Construction from Belvedere to Central Stations from 1974 to 1978
The original LRT line, nicknamed "Northeast Light Rail Transit Line", designated as Route LRT101, was built as a 7.2km line with 5 stations: Belvedere, Coliseum, Stadium, Churchill, and Central. This segment of the line cost $64.9 Million to construct. Construction started on September 30, 1974 at 95 Street near 106 Avenue. This location was close to Edmonton's first streetcars were delivered to. From the 95 Street/106 Avenue point, construction northeastwards of this point utilized unused parts of the Canadian National Railway's Right-of-Way all the way up to Belvedere Station. Starting at 95 Street, there are 7 grade crossings for traffic to cross the LRT tracks including 95 Street. The other 6 are located at 92 Street at 106A Avenue, 11 Avenue at 84 Street, 82 Street at 113 Avenue, 115 Avenue at 80 Street, 66 Street South of Fort Road, and 129 Avenue at east of Fort Road. There is also 3 overpasses where the LRT line goes over busy roads or where a grade crossing was deemed unsafe to build. The three overpasses are located at Coliseum Station to cross over 118 Avenue, Capilano Drive (Later renamed to Wayne Gretsky Drive), and finally the Yellowhead Trail. Just southwest of where Belvedere Station was constructed, there is a tunnel built where the LRT passes underneath the CN "Wainwright Subdivision". This tunnel was possibly constructed using the cut and cover method.
On the LRT line from 95 Street at South of 106 Avenue, the line heads southwest into downtown where it heads into a tunnel to it's final 2 stations. From Churchill Station to 95 Street, construction crews used the cut and cover method to construct a cement box for the tunnel after the area was excavated. It was then backfilled when the cement for the tunnel was dry and stable enough. In between Central and Churchill stations, a tunneling machine used to drill the twin tubes for the trains to travel through. This machine, nicknamed the "Mole", is a tunnel boring machine with several cutting heads on it that will drill approximately 5-6 meters per every 8 hour shift of tunneling. Once the mole was done drilling one tunnel, it would be dismantled and brought to the surface, reassembled, and sent down to drill the second tunnel.
Construction on Central and Churchill Stations was pretty much the same, except how it was covered up. Construction started on the mezzanine level, disrupting traffic in the areas of the stations. Once the mezzanine level was completed and construction on the track level could be done with sufficient room, the surface level was covered up and traffic and pedestrian access was reopened. Above Central station, there was concrete beams that were installed one by one until the mezzanine level was covered up and Jasper Avenue was opened again. I am pretty sure that a similar method was used to cover up Churchill station too. At the north end of Churchill station where the tunnel curves northeastwards, there was provisions taken place to allow a future extension to the northwest if the line was to be extended in that direction. On the mezzanine level at the present time, it is linked up to a system of underground walkways called "Pedways". These underground walkways were installed for people to walk to the stations, malls, and other buildings underground without having to go out into the cold weather and so they could get to and from the stations quickly.
Also featured on the mezzanine level of Churchill station is the ETS customer service centre and lost property. This customer service area was created during 1998 so that the former customer service desk at Jasper Avenue at 100A Street could be closed down. Further down the pedway from the Customer service centre is the security and radio control centre. This office contains the eyes and ears of Edmonton Transit, with several monitors linked by CCTV cameras at transit centres, LRT stations, and other areas, along with the Rail control centre where a shift of two people watch over the train movements and communicate to the LRV motormen. Also in this office is the bus control centre where they monitor all 4 bus radio channels, and can also watch the CCTV cameras at transit centres, LRT stations and other areas. In the hallway between the Customer service centre and the Security control centre is the bus schedule outlet, where patrons can pick up the different schedules of the bus system.
On the rest of the lines, Stadium, Coliseum, and Belvedere Stations were constructed. Stadium's station location was selected to serve the surrounding residential areas and the future home of the Commonwealth Stadium. Passengers can gain access to the station from both the east and west side of the station from an underground tunnel. This station featured a clear plexiglass roof so patrons could be sheltered from the elements. Stadium station is located at 111 Avenue at 84 Street, where this station played home to major events such as outdoor concerts & special events, the 1978 Commonwealth Games, the 2001 IAAF World Track & Field games, Edmonton Eskimo's football games, and other sporting events too. This station was opened up only months before the 1978 Commonwealth Games opened. This station has a Park & Ride terminal on the west side of the station and a bus terminal on the east side of the station.
Coliseum Station has a unique design as the station was constructed on a bridge. This station is located at 118 Avenue at 76 Street next to the Northlands Coliseum, now named the Skyreach Centre. Passengers are sheltered with a plexiglass roof with an arch above where the trains stop. Escalators and an elevator provide access from the platform to an underpass where you can go to the bus terminal, the Skyreach Centre, and to the Northlands Park. The Skyreach Centre is home to concerts, hockey games, and some other special events while the Northlands Park is home to horse racing, Klondike days, and other expositions that would like to use the space.
At the end of the original line, Belvedere station was constructed. It was located at 129 Avenue at about the 5900 block. The original station was a single track station that led in on the southbound track (west side of the tracks), but was later made into a normal two track station down the road as well as being rebuilt to look newer. The bus terminal was constructed on the west side of Belvedere Station. The station itself was a simple design, just mainly a raised platform with lights and shelters located along the platform. The northbound track was only built to the north side of 129 Avenue and was not used or extended until 1980/1981 when the Clareview extension was constructed. For more information about the upgrades to the Belvedere station, please see the Belvedere Station upgrades section from the main Edmonton LRT special section that is soon to come.