This northern city is spending $100M to improve cycling. Can your city too?

[@michaelgrant6332]

Resident of Edmonton for 65 years. I grew up on 132 ave and I nearly cried when I saw the development plan. A real Amsterdam style development that treats all forms of transportation equally right in front of my former home. I think the reason for all this is the River Valley. It has mixed use paths that you can take from one end of the city to the other and never even see a car a total distance of about 45 km. They were originally for recreation but they are a pretty good way to get around. I know a few people who started riding because the valley is so awesome.

[@marccollins1445]

That's wonderful. Be happy you are not in lazy and dumb Toronto where the quality of the cycling infrastructure is secondary to quoting "total km of bike lanes" stats. So, we get a lot of lanes on arterial roads in the core of the city that cannot properly accommodate them physically; are built with appallingly ugly and chintzy hardware, have no community support, but get rammed through anyway in the name of the city-wide plan objectives. Had the process in Edmonton been followed here, I am fully convinced we would have both different and higher quality/safer lanes than what is being implemented. Lanes placed on already-congested, already pedestrian-orientated main streets cause more pollution due to extended rush hours, hurt local business due to accessibility issues (yes, the design is that bad), ruin the formerly pleasant streetscape with obnoxious visual clutter and physical obstructions that add even more congestion than just the loss of the traffic lane, and cause serious delays for emergency vehicles if there is anything more than moderate traffic levels at the time. keeptorontomoving.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/bike.mp4 Be very happy you still have inclusive and community-based planning and not the completely politicized process that occurs here!

[@jimbergey3624]

@marccollins1445 Examples like this are a huge part of the reason I left Toronto and moved to Calgary. City planning, infrastructure, transit are all abysmal in Toronto given the size of the city. Public Transit is horrendous in comparison to the size and population, road planning is disgraceful. Traffic is the worst of any place I have been in N.A. and really close to worst I of any place I’ve been in the world. Excited to see this in Edmonton, hoping it runs off more on Calgary. Calgary has lots of excellent bike paths and many many kms of them, but it needs to be better connected to improve commuting by bike.

[@larryhouse3776]

The river is the best thing this city has to offer. The focus on nature and recreation is top notch, and they definitely put money into maintaining the area.

[@a2dsouza]

As a Calgarian, I am always beyond delighted to hear about Edmonton doing cool stuff like this. For the purely selfish reason that it may shame us into following suit.

[@MultiCappie]

It apparently worked with the arena...

[@johncampbell3912]

Now they just need some number one draft picks

[@roughcamel1395]

doesnt calgary already have exceptional biking infrastructure as it is? Notably the rotary mattamy greenway and the bow river pathway

[@a2dsouza]

@@roughcamel1395 (In my opinion) Calgary has excellent recreational biking infrastructure, such as the routes you pointed out, although they are only partially maintained during the winter. But we've got a long way to improve for transportation biking infrastructure. As does Edmonton, but every little bit helps.

[@JColdery]

As an Edmontonian myself, I think you may (or may not) appreciate the knife-wielding homeless people who wander the LRT stations too.

[@blortmeister]

So cool to see my birth city on the channel! Back in the early nineties there was a daily bike report on CJSR. It started as a joke, but quickly became serious. The report would air every day--even at -40. There were already hardcore commuters cycling year round with almost no amenities.

[@Shifter_Cycling]

I think you're talking about Karly Coleman on the radio! She makes an appearance in this video.

[@jasonarthurs3885]

This was amazing to learn of.

[@curtismah1261]

@@Shifter_Cycling oh now Calgary Coffee Outside is jealous, we want to be in a video

[@MultiCappie]

@@curtismah1261 What you should want is $100M.

[@alannatdeboer]

@@curtismah1261 Does Calgary have a coffee outside like this cuz as I was watching this, I couldn't help thinking that it looked pretty great!

[@jasoncbrooks74]

As an ignorant American, I love Canadian content creators because they really help explain the geography and culture of Canada. I wish Americans cared about society benefit and health like Canada and the EU!

