A city report this month proposed a CAD 300M (USD 305M) Light Rail Transit (LRT) tunnel to ease traffic flow on a major arterial road in Edmonton, Canada.
The tunnel would run for 14 blocks from 142nd Street to 156th Street along Stony Plain Road, on which major intersections are already at capacity. It would be part of the West LRT connecting Lewis Estates to downtown Edmonton, with journey times of 25-28 minutes.
Other suggestions included a CAD 30M (USD 30.5M) tunnel under the Bonnie Doon traffic circle, and a CAD 40M (USD 40.6M) LRT bridge on 87th Avenue.
The Edmonton City Council approved the West LRT Concept Plan in January. The Transportation and Public Works Committee intended to discuss the results of the report at its March meeting as T&TI went to press.
The City Council had a divided response to the report, some supported, while others questioned the ability of an LRT system to ease traffic if it requires a tunnel to keep roads free.
