Where is the Edmonton Valley Line West LRT at in 2024?

This video was filmed and published in May 2024, so when you watch this video in the future as the Valley Line progresses, this footage and information might no longer be 100% accurate! Edmonton is welcoming the second segment of the Valley Line LRT, expecting to open in 2027. In this video, I gave you a site visit to each location of the future stations. It will be a pretty powerful line once it is opened, and it will complete a major puzzle for public transit in the city.
Check out my experience and analysis on the Valley Line Southeast here: • Everything about the E...
Edmonton is located in the land of Amiskwaciwâskahikan in Treaty 6 Territory and within the Métis homelands and the traditional territories of the ᓀᐦᐃᔭᐤ ᐊᐢᑭᕀ Nêhiyaw-Askiy (Plains Cree), Ĩyãħé Nakón mąkóce (Stoney), Niitsítpiis-stahkoii ᖹᐟᒧᐧᐨᑯᐧ ᓴᐦᖾᐟ (Blackfoot / Niitsítapi ᖹᐟᒧᐧᒣᑯ), Tsuut’ina, Michif Piyii (Métis), and Cree.
Some Resources to check out:
Uncover Oliver - the truth about Frank Oliver: www.uncoveroliver.ca/
City of Edmonton - "West Light Rail Transit Lewis Estates to Downtown Concept Planning Report" (this document was from 2010): pub-edmonton.escribemeetings....
City of Edmonton - "Valley Line West LRT Crossing Assessment Summary of Results - 87 Avenue and 178 Street": pub-edmonton.escribemeetings....
Valley Line West LRT Booklet: www.edmonton.ca/sites/default...
Edmonton clears "last true hurdle" for Valley Line West LRT: www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmont...
Olliver Community League's video on Frank Oliver: drive.google.com/file/d/1u2su...
Alberta Major Projects - Valley Line West LRT: majorprojects.alberta.ca/Deta...
About Marigold: marigoldinfra.ca/
Update from Marigold on the Valley Line West: • 2024 Look Ahead Video ...
Edmonton selects Hyundai Rotem for Valley Line's fleet: edmontonjournal.com/news/loca...
Music used:
"Wayne John Bradley - Grunge Rock Instrumental" is under a Creative Commons (CC-BY 3.0) license
"Kedam - Heroes" is under a Free To Use KZbin license: • Non Copyrighted Music ...
"Tokyo Music Walker - Your Little Wings" is under a Creative Commons (CC-BY 3.0) license
Lakey Inspired - Blue Boi" is under a Creative Commons (BY-NC 3.0) license
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Music promoted by ‪@BreakingCopyright‬
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Chapters:
00:00 Intro
00:17 What is the Valley Line West?
01:03 Meet the contractors - Marigold Infrastructures Partners
01:22 Meet the future new trains
01:38 102 Avenue - West of 102 Street Station
01:57 Future Alex Decoteau Station
02:16 About Alex Decoteau
02:42 Future NorQuest College Station
03:30 104 Avenue and future MacEwan Arts - 112 Street Station
04:28 An analysis of 104 Avenue and "Road Diet"
05:04 The bus stops remained active
05:43 Tree protection during construction
06:06 Future The Yards - 116 St Station
06:46 The Stony Plain Road Shuttle
06:57 Future Brewery - 120 St Station
07:39 Future 124 Street Station
08:14 The closure of Stony Plain Road
08:22 Future Stony Plain Road bridge
08:31 The opened crosswalks across Stony Plain Road
08:46 Future Glenora Station
09:30 Future Grovenor - 142 St Station
10:43 Future Stony Plain Road - 149 St Station
11:35 Future Jasper Place Station
12:35 Future Glenwood/Sherwood Station
13:25 Future Meadowlark Station
14:14 Viaduct over 87 Ave and Future Misericordia Station
14:50 Future West Edmonton Mall Station
15:22 Viaduct descends and future Aldergrove/Belmead Station
16:20 Anthony Henday Drive Overpass
16:39 Future Lewis Farms Station
17:15 Ending and Supporter Shoutout

[@robbybigwood2233]

The progress in Edmonton is very impressive. I hope you continue to cover the new LRT

[@morethantransitt]

Thank you! Fun fact: some of the footages were initially filmed in February 2024, but I replaced them with the most recent footages possible because of the mass transformation and updated in terms of infrastructure that make them no longer relevant to include in the video!

[@jorgewu6225]

Because the province surprisingly doesn't interfere with Redmonton but picking on the more UCP-friendly Calgary instead 😅?

