Much-delayed, long-awaited Valley Line Southeast LRT opens to public
Posted November 4, 2023 1:46 pm.
Last Updated November 4, 2023 1:50 pm.
Excited riders were up bright and early Saturday morning to be part of the opening of Edmonton’s Valley Line Southeast LRT.
Service began at 5:15 a.m. at the Mill Woods stop and 102 Street stop downtown.
Trains run every five minutes during peak times, and 10 minutes during non-peak times.
The moment was many years in the making. Construction on the 13-kilometre-long line connecting Mill Woods to Edmonton’s downtown began in 2016 and was supposed to be completed in 2020.
The opening of the line was postponed multiple times due to various complications, most notably when cracks were discovered on 18 of 44 concrete piers that support the elevated tracks.
More recently, testing was paused in June when signalling cable lines needed to replaced “to ensure future reliability.”
Testing on the Valley Line SE was also marred by a number of collisions, with vehicles making illegal right-hand turns on reds onto the tracks.
A formal grand opening ceremony will be held in 2024.
