It’s going to be a big year for active transportation in Edmonton with several important projects getting underway or continuing construction. Other projects will be wrapping up resulting in the completion of several missing links and key connectors in the city’s active transportation network.
These projects are either a part of major roadway upgrades, the four-year $100 million active transportation network expansion, neighbourhood renewals, or special partnerships with other orders of government.
The new routes benefit all Edmontonians as building viable options for people to move around takes pressure off parking demands, traffic congestion and the city’s long term financial budget. When people walk, bike, roll or take transit for even some of their trips, everyone wins including drivers, as it means fewer vehicles on the road at once, which improves safety. There’s also financial, health, and environmental benefits along with something else we know to be true – active transportation is fun!
Here are 10 projects we’re super excited about in 2025:
1. Jasper Avenue from 114 to 124 Street
Construction of phase 2 of the Imagine Jasper Avenue project, partially funded by the federal government’s active transportation fund, gets underway this year and is expected to take three years. Phase 1 between 109 to 114 Streets was completed in 2021 and provided an enhanced pedestrian experience with wider sidewalks, benches, lighting, landscaping and bike racks. This next phase includes the same features plus the addition of pedestrian-friendly continuous crossing sidewalks west of 116 Street that provide an uninterrupted elevated walking path that improves safety and comfort for people waking and rolling while also having a traffic-calming effect.
Here is the proposed schedule of work (vehicle traffic remains open):
- 2025 – 114-117 Street
- 2026 – 117-121 Street
- 2027 – 121-124 Street
Before:
After:
2. 113 Street from 105 Avenue to Kingsway Avenue
This route is part of the $100 million active transportation network expansion and will add a valuable link from the central part of the city to some key destinations such as Blatchford, NAIT, and Kingsway Mall.
Originating from the bike lanes on 105 Avenue, this new protected two-way bike lane will run north along 113 Street to 111 Avenue when it transitions into a multi-use path and continues north to Kingsway Avenue. From there, users can travel west along Kingsway Avenue to 122 Street and connect with the multi-use path there or head further east through Blatchford to numerous communities including Westwood and Alberta Avenue.
Current state:
3. Victoria Park Road at 116 Street to River Valley Road
This route has been part of Summer Streets the past few years and will now provide a year-round protected bi-directional on-street lane adjacent to the existing southside sidewalk making this key route suitable to walk, bike and roll. The protected on-street cycling facility will have a 3.0m width with an additional 0.6m for the barriers.
The work will include the installation of pin-on-curb barriers with flex posts to delineate the on-street bike lane from vehicle traffic. Mini barriers will be implemented at crosswalks and end points. A raised, floating concrete bus stop will be built to accommodate ETS Stop #1806 along the route. This important missing link is part of the accelerated active transportation network expansion plan.
4. 132 Avenue from Fort Road to 127 Street
In what will be one the city’s signature active transportation routes, this 7.3km renewal roadway project connects 9 neighbourhoods along 132 Avenue from 127 Street to Fort Road and along the way features multiple schools, community and recreation spaces, sports fields and businesses.
The previously overbuilt four-lane roadway that unintentionally encouraged speeding, will now have separate, permanently protected spaces for people to walk, bike and roll safely and efficiently while enjoying a more calm and pleasant experience with more tree plantings and benches.
The project highlight is a new roundabout intersection at 90 Street with a separate space for each mode of travel – driving, cycling and walking.
- 2025 schedule – 66 to 82 Street and 113A to 122 Street will be under construction.
- The entire project will be wrapped up in late 2027 with the roundabout at 90 Street as the final piece.
5. Terwillegar Drive active transportation projects
Although a major roadway project funded by the city and province, the Terwillegar Drive Expansion also features some significant active transportation components including three new bridges that are gamechangers in terms of accessibility and connectivity for walking, cycling and rolling in southwest Edmonton and beyond.
- The 142 Street pedestrian and cyclist bridge links Brookside and Bulyea Heights communities to existing active transportation routes and will open later this year.
- Upgraded and expanded shared pathways from 122 to 142 Street complete missing links.
- A dedicated pedestrian and cyclist bridge adjacent to the westbound Rainbow Valley Bridge will provide a safe, more pleasant pathway away from traffic and opens later in 2025.
