It was a milestone years in the making. On Sunday, LRT trains on Edmonton’s Metro Line were operating at full speed for the first time.
The city said Wednesday it was given “the green light” by Rail Safety Consulting to lift the speed restrictions that have been in place at intersections along the track. On Sunday, the trains started running up to 50 km/h through intersections.
READ MORE: Trains on Metro LRT Line to run full speed starting Sunday
“It makes my commute to school and to work a little bit easier, that’s for sure,” student Joel said. “I don’t know about the traffic for everyone else, but for me as a student, it’s going to be a lot easier to get around.”
He has faith the city has sorted out the issues that led to numerous delays and slower speeds.
“Hopefully they did. It took a year now I guess, so hopefully they got everything straightened out.”
Coun. Scott McKeen hadn’t heard of any issues Sunday, but was still having a hard time getting excited about the speed milestone.
“It’s kind of hard to celebrate this given what’s happened over the last couple of years,” he said.
“It’s good news – long overdue – but I can’t wait until we can stop talking about the Metro Line and our issues.”
“It’s been a real… bummer, to put it mildly,” he added.
WATCH: Speed issues persist on Edmonton’s Metro LRT Line
McKeen hopes the city will someday be able to look back on the whole process and learn what really happened.
“But the good news is it’s up to speed so that will offer the service to Edmontonians that they deserve and they helped pay for – through their taxes both locally and in their income taxes – so it’s about time, but it’s good news,” McKeen said.
The city could not provide a progress report on the speed transition Sunday and said a spokesperson would provide an update on how things went on Tuesday.
READ MORE: By the numbers: Seven-year saga of Edmonton’s much-delayed Metro Line LRT
Passengers however, seemed pleased with Sunday’s service.
“More consistent times,” said Liam, who rides the LRT frequently. “It was just frustrating showing up at the train station and not knowing exactly when the NAIT train was coming and when the Claireview one was going to be there.
“You’d have to definitely add 10 or 15 minutes to your commute just to be early and get on the right train,” he said.
Another commuter said he’d been waiting for some time for the Metro trains to get up to speed, but wasn’t stewing over it.
“A bit of time, yeah,” Garrett said, “but it is what it is. I’m glad it’s finally now what it was supposed to be originally.”
Edmonton Transit offered expanded services Sunday for the Garth Brooks shows.
McKeen said the faster speeds mean a bit of relief for motorists waiting at LRT crossings, but wants to see future LRT expansions consider going over or under major roads.
“We’re going to see some of those wait times for drivers improve but I think longer-term, council has to look at perhaps what was, I would say, a mistake made by the last council in the way they changed their plans at the last minute and crossed three major arterials with the LRT and I think we can do better than that.”
The Ward 6 councillor suggested that one lesson from the Metro Line could be that big decisions on big projects require taking enough time to make sure they’re being done right.
READ MORE: Drivers could be stuck at LRT crossing for up to 16 minutes: Metro LRT update
“This has been a complicated process,” Mayor Don Iveson said Wednesday.
“I think how I feel is less important than the benefits that Edmontonians will see, as motorists and pedestrians at these intersections. Full speed for a train means shorter crossing times which means better intersection performance. We’ve been waiting a long time to see that gain so this is a major step forward which is encouraging.”
READ MORE: ‘Don’t let idiots build your transit’: Reporter rips into Edmonton’s Metro LRT Line
Edmonton’s deputy city manager said there’s still no exact date for when both LRT lines would be operating under one system as intended.
“There’s still work to do,” Adam Laughlin said. “I would say that our goal is 2017 without a specific date.”
When it opened in September 2015, trains on the Metro Line were running at a reduced speed of 25 kilometres per hour, due to problems with the signalling system.
Then, in May 2016, city administration gave the go-ahead for trains to operate at full speed, except at all five intersections it crosses.
READ MORE: Signalling contractor fires back at city over Metro LRT Line opening
In June, the trains were allowed to go a little faster at two of those intersections – 35 km/h between 107 Avenue and Kingsway Avenue and 50 km/h between 111 Avenue and the crossing at 106 Street.
The LRT expansion and subsequent delays have been called a “boondoggle,” “frustrating” and “disappointing.”
READ MORE: Councillor calls Metro LRT delay ‘boondoggle’ after leaked report
The city reminded commuters to use caution at the LRT intersections.
Drivers, pedestrians and cyclists are reminded to:
- Obey all traffic signs, signals and gates
- Never stop on the tracks
- Exercise patience. Trains may be moving faster, but there will still be waits at intersections along the Metro Line.