Completion of tunnel a major milestone
EDMONTON, Nov. 16, 2012 /CNW/ - The Government of Canada, the Government
of Alberta and the City of Edmonton are marking the end of the 2012
construction season with a bang as tunnelling crews working on the
North Light Rail Transit (LRT) to Northern Alberta Institute of
Technology (NAIT) project break through the wall at Churchill Station,
connecting the North LRT with Edmonton's existing LRT network.
While North LRT construction is highly visible on Edmonton streets, the
project's most significant milestone to date was achieved below
ground. A very dedicated crew has been working around the clock since
January 2012, digging twin tunnels between 105 Avenue and Churchill
Station through which LRT will start running in 2014.
"The Government of Canada is proud to have invested in this important
job-creating project to expand Edmonton's Light Rail Transit system,"
said the Honourable Rona Ambrose, Minister of Public Works and
Government Services, Minister for Status of Women, and Member of
Parliament for Edmonton-Spruce Grove. "We will continue to support
local infrastructure priorities that promote growth, job creation and
economic prosperity right here in Edmonton."
"I congratulate the City for making excellent progress on this project,"
said Alberta Transportation Minister Ric McIver. "The Alberta
government was pleased to invest $497 million in GreenTRIP funding to
help Edmontonians get to where they need to be. GreenTRIP is a great
example of how the province partners with municipalities to develop
effective and practical infrastructure solutions for Albertans."
"This is a great day for Edmonton," said Mayor Stephen Mandel. "As part
of the City's Transportation Master Plan, The Way We Move, the new North LRT will play a key role in developing a cleaner,
greener Edmonton and providing affordable, sustainable transportation
for thousands of students, workers, and commuters. Today we are one big
step closer to that goal."
In addition to the completion of the North LRT tunnel, this year's work
included construction of all surface track for the North LRT and
foundation work for the Grant MacEwan, Kingsway/Royal Alex and NAIT LRT
stations. Development of the stations will continue over the winter
months.
The $755-million project was jointly funded by the Government of Canada,
the Government of Alberta and the City of Edmonton. The Government of
Canada is contributing up to $100 million from the Building Canada
Fund. The Province of Alberta is contributing $497 million in
GreenTRIP funding and the City of Edmonton is contributing $158
million.
The City of Edmonton would especially like to thank motorists,
pedestrians, businesses and residents for their patience during this
busy construction season.
For additional information about the North LRT project, including
highlight videos of the 2012 construction season, visit: www.edmonton.ca/nlrt.
About Canada's Economic Action Plan 2012:
Canada Economic Action Plan 2012 promotes new opportunities for growth,
job creation and long-term prosperity. Strengthening infrastructure
across the country is an important part of this plan. Thanks to the
Government of Canada's leadership, and our strong economic and
financial fundamentals, the Canadian economy has recovered from the
global recession better than most other industrialized countries.
Canada has been a leader among G-7 countries throughout the recovery
with more than 824,000 net new jobs created since July 2009. Find out
more about the opportunities in Economic Action Plan 2012 at www.budget.gc.ca/2012/home-accueil-eng.html.
About GreenTRIP:
Alberta's $2-billion GreenTRIP program provides one-time capital funding
to support new and expanded public transit. It is a good example of how
the province partners with municipalities to develop practical
infrastructure solutions for Albertans, including transit. GreenTRIP is
helping communities build truly interconnected transportation systems
that make sense for residents, the environment and the future. This
allows Albertans to travel in ways - and to places - they couldn't
before. For additional information about GreenTRIP, visit www.transportation.alberta.ca
About Edmonton:
This is a city alive with energy and boundless opportunity - a growing
economic powerhouse where business thrives and more than a million
lives enjoy the freedom to explore, experiment, experience, excel and
expect the most out of every day. A place like no other, Edmonton is
filled with surprises great and small and a calendar packed with
artistic, sporting, theatrical and cultural celebration.
For more information about Edmonton please visit www.edmonton.ca and www.edmontonstories.ca
SOURCE: Government of Canada