The Pulse: June 17, 2022

Some cyclists say proposed changes to the intersection of 101 Avenue and 75 Street are unsafe. The Edmonton Bike Coalition is holding a protest northeast of the intersection on June 18 to draw attention to the problems and suggest what a safe intersection for biking and walking would look like.

The new bike lane is a part of the 101 Avenue revitalization project, which seeks to make 101 Avenue into a destination for surrounding communities. A significant portion of the plan involves upgrading walking and biking paths.

The design currently includes bike lanes on both sides of the road all along 101 Avenue, allowing people to bike easily and safely from 50 Street to 84 Street. The bike lane would be protected except for road crossings and in the lead-up to the 75 Street intersection, at which point it would be a painted bike lane.

"The 75th intersection is the most dangerous portion of the route," said Conrad Nobert, organizer of the Edmonton Bike Coalition. "To exacerbate the issue, the slip lane that allows for fast right turns would stay. Slip lanes cause drivers to instinctively look to their left for an opening in traffic at high speed."

The coalition feels the intersection turning onto 75 Street heading northbound is particularly dangerous because the speed soon increases to 80 km/h. Nobert wants a redesign that would extend the protected bike lane to the intersection and remove the slip lane, which tends to prioritize traffic movement over pedestrian safety.

Coun. Ashley Salvador of Ward Métis shares the cyclists' concerns. "I feel that a lot of the new design for 101 Avenue is absolutely fantastic. However, I agree that this particular intersection is problematic," she said.

Concerns about the intersection are news to Miles Berry, a community organizer with the Greater Hardisty Community Sustainability Coalition, which has been working on the 101 Avenue project for 10 years. "I haven't heard anything from community members about the intersection design," he said. "Unfortunately, when designing plans, you can't build them around people not following the rules of the road."

• Edmonton's bid to become a host city when the FIFA World Cup 2026 travels to North America has failed. Despite being named a finalist alongside Toronto and Vancouver, Edmonton was not selected to be one of the 16 host cities that will stage matches during the tournament. "We advocated fiercely, we had our provincial and federal government partners on board to provide funding, and most of all, we had the support of Edmontonians," said Mayor Amarjeet Sohi. "I am proud of the bid that we put forward, and I will explore other ways to put Edmonton on the world stage."
• The Edmonton Police Service has backtracked on comments made last week about officers' interactions with Justin Bone, the man accused of killing two men in Chinatown. "Officers did not make any contact with Mr. Bone in the days prior to the homicide," Police Chief Dale McFee said at the Edmonton Police Commission meeting on June 16, clarifying that EPS only spoke on the phone with the Alberta Beach homeowner with whom Bone had been living. McFee said the service is reviewing how it made the communications error.
• North Saskatchewan River water levels rose significantly starting June 16 and were expected to peak the following morning, creating a risk of flooding. The city said Edmontonians should practice caution by keeping themselves, their pets, and their boats away from the water. Several low-lying parts of the river valley trail network were closed with the potential for more closures as conditions change.
• Criminology professor Temitope Oriola wrote an op-ed suggesting Dale McFee's $340,000 salary, although high, should be considered in light of other factors like executive compensations generally.
• Construction has begun on the next phase of the mixed-use Station Lands development in northeast downtown, which will add 600 residential units plus commercial and public spaces to currently vacant land. Qualico vice president Mike Saunders said the project — which began over a decade ago with the EPCOR Tower — is now building momentum after "continuous work with several councils." Mayor Amarjeet Sohi and the Chinatown Business Association both expressed optimism for the project, which promises to link Chinatown, The Quarters, and Ice District. The next Station Lands tower is expected to be complete in 2024.
• A new report published by the Business Council of Alberta recommends that Alberta become a global leader in carbon capture and storage, expand the use of new innovations in agriculture, and invest more in health and medical care advancements. Solving global challenges related to energy, food security, and wellness could lead to a more prosperous future for the province, the council said.
• MacEwan University has recognized six alumni for their outstanding achievements with the 2022 Distinguished Alumni Award, including former city councillor Scott McKeen. Two new Emerging Leader Awards, which recognize recent alumni, were awarded to Mackenzie Brown and Alexander Fanni.
• Officials arrived on the scene of a car lodged vertically under the Campbell Bridge on the morning of June 16. Police said no one was present and there were no reports of injuries, but it is unclear how the car ended up below the bridge. "Frankly, it's difficult to imagine where it came from," said passing cyclist Richard Marchand.
• Edmonton-South MLA Thomas Dang, who in December 2021 broke into Alberta's COVID-19 vaccine website using Jason Kenney's birthdate information and then advised better security measures, has been cleared of criminal charges but has to pay a yet-to-be-determined fine for infringing the Health Information Act. Dang, who has been serving as an independent while under investigation, said he wants to return to the NDP caucus.

This weekend's events include an interactive exhibit from the Indigenous artist-in-residence, a very Canadian music festival, Pride amid art, an inspiring journey to health, a collaborative theatre project, and pups!

• June 17-18: IDENTITY with Matthew Creeasian at the Westbury Theatre
• June 17-18: Beaumont Blues and Roots Festival
• June 18, 11am: Pride Day at the Art Gallery of Alberta
• June 18, 1pm: My Sickled Cells book signing with Revée Agyepong, presented by Black Owned Market at Kingsway Mall
• June 18, 12pm: Dog City's Got Talent Show and Competition at The Backyard
• June 18-19: The Shoe Project by Workshop West Playwrights' Theatre

Find even more fun things to do in the Arts Roundup.

Photo: The Dog City Festival includes a talent competition — everyone gets a prize, though, because they're all good dogs. (Dog City Festival)