[@kostyafedot551]

Canadians are also aware of what is happening around. Winter rides are nothing new in USA. Year ago I was watching YT video how American city in the upper State has big bikes culture all year, including winters much colder and snowy than in Toronto.

[@ChewbowWow]

Leave the country if you’re just gonna trash us on the internet, doesn’t help us

[@BoykoMix]

Don’t mean to be overly negative but I do gotta say that, in general, we’re definitely much closer to America than the EU on that stuff (and just overall culturally). Edmonton just happens to be a progressive city where things lined up well, but the same can definitely be said for a lot of progressive cities in the states too.

[@Bismvth]

​@@ChewbowWowleast fragile american

[@kostyafedot551]

@@BoykoMix Montreal have bikes rental much earlier where else in NA. And their culture is closer to Europe. Yet, I don't know about Edmonton (never been where), but GTA, Calgary, Vancouver are where most of population is with large part of demography of first generations from China, India, Middle East and else where cycling is not a culture, but way of living. Here is not much Harleys anymore, for example, but sports bikes, because demography has changed. Also, US or EU, many young ones are on scooters these days, not on bicycles. .

[@sdschen]

Love it! Glad to see so many optimistic young city councillors on board with promoting active transportation. I lived there for six years and crossed paths with Darren a few times at work. He was in the news some years ago for commuting to work by canoe/bike using a trailer setup.

[@Shifter_Cycling]

The community in Edmonton is pretty inspiring. It feels like Edmonton is having a real moment.

[@robertlee8805]

​@@Shifter_CyclingI hope they continue to the next level. And grow even more. I'm itching to take a trip up there. I'm from the coastal New England states of US.

[@MultiCappie]

@@Shifter_Cycling more like a "real city" amirite??? 😁

[@spartacusyoya]

@@Shifter_Cycling It's a $100 million promise, not even included in any near future city budget. I have more trust in my CDN Tire CCM bike pump being able to pump up my bicycle's tires than I have with the City of Edmonton being able to create an efficient bicycle network.

[@StopDropandLOL]

@@spartacusyoya They managed to create the downtown and area bike network, albeit small, but well designed, maintained and safe. They still went ahead with the $6.5 million dollar project even with the strong backlash from the tax base. I have more faith in the local government of the last 20 years than ever before. Remember what it was like in the 80s and 90s? I am not a cyclist and I strongly advocated for our bike network, it's a much needed part of being a liveable city.

[@Kakikiwi-eu2kr]

Coming from Paris, I lived in 2017-1018 in Edmonton. Upon arrival, I tried to buy a car as late as possible in the winter to save on car insurance. I ended up not buying one because actually the winter was manageable on bike (although a little adventurous sometimes) . In 2017 many people thought I was just a crazy European. But when I returned to France, I felt more and more people were on bike in Edmonton and bikes lanes were being built in several places. In just 2 years. Glad the momentum is still strong ! On a side note, Edmonton might have a few advantages for cycling compared to other canadians cities. First, it's mostly flat outside of river valley and the south west, and where it's hilly, it actually steep and there are bridges. Second, it's cold and dry. This makes the snow less of a problem, because there are only a few days a year with fresh snow, icy snow or slush, which are all very annoying on bike (much more than the cold, which you can dress for). Dry, old snow, which is what Edmonton has most of the winter, is very manageable. Third, Edmonton has magnificient green spaces that nearly make you feel you're in the middle of the wilderness because they are mostly below the city level (river valley, mill creek ravine...). Biking through them is very nice. Forth, there is a lot of space, so I guess adding bike infrastructure is easier in terms of urban planning and civil engineering. This makes the city absurdly big though, which is probably going to limit mainstream biking to around Downtow and Strathcona. Also, Edmonton serves as a base camp for a lot of blue collar workers (some go on missions up north) that cannot rely on cycling easily, because they need to carry equipment, they have tiring days in the field etc... On a second site note, I know these are completely different cities with different contexts, but Paris is also investing big on bike infrastructure. Well, I can tell you the actual works are much much much cleaner in Edmonton.

