Valley Line Southeast LRT postponed once again after cracks found on concrete piers
Posted August 10, 2022 12:41 pm.
Last Updated August 10, 2022 6:55 pm.
The Valley Line SE LRT has once again been postponed and will not open this summer as planned.
That’s because cracks were discovered on some of the concrete piers that support the elevated tracks.
There is no new target date yet.
“This is a frustrating, disappointing and sad day for Edmontonians,” Mayor Amarjeet Sohi said in response.
BREAKING: The Valley Line Southeast LRT has been postponed once again.
No date has been mentioned yet.
The LRT line was originally slated to be ready in December 2020. pic.twitter.com/pxiULFBefG
— Laura Krause (@LauraKrauseNews) August 10, 2022
TransEd CEO Ronald Joncas says there will be no additional cost to Edmontonians for these repairs to strengthen the concrete piers.
TransEd has found cracks in 18 of the 44 concrete piers. The root cause of the problem is being assessed.
TransEd says it is working with the city to explore options.
Sohi says TransEd needs to be held accountable for the latest delay, calling it basic engineering design that companies have been doing for decades and decades.
As for the cost the delays will bring, City Manager Andre Corbould said, “TransEd is fully responsible for the costs of repairing the piers, and it continues to forfeit payments every month the system is not operational. Edmontonians’ financial interests are protected under the terms of the public-private partnership (P3) agreement for the project.
“This delay is a significant inconvenience to passengers who should have been enjoying the Valley Line Southeast from Mill Woods to downtown by now. The City will continue to provide frequent bus service in place of the LRT line, so people can still move around their city.”
The 13-kilometre-long line connecting Mill Woods to Edmonton’s downtown began construction in 2016 and was supposed to be completed in 2020.
The opening of the line has been postponed multiple times due to the pandemic, and complications along the way.
WATCH: Valley Line LRT nears completion (June 22)
