Train crossing causes traffic trouble for Edmonton commuters

Motorists in Edmonton say they are fed up with trains blocking the road during rush hour - a problem that the city says it could take millions to fix. 

"You know you are getting late for a meeting, you know your son will be late to his classroom, you start your day in a terrible mood,” said Funda Saldiran, who commutes every day on 50th street. 

“Edmonton is not a small town and this is middle of city.”

She says the train crossing at 50th Street and Sherwood Park Freeway regularly adds at least twenty minutes to her commute.

There are 120 rail crossing in the city of Edmonton, but the one Saldiran drives through is busier than most. The nearby Canadian Pacific Rail yard works 24 hours a day, every day of the week.  This section of track sees roughly 10-15 trains daily and the trains don’t run on any set schedule. 

CP Rail says it is aware of the complaints with the crossing, but that it simply can’t avoid running trains through the city during rush hour. 

“Traffic volume is based on the needs of our customers,” said CP Rail spokeswoman Salem Woodrow, "CP Rail regrets any inconvenience."

"This is a complex issue of trying to find a balance between addressing crossing concerns with responding to the shipping needs of our customers in Edmonton," she said. 

 Records from CP Rail show the number of complaints at the 50th street crossing have decreased in recent years. 

A pricey solution

The city doesn’t have any control over the trains that run through it, because they are nationally regulated, says Councillor Ben Henderson.

"It is frustrating that we have absolutely no jurisdiction," he said. 

Henderson said complaints about the rail crossing and the associated traffic delays are common. The top complaint heard by councillors is the length of time it takes for trains to cross. 

The city's transportation department is putting forward a solution, that if approved by city councillors, would mitigate two traffic problems on 50th street: volume of traffic and the delays caused by the train.  

The preliminary plan is to build an $85-million multi-lane road underneath the existing rail line. 

Henderson admits the expensive solution may be a tough sell to city council. 

"It's not that we're sloughing it off but the costs are pretty astronomical," said Henderson. 

The proposal from the city's transportation department will be part of city council's upcoming capital budget discussions slated to begin later this fall. 

Longer trains, longer waits

Under Transport Canada regulations, a train or engine is allowed to stop on any part of a public crossing for up to five minutes. However, the agency's website notes that trains that are moving slowly, but not stopped, are not considered in violation of the rule. 

Transport Canada also notes that as train lengths and urban development have increased, slow train speeds may mean busy crossings are blocked for more than five minutes in some locations. 

"I think where they're maybe playing a bit with the regulation is that they will roll very slowly or make sure they move the train slightly every five minutes," says Rob Gibbard, director of facility and capital planning for the city's transportation department. 

The city and CP Rail have met to discuss what he calls an ongoing issue. 

"It's something that we continue to discuss with them...but we don't have a meeting of the minds on it," said Gibbard.