[@aprilf7606]

Great video! As an Edmontonian with a recently purchased e-bike, I'm so stoked about the new bike lanes, and excited about the future of this city. Getting places by bike isn't just better for our health and the environment, it's so much more enjoyable than driving. Considering all the costs associated with driving and vehicle ownership, being stuck in traffic and isolated from everything around you by a toxic fume-spewing metal box isn't ideal.

[@robertlee8805]

I LIKE your way of thinking. Hoping your city continues to grow as a bicyclists city.

[@nanookfireman306]

You may consider a gps tracker of some kind. Air tag or such. PD does not consider bike theft a big enough issue to slow it down. With battery powered saws and grinders every lock is minimal security at best. If not the lock they cut the post/rack.

[@xieulong]

Winnipeger here... Super jealous of you guys.

[@garyholt8315]

dear winnipeger, super jealous of your blue bombers🏈

[@FollowmedowntheNumberWhole]

well put!

[@nadiat.4070]

Sooo we lived in Cologne, Germany for 4.5 years and spent a lot of time cycling there as well as around the Netherlands….we live in Edmonton now (again after spending a year in Calgary)….Edmonton’s current cycling infrastructure is already surprisingly great! We are car free and love it here much more than Calgary. …People love to shit on Edmonton, but it’s actually an amazing place to be.

[@Amir-jn5mo]

Is it easy to cycle year around in Edmonton? I've only really lived in GTA and Metro Vancouver so idk how the situation is during -30 degree winters.

[@BoykoMix]

@@Amir-jn5mo they’re pretty good about clearing lanes but you’d still probably want some dedicated winter tires. And some warm gear. Edmonton is a lot more dry than Vancouver which helps, but it’s still pretty gd cold in terms of raw numbers.

[@MrJx4000]

@@BoykoMix, have you ever cycled in -20°C or -30°C temperatures? I can tolerate a little bit below zero here in the Toronto area for a short time but that's it.

[@kjh23gk]

@@MrJx4000 If Finnish schoolkids can cycle in those temperatures I'm sure Canadian adults can.

[@highway2heaven91]

I was waiting for an Urbanist channel to notice what Edmonton is doing, so thanks for taking the time to showcase this. The "Edmon-what?" joke at the beginning is hilarious as it pokes fun at Edmonton's relative obscurity to most Americans and to most people outside of Canada in general. When looking at all of the urbanist changes to the inner core of the city and the plans that are ahead, it seems like the councilors and planners are watching Not Just Bikes' videos and taking his advice to heart as many of the suggestions mentioned in these videos are being implemented. There was and still is a lot of NIMBY (and conservative political) opposition to these plans but it's nice to see people that support these plans that are in office and that can finally move the needle to get these projects to happen. Edmonton isn't quite on Montreal's level but it's making strides to become the best city for cycling in English Canada. Hopefully Oh The Urbanity can get a chance to view this video and visit Edmonton so they can make a video on it as well! This was a great video! Thanks.

[@jonevansauthor]

If it's any comfort, I'd at least heard of it. I have no idea where anything is in Canada without checking on a map of course. And it is possible I heard the name exclusively in the context of Canadian comedians mocking it.

[@thomaslusignan762]

As a Montrealer, it makes me incredibly happy to see all the great things that happen in Edmonton and Calgary, urban design-wise. We kind of lucked into good urbanism because of historical reasons, but y'all out west didn't really have that chance. We should be inspired by your progress and apply the lessons you learned!

[@MultiCappie]

Not Just Bikes and so-on are excellent, and I wouldn't sell them short but what happened in Edmonton started in 2006, when 1. We started aiming to catch up to Calgary. (Churchill Square renovations and Metro Line planning era.) 2. Then realised, why spend all that money and just become Calgary, so we realised we should be aiming for Vancouver. (Electric buses, Downtown arena era.) 3. Then realised, actually, it's the same price for infrastructure so we should copy Amsterdam and Oslo and Helsinki instead. (132 Avenue plan, Stadium Station redesign, Valley Line, Bike Plan, abolishing single-family-home-zoning, and abolishing parking minimums.) It's a clear staircase, it's rooted in grassroots dissatisfaction with the built form of the city. The vision is to have a normal city that aspires to global best-practice standards.

