LRT expansion could be done in six years, official says

Edmonton's LRT expansion can be completed in six years, the city's transportation manager Bob Boutilier told council Wednesday.

"We confirm that we can build it before 2017, but what we have to describe now is precisely what the cost would be, how that would be funded and what options are available to you to make that decision," Boutilier said. "The only barrier is money."

A few weeks ago, Mayor Stephen Mandel challenged Boutilier to come up with a way to have the planned southeast, west and northeast routes built in time for the 2017 EXPO. The city submitted a bid in November for the rights to host the world fair.

On Wednesday, council decided that work on the southeast and west lines would take priority over the northeast expansion to Gorman or an extension of the south line to Heritage Valley. But Mayor Stephen Mandel said that doesn't mean the other lines won't get built.

"All parts of the city pay for whatever we borrow in the city to build this stuff, everybody shares in it. So it's equally fair that everybody should have an opportunity to have a line built to their areas to help create a more integrated system," Mandel said.

City administration is preparing a report to go to council in the early spring on ways to fund the expansion.

In December, Edmonton city council approved the new southeast and west routes, which will take low-floor trains from Lewis Estates in the west end, along Stony Plain Road to downtown, then on to Mill Woods in the southeast part of the city.