Major maintenance work to Edmonton’s LRT system this spring and summer will lead to the disruption of service, the closure of a station platform and the suspension of service to the NAIT LRT Station.
The work will begin on April 6 and the city said Tuesday most of the maintenance is scheduled during the evenings and weekends, when there is generally lower ridership. The city said the “TLC” is needed in order to keep the LRT system running safely and smoothly.
Work includes track improvements, infrastructure upgrades and revitalization work.
“While there will be some short-term impacts, these projects will ensure that the system is there and will continue to operate safely and reliably over the long-term,” Brad Smid with the City of Edmonton said Tuesday.
So what does this mean for LRT riders?
Central LRT Station platform work leads to closure
From April 6 to 27, 2019, the Central Station platform will be closed while crews work to upgrade the station’s ceiling tiles and lighting.
During this time, trains will travel through the station but will not stop to pick up or drop off passengers. LRT riders will need to use the Bay/Enterprise Square or Churchill stations to access the LRT.
The work will also lead to frequency reduction, with trains on the Capital and Metro lines running every 20 minutes on the following weekends:
- April 6-7
- April 13-14
- April 20-21
Tunnel work means no LRT service to NAIT for 4 months
From April 28 to Aug. 30, 2019, revitalization work on the 66 Street tunnel between Coliseum and Belvedere stations will ultimately lead to the suspension of train service to NAIT.
During this work, trains on both the Capital and Metro lines will run at a 12-minute frequency during peak hours between Churchill Station and the northern terminal of each line. As a result, trains will run at a six-minute frequency between Century Park and Churchill.
Due to the lower frequency of trains, the capacity will be increased to run five-car trains on both LRT lines. But because the NAIT Station was not designed to accommodate five-car trains, LRT service will be suspended to NAIT from April 28 to Aug. 30.
To get to NAIT, transit users are asked to use bus routes 8 or 9. The routes typically run every 15 minutes and include the following bus stops:
- #1075 (105 Street and 118 Avenue WB)
- #1476 (106 Street and 118 Avenue EB)
- #1532 (106 Street/118 Avenue loop/NAIT loop)- Route 9 only
- #1227 (106 Street and 117 Avenue NB)
- #1223 (106 Street and 117 Avenue SB)
“We understand the Capital Line frequency reduction and suspension of LRT service to NAIT will cause a temporary inconvenience for people travelling to and from north Edmonton,” said Lloyd Meyer, manager of LRT Operations.
“This work is crucial to maintain the safety and functionality of the Capital Line.”
Watch below: As Edmonton’s LRT system is set to have some “TLC” work done on it, the work will close NAIT LRT station for four months beginning in April. Kendra Slugoski has the details.
Warning tile upgrades
Beginning in May, the city will work to upgrade the platform warning tile at five of the city’s outdoor LRT stations: Clareview, MacEwan, Kingsway/RAH, Southgate and Health Sciences/Jubilee.
While the schedule for these upgrades is still being finalized, the city said the work will result in lower frequency during the evening and on the weekends.
During tile replacement, trains on both the Capital and Metro lines will run at a 20-minute frequency rather than a 15-minute frequency after 7 p.m. during the week and all day on Saturday and Sunday.
Access road south of Stadium Station leads to weekend closures
The city will be building an access road and pedestrian crossing between Stadium Road and 84 Street, south of Stadium Station.
The work will lead to the closure of the LRT between Churchill and Clareview stations on the following weekends:
- May 18-20
- June 8-9
- July 6-7
Buses will replace trains between the stations and run every seven to eight minutes, the city said.
The city said the upgrades are needed, and the work should be done by the end of the summer. The city said more work and perhaps more delays on the nearly 40-year-old system are expected to occur again next summer.