[@juliengagnon-ouellette6381]

From a montrealer activist, you have chance to surpass us, because after some great infrastructure, the montreal administration if slower and worst to deliver the promises bike lanes. Even Quebec city have a better plan for the futur then Montréal. Anyway i wish you good succes in the futur.

[@AP-cc5ym]

I’ve been biking 10 km to work in Edmonton since March, I meticulously planned out my route and it’s been going very well. But the cherry on top has been some busy intersections with bike detectors that turn the lights red for the cars almost immediately. These are recent and absolutely magical for a cyclist.

[@garyholt8315]

yep, crossing 99 st in particular is super easy

[@artvandelay6100]

So how what do you think that mechanism does for climate change, which our idiotic city council also spends millions on every year and brags about how they spend more than any other city in canada on climate change?

[@bradthiessen6877]

I also live in Edmonton. Where are these bike detectors? I'm so curious!

[@legitlyspelunking]

Edmontonian here! I don't cycle but I do longboard and use the occasional escooter when they're around. I really enjoy the smoothness of the bike lanes, and they way it keeps us separated from road traffic adds a feeling of safety. And for those who wonder what happens when the snow falls, I have seen a lot of winter bikers, and the number seems to grow each year! I'm happy these lanes are picking up in popularity and am excited to see what the next few years bring to our city!

[@MrAyla]

That’s my councillor! I’ve been bike commuting on my beach cruiser since the spring here in Edmonton. The separated lanes that were put in a couple of years ago make it feel safe to do so on such a slow bike 😂.

[@lord6411]

When I was in university, I used the bike lanes that already existed in Edmonton’s downtown/west side (Oliver). It was such a convenient way to get around, and I didn’t have to pay out the moon for parking fees anywhere I was going. You get used to the cold pretty fast, and glasses and a windbreaker+sweater-combo are honestly good enough to bike in -40. I would’ve liked more bike lanes going north. I could’ve gone to visit my family more often without driving.

[@pdpyoshi]

When I lived in Edmonton i put studded tires on my hybrid bike. What a game changer for the winter. As long as the network is maintained, It's easily useable year round.

[@isaakmeadus87]

I've gone without studded tires for two consecutive winters now. The 24 hour snow clearance on certain paths is all i need on my regular commute route. If you're not confident in your cycling skill I would still recommend them though.

[@AtzeHHouse]

What a timing on this video! I was actually just looking at a bike route map of Edmonton and was surprised at the amount of cycling infrastructure already in place, especially in the southern part of the city. Super glad to hear that a city in a province that is basically in the pocket of the oil industry is making big investments in improving its urban spaces.

[@MultiCappie]

Wow, you said a mouthful about Edmonton's relation to Alberta. We're not exactly on the same page about anything. The good news is that Calgary is starting to notice Edmonton, and as they think things through, start voting like Edmonton too. Takes a generation to pass...

[@spartacusyoya]

The southside of Edmonton does not have a very good bicycling network, maps are known to lie just like politicians.

[@TheDEM1995]

@@spartacusyoya I think they're probably talking about the area immediately south of the river rather than the south end of the city itself. For those confused by the situation, Edmonton city limits are quite expansive- a full 2/3 of the city metro live in city limits (as someone who grew up in STL, which has the opposite issue at about 1/10 of the city metro, this is fairly striking to me : D ). The denser areas near the city centre have become fairly convenient over the last few years, but once you go south of, say, Queen Alexandra, most of the bike lanes are just painted lines with enough infrequency to be pretty unappealing. I'm not sure if the new plan will change that situation drastically, at least in the short term - there's been some pushback regarding recent bike lanes, and the fact of the matter is much of the city is single-family housing-zoned, so the demand is lower. However, when I moved to Edmonton about 5 years ago, I would never have dreamed of being able to hop on a Bird and go safely and comfortably to bars/shops downtown on separated, signalized bike lanes within just a few years, so who knows. 3/4ths of the year the city has amazing weather for it, and the current council has been planning pretty far ahead on infrastructure, so I have fairly high hopes for the city in the long run.

