I have always been a strong supporter of advanced land use planning although I fully recognize that things change over time and even the most meticulous of planning exercises are not able to predict the future with any degree of precision.
The former decision of the City of St. Albert to purchase an extra right of way adjacent to Ray Gibbon Drive was a good example of “seat of the pants” planning, with good intent but without the proper study. The present proposal has merit even though LRT through St. Albert may be in the very distant future.
Edmonton has advanced on the line to NAIT but appears to have shifted priorities towards Mill Woods and Jasper Place. That is not totally unexpected but it would have seemed prudent once they committed to the northwest line to continue it on to Castle Downs and St. Albert. Nevertheless that is their priority and we must live with it. So let’s get on with a proper study for St. Albert even if construction is in the distant future – that’s what land use planning is all about!
The current thinking appears to be a terminal north of the 156 Street/St. Albert Trail junction, and then extend through St. Albert north along St. Albert Trail (SAT). SAT is already too narrow for the current volume of traffic and to add an LRT right of way sounds very expensive and will create further traffic problems. It is unfortunate that previous planning which had proposed a service road along the west side of the SAT was abandoned because that would certainly have facilitated any LRT line.
An LRT route along the west side of St. Albert is out of the question. So let’s look at some other options. Perhaps, however it would be more feasible to examine a right of way along Campbell Road or an east bypass route along the east side of Riverlot 56 to bring LRT to the north end of St. Albert. It certainly would be less expensive than an SAT option.
The transit station is already located in Campbell Park and Campbell Road appears to be wide enough (or could readily be widened) to accommodate a right of way. It would not be too much of an inconvenience for commuters west of the trail to drive that extra five minutes to get to a Campbell Park station as opposed to the presently proposed station on St. Albert Trail. It may be a little extra time but once you are in your vehicle another five minutes doesn’t make much difference. There may be a few who would walk to a station along the SAT but on the other hand there may be many residents of Pineview, Woodlands, Kingswood, Oakmont or Erin Ridge that could walk to an easterly station.
I commend city council for their foresight in doing a proper LRT planning study even though LRT is still a bit of a dream, but it will come – someday!
Ken Allred is a former St. Albert alderman and MLA.
