Whyte Avenue scramble crosswalks stay through summer as transit project delays to 2027
Three intersections on Whyte Avenue will keep pedestrian-priority crossing signals for another year as the City of Edmonton extends its transit priority redesign.
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Three scramble crossings on Whyte Avenue will remain in place for another summer season as the City of Edmonton delays its transit priority measures project until 2027.
The intersections at 105 Street, Gateway Boulevard, and Calgary Trail were set to be redesigned this summer to speed up bus service. At a scramble crosswalk, all vehicles stop, allowing pedestrians to cross in any direction, including diagonally. The 105 Street scramble was added in 2018; the Gateway Boulevard and Calgary Trail scrambles were added in 2021.
The redesign was expected to halve transit delays at those intersections by expanding pedestrian space and removing bus bays so buses wouldn't have to exit and re-enter traffic. The new design would also prohibit right turns on red and allow left turns only during a dedicated arrow.
"The new schedule will allow the city to issue a longer construction tender, increasing market interest and helping secure the best value," city spokesperson Nicole Boychuk said. "The revised schedule will help to ensure construction can be completed within a single construction season, reducing the risk of work pausing over winter and minimizing overall disruption in the area."
Active transportation advocates say scramble crosswalks are safer because they completely separate vehicle traffic from pedestrians. While the city received both negative and positive feedback about removing the scrambles, that feedback was not a factor in the decision to delay, Boychuk said.