[@Mason265]

I lived in Edmonton for 6 years and left only a couple months ago. Michael Janz was actually my councillor! I think the quality of Edmonton’s bike infrastructure is often pretty underrated. It’s way better than Vancouver where I lived before and visit often and from what I understand it’s also a lot better than Calgary’s. I’m excited to see this new bike plan materialize in Edmonton though, it’ll be a great step forward.

[@MultigrainKevinOs]

Hey was just thinking why doesn't shifter ever come up to Edmonton, so great timing! We have a museum of bike standards here but the newest installs are getting pretty great. I would love for you to see 132Ave in the north end when it's done soon. It's going to set the standard. Lots to be excited about (and lots that needs work) but the network is taking shape and users are demanding better standards for what is being built. Can't wait to watch the video!

[@AlexScuccato]

Loved the video and great to see you and Glenn! I’ve started biking for my commute to downtown on the ‘Oliverbahn’ and it’s been a game changer. Amazing what happens when you have a safe and easy choice.

[@rmcguirephoto]

I lived in Edmonton through the 1980s and '90s and even then I found it a great biking city for the time. There were trails throughout the extensive river valley park system, and many quiet residential streets and laneways that could get you from point A to B. Likewise, when I later moved to Ottawa, I found it to have an excellent bike trail system through its interconnected parks. The biggest shortcoming in both cities was lack of bike routes with separated lanes in the downtown cores and extending into suburbia. I'm impressed watching this video at all the progress since I left Edmonton over 25 years ago. I wish Edmonton the best of success with this plan and hope it encourages other cities to do likewise. Thanks for this inspiring video.

[@justintherriault3464]

Thanks! Purely for the, "I read books.".

[@Shifter_Cycling]

I'll pay this forward by buying a cupcake the next time I'm at Sugared & Spiced. Thank you for the support!

[@charles-antoinedutil6591]

A neighbouring suburban city to my city in Quebec, Canada is spending 9 milion dollars on bike infrastructure in the next 3 years. It’s a city of 53k people (so around 17 times smaller than Edmonton) So, per capita, this suburb will be spending 2x the amount Edmonton will spend on bike infrastructure. It think it shows that, even though that might be an improvement for Edmonton, there is still a lot of progress to be made in our NA cities. The suburb’s called Mascouche and every suburb near me spends a relatively high amount of money on bikes recently. ** I have been thinking about what I said upwards and looked a bit more into it. I am only speculating here, but the reason why the amount might be so high is because they are prolonging a section of bike lane where they will need to acquire some land and rebuild a small bridge. This construction work should last 3 years.

[@thestevenmartinshow]

That's depressing to hear. Saskatoon, the city I call home has just announced that they will spend 1 million dollars a year on cycling path expansion. Maybe we're spending in other areas because that is anemic in comparison. Saskatoon's population is around 280 thousand with it predicted to hit 500 thousand by 2050... I'm a little depressed now.

[@dylanc9174]

My small city of 65k is spending $5mil on top of a couple million over the last decade for the next 5 years.

[@TheTroyc1982]

@@thestevenmartinshow you have to start somewhere. on t he upside every year your bike infrastructure will be getting better and better. these things have a way of snowballing where better infrastructure leads to more people biking and more people demanding ever more bike infrastructure.

[@zaired]

That seems like a lot, considering Montreal spent around 30 million in 2023, and will probably spend at least 40 in 2024

[@highway2heaven91]

For English-speaking North America, that's a pretty good investment! Bike infrastructure is generally better outside of the Anglosphere, so this is kind of an unfair comparison.

[@justinnagy7954]

Build it and they will come. As a fellow Albertan, I think Edmonton has gotten a bad rep in the past. Seems like they are doing something about that in a positive way, these projects and their expansion of their LRT line. They are progressive in thinking and I think more people are going to move there as a result. A good example to set for other cities in the province and worldwide.

