Edmonton City Council has its priority list set for LRT construction.

NAIT leads the way, only because the project has started with the tunnel under the EPCOR tower and properties are being bought up.

 

The lines approved late last year -- to Millwoods in southeast Edmonton, and along Stony Plain Road to the west end -- are also being listed. Transportation general manager Bob Boutilier told council Wednesday that he's confident the lines can be built by 2017. That's the year Edmonton hopes to play host to an Expo world's fair.

 

Meantime, Mayor Stephen Mandel says he is confident the other levels of government will eventually help with the $billions that will be needed.

 

"The province needs to find ways to reduce carbon footprint," Mandel told council. "We need to work with them (other levels of government) to do that, and I think LRT is a great way to do it. Moving people on those lines creates a modern, innovative, creative city. This is a great opportunity where a council that's moving forward. And, these are the kind of things that will allow us to have vision, and to build the kind of city we want."

 

Mandel says building it all quickly will bring the price down through economies of scale. The initial cost estimate is $3 billion.(sj/bp)

On the Net:
Edmonton.ca: Future LRT