Edmonton Ditches Scramble Crosswalks for Better Bus Flow

0:00It's March 31st. From your city to your ears, this is Canada News Today, powered by AI. I'm Cory with the story. Edmonton's ditching three scramble crosswalks on White Avenue. The ones added almost five years ago at Gateway Boulevard on 103 Street. Calgary Trail on 104 Street and 105 Street. These setups led pedestrians cross any direction by halting all traffic, but they're getting scrapped to make way for better bus flow. The city wants to cut transit delays and boost reliability, so they're rolling out priority measures between 101 and 107 streets. Scramble crosswalks drag out signal times, backing up cars, slowing buses, and even hiking emissions, which hurts everyone on the road. Locals are split on it. Some pedestrians say traditional crosswalks feel safer and less confusing for visitors, saving time overall, while others dig. The scrambles like in big cities elsewhere and want them to stick around.

1:02Instead, expect wider sidewalks, tweak signals with no turn zones, and old-school crossings plus curb extensions to shorten paths. Visibility and calm drivers down. The city dropped about $50,000 to install those scrambles back in summer of 2021 as part of a $3.3 million dollar overhaul from 99 to 109 Street. Changes hit later this year, with notice to nearby shops, keeping safety tight while buses zip through smoother for all Edmonton riders.