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Yellowhead Trail Upgrades

I’ve biked on 125A Ave and 125 Ave through January and February as the Yellowhead Trail MUP from 50 St to 67 St was in pretty rough condition most of the time. I’ve been back on the MUP since, sharing the road with semis is not my vibe.
 
The_Cat said:
I just hope that some people aren’t stupid enough to walk across Yellowhead at 66 Street.
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Hopefully there will be the full barriers at the center of Yellowhead and perhaps even barriers of some sorts on either side of the roadway that will deter any people wanting to cross the road. If anything what they should do is build a pedestrian bridge over top of yellowhead at 66th Street that will allow pedestrians to still move north-south on that roadway. It's not as common to see that here in Edmonton but it is 100% common to see that in places like the Philippines to get pedestrians over top of very busy roadways.
 
If they're gonna spend federal/provincial/municipal grants to build a pedestrian bridge over Yellowhead Trail and 66 St then they may as well build a vehicular bridge over it. That kinda defeats the purpose of this current design, does it not?
 
Gronk! said:
If they're gonna spend federal/provincial/municipal grants to build a pedestrian bridge over Yellowhead Trail and 66 St then they may as well build a vehicular bridge over it. That kinda defeats the purpose of this current design, does it not?
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If I can have a hot take, I'm glad they're removing the 66 Street intersection completely. For one, there is the obvious 125 Ave that they built precisely to provide connection to the Industrial Heights area once the YHT becomes a freeway, along with the expanded Fort Road. Also, what exactly is 66 Street serving? South of the YHT, 66 Street is not an arterial road as Wayne Gretzky Drive/Fort Road; by the time it leaves the Montrose neighbourhood at 118 Ave, it becomes just another residential street.

In my view, it's like 124 Street in the Prince Charles neighbourhood, where it's just not an important enough road to justify a bridge over YHT.
 
66 Street used to be an arterial connection to Capilano/Wayne Gretzky Drive back in the days when it terminated at 120 Avenue. When Gretzky Drive opened, 120 Avenue was closed, and the connection to 66 Street was reduced from traffic signals to a stop sign. I'm guessing that the traffic counts at 66 Street south of Yellowhead have been reduced significantly. Trucks accessing 66 Street east and west of Yellowhead can use 125 Avenue. Motorists probably find 50 Street or Fort Road just as convenient.
 
The_Cat said:
66 Street used to be an arterial connection to Capilano/Wayne Gretzky Drive back in the days when it terminated at 120 Avenue. When Gretzky Drive opened, 120 Avenue was closed, and the connection to 66 Street was reduced from traffic signals to a stop sign. I'm guessing that the traffic counts at 66 Street south of Yellowhead have been reduced significantly. Trucks accessing 66 Street east and west of Yellowhead can use 125 Avenue. Motorists probably find 50 Street or Fort Road just as convenient.
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Oh dang, you are right.
1777185003126.png
 
66, 107, 124, 142 and 149 Street are redundant intersections. Useful turnoffs when Yellowhead Trail was an expressway but having turnoffs at these intersections and truck turnoffs at intersections 89 Street slowed traffic significantly.

The piecemeal construction of one interchange every five years was painfully slow.
 

Latest Update (St. Albert Trail to 97 Street):​

Construction of the St Albert Trail to 97 Street project continues along the length of the project. Construction of the 127 Street interchange is ongoing, bridge girders have been installed and installation of the bridge deck is anticipated for summer 2026. Construction of the pedestrian bridge at 127 Street is also anticipated to commence in summer of 2026 Construction of the future 115 Street interchange is ongoing, bridge girders have been installed and installation of the bridge deck is anticipated for summer 2026 Installation of underground drainage infrastructure continues within Blatchford and along Yellowhead Trail. Drainage installation along 121 Street was completed in 2025. Installation of the tunneling shafts along 124 Avenue at 124 Street, 126 Street, and 129 Street was completed in 2025, tunneling between 131 street and St. Albert Trail is anticipate to commence spring 2026. The new median concrete barriers and streetlights have been constructed between 97 Street to 107 Street. Yellowhead Trail remains two lanes in each direction between St. Albert Trail and 97 Street, with a reduced speed of 50 km/h throughout the project limits. Please watch for changing traffic patterns as the project progresses through different construction stages.

Latest Update (82 Street to 50 Street):​

This project includes the removal of the signalized at-grade intersection at 66 Street and Yellowhead Trail. The removal of direct accesses to Yellowhead Trail from existing substandard connections to local roadways and alley will be closed. Off-corridor network improvements to improve access to the freeway and the adjacent neighbourhoods will also be completed. In preparation for the removal of the 66 Street intersection, the Yellowhead Trail eastbound to 66 Street northbound left-turn movement is closed permanently on November 28, 2025. The design phase is underway and is anticipated to be completed by the end of 2026. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2027.
 
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