Yellowhead work will mean red lights ELISE STOLTE

City struggles to mitigate impact of planned access-point closures

The Yellowhead Trail freeway project will see more than a dozen access points closed as Edmonton seeks to turn the accident-prone arterial into a six-lane, free-flowing freeway.

In an update to city council’s executive committee Thursday, city officials said they are launching public consultation now and hope to hear how the impact on business and residents can be mitigated.

Officials are still trying to decide the staging of construction, what service roads will be provided and whether any north-south pedestrian bridges will be included to ensure the freeway doesn’t create a barrier for pedestrians or cyclists.

The freeway will have six lanes, three in each direction, plus on-off ramps and service roads.

“There’s still a large part of the planning and design work (yet to finish),” said branch manager Jason Meliefste, urging people who might be affected to sign up for the newsletter and participate.

The big questions — such as where the interchanges will go — have already been decided.

But there are many staging and access questions where only people who live, do business and commute in the area understand the full impacts.

Edmonton residents can sign up for updates at edmonton.ca/yellowheadtrail.

Construction on the $1-billion project is expected to begin in spring 2019, ending sometime between 2026 and 2028.

Coun. Bev Esslinger said she’s already hearing concerns about the loss of north-south access being planned for 149 Street.

It will force residents to detour to 156 Street or St. Albert Trail to cross.

Temporary and permanent access changes will be difficult for businesses as well.

She also hopes pedestrian and cycling access across the freeway will be part of the conversation: “It should not be an add-on.”

Some parts of Whitemud Drive have pedestrian-only bridges to facilitate movement between neighbourhoods on either side of the road.

In other places they are missing, such as between Brookside and Bulyea Heights, making it difficult for Terwillegar-Riverbend residents to reach the river valley paths without a car.

The Yellowhead Trail project will require Edmonton to buy or expropriate “numerous properties” along the route.

The city report says land requirements near 149 Street, 89 Street and Fort Road have already been determined.

Officials are still identifying what they will need around the 127 Street interchange, 121 Street interchange and the 66 Street interchange, among other areas.

Negotiations have already started, with officials trying to finalize deals with owners of property needed for the 2019 construction season first.

Officials did not say how much land in total will be needed for the project or include an itemized list of properties.