It is not difficult to understand why people might balk at the idea of an LRT through St. Albert when presented with a $1.2-billion price tag.
Coun. Sheena Hughes certainly does, which is why she is trying to have council strike the mega project from council’s long-term capital plan – LRT construction would not go ahead until at least three decades from now.
At current population increase averages, in 30 years St. Albert’s population will hover around 100,000 people. That means the cost per capita for construction would be approximately $12,000 not including the $13.3 million annual operating cost.
That being said there is more to consider than the cost. Does St. Albert really want to be the community that chooses to isolate itself from transit commuters?
As Edmonton expands, if St. Albert continues to be an autonomous municipality, our city will be in stiff competition for the development and the jobs that make it viable.
Access to transit is important not only to those who live here and commute to Edmonton for work and school or seniors hoping to age in place, but to those to employers here who hire employees from outside the city.
Hughes also says LRT will only exacerbate problems on St. Albert Trail as it cuts into two lanes of traffic instead of alleviating traffic concerns. There is a disconnect with that argument because it usually runs along side one that suggests LRTs will be obsolete in 30 years. Considering the future changes to commuting technology while ignoring the coming changes to our roadways is dissonant.
Considering the expansion of Ray Gibbon Drive is on the horizon and the link provided by 127th Avenue, it is likely the trail will be just another local street by then, which would make Hughe’s argument moot because traffic will have naturally lightened.
The mass use of autonomous cars and other yet-to-be-proven technologies to reduce traffic and improve commuting while an important consideration, should not be something we bank on. Putting all our eggs in that basket would be as imprudent as not exploring LRT as an option.
The simple fact is: St. Albert is changing and the start of that transformation can be seen in Amacon’s new urban village downtown. As the city grows upward and density increases there will be more people who rely on transit. While some might want the city to continue following the single-family home model, that sprawl is no longer sustainable and to future generations no longer desirable.
The future St. Albert might need LRT to connect its future citizens to services, schools and health care. Or, the changes in technology and lifestyle might be so drastically different by that time commuter trains will be obsolete. Right now we have no way of knowing for sure either way, being prepared for both eventualities is just good business and good governance.
Planning ahead is not a commitment to buy, it is just a prudent exercise in due diligence.
