People who use Whitemud Drive at the Rainbow Valley Bridge for their daily commute are about to deal with some traffic changes.
Starting Monday, Feb. 12 at 9 p.m., the westbound lanes of the Whitemud over the bridge will close. Two-way traffic will be redirected to the eastbound lanes of Rainbow Valley Bridge.
The City of Edmonton originally planned to start the work on Feb. 9, but said the work was pushed back due to the weather. Crews needed a few extra days to clear the snow and apply pavement markings required for the traffic changes.
These significant traffic pattern changes are needed to complete work to widen the bridge to four lanes plus shoulders, the City of Edmonton said in a news release Thursday.
Pedestrians, cyclists and other active modes of transportation will be detoured through Whitemud Creek Ravine.
Construction on the bridge is expected to last well into 2025.
“Work will start on the westbound bridge with anticipated completion in late 2024,” said Nathan Stelmach, acting director of transportation infrastructure delivery with the City of Edmonton.
“Once the westbound bridge is complete, work will begin on the eastbound bridge in 2025. Both bridges are anticipated to be in service for late 2025.
“Some work will continue into 2026-2027 on surrounding roadways, dedicated transit facilities and landscaping; however, this work will not have significant traffic impacts.”
The work is part of Stage 2 of the Terwillegar Drive expansion project, which also includes the construction of a new pedestrian bridge next to the Rainbow Valley Bridge.
“This new bridge will improve safety and experience for all active modes of transportation, providing a dedicated pathway for pedestrians and cyclists, away from traffic,” the city said.
People who use the bridge are encouraged to give themselves extra time to deal with potential delays.
The city said it will monitor traffic and make adjustments as necessary to improve traffic flow through the construction zone.
Access to Snow Valley and the Rainbow Valley Campground will be maintained throughout construction.
The Terwillegar Drive expansion started in 2021 and is expected to take five years to complete. The plan involves upgrading Terwillegar Drive to an expressway.
Stage 3 of the project includes further road widening, upgrades to the Terwillegar Drive and Anthony Henday Drive interchanges and adding dedicated transit lanes and a shared-use path.
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