City asks for capacity boost for Valley Line LRT line

Edmonton's next light-rail transit line the 13-kilometre Valley Line Southeast LRT from downtown to Mill Woods shouldrun at a higher capacity than initially anticipated, a new report says.

The city proposes torun two-car trains instead of the one-car trains administrators originally thought would be sufficient to start the new line.

Updated ridership projections show more people are taking transit, the report says.

The report outlines the need for medium level service, defined as service level 8, whereseven of 13 trains would run with two cars every five minutes during peak morning and afternoon hours on weekdays.

In 2014, the city estimated the Valley Line Southeast would require the lowest capacity service called service level 1, an ETS spokesperson said in an email last week.

"Providing a comfortable and positive customer experience without overcrowding is crucial to the successful opening of Valley Line Southeast LRT," the report says.

In its request to increase train frequency, the city operations branch also factored in the need for more spacing during COVID-19.

"Without the recommended service levels, Valley Line Southeast is expected to see significant overcrowding and additional wait times for some passengers, having a negative impact on customer perceptions related to the transit system."

Council's executive committee is expected to review the report's finding at a meeting April 12, before city operations asks council to approve the funding request during spring budget talks later in the month.

The increased service is expected to cost $904,000 this year, $3.1 million in 2022 and $3.2 million in 2023.

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"If that means putting more money into the Valley Line Southeast, and that's going to get us more riders and a better overall and safer experience, that is money very well spent," Coun. Andrew Knack said in an interview last week.

"I think that is only going to encourage more people to choose that mode of transportation if they know they can rely on it and they know they're going to be safe."

LRT service in Edmonton ranges from low-capacity one-car trains to five-car trains during peak hours on the Capital Line.

The $1.8-billion public-private partnership project with TransEd is now scheduled to open by the end of the year, at least one year later than the consortium had anticipated.

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