A city councillor is advocating for a thorough examination of signal timing issues along the Valley Line LRT, following numerous safety concerns raised by residents. Ward Karhiio Coun. Keren Tang plans to propose a motion at the upcoming council meeting to have city administration conduct an assessment to optimize signal timing for the Valley Line Southeast.
Tang emphasized the need for a comprehensive review of the entire line rather than addressing individual issues separately, after participating in a ride-along with city transportation engineers. The focus of the assessment will be on enhancing intersection efficiency, reducing delays, and ensuring safety and transit priority.
Key aspects of the evaluation will include maintaining schedule reliability, minimizing delays along the corridor, managing peak-hour traffic queues, optimizing intersection capacity, and improving pedestrian safety at busy crossings. Tang highlighted that feedback from residents, drivers, transit users, and pedestrians has underscored persistent challenges at various intersections since the line’s opening in November 2023.
One specific concern mentioned by Tang was the need for additional crossing time at intersections like 28th Avenue and 66th Street, particularly for senior residents using mobility aids. Addressing such issues is crucial for overall safety and efficiency. LRT rider Chris O’Neill also expressed worries about the lack of gates along the Valley Line, leading to increased impatience and reckless driving behavior.
Tang stressed the importance of optimizing signal operations and traffic flow for the successful operation of the low-floor LRT system in the city. She highlighted the ongoing operational transition from TransEd to ETS and emphasized the need to incorporate these discussions into upcoming budget deliberations.
Taking a holistic approach to addressing signal timing issues on the Valley Line LRT not only benefits current operations but also offers valuable insights for future LRT expansions in Edmonton. Tang sees this as an opportune moment to prioritize these discussions and drive improvements for the city’s public transportation system.