Older areas to benefit from Edmonton LRT expansion

Edmonton’s planned LRT expansion will bring the commuter railways to the city’s west, southeast and northwest edges, but it will be the neighbourhoods closer to the heart of the city that may benefit the most. Edmonton’s rapid growth has forced many to new developments on the outskirts of the city. This suburban expansion created worries for city administration about whether road infrastructure could handle the onslaught of commuters, and so they focused on how to improve public transportation.

Edmonton’s LRT system has been lacking for decades. Its lone north-south route hit the major destinations, but very few stops actually went to residential areas. This meant people had to drive to get to an LRT stop, and in a city with ample parking, the incentive to ride on a train instead of driving yourself was close to nil. It was clear that in order for the LRT to be more useful, it needed to reach the burgeoning suburbs. As a side effect, those living close to central Edmonton will also reap the rewards of this new development through increased real estate value and new construction in mature communities, as these neighbourhoods will see the greatest impact.

In a report by the Real Estate Investment Network, the benefits of light rail transit went beyond reduced carbon emissions and decreased commute times. It showed that cities with enhanced mass transit raised the values of nearby homes by 3 to 40 per cent, depending on the type of housing. The new subdivisions along Edmonton’s exterior are already designed with mixed density housing, but many mature neighbourhoods here are predominantly single-family homes with wide lots and very low density. The LRT expansion through these communities is expected to spur new mixed-use dwellings.

The city is going with an urban approach for the new tracks with above-ground, street-level trains that are better integrated into the surrounding area. This will attract more high-density developments along the transit corridor while increasing the values of the homes in the area, based on the research by the Real Estate Investment Network. According to the City of Edmonton’s report on the long-term potential of the plan, the new routes are expected to attract an additional 30,000 passengers in the outlying areas and up to 120,000 new riders in neighbourhoods closer to central Edmonton. That should revitalize several communities that otherwise would stagnate in today’s real estate market.

Edmonton's LRT expansion: The Plan to 2040

Photos by: City of Edmonton, 4lrt, SeeVirtual Marketing & Photography