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The total extension is estimated at $1 billion.

Built all at once, it could reach the south boundary by 2023, taking advantage of promised federal funding.

City officials warned a full build-out could be risky. Edmonton first needs the province to confirm details for two quarter sections of land it owns. That land is south of Ellerslie Road, west of 127 Street, and could be the location of a new south Edmonton hospital.

Funding toward a new south Edmonton hospital was set aside in the provincial budget.

Photo by City of Edmonton

“We don’t know where the road crossings would be,” said Nat Alampi, director of LRT infrastructure. If the city builds, then needs to change, “the retrofit costs could greatly exceed any short-term benefit.”

Councillors weren’t buying that argument.

“We can’t have the future of southwest Edmonton held up by the province dawdling,” said Ward 10 Coun. Michael Walters.

“This is the fastest growing quadrant of the fastest growing city in Canada,” he added later.

“There seems to be a lot of nope, no can do,” added Ward 9 Coun. Bryan Anderson, pushing for a detailed study anticipating how residents will move around the southwest for the next 20 years.

“If we don’t get some kind of major transportation boost into the southwest of the city, we’re going to shut half the city down,” he said at council’s executive committee.

The committee passed a motion to jointly examine public transportation, road widening, needed interchanges and expected growth, reporting back next year.