Edmonton to take over direct operation of Valley Line light rail

The city of Edmonton in Alberta, Canada, is to terminate its 30-year contract with TransEd Partners (Bechtel/Alstom/Arup/Fengate) for the operation of the 27km Valley Line low-floor light rail in 2028 (when the CAD 2.7bn western segment at present under construction is due to open) despite the consortium being awarded a 30-year CAD 1.8bn design, build, operate and maintain PPP contract for the 13.1km south-east segment in 2016 (opening was delayed until November 2023). 

 

Operations will transfer to the directly-operated Edmonton Transit Services (ETS) which will become responsible for the whole line on completion. City Manager Eddie Robar said this represented a cost-effective approach that offered best value and the most certainly to taxpayers. ETS already operates the city’s two high-floor light rail lines. The city will make a termination payment to TransEd Partners. 

 

In 1978 Edmonton was the first American city to open a modern light rail system, using Siemens high-floor LRVs based on the Frankfurt-am-Main model. A second line followed in 2015 in the form of a branch, which is still being extended. The Valley Line is a separate system and again followed European trends by adopting low-floor operation. Bombardier supplied 26 Flexity Freedom LRVs before being taken over by Alstom. When the western segment is opened the fleet will be boosted by 46 low-floor cars from HyundaiRotem.