People who use Whitemud Drive at the Rainbow Valley Bridge for their daily commute are about to deal with some traffic changes.
Starting Friday, Feb. 9, the westbound lanes of the Whitemud over the bridge will close. Two-way traffic will be redirected to the eastbound lanes of Rainbow Valley Bridge.
These significant traffic pattern changes are needed to complete work to widen the bridge to four lanes plus shoulders, the City of Edmonton said in a news release Thursday.
Pedestrians, cyclists and other active modes of transportation will be detoured through Whitemud Creek Ravine.
Traffic changes along Whitemud Drive in Edmonton along Rainbow Valley Bridge.
Courtesy / City of Edmonton
The work is part of Stage 2 of the Terwillegar Drive expansion project, which also includes the construction of a new pedestrian bridge next to the Rainbow Valley Bridge.
“This new bridge will improve safety and experience for all active modes of transportation, providing a dedicated pathway for pedestrians and cyclists, away from traffic,” the city said.
Traffic changes along Whitemud Drive in Edmonton along Rainbow Valley Bridge.
Courtesy / City of Edmonton
People who use the bridge are encouraged to give themselves extra time to deal with potential delays.
The city said it will monitor traffic and make adjustments as necessary to improve traffic flow through the construction zone.
Access to Snow Valley and the Rainbow Valley Campground will be maintained throughout construction.
The Terwillegar Drive expansion started in 2021 and is expected to take five years to complete. The plan involves upgrading Terwillegar Drive to an expressway.
Stage 3 of the project includes further road widening, upgrades to the Terwillegar Drive and Anthony Henday Drive interchanges and adding dedicated transit lanes and a shared-use path.
