Residents along the Valley Line LRT have expressed various safety concerns regarding signal timing, prompting City Councillor Keren Tang to propose a comprehensive review to address these issues. Tang will present a motion at the upcoming council meeting to initiate a signal timing and optimization assessment for the Valley Line Southeast, aiming for a holistic approach to enhance intersection efficiency and reduce delays without compromising safety or transit priority.
The assessment will focus on ensuring schedule reliability, minimizing corridor delays, managing peak-hour traffic queues, optimizing intersection capacity, providing safe pedestrian clearance intervals, and reducing wait times at busy transportation crossings. Tang emphasized the need for a corridor-wide review following her recent ride-along with city transportation engineers, where she observed recurring issues at various intersections.
One specific intersection highlighted by Tang is 28th Avenue and 66th Street, surrounded by senior residents requiring additional crossing time. Tang mentioned that adjustments have been made at this intersection, but there is room for further improvement. LRT rider Chris O’Neill expressed concerns about the absence of gates along the Valley Line, noting increased impatience and dangerous driving behaviors among motorists.
Tang stressed the importance of optimizing signals and traffic flow for the low-floor LRT system to operate effectively in the city. She suggested that the transition from TransEd to ETS and upcoming budget discussions present an opportune time to address these issues. Taking a comprehensive approach to the Valley Line LRT could also offer valuable insights for future LRT expansions in Edmonton.