It's time to TAKE ANOTHER LOOK at the Southeast LRT river crossing
- by: Save the Downtown Footbridge
- recipient: Edmonton City Council
We request that Edmonton City Council respect bylaw 7188, as well as its own environmental policy and master plans, and reconsider other LRT Southeast-West options that save the Cloverdale-Louise McKinney Footbridge and preserve our River Valley.
Background:
Edmonton's plan for the SE LRT from downtown to Mill Woods includes a bridge across the North Saskatchewan River. The city has chosen to put a costly tunnel and bridge through Louise McKinney Park, crossing at the site of the existing Cloverdale pedestrian and bike bridge. This bridge will be torn down at the beginning of the construction project and the new bridge will not be ready for as long as four years, the city says.
Although a pedestrian crossing will be included in the new LRT bridge, it will never again be the peaceful, noise-free crossing that it is now.
- This bridge is part of the TransCanada Trail
- The bridge will be closed for up to 4 years, along with restricted trail access.
- The south side of this bridge is habitat for endangered and threatened animal species, including peregrine falcons, barred owls and little brown bats.
- The province and the city have been exploring returning Mill Creek to its natural outfall at the south end of this bridge and this project will jeopardize that.
- There will be clear-cutting of trees and loss of wildlife corridors.
- The tunnel and new bridge are poorly located and costly.
- There are cheaper and less invasive alternatives available.
- The project requires the removal of the Edmonton Horticultural Society's Gardens and Louise McKinney's rose gardens.
- The project is a violation of Edmonton's own environmental policy.
- An environmental assessment should be occurring at a point in the planning process where options are being investigated.
This project is short half a billion dollars in funding and has been delayed. That gives council the time needed to TO TAKE ANOTHER LOOK at how the LRT crosses the river. Council plans to vote Sept 18, 2013, on a motion to declare the crossing "essential" in order to proceed. This crossing is not essential.
Visit the "Save the Downtown Footbridge" Facebook page and click "like" show support and to keep up-to-date on other action being taken. https://www.facebook.com/savetheyegdtfootbridge
Mayor and Councillors,
We, the undersigned, are asking you to use the time available because of a lack of funding for the SE LRT project and to please take another look at the SE LRT river crossing. Although a pedestrian crossing will be included in the new LRT bridge, it will never again be the peaceful, noise-free crossing that it is now.
- This bridge is part of the TransCanada Trail
- The bridge will be closed for up to 4 years, along with restricted trail access.
- The south side of this bridge is habitat for endangered and threatened animal species, including peregrine falcons, barred owls and little brown bats.
- The province and the city have been exploring returning Mill Creek to its natural outfall at the south end of this bridge and this project will jeopardize that.
- There will be clear-cutting of trees and loss of wildlife corridors.
- The tunnel and new bridge are poorly located and costly.
- There are cheaper and less invasive alternatives available.
- The project requires the removal of the Edmonton Horticultural Society's Gardens and Louise McKinney's rose gardens.
- The project is a violation of Edmonton's own environmental policy.
- An environmental assessment should be occurring at a point in the planning process where options are being investigated.
Please reject the motion before you this Wednesday and direct the administration to explore other options.
Thanks you.
If you care about cost efficiency, preservation of the river valley, and saving public spaces, please SIGN THE PETITION and SPREAD THE WORD!
Want to see the route change council is rejecting? Come to the Jane's Walk, May 3 http://www.janeswalk.org/canada/edmonton/save-footbridges-alternative-valley-line/
City council meets for the last time today before the fall election. They will discuss the environmental impact of this river crossing. They will be asked to declare this crossing "essential" as required by bylaw 7188.
You can have your say! Email council THIS MORNING: councillors@edmonton.ca.
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