{"id":741633,"date":"2026-06-17T00:36:11","date_gmt":"2026-06-17T00:36:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/741633\/"},"modified":"2026-06-17T00:36:11","modified_gmt":"2026-06-17T00:36:11","slug":"south-edmonton-residents-demand-10-m-bus-only-lane-to-be-opened-to-motorists","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/741633\/","title":{"rendered":"South Edmonton residents demand $10 M bus-only lane\u00a0to be opened to motorists"},"content":{"rendered":"

A group of south Edmonton residents are demanding the City of Edmonton to allow motorists on the $10 million bus-only lane.<\/p>\n

Calling the project a \u201cwaste of taxpayer dollars\u201d because only one bus line would run on the route, they\u2019re asking the city to allow both bus riders and drivers to benefit from the project that connects 53 Avenue to Terwillegar Drive.<\/p>\n

Riverbend resident Jesse Hill, who first raised the issue, says he spoke with the Ministry of Transportation about the funding of the project.<\/p>\n

\u201cI got a call back from their office on June 9 where they outlined to me that the language was that the funding needed to be is for a transit-oriented lane not that it needed to be bus-only,\u201d Hill said.<\/p>\n

The new bus lane, which is funded in part by the provincial government will only be accessible to transit using bus number 31 when it opens next Monday. That bus line only runs weekdays between 6 a.m. and 9:30 p.m.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf this bus lane were to open would basically just connect right here directly to Terwillegar Drive,\u201d Hill said.<\/p>\n

Instead, Hill wants the lane open to more drivers.<\/p>\n

A spokesperson for the Ministry of Transportation encouraged the City to consider how to use the road to reduce congestion.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen we invest taxpayer dollars into transportation infrastructure, Albertans expect improvements in mobility and the greatest possible benefit for the people who rely on these roads every day,\u201d the spokesperson said.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, Edmonton Transit Service (ETS) defended the project, saying the bus lane is planned to benefit more people in future.<\/p>\n

\u201cRoute 31 will eventually evolve into an important future bus rapid transit (BRT) route that runs from Ambleside towards the University Transit Centre via Terwillegar Drive, with dedicated lanes and transit priority measures that help buses move faster,\u201d said Sarah Feldman, director of transit planning, ridership and revenue at ETS.<\/p>\n

\u00a0\u201cWe expect the span and frequency of service on this lane will be increased as additional resources become available.\u201d<\/p>\n

Feldman added that constructing the bus lane as part of the Terwillegar Drive Expressway was \u201cmore cost-effective\u201d due to available partner funding and compared to retrofitting in the future.<\/p>\n

She acknowledged that while some Terwillegar residents may be unhappy with the ETS decision, the bus lane was a proactive measure for current and future bus services.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf the lane is open to all vehicle traffic during weekday peak hours, buses would be unable to advance due to congestion, which effectively eliminates the purpose of the lane,\u201d Feldman said.<\/p>\n

Councillor for ward Pih\u00easiwin Mike Elliot said he wants to wait to see how the bus lane is used before making further suggestions.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf it\u2019s running well and new bus lanes are going to be added to it, I take a position that I wanted to stay with a bus lane,\u201d Elliot said. \u201cBut if it\u2019s not being increased to additional bus lanes I want to open it up to other vehicles say taxis, if you\u2019re taking an uber, vehicles with three people inside.\u201d<\/p>\n

However, the talk of opening up the lane to more traffic is not sitting well with one resident.<\/p>\n

\u201cEnough.. Like it would be very, very unpleasant to have it suddenly open various times of day and all the problems that would cause,\u201d said Lita Bablitz.<\/p>\n

Her home is one of many homes in the area that has a 6-foot sound wall in their backyard because of the new lane. She says after three years of construction and noise, she\u2019s hoping for some peace and not more traffic.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve given up, the white mud has come very close to the homes. The fact that was going to be transit only \u2014 we reiterated every step of the way. To change that would be very impactful,\u201d Bablitz said.<\/p>\n

\t\tKeep it Factual<\/p>\n

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