Mayor Amarjeet Sohi Directs $70 Million for Edmonton Valley Line West LRT Pedestrian Connections

EDMONTON — Mayor Amarjeet Sohi and Edmonton City Council approved a $70 million municipal capital funding allocation on Monday to engineer and construct integrated active transportation connections, heated multi-use transit plazas, covered bike parking hubs, and grade-separated pedestrian bridges connecting fourteen passenger stations along the 14-kilometer Valley Line West Light Rail Transit (LRT) expansion.

The project integrates rapid transit infrastructure with surrounding residential neighborhoods, commercial shopping centers, and major institutional hubs—including MacEwan University, West Edmonton Mall, and the Misericordia Community Hospital—between Downtown Edmonton and Lewis Farms.

Designing Transit for Northern Winter Walkability Edmonton transit studies revealed that passenger ridership on rapid transit lines increases by up to 35 percent when station access is protected from winter wind and ice through heated sidewalks, protected bike lanes, and continuous pedestrian shelters.

"Building a modern, world-class light rail transit system is about more than laying tracks—it is about ensuring that transit is safe, comfortable, and accessible for everyone in our community, especially during our harsh winter months," Mayor Amarjeet Sohi said at the West Edmonton Mall transit exchange. "This $70 million investment builds heated station plazas, safe walking paths, and protected bike connections, ensuring our seniors, students, and working commuters can get to and from the LRT safely and conveniently year-round."

Station Amenities and Urban Design Features The $70 million active mobility package funds:

• 14 Heated Passenger Transit Plazas: Installing radiant-heated concrete walkways, wind-shelter canopies, and real-time digital transit departure displays.
• Misericordia Hospital Enclosed Pedestrian Skywalk: Constructing a climate-controlled glass bridge connecting the LRT elevated platform directly to the hospital main atrium.
• 28 Kilometers of Protected All-Season Bike Pathways: Constructing concrete-separated multi-use active transit trails with dedicated snow-clearing priority.
• Secure Smart Bike Parking Hubs: Installing 350 electronic keycard-accessible bike storage lockers at major terminal stations.

Transit rider unions, hospital administrators, and student associations commended the municipal investment, emphasizing that winter-proof station connections make public transit the preferred travel choice for Edmontonians.