A council committee's decision to endorse closing several intersections to drivers in Edmonton's west end to accelerate construction of the $2.6-billion Valley Line West LRT is a sign of a changing city, the co-hosts of Episode 295 Speaking Municipally said.
"This is just a really big change for Edmonton," said co-host Mack Male. "I can't think of a time when we've done something quite like this."
Coun. Andrew Knack, who introduced a motion to accelerate the LRT project in 2024, told CBC that constituents have said they have felt construction pain for several years now. The future line is slated for completion in 2028. Knack also said that many have suggested that hurrying construction would be akin to ripping off a bandage. One thing worth considering in the process, Knack said, is the closure of the busy Wellington Bridge at the end of 2025.
In August, city council voted against creating a compensation program that would have provided roughly $2,500 for individual businesses affected by the future LRT line as a form of compensation. Male said the recent decision to close whole intersections may have landed better if council had endorsed that idea back in August. That said, on Episode 273, Male opined that $2,500 wouldn't offer much reprieve, anyway.
The Feb. 14 episode of Taproot's civic affairs podcast covered the City of Leduc's recent decision to annex land from Leduc County, the public spaces bylaw that a council committee endorsed sending to council, and the ongoing friction at the Edmonton Police Commission. It also featured the final segment with the creators of Edmonton Food Faves We Crave. Plus, Taproot's managing editor, Tim Querengesser, provided an update from the Taproot newsroom. Speaking Municipally comes out on Fridays. Listening and subscription options are all right here.