We couldn’t call ourselves a sustainable community without having sustainable transportation options built right into the neighbourhood! That’s why we are excited to celebrate another major project kicking off in Blatchford this year – the start of LRT construction!
With almost half of all of Edmonton’s energy consumption being used on transportation, making sure our residents and visitors have easy access to environmentally-friendly ways to get around is a cornerstone of our plan to reduce the community’s greenhouse emissions.
So, how do we ‘do LRT’ in Blatchford? Just like in the rest of the community, we custom design it so we can create a community like no other in Edmonton!
The City of Edmonton is designing a unique ‘transit mall’ around the new LRT line in Blatchford. A transit mall is a term used to describe a street where vehicular traffic is prohibited (or greatly restricted) and only public transit, bicycles and pedestrians are allowed. With the entire neighborhood being designed to prioritize the needs of people over cars, the Metro LRT design in Blatchford supports the community’s vision to create a place where people can easily choose sustainable ways to live.
The transit mall design will feature:
- A separated commuter cycle track along the entire length of the LRT.
- Very few crossings for vehicle traffic which will limit commute time and promote safety for pedestrians and cyclists.
- Public plazas designed next to the LRT stations will add extra amenity space to the community and a chance to sit and sip your coffee (or tea) while waiting for the train.
- Treed boulevards along the length of the tracks which will make the LRT corridor feel more like an active community street meant for walking and cycling.
Blatchford will have two LRT stations – one close to Blatchford’s town centre/NAIT and another station located further north.
Plus, once the neighbourhood is fully developed, a direct network of pathways and roads will create a seamless experience that makes it easy to connect to the community’s LRT stations whether on foot, bus or bike.
As the LRT and station designs progress, we will continue to look into other possibilities for street furniture, bike storage, and other features that promote the Blatchford way of life.
To see the latest Metro LRT expansion concept designs, check out this animated video below!