Cycling and Active Transportation in Edmonton

[constance_chlore]

One advantage we have is that so many routes are MUPs or secondary streets (110st vs 109st for example). So we aren’t as exposed as Toronto to losing a bunch of key routes.

Are any of Edmonton's existing bike lanes particularly polarizing, to the point that they could become anti-bike lane soundbites—the equivalent of Bloor, Yonge, and University? Or is it just the spending on bike lanes in general?

I recall that during the 2021 Montréal election, Denis Coderre threatened to rip out parts of the Bellechasse bike lane to reinstate parking, but it didn't really drum up much fervor and just ended up sounding a bit ridiculous.

 

[TAS]

Are any of Edmonton's existing bike lanes particularly polarizing, to the point that they could become anti-bike lane soundbites—the equivalent of Bloor, Yonge, and University? Or is it just the spending on bike lanes in general?

I recall that during the 2021 Montréal election, Denis Coderre threatened to rip out parts of the Bellechasse bike lane to reinstate parking, but it didn't really drum up much fervor and just ended up sounding a bit ridiculous.

It's spending on active transportation in general. Edmonton actually has very few 'bike lanes' - most of the infrastructure has been spent of multi-use paths for people who walk, jog, cycle and roll.

Most of the protected bike lanes we do have aren't even visible to most motorists as few drivers use 102 Ave, 83 Ave or 119 Ave as examples.

 

[thommyjo]

It's spending on active transportation in general. Edmonton actually has very few 'bike lanes' - most of the infrastructure has been spent of multi-use paths for people who walk, jog, cycle and roll.

Most of the protected bike lanes we do have aren't even visible to most motorists as few drivers use 102 Ave, 83 Ave or 119 Ave as examples.

102ave, 110st, 83ave etc should hopefully all avoid risks as secondary streets.

95ave on the west end in 2026 should be getting a district connector that will require the removal of a service road (I.e lanes) to make it fit. That would be an example of a route at risk potentially is the UCP follows Ford’s “lane removal” flag

 

[thommyjo]

does anyone understand our snow clearing for active transportation? Why are routes like the 127th street bike lane not done, yet the majority of suburban MUPs are. Any commuter reliant on 127th st today can't use it, but we have arterials outside the henday cleared?

Is this a deployment issue? Prioritization strategy? Equipment restrictions? Map inaccuracy?

Also, 102ave west of 130th street not being cleared continues to piss me off beyond belief. Finish the last 10 blocks to 140th please!!! The vast majority of users of 102ave west of 124th street are entering it from west of 140th. It'd be like randomly stopping snow clearing on the Whitemud at 111st. I've submitted this request to 311 and Knack multiple times the last 2 years. If you care to help, please also send an email.

 

[TAS]

Has anyone heard more about this? This is news to me.

"According to the city, the Government of Alberta plans to create its own legislation relating to cycling infrastructure"

I hope they're not going the Ontario route...

New bicycle regulations approved in Lethbridge

LETHBRIDGE, AB - Lethbridge City Council has approved a series of changes to the way bicycles are regulated.At...

lethbridgenewsnow.com

Unfortunately, I've checked this out and was told the province is exploring similar legislation to Ontario for either fall 2025 or early 2026.

 

[Kosy123]

Ugh, here's hoping that the fact a lot of our infrastructure are MUPs mean this legislation is toothless.

 

[thommyjo]

Unfortunately, I've checked this out and was told the province is exploring similar legislation to Ontario for either fall 2025 or early 2026.

Hurry up 100mil active transportation team. Get stuff built asap.

 

[dkazzed]

I think they need to do all of 132 Ave in one go this summer rather than phasing to 2027.

 

[trevorhayden]

Or they just ignore any Provincial laws. What's going to happen? Danielle Smith will pound her little fists and shout! Oooh I am so scared.

 

[Gronk!]

Unfortunately, I've checked this out and was told the province is exploring similar legislation to Ontario for either fall 2025 or early 2026.

Does that entail there'll be no more summertime temporary MUPs on Victoria Park Road and Saskatchewan Drive as of 2026?

 

[trevorhayden]

I am sure they will try to ban bike lanes, temporary and permanent across Alberta and declare bikes "unalbertan".

 

[thommyjo]

Does that entail there'll be no more summertime temporary MUPs on Victoria Park Road and Saskatchewan Drive as of 2026?

Never loved those TBH. Just build good MUPs

 

[TAS]

Does that entail there'll be no more summertime temporary MUPs on Victoria Park Road and Saskatchewan Drive as of 2026?

I'm sorry to tell you there will be no summertime temporary MUP on Victoria Park Rd in 2025 because.... a permanent MUP will start construction (hopefully by late spring) on Victoria Park Road from 116 Street to River Valley Road. This is part of the $100 million network expansion and fills in another missing link.
109 to 116st is the next missing piece in this area, but that is a few years away still.
Rather unfortunate we can't get all these core parts linked up sooner but there is some progress happening ND planning.

 

[Gronk!]

I'm sorry to tell you there will be no summertime temporary MUP on Victoria Park Rd in 2025 because.... a permanent MUP will start construction (hopefully by late spring) on Victoria Park Road from 116 Street to River Valley Road. This is part of the $100 million network expansion and fills in another missing link.
109 to 116st is the next missing piece in this area, but that is a few years away still.
Rather unfortunate we can't get all these core parts linked up sooner but there is some progress happening ND planning.

It probably goes without saying, but a permanent MUP on Victoria Park Road is actually a good thing!
Will Saskatchewan Dr have a permanent MUP under construction in 2025 as well?

 

[northlands]

does anyone understand our snow clearing for active transportation? Why are routes like the 127th street bike lane not done, yet the majority of suburban MUPs are. Any commuter reliant on 127th st today can't use it, but we have arterials outside the henday cleared?

Is this a deployment issue? Prioritization strategy? Equipment restrictions? Map inaccuracy?

Also, 102ave west of 130th street not being cleared continues to piss me off beyond belief. Finish the last 10 blocks to 140th please!!! The vast majority of users of 102ave west of 124th street are entering it from west of 140th. It'd be like randomly stopping snow clearing on the Whitemud at 111st. I've submitted this request to 311 and Knack multiple times the last 2 years. If you care to help, please also send an email.

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I asked a buddy who works for the City about this. He said there are priority spots (which are defined here) but the issue he figures is they re-assigned a lot of snow removal duties from various areas into one big general snow removal group and they're completely swamped while others who used to do also do snow removal duties have had their scope narrowed to focus solely on their duties and not snow removal. So you have days like today after a snowfall where you have snow removal crews scrambling, while other crews who used to contribute to snow removal are just sitting around or doing other less important tasks.

The other issue is training and the City's workforce moving consistently toward seasonal employees vs long time permanent guys. Every year the City brings on a bunch of temp seasonal guys, who eventually leave after a season or two because as a temp you get no benefits (or days off and no pension obvs) and then they have to rehire new people. Problem is, City policy states you cannot operate anything beyond a shovel unless you receive formal training from the City, which has a miles long backlog. So they hire all these new people who then can't operate the toolcats, broom machines, trucks with plows, trucks larger than F250, trucks with trailers, etc and all the other snow removal equipment.