Work to rehabilitate one of the Low Level Bridges will begin next week, resulting in traffic disruptions for drivers going in and out of Edmonton’s downtown core and southside.
Starting Monday, July 28, the city will begin work on the southbound Low Level Bridge. The work will include repairs and strengthening to extend the structure’s lifespan.
The Low Level is actually two different bridge decks built at different times: the northbound span was constructed in 1900 and as Edmonton’s oldest river crossing bridge, is a historic structure.
The Low Level southbound was constructed in 1949 and underwent its most recent major rehabilitation in 1994, so after 30 years it’s due for rehabilitation.
During construction, the following traffic changes will be in place:
- Starting July 28, there will be no northbound traffic on the Low Level Bridge. Vehicles heading north will be detoured to the James MacDonald/98 Avenue Bridge for the duration of construction.
- Work will start with building a traffic crossover.
- There will be temporary single-lane closures on the southbound Low Level Bridge during off-peak hours. Two-lane traffic will remain during afternoon peak traffic hours. Some full closures of the southbound bridge will be required.
Then, in early to mid August once the traffic crossover is complete, southbound traffic will shift to the northbound bridge, which will only allow traffic heading south for the duration of construction.
The southbound bridge will be fully closed during construction.
The northbound bridge underwent its most recent major rehabilitation in 2006, which the city said provided an additional 25 years of service.
Earlier this year the city said both bridges are nearing the end of service life but “given the results of condition assessments, maintenance costs and planning and design work, it has been determined that the eventual decommissioning of the southbound structure and rehabilitating the northbound structure is the preferred option.”
Therefore, the southbound bridge is undergoing upgrades to extend its service life as an interim solution.
Two Edmonton Transit Service (ETS) bus stops that service northbound traffic on the Low Level Bridge will be temporarily closed: McDougall Hill and Grierson Hill and Low Level Bridge and 98 Avenue. Routes 8, 500X, 511, and 523 will be on detour.
People walking, cycling and scootering can continue to cross the river using the sidewalk on the northbound Low Level Bridge. The shared pathway under the bridges will remain open.
Construction work is expected to be completed by the end of 2025.
The Low Level is one of three major bridges carrying traffic in and out of Edmonton’s downtown that’s set to undergo construction at different points this year.
Dawson Bridge repair work in the river valley will start at some point in the summer (the date has not been released) and also expected to be completed by the end of 2025.
City administration said earlier this year that bridge will only have weekend or overnight closures, to avoid overlap with any delays on the Low Level.
This fall, the Wellington Bridge on 102 Avenue near the former Royal Alberta Museum in the Glenora area will be demolished and replaced.
That bridge on the major route between the west end and downtown is expected to reopen by late 2026, with landscaping finished in 2027.