Edmonton bike group raises concern over shared use path during LRT line construction on 102 Ave

An Edmonton cycling group is sounding the alarm over the relocation of a downtown bike lane to allow for the Valley Line LRT construction.

The Edmonton Bike Coalition says the detour is “poorly signed, poorly connected and dangerous.”

As the Valley Line LRT construction continues on 102 Avenue downtown Edmonton, a section between 107 and 102 Streets will be closed start next week forcing of bicyclists to ride on shared use path on the street.

Mike Sacha, a volunteer with Edmonton Bike Coalition, relies on bicycles to navigate downtown, said the shared use path is unsafe for pedestrians and cyclists.

“As we get into the playoff and summer seasons, there’s going to be a lot more people using all sorts of different modes, such as scooters, folks with strollers, folks with wheelchairs, folks walking, folks on bikes, folks on e-bikes, a lot of people with a lot of different equipment in a small amount of space, there’s bound to be trouble,” Sacha said.  “There’s bound to be trouble.”

The bike coalition, instead, suggests expanding the 103 Avenue relocation from 110 Street to Churchill Square. 

“It meets all the requirements, the city’s own guidelines, and it doesn’t have these safety issues that we discussed,” says Aaron Budnick, another volunteer with the biking group.

The City of Edmonton, however, says traffic volume and pedestrian safety at the intersection is a concern.

A temporary bike lane on 103 Avenue connects to the existing bike network, but to use that, cyclists need to dismount their bikes, something Councillor Anne Stevnson says is disruptive.

“As a cyclist myself, I know from hearing from others that it’s very disruptive,” Stevenson said. “It really takes away from the ease of connectivity, and again, I think it’s not something we would ever ask of other modes of transportation.”

The City adds that the closure is needed to finish the construction efficiently.