Edmonton committee to review Belgravia traffic fixes

Edmonton’s urban planning committee will review a traffic study on Tuesday that found drivers dodging congestion south of the University of Alberta are causing delays of five to 25 minutes for people trying to leave Belgravia, and administration is asking for about $2 million in short-term fixes.

The study is attached to the committee’s Oct. 20 agenda, Taproot Edmonton reported. Some residents told the city it can take 45 minutes or more to get out of the neighbourhood, the report said.

Administration said the delays stem from rush-hour congestion on roads around and through Belgravia, driven by traffic to and from the University of Alberta and the Groat Road Bridge, and by people waiting for the LRT on 114 Street N.W.

For the short term, administration proposes reconfiguring intersections and signal timing where 114 Street meets 76 Avenue, University Avenue and 87 Avenue, including a pedestrian scramble at 87 Avenue. The work is estimated at about $2 million and would need approval in the city’s 2027-2030 capital budget.

Administration also lists longer-term options to redesign the intersections at 87 Avenue and Groat Road, Belgravia Road and 114 Street, and Fox Drive and Whitemud Drive. The stated goal is to reduce shortcutting by improving traffic flow on the arterial roads around the neighbourhoods.

The committee’s recommendations would go on to council. The review comes during a busy week at city hall, where council is also dealing with the province’s infill zoning order. Residents can also weigh in on a separate city proposal on residential parking until Nov. 15.

Details above come from Taproot Edmonton’s summary of the committee agenda and city administration’s reports; the city’s own agenda documents were not independently reviewed for this story.

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