Bike lanes going up in Edmonton’s Delton neighbourhood despite pushback from residents

Edmonton is adding more bike lanes, notably in the Delton community just north of Alberta Avenue. 

Some residents here have been fiercely pushing back against the plan for over five years, with a recent petition.

They say they’re outraged to see signs like this going up in their neighbourhood.

“They have their ideological vision, and they do not care what the residents of this community want,” said Jeremiah Rawling, a Delton resident.

Rawling strongly opposes the bike lanes being set up in front of his home along 96 Street and is not looking forward to the construction.

“They are going to block this intersection off, and this one down there. It’s stupid and unsafe,” Rawling explained.

He’s part of a group in the Delton and Alberta Avenue neighbourhoods that has been petitioning against the lanes over the past six years. Organizers are upset that it appears the city is moving forward anyway.

“Extremely frustrating considering all the feedback, and the media, everything that we’ve been doing to say listen, we don’t want this to happen,” said Margherita Gosselin, an Alberta Avenue resident.

Ward councillor Ashley Salvador says she does hear residents’ concerns around how the changes will impact their lives.

“Being able to navigate those changes and try to work with residents and make adaptations where possible, but still move forward with the overall goal of expanding that network is the balance that needs to be struck,” said Salvador.

Salvador notes these bike lanes will round out the city’s active transportation network.

“This is really about filling in some of those missing links city-wide and being able to ensure there’s safe infrastructure for everyone to get around in ways that work for them,” said Salvador.

In a statement to CityNews, Devin Dreeshen, Alberta’s Minister of Transportation and Economic Corridors, says he will meet with residents in the neighbourhood to hear their concerns and Edmonton’s mayor to discuss future projects, saying, “Alberta’s government supports safe cycling options, but not when they come at the expense of road capacity for drivers, emergency responders, businesses, or families … We remain committed to working with the City of Edmonton to find solutions that provide safe bike routes while protecting the road capacity that drivers rely on every day.”

As for these residents, they want this project paused until after the municipal election in the fall so a new council can hear them out.

“We’ve just heard crickets. Nothing. They don’t even care to engage us,” said Rawling.

The City anticipates new bike lanes in the Delton community will be opened by the end of the year.