Ongoing road, sidewalk reconstruction work frustrates Ottewell residents

Residents in an east Edmonton neighbourhood that's in the second of a four-year project to replace its roads, sidewalks, gutters and street lights are unhappy with the lack of access to their homes during construction.

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Ottewell last year saw the start of the neighbourhood renewal work, estimated by the City of Edmonton to cost $94.2 million. It is scheduled to be completed in 2026.

That's led to road closures that's cut off access to some homes, some residents say.

"It changes pretty rapidly," resident Amber Othen told CTV News Edmonton on Tuesday.

"I will leave the neighbourhood, and I will come an hour or two later and a new road will be closed."

Fellow Ottewellian Mary Ann Falk experiences difficulty accessing ride-share services, with drivers unable to pull up to her home.

"We can't wait for this to be over," Falk told CTV News Edmonton. "We're all suffering because nobody's coming to visit."

Infrastructure renewal work in Edmonton's Ottewell neighbourhood on Aug. 27, 2024. (Nav Sangha/CTV News Edmonton)The city describes Ottewell as one of its largest neighbourhoods at 2.6 square kilometres. The 2016 federal census found 6,065 people living in the area bounded by 98 Avenue/Terrace Road to the north, 90 Avenue to the south, 50 Street to the east and 75 Street to the west.

Other Edmonton neighbourhoods at various stages of reconstruction work this year include Boyle/McCauley ($61.9 million, 2023-26), Pleasantview ($54.6 million, 2022-24), Meyokumin ($32.8 million, 2024-26), Gariepy ($27.3 million, 2024-25) and Hairsine ($22.3 million, 2024-25).

From 2015-22, 40 Edmonton neighbourhoods were at various stages in renewal work.

According to city literature, the neighbourhood renewal program "balances the need to rebuild in some neighbourhoods with a preventive maintenance approach in others."

Othen said she is concerned about the safety surrounding sidewalks, many of which she says are still undeveloped and that some drivers can be impatient.

"It is pretty scary when you are trying to just walk to the park, and you have to navigate around a really large hole," Othen said.

School begins for some students on Thursday, too. Ashley Salvador, the city councillor for Ottewell, says construction crews are prioritizing completing work in areas directly around neighbourhood schools.

"(For) areas that don't get completed, they plan to have some temporary measures and detours in place so that everyone can navigate things safely," Salvador told CTV News Edmonton.

With files from CTV News Edmonton's Nav Sangha