WATCH ABOVE: There was a heated debate at city council Tuesday over the ongoing delays of the Metro Line LRT. Vinesh Pratap reports.
EDMONTON – Edmonton city councillors say more transparency is needed on the progress of the much-delayed Metro LRT Line to NAIT.
When discussing the ongoing delays at a public meeting Tuesday, councillors didn’t hold back their frustrations.
“I have to say this has been an embarrassment,” said Ward 2 Councillor Bev Esslinger. “I get asked continually, ‘do we not know what we’re doing?’ Lots of doubting that the city is capable of doing this kind of work.”
“It has made us look foolish,” said Ward 1 Councillor Andrew Knack.
“The public trust is gone. It’s down the toilet. It’s been flushed away,” added Ward 11’s Mike Nickel.
“I’m still furious, frankly, that this project is dragging on so long,” said Mayor Don Iveson.
The frustration comes after a leaked city report outlined 12 problems facing the Metro Line, which was originally scheduled to open in April 2014.
The report obtained by the Edmonton Journal lists issues including water pooling on the tracks, loose guard rails, and communications systems blocked or filled with water and debris.
The City of Edmonton had previously only identified an issue with the signalling system as a reason for the lengthy delay.
READ MORE: Councillor calls Metro LRT delay ‘boondoggle’ after leaked report
The heated debate in council Tuesday was originally scheduled to be private, but Iveson requested the meeting be public because too much of the discussion on the line has been held behind closed doors.
Being grilled by city council, the general manager of the city’s Transportation Department maintained the delay is related only to issues with the signalling system. But Dorian Wandzura still could not provide an opening date.
It was revealed Tuesday that three attempts have been made to open the line since the end of May, May 31, June 7 and July 5, but each attempt failed.
When asked by Iveson if the line would be open in time for the 2015 school season, Dorian Wandzura, the city’s transportation GM, answered with hesitation.
“I believe that this will get going by school,” said Wandzura.
But patience at city council is growing thin; they want answers.
“My guess is there’s quite a few people that work for the city that are having sleepless nights over this issue because they absolutely want this line to be up and running,” said City Manager Simon Farbrother, “and they want it up and running in a safe fashion.”
“I don’t want to suggest for a minute or minimize that there may have been some decisions on the city’s side that may have contributed to some of the delay,” said Iveson.
“But at the end of the day, the contractor has not been able to deliver the product. And it’s a contractor that delivers this kind of system all over the world successfully.”
Also waiting anxiously for the line to open are transit users who say they too want answers.
“It makes no sense to me why there can’t be a timeline. It seems evident that something got messed up along the way and maybe just someone doesn’t want to admit it,” said Sandra Spencer.
“Here we are with no real understanding of what it takes to get it finished and when it’s going to be done.”
WATCH: Transit users frustrated with delays on Metro Line
A city audit expected in August will review both the signalling system and management for the entire $665-million project.
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