Edmonton’s Valley Line vs. Toronto’s Eglinton Crosstown

Everyone loves a good race, right?

When TransEd announced this week that there is still no concrete timeline (see what we did there?) for the opening of the Valley Line South LRT, and that cables through the 13-kilometre route would need to be replaced, we really weren’t surprised. After all, since ground was broken on the project in the spring of 2016, delays have become the norm.

Meanwhile, in Toronto, the ambitious Eglinton Crosstown LRT project, like the Valley Line South, was originally scheduled to begin service in 2020. And, just like the Valley Line South, the contractors building the Eglinton Crosstown LRT missed the original deadline, and there is no concrete date for its opening.

Eglinton Crosstown and Valley Line South. Like Spider-Men pointing at each other, right?

So which will actually open for service, first? Let’s look at the two racers.

WHO ARE THEY?

In Toronto, the project is being built by a public-private partnership. Crosslinx Transit Solutions is the fancy name given to a consortium of four major builders – ACS-Dragados, Aecon, EllisDon and SNC-Lavalin.

In Edmonton, TransEd Partners is also the product of a public-private partnership. TransEd is comprised of T Bechtel, EllisDon, Alstom and Fengate Capital Management Ltd. Also in this coalition is Arup Canada and IBI Group.

WHEN DID THEY BEGIN?

Edmonton broke ground in the spring of 2016. Toronto broke ground in 2011. The Toronto project is more extensive, but Canada’s largest city had a significant head start.

HOW LONG ARE THEY? HOW MANY STATIONS?

Toronto’s project is 19 kilometres long, with a little more than half of it being underground. There are 25 planned stations.

Edmonton’s Valley Line South is 13 kilometres long, with all 11 of its stops being surface stations. But, this line did have to cross the North Saskatchewan River.

HOW MUCH DO THEY COST?
The Eglinton project comes in at $5.5 billion, but Crosslinx fought in court to get an extra $325 million because of cost overruns due to the pandemic.

The Valley Line LRT is coming in at $1.8 billion, and deficiencies in the concrete piers and the cables — both of which have added delays — are being covered by the contractor.

WHEN WILL THEY GET DONE?

We know that Toronto won’t get the Eglinton line done till 2024 — at least. In May, Crosslinx began legal action against its public partner. Why? Over money that’s allegedly being withheld to pay out its contract. But the public partners are frustrated over the fact that, well, the line isn’t finished yet and there’s no real due date that’s been set. In April, the public partner said there were over 260 deficiencies in the work, and warned that track was improperly laid.

Edmonton… before the end of 2023, we hope? The Valley Line has been delayed by cracks in concrete support piers, and cables that have already started to deteriorate. Track testing has been filled with stories of train/motor vehicle collisions. The trains are, so far, undefeated.

WHO WILL WIN THE RACE?
It would be hard for Edmonton to blow it. As bad as our problems are with the Valley Line, the courts aren’t involved. We don’t have track issues. If we do end up finishing behind the Eglinton Crosstown line, something catastrophic would need to occur.

Would we put money on it? Maybe, but no more than the cost of a one-way fare.