I used to think the LRT extension was a huge waste of money until I saw the numbers

I live near the south end and I've been complaining for years about the Valley Line LRT going in. My commute already sucks on the Anthony Henday and I figured more trains wouldn't help me. Then my cousin who works for the city showed me a report from the city website about projected ridership growth. Turns out they're expecting over 100,000 daily riders on that line by 2030. That number blew my mind because I always assumed it was just a few thousand people like me who drive. I still hate the construction delays but now I get why they're pushing for it. Has anyone else changed their mind about a city project after seeing the actual data?

2 comments

2 Comments

grant.jason1mo ago

Right, because nothing says "smart investment" like building a train line that won't be done until my grandkids are driving themselves to school... I swear, every time I see those construction signs I just want to put a "Free Parking" sticker over them. But yeah, numbers don't lie I guess, even if they do make my commute worse for the next five years. Maybe by the time it's finished I'll have forgotten how awful the Henday is and just be grateful for the extra track... or I'll have moved to the mountains out of pure frustration.

riverhill1mo ago

You make a fair point about the timeline, @grant.jason, but here's something I haven't seen anyone bring up yet: this valley line might actually save us from having to build another bridge or tunnel across the North Saskatchewan in the next 20 years. The geotechnical studies I've read suggest the river valley crossings are getting more expensive and unstable every decade. If this train takes enough cars off the road, it could delay that billion dollar bridge project everyone keeps whispering about. Short term pain for long term savings, even if it doesn't feel that way at 8 AM on the Henday.