The first portions of downtown Edmonton's new bike grid officially open at 2:00pm today, after construction began in April. Joined by Councillor Scott McKeen and Councillor Andrew Knack, media were given a guided ride of the 100 Avenue stretch of the lane, from 109 Street to 103 Street, led by Project Manager Olga Messinis and Social Marketing Coordinator Dot Laing.

"As the second-fastest growing city in Canada, Edmonton continues to see a growth in the cycling community and the increased need for year-round cycling options in the core," said McKeen. "The Downtown Bike Network is a milestone achievement to providing safe and accessible transportation options for all citizens."

Scott McKeen gives a short speech, image by Dave Sutherland

The first sections to open include 100 Avenue, 107 Street, and 103 Street, with additional sections of the 7.8-kilometre project set to open before July.

An overview of the downtown bike network, image via City of Edmonton

The separated lanes are based directly on the highly successful pilot project which the City of Calgary began in its downtown in 2015, and which the city has since decided to make permanent.

Project Manager Olga Messinis leads the tour, image by Dave Sutherland

Though Edmonton's downtown grid is already considered "permanent" and not a pilot, it is designed with the same flexibility as the Calgary project — using movable curbs to separate bikes from vehicle traffic — to ensure it can be adjusted and adapted based on monitored usage with relative ease.

Councillor Andrew Knack touring the lanes, image by Dave Sutherland

The new infrastructure also contains some elements that may not be familiar to Edmontonians, such as green "bike boxes", which help people on bikes safely make turns across vehicle traffic.

Dot Laing demonstrates how to use a bike box, image by Dave Sutherland

New signals have been installed at intersections on the grid, and signal patterns have been updated to minimize potential conflicts between road users, such as by providing a new signal phase for vehicles turning left across the lanes.

An EPCOR worker uncovers one of the new bike signals, image by Dave Sutherland

While a massive education campaign aimed at all road users is already underway, over the next month the city will also have street teams at key locations on the grid, extending the educational component by promoting courteous and lawful behaviour through positive reinforcement.

Pavement markings help remind people in vehicles to watch for people on bikes, image by Dave Sutherland

With the opening of the lanes, Edmonton joins a growing list of cities looking to manage traffic and congestion by providing new and safe alternatives to commuting by car. By building separated lanes, the City of Edmonton aims to not only reduce injuries and fatalities for existing bike commuters — part of its "Vision Zero" goal — but to attract new users who are otherwise not comfortable riding in mixed traffic.

The city hopes to extend the riding season for many people on bikes as well by prioritizing snow clearing in winter before even the adjacent roadways.

Testing out the new lanes, image by Dave Sutherland

A grand opening festival is set for August 26, when the remainder of the initial downtown grid is set to be complete and operational.

What do you think of the new downtown bike network? You can get involved in the discussion by leaving a comment below or by visiting the designated Forum thread.