- A new pedestrian and cyclist bridge spanning Anthony Henday Drive between Terwillegar Drive and Rabbit Hill Road will connect existing pathways with Ambleside east of the Currents of Windermere. Construction of this final stage of the project may not begin until 2026.
Project rendering:
6. Yellowhead Trail 127 Street shared pathway
Similar to Terwillegar Drive, the Yellowhead Trail Freeway Conversion is a major roadway project that will also feature important active transportation elements to better connect the network. Construction is currently ongoing and will be completed in 2027. Here are some key features
- A new pedestrian/cyclist bridge crossing is planned along the west side of 127 Street providing a safer and easier connection between the communities south and north of Yellowhead Trail.
- A new shared pathway to be built on the south side of Yellowhead Trail from 142 to 107 Street will link the communities of Sherbrooke, Prince Charles and Blatchford and connect to NAIT.
- As part of 127 Street renewal expected to begin in 2028, the shared path along 127 Street will continue north of Yellowhead Trail to 137 Avenue and along the way will also provide connection to the new 132 Avenue cycle lanes and sidewalks to Fort Road.
7. Fort Road/Manning Drive from Belvedere Way to 153 Avenue
Construction of a new shared pathway on Fort Road between Belvedere Way and 137 Avenue, as well as portions of Manning Drive south of 153 Avenue is underway and expected to be complete in the fall of 2025. This is one of the largest projects as part of the $100 million active transportation network expansion program and provides important connections to the Clareview LRT station along with businesses and services along Fort Road. To the north, the route will connect to 153 Avenue and new share pathways west of 97 Street into Griesbach community. Construction of the Fort Road/Manning Drive shared pathways includes:
- Removal of the existing concrete walk, curbs and gutters
- Construction of new 3.0m asphalt and concrete shared pathways
- Relocation of streetlights
- Addition of new landscaping and signage
8. Edmonton – Strathcona County footbridge
A new pedestrian and cyclist bridge will finish construction in late spring or early summer that will cross the North Saskatchewan River, linking the City of Edmonton at 167 Avenue with Strathcona County at Township Road 540.
The design features two viewing areas on the bridge as well as recreational gathering areas on each end. Pathways from the bridge will link to existing trail systems becoming part of a more than 100km trail connecting six municipalities along the North Saskatchewan River valley.
9. O’Day-min (Warehouse) Park
Although not specifically a transportation project, this transformational park for downtown Edmonton will provide a wonderful walking, cycling and rolling destination all year round. Situated on former parking lots between 106 to 108 Street and north of Jasper Avenue, this park features a pavilion with washrooms for community events, gathering space with fire pits and seating, a playground, exercise area, basketball court and an off-leash dog park. Enhancements to active transportation include the following:
- A rebuilt 106 Street cycle lane between 104 and 99 Avenue that will feature a new boulevard with trees to separate vehicle traffic and create a more pleasant experience.
- The existing 107 Street will become part of the park, forming a pedestrian promenade that will be wide enough to support various community events. There will be no through traffic at 107 Street between 102 and Jasper Avenue.
- Multiple new bike parking facilities.
10. 95 Avenue renewal from 163 to 182 Street
While we would have preferred that this renewal had taken its inspiration from the 132 Avenue project, as 95 Avenue is also an overbuilt road with service lanes and so much potential, this project will still serve as an important district connector as identified in the city’s Bike Plan. Key features of the renewal, which gets underway soon and will be completed in 2025, include the following:
- New 3.0m asphalt shared use pathway on the south side of 95 Avenue with raised crossing at 167 Street and a boulevard with new trees.
- Removal of the service road on the south side of the roadway between 165-170 Street and replacement with parking bays and new connector sidewalks.
- Service road on north side of the road will be maintained and reconstructed. A new 1.8m to 2.5m sidewalk to be built.
- Continuation of the 95 Avenue shared use pathway from 163 to 142 Street is planned for 2026 as part of Active Tra
Honorable mention – McCauley Neighbourhood Renewal
Although completed at the end of the 2024 construction season, we’re including the beautiful new sidewalks, boulevards and protected bike lanes built in the McCauley community, specifically along 96 Street between 103A to 111 Avenue in our list as this will be the first year of full usage. This important upgrade in active transportation infrastructure will safely expand the bike network north to the 119 Avenue protected lanes where cyclists can travel further east and connect all the way to northeast Edmonton or continue north along 96 Street into Delton.
