A passenger rail system may finally be coming to Alberta
There has long been talk of a passenger rail system connecting the major urban areas of Alberta. That may be coming to fruition as Premier Danielle Smith and Minister of Transportation and Economic Corridors, Devin Dreeshen have begun a series of community consultations asking for input on the plan. In addition to public forums, an online survey is open until December 20 on the provincial website, providing the public with the opportunity to provide feedback on the concept.
The plan has several potential outcomes, some that will take years to play out. Primarily, the targets for this new system are Calgary and Edmonton, the two most populous cities in the province as well as two of the biggest cities in Western Canada. Each city will have a rail system that connects the cities to their respective outlying communities, airports, and their nearby Rocky Mountain Parks. Calgary would connect to Banff while Edmonton would connect to Jasper.
Another phase of the plan potentially includes a rail line running between Calgary and Edmonton with at least one other hub in Red Deer. The Queen Elizabeth II Highway, also known as Highway 2, runs between Calgary and Edmonton, and is considered to be one of the busiest stretches of road in Canada. It also has a high number of accidents, particularly when inclement weather becomes a factor. A rail system could decrease traffic, increase accessibility, and mitigate car accidents.
If this strategy comes to fruition and works well, it could potentially lead to further expansion across the province. A commuter rail system connecting to other major centers in Alberta such as Lethbridge and Medicine Hat in the south as well as Fort McMurray and Grande Prairie in the north would be great. Naturally, that it more of a long shot but it is hard to deny the potential this plan has.