Edmonton to remove bike lane, reinstall parking on Victoria Promenade

A controversial decision to remove parking spaces in favour of a bike lane on one of Edmonton's most scenic avenues has been reversed.

An update posted to the City of Edmonton's website Monday said the bike lane on the north side of Victoria Promenade will be removed as soon as the weather permits.

The new divided lane was installed in July on 100 Avenue from 121 to 116 Streets as part of a pilot project, because the road didn’t meet standards for the city's bike network.

"We have seen a positive impact on speeding, shortcutting and cyclist behaviours as a result of this project," the update said.

"The installation, however, did not meet the needs of a cross-section of community members and highlighted opportunities for improvements."

After the parking was removed, some residents in the area went public with their concerns over a lack of parking for people with disabilities and less space for emergency vehicles.

A city survey found that 62 per cent of residents were unhappy with the new bike lanes, 29 per cent were satisfied and 9 per cent remained neutral.

"Administration made the decision to adjust the Victoria Promenade Pilot Project based on community feedback collected as part of the evaluation of the pilot project," Craig McKeown, branch manager of parks and roads, told CTV News Edmonton Tuesday.

"There are currently no other bike lane pilot projects underway."

The city also received a petition signed by 580 people who opposed the pilot project.

A total of 19 of 20 parking spaces that were removed will be reinstalled, the update said, and the speed limit will be lowered to 30 km/h.

The bike lane on the south side of 100 Avenue will remain where it is.

The cost of the pilot project and removing the lane now is roughly $60,000, McKeown said, adding that does not include the cost of non-labour employees.

Last week, city council approved a new capital budget which included $100 million for new bike lane infrastructure in Edmonton.