[@UrdnotChuckles]

The big yellow machine sitting atop the viaduct is called a gantry crane. :)

[@horninthecorn]

2:35 the scrambled crosswalk: it would only be a good idea if they are timed perfectly with when the train is stopping at the station, as this will reduce the time spent on stopping for traffic and more time spent at the station!

[@Digitalsurfer265]

There is a TON of utilities that need to be moved in order to build something like this, that’s why there is so much prep work prior to building the stops and lines

[@Droxal]

This segment of the line is going to be amazing. While there are obvious downsides to being a streetcar instead of an actual LRT or Metro, the upside is that the line runs through the areas of the city with the most potential for transit orientated development. If you follow the alignment on google maps, you'll see that 80% of the areas that it runs through are grid-based streets, which definitely isn't an accident. Compare this to Ottawa's O-Train, Calgary's C-Train, or even the old Capital line in Edmonton. They all, for the most part, run alongside or through huge Stroads, Highways, and industrial areas with very lackluster potential for transit orientated development and walkability.

[@morethantransitt]

Right!! I heard that it runs thru the densest neighbourhoods in the city and the most important landmarks, so once it's completed it will be pretty powerful, for both visitors and local residents!

[@stickynorth]

The whole project was designed to link existing and future TOD developments with actual service being secondary. In the short term it leads to longer rides than what would be expected with a more direct route but with future growth being concentrated onto these largely under-used and dying mall sites? It makes sense from a city-shaping perspective in the long run... I just wish the project was open 20 years so when I could have used it! Former MacEwan CFAC student here and the Jasper Place station will stop literally outside the old orange campus. That would have cut my commute from 90 minutes to like 45... The #1 Bus is a cruel mistress!

[@Digitalsurfer265]

Being a streetcar means it makes drivers a lot less angry and therefore can make political strides

[@jorgewu6225]

​@@Digitalsurfer265Wouldn't it be the opposite as the Capital/Metro line is more grade separated than the low-floor Valley line, thus interfering less with car traffic?

[@RiceHat405]

Wait what wdym streetcars

[@botks894]

I I personally can't wait for this extension to be completed, more transit alternatives to driving the better

[@stickynorth]

Great video as always! Edmonton really needs to close the existing underground downtown high floor LRT loop by infilling the Railtown and MacEwan University stations as well as like you mentioned, rename the existing Macewan Station to ICE District especially since to the north will be the second phase of the venture with almost a dozen high rise residential towers marketed as ICE District North. Ironically, if you research the story back long enough was in the late 70's going to be a downtown mega development called "Downtown North" which was later pitched in the 2000's as a skyscraper apartment district known as "Aurora: City of Light" and an LRT station of some sort was always planned for the site however when Rogers Place was built it really over-loaded what was meant to be a very small quiet station... If I could suggest anything? That would be to add a second Northern platform open on game days like the Stadium station was redesigned to add capacity for large events by closing the overcrowded tunnel and adding a larger, wider standing area at grade instead...

[@morethantransitt]

The idea of an additional platform would be awesome! And I will definitely look up the Downtown North development plan!

[@jorgewu6225]

Or extend the Metro line towards Bonnie Doon through Strathcona?

[@1206-octo]

@@jorgewu6225that would be too much work with rerouting the tracks and reworking the intersection of 114 and University Ave. They actually had that plan a few years ago but it was scraped due to the sheer high cost and significant impacts on the speed of the train with all the rail crossings and track switches!

[@jorgewu6225]

@@1206-octo Then hopefully the High Level Bridge Streetcar will be retrofitted into light rail to serve Strathcona when the bridge gets rebuilt for corrosion. The Metro Line can still branch off the Capital Line to serve Fort Edmonton and the Southwest eventually, rather than being just a branch to the Northwest.

[@mariachrzski18]

Maybe the Valley Line MacEwan stop should be named MacEwan West since it's located on the west end of the university campus, while the Metro Line station could be MacEwan East since it's located right next to the east end of campus

[@morethantransitt]

That's a brilliant idea too! And the "MacEwan East" can be "MacEwan East/Ice District" as it covers both areas!

[@reddawn5454]

8:38 construction vehicles have huge blindspots (operators may also have hearing protection, further lowering perception) and can kill or maim at any speed

[@Chiefgord3190]

The crane is called a gantry crane

[@morethantransitt]

Oooo I finally know what it is! thanks!

[@ryans413]

It cost more money to elevate a train line.

[@morethantransitt]

fair enough! also now I think about the surrounding building heights, it does not really fit in if it goes elevated!

[@garyholt8315]

all station names should be one word, not twin names. btw south campus/ft edmt park is nowhere near ft edmt pk.

[@jayman6868]

ETS is hot garbage.

[@1206-octo]

bro must be a Flames' fan 🤔