Edmonton Sets Launch Date for New Light Rail System

The City of Edmonton, Canada announced the Valley Line Southeast LRT will open for passenger service on Saturday, Nov. 4.

Valley Line Southeast has been independently certified by professional engineers, a safety auditor, and an independent, professionally qualified certifier. TransEd recently received a formal certificate from the independent certifier, indicating the infrastructure is complete and meets the requirements of the project agreement.

“I know many Edmontonians have been looking forward to opening day for the better part of two decades. Valley Line Southeast will offer an affordable and climate-friendly choice to move around our city for decades to come,” said Mayor Amarjeet Sohi. “I’m looking forward to riding the new line and seeing this project cross the finish line.”

The Valley Line Southeast

The Valley Line Southeast is an integral part of achieving the City Plan and will provide more accessible, convenient, and sustainable travel options for Edmontonians over the coming decades. The City Plan aims for a future where 50% of trips are made by transit and active transportation.

Leading up to the opening of the line, TransEd will be conducting final operational exercises along the alignment to ensure their train operators and Control Center staff are prepared to handle standard operational challenges encountered by all transit agencies.

Over the coming weeks, TransEd will also be completing final work like curbs, landscaping, and maintenance — this work does not affect the safe operation of the system.

A formal grand opening ceremony will be held in 2024 with funding partners, City officials and others after the system has been in service for a number of months.

Public Input

Public input has played an essential role in shaping the Valley Line, from the identification of the alignment in 2009, to the completion of preliminary design in 2013. Thousands of Edmontonians were engaged through workshops, meetings, online consultations, and open houses.

The City also established Citizen Working Groups in five distinct zones along the LRT alignment to keep impacted communities informed during the project.