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Edmonton continues to wait: Date to fix Metro Line LRT issues approaches

Edmonton's Metro Line LRT on Tuesday, Aug. 15, 2017. Vinesh Pratap, Global News

The deadline is fast approaching for a fix to be in place for the problem-plagued Metro Line LRT.

But everyone from the politicians, to city administration, to Thales – the signals contractor – is not saying much.

“I believe council will be getting an update on where things are at next week at council,” Mayor Don Iveson indicated.

In December, city hall imposed an April 30 deadline for all issues to be dealt with; the decision came after a Nov. 11 incident in which two trains ended up on the same track near the NAIT station.

The line was supposed to open in April 2014, but it was delayed several times because of issues with the signalling system. It opened in September 2015.

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With two weeks to go before the deadline, Global Newobserved trains still moving slowly, and continued congestion.

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“Yeah, the Metro Line has been a long list of worries,” said Ward 6 councillor Scott McKeen.

Thales did not respond to an email request for a status update.

READ MORE: Metro Line sees 49 safety-related incidents in 2 years of operating, report says

Councillors acknowledge they are not privy to where progress is at.

“I guess there’s probably some furious work going on behind the scenes, hopefully by the contractor,” McKeen said.

The Thales signal system on the Metro LRT is called Communications-Based Train Control or CBTC.

Late last year, city staff made a shocking admission: the technology is best suited for above- or below-ground mass transit. The majority of the Metro Line is at street level.

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