Edmonton council to debate changes to Belgravia intersection to curb traffic

Changes to relieve pressure from traffic congestion at 114 Street and 76 Avenue in Belgravia will be discussed as part of the next Edmonton budget.

On Tuesday, the urban planning committee voted 4-0, with Mayor Andrew Knack absent, to include tweaks to the intersection and connecting roadways with hopes to alleviate the pressure on the arterial corridor in the upcoming four-year budget deliberations.

“I would say this is a first down,” said Ward papastew Coun. Michael Janz. “I have raised this issue continuously with council. You see a lot of drivers who are stuck in traffic and they end up doing things like illegal u-turns, shortcutting, there’s high degrees of road rage — I see it myself.

“The long term solution ultimately is to get people onto transit, but as far as short-term solutions right now, this will go a long way.”

What’s being considered are changes to the timing of traffic signals around the intersection to include an eastbound right-turn signal — which will run at the same time as the northbound left-turn signal — and allowing east and west traffic to flow at the same time. Access to the adjacent service road would be modified and the crosswalks at 74 Avenue and 78 Avenue would become a “split” crossing, which administration says will reduce pressure on traffic during rush hours while limiting impact on pedestrians.

Changes to the intersection itself include replacing the eastbound left-turn phase with a dedicated left-turn bay and removing the southbound right-turn bay, while extending the northbound left-turn bay.

On-street parking on the south side of of 76 avenue between 114 Street and 115 Street would be removed and 76 Avenue would be given an addition eastbound lane. A bus stop on 114 Street south of the intersection at 76 Avenue would also be removed. A traffic light will also be installed at the traffic circle where Groat Road turns into 87 Avenue.

Long term, the city is looking to reconstruct both the 87 Avenue and Saskatchewan Drive intersection to draw more traffic towards Groat Road — which administration says should reduce the traffic pressure on the Belgravia intersection, and the intersection at Belgravia Road and 114 Street to improve capacity for turning. Planners are also looking at ways to expand the Whitemud Drive intake from Fox Drive. The city is also looking to install a “travel time” sign near Emily Murphy Park road to inform drivers how long they could be driving on Groat Road.

Implementing the short-term changes is estimated to cost $2.12 million and gathering the information influencing this potential change will cost $100,000.

Ward O-day’min Coun. Anne Stevenson, who chairs the committee, said she hoped the changes discourage people using the area as a short-cut between the south side and Downtown.

“Anyone who’s been through the area knows that McKernan-Belgravia can experience some just incredible backups and intense delays,” she said. “These interventions are intended to improve vehicle traffic on arterial roads — that includes improving the flow of those roads while also making sure there is appropriate accommodation for pedestrians and cyclists.”

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