City councillors suggest ways to keep Edmontonians from getting stuck in traffic

Edmontonians can expect to see more places where a special signal light gives a bus a head start in traffic.

On Tuesday, council’s urban planning committee reviewed the first phase of a new initiative that will make it so buses can be faster in some parts of the city.

That prompted a couple of councillors to propose solutions to congestion problems in their parts of the city. In south Edmonton, where the Century Park park and ride is getting phased out and a new replacement parking area is coming in 2020.

Councillor Michael Walters said he is worried bus commuters getting from Ellerslie Road to the LRT will get stuck in traffic with out an extra boost.

“We know what traffic congestion is like down there, and I can’t see how putting people on a shuttle bus in that congestion is going to inspire them to become lifelong transit users, and that’s my concern. It’s not a good product.”

Walters said he wants to see priority signals for ETS so buses can get up 111 Street to Century Park. He also said he’s frustrated that’s not already part of the plan.

“Now it comes to us as an unfunded idea for the capital budget, and it seems to me like we differ on the degree of urgency.”

Walters will push for the priority signals when council debates the 2019-2022 capital budget in December.

“We’re not talking about the expensive stuff,” he said. “I’m not talking about redesigning the road — to put a transit-only lane in — I’m talking about queue jumps at the lights.”

Another problem area that was brought up was the gridlock north of downtown on 97 Street. Councillor Jon Dziadyk has asked about the wide-open lane that’s only used by ETS between 118 Avenue and the Yellowhead Trail. He said he’d like to cut some slack to carpool drivers and let them in that lane as well.

“I only bring this up because we already have these lanes in place right now,” he told reporters. “So I’m not advocating for removal of any regular multi-use lanes. This is just where we already have lanes, that are intended for buses and taxis and bicycles, to add the consideration of carpooling.”

Dziadyk has asked for feedback on using 97 Street as a pilot, to see if the idea could work on other bus-only lanes around the city.

Dziadyk’s answer will come in a memo in the new year.

The second phase of the priority signalling initiative will come next spring, when council gets a report on top potential locations. It will accompany a report on the finalized bus network.