station. Escalator replacements were staggered to help minimize impacts to LRT riders.

During one replacement, additional repairs were identified on an existing concrete beam. This work is anticipated to be complete in late 2024. The surrounding vestibule is currently closed to the public. Transit users continue to be informed of closures through onsite signage.

103A Avenue and 99 Street Pedway Project

In March 2024, construction began on the 99 Street underground pedway from Churchill LRT Station to the Station Lands development north of 104 Avenue. The new underground pedway will help grow the existing pedway system to the north and provide access to key destinations in the city’s downtown core, including the new Station Lands development, and 103A Avenue/104 Avenue via a new street-level pop-up access (between CN Tower and the Royal Alberta Museum). Construction is anticipated to be completed by the end of 2025. Construction of the streetscape improvements will follow completion of pedway construction.

MacEwan & Corona LRT Station improvements

Security cameras, doors, lighting and other safety enhancements will be added to the MacEwan and Corona LRT Stations as part of the Alberta Transit System Clean Up Grant. The stations were chosen for improvements as they are high-traffic locations in the downtown core. Station improvements began in June 2024 and will continue until the fall 2024.

Harbin Gate

The new Harbin Gate will be built on 97 Street, just north of Jasper Avenue, where foundations and landscaping have already been installed. Design of the new gate is underway and will occur throughout 2024. Target completion for the gate is 2026. The City continues to collaborate with Edmonton’s Chinese Benevolent Association (CBA), the City of Harbin and other key stakeholders. More details about the new gate will be shared with the public as the design progresses this year.

Central Station escalator upgrades
103A Ave and 99 Street Pedway Project (looking north on 99 Street)
103A Ave and 99 Street Pedway Project (shore/excavation on 99 Street)
103A Ave and 99 Street Pedway Project (excavated tunnel shell)
103A Ave and 99 Street Pedway Project (looking west on 104 Ave)
Harbin Gate (view from Jasper Ave looking north) - rendering of schematic design intent (subject to change)

Light Rail Vehicle (LRV) Procurement

The LRT expansion projects approved by City Council will require significant growth in the Light Rail Vehicle (LRV) fleet in the coming years. This, combined with the need to replace the 37 original high-floor LRVs that have been operating for more than 45 years, has resulted in the need to procure 50-70 LRVs for the Capital Line and Metro Line in the next 8 to 10 years, depending on funding and operational needs.

The City is planning to replace the 37 original Siemens U2 LRVs in conjunction with the vehicles for the expansion projects described below to obtain economies of scale in purchasing.

Expansion Projects

LRV procurement for LRT expansion projects is summarized below:

Valley Line Southeast

This project included the addition of 26 new Bombardier Flexity low-floor LRVs, which have been supplied through the Valley Line Southeast P3 Project Agreement with TransEd Partners.

Valley Line West

Hyundai Rotem Company will supply 46 new low-floor LRVs for the project. A full-scale model of half of a single train arrived in Edmonton in early 2023 and the City anticipates LRVs will be delivered beginning in mid-2025. These LRVs will be compatible with, and will be incorporated into, the entire Valley Line fleet.

Capital Line South (Phase 1) / Metro Line Northwest (Phase 1)

The City will be procuring six high-floor LRVs for Metro Line Northwest (Phase 1), while the final number of LRVs for Capital Line South (Phase 1) has yet to be determined. The City anticipates procurement will take place from the third quarter of 2024 to the third quarter of 2025.

Light Rail Vehicle (low floor) - rendering #1

Light Rail Vehicle (low floor) - rendering #2