Trains and a cycle track to displace traffic on 102nd Avenue
City believes they now know how to safely pack in LRT and bike routes on busy downtown street
The city thinks they've figured out a way to take one of downtown Edmonton's busiest roads and fill it up even more, adding room dedicated to two more modes of transportation.
The city plans to add LRT tracks, platforms, and a separated cycle track to the already bustling 102nd Avenue.
Robert Gibbard, director of capital transportation planning, said they have figured out how to do it safely and they're ready to begin design.
102 Avenue will become primarily an LRT corridor for the new Valley Line. But Gibbard said city council wanted high-quality bike infrastructure on the road as well. After an extensive safety review, the city has decided to replace the second existing eastbound lane with a separated two-way cycle track.
To pack it all in, traffic will be reduced to one eastbound lane.
"It will take it from (what) we see today, in terms of large volume, down to something that is hopefully ... lower volume" Gibbard said.
Gibbard acknowledged other avenues are already congested, but he believes they can accommodate the traffic displaced by the trains and bikes. He also hopes people will consider leaving their cars at home once the new infrastructure is in place.
Hear Rob Gibbard's full interview with Edmonton AM
"It would be a great outcome if people decided not to use their cars and decided to use other methods of transportation," he said.
Once construction begins, it will take about four years to finish the project, which will be done in tandem with the Valley LRT Line.
Transit has already been rerouted off 102nd Avenue to accommodate utilities work associated with the LRT.