After a summer of record-breaking rainfall, virtually all of the city’s active construction projects have been delayed, gumming up traffic all over Edmonton, and congestion is anticipated to worsen once students return to class. David Johnson, president of the Edmonton Construction Association (ECA), said the rain itself isn’t the issue, it’s the aftermath that has snarled crews up as they continuously pumped water out of excavation sites and repaired damaged trenches, particularly in July. “After a rainfall of this scale, construction recovery is measured not only by when the rain stops, but it’s measured by when the ground, site and workers are safe to proceed,” said Johnson at a city infrastructure committee meeting earlier this week. Projects planned for July are now being pushed into late August, September and beyond. Some have been outright cancelled. “Repeated storms have saturated the soils, strained our water system and left little time for sites, roads and infrastructure corridors to dry out,” said ECA board member Falynn Schellenberg at Wednesday’s meeting. ‘Please try to have some patience’ With students back in school next week, the city is asking drivers to leave with extra time and to exercise patience on the roads. “Frustration,” said Ward pihêsiwin Coun. Mike Elliott. “I think that’s going to be quite common for citizens as they get ready … it’s going to be grid after grid of back to back to back.” He said many construction companies are trying to expedite work and catch up while August has seen drier conditions. “All I can say is, please try to have some patience. These upgrades are coming, and it will be much better in the very near future,” Elliott said. Edmonton Catholic Schools met with the city to provide feedback on school access, bus loading zones, transportation routes, parking and student safety on the 132 Avenue Renewal Project. Construction on 132 Avenue began in 2023 with an expected completion date this fall. The school board asks that drivers be mindful of students, pedestrians, cyclists and construction activity around all school zones. “Reviewing pedestrian safety with your child helps keep everyone safe,” said a statement from Edmonton Catholic Schools. The City of Edmonton is reminding drivers that the speed limit in all playground zones, which includes school streets, is 30 km/h from 7:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. all year. The speed limit on all other residential streets is 40 km/h unless posted otherwise. “Students are some of the most vulnerable road users and everyone has an important role in keeping them safe, whether they are walking, biking or rolling,” said the city in a media release. “Driving at a safe speed is one of the best ways to help keep students safe.” Problem areas While there are dozens of construction projects in neighbourhoods with many schools, there are a few that stand out. 163 Street bike lane construction Stretches of 163 Street between 107 Avenue and Stony Plain Road as well as from 95 Avenue to 87 Avenue have seen reduced vehicle access as the city works to expand its Active Transportation Network. There are three schools impacted by the construction, all of which are on 163 Street: Jasper Place School, St. Francis Xavier Catholic High School and Youngstown School, as well as the Jasper Place Leisure Centre. Intersecting with 163 Street is also construction work on 95 Avenue that extends to 170 Street. Avenue renewal construction is expected to be completed on schedule this fall. Construction is expected to wrap up on Oct. 31. Terwillegar Drive Expansion Terwillegar Drive – a major commuter route – is undergoing an expansion, prompting lane closures along Windermere Boulevard for a project that will see a new bridge for northbound Terwillegar Drive over Anthony Henday Drive. It will also add loop ramps from southbound Terwillegar to eastbound Anthony Henday, and northbound Terwillegar to westbound Anthony Henday. There will also be the addition of a shared pathway and pedestrian bridge over the Henday connecting Windermere and Haddow Drive. The final stage of the project, the first starting in 2024, is to be completed in 2028. Road closures are likely to impact those going to Constable Daniel Woodall School. LRT construction Much of the city is impacted by the seemingly neverending LRT construction. An area in south Edmonton will see a series of temporary closures for the Capital Line South. Sections of westbound and eastbound traffic lanes on 23 Avenue and 111 Street will temporarily close to accommodate road and median removals. Each closure phase is expected to last about a week. A map of all traffic disruptions across the city can be found here. With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Jeremy Thompson
