Edmonton's BRT Debate: Balancing Speed and Local Needs

Edmonton's Urban Planning Committee is hashing out bus rapid transit plans for two key routes.

They're looking at 101st Street between Jasper Avenue and 102,

A Avenue Downtown and White Avenue from 99th Street 2,

109th Street.

The city pitches BRT as a smart middle ground,

with dedicated bus lanes that mimic light rail transit speed without the huge upfront costs.

Earlier this year, the city added a southbound transit lane on 101st Street from Kingsway to 107th Avenue.

That move wiped out street parking on three blocks,

hitting businesses hard in the Chinatown area north of Downtown.

Business owners there say parking is their lifeline since foot traffic is low,

especially with safety worries and social issues scaring off customers.

One restaurant operator called it a real blow to daily operations.

In response, counselor Ann Stevenson from Ward, O'Day Min,

proposed reinstating daytime parking on that southbound stretch and ordering a report on,

bus performance six months after changes.

The motion passed four to one,

with Mayor Andrew Nack stressing the need for solid data to guide future calls.

Counselor Michael Jans from Ward, Papastu, voted no,

worried it would slow BRT rollout, though he pushed for funding logistics in the 20,

27 to 2030 budget.

White Avenue plans got a warmer reception,

but locals want coordinated upgrades instead of patchy fixes.

As Edmonton weighs faster buses against local needs,

expect more debates ahead.

This has been Canada News Today, powered by AI.

I'm Corey with the story.