[@uoohknk6881]

That's what they said in literally every city in America and it has not worked. The bicycle lanes are empty. And the only people riding their bikes in the winter are German students

[@AbeYousef]

@@uoohknk6881 i can assure you that the bike lanes are not empty in Edmonton, only in places that are in disconnected suburbia, but the whole point of this plan is to make them connected to one another the number of people cycling for short trips is really growing in the past 3 years here, even in my suburb, i now see kids with their grandparents cycling to the safeway/superstore nearby daily, when before you would see this maybe once a week winter cycling is also becoming more and more prominent, but also having integration between cycling and trains is huge in the winter, because you probably want to take a shorter trip with the bike and the train will let you get around the traffic that is substantially worse in the winter also with more people cycling - commuting by car is also faster. Making cycling easier for more trips is the most cost effective way of alleviating traffic

[@GeoffArmstrong1]

I'd like to see some data on how much the bike lanes are used in Edmonton. Anecdotally, the bike lanes here in Edmonton seem very empty and from my perspective this experiment is failing from the perspective of measuring how many people get moved per square meter of road. But if Edmonton spends the money and does the experiment and it doesn't ever get adoption, at least we can say "well, we tried it but people didn't want it".

[@AbeYousef]

@@GeoffArmstrong1 bike traffic always seems lighter than it is because it takes up less space and because it's more efficient, that's why the anecdotes don't often work when compared to car traffic, you can relate it to itself. The other thing is that it's not just about the space taken up by the project, but the savings that it returns elsewhere - a person who cycles to work instead of commuting by car saves everyone else time, and saves the city money on road repair because it's substantially cheaper to repair bicycle roads because of the weight of the vehicle. Obviously space can be viewed as a cost factor as well - just pointing out that it's not 1 to 1 with car roads. Nothing beats public transit for space density/number of trips if that's your priority. Also I wouldn't necessarily expect results overnight, it makes more sense to look at this as a 10-20 year project while taking a city that doesn't make such an investment as the control group. Luckily for us, if we look countrywide the Netherlands already did this experiment, and in isolated experiments we know that the things Edmonton is doing really increase people's perceptions of how safe it is to cycle, which means they'll be more likely to cycle for shorter trips

[@uoohknk6881]

Nope, stop the convoluted reasoning, just put up a bicycle counter and let the people see how much the lanes are used. Compare that to how much the projected bicycle use should be to make the lanes a good investment@@AbeYousef

[@test40323]

For bus ticket. Thanks! Hope Edmontonians checkout Finland's bike culture for lessons learned.

[@Shifter_Cycling]

Haha. Thank you so much. It was a nice bus ride, made nicer now thanks to you 👍🏼

[@gfromyeg8710]

A few other things to consider is the river valley is also being utilized as a connector to neighboring communities such as Sherwood Park and Fort Saskatchewan as part of the River Valley Alliance along with plans to extend into other municipalities in the capital region.

[@joshthompson80]

Biking in Edmonton is amazing and is only going to get better! 🎉 Such an underrated city. Youngest average age of Canadian cities, tons of great urbanist shifts happening, still affordable, and incredible beauty that only Vancouver can really beat for big cities.

[@MultiCappie]

I'm just as enthusiastic about Edmonton, but Montreal is kinda nice looking too. (And Quebec and Victoria.)

[@joshthompson80]

@@MultiCappieagreed. Montreal is awesome and beats Edmonton in lots of ways for urbanism. For non French speakers, it’s a bit tougher of an option. But great for those who feel they can fit the culture!

[@MultiCappie]

@@joshthompson80 Yeah, fair, but it's still among the major Canadian cities. Regardless, I'm with you on Edmonton. Soooooo under-rated. Can't wait till the Valley Line starts making an impact -- we might even start to see a retail revival then.

[@spartacusyoya]

@@MultiCappie CDN retail has been a dead duck in the 21st century. Free Trade and globalism really killed CDN retail. HBC co., Eaton's, Woodwards, Zellers, and many many regional and local retail outlets ... alll gonnnnne.

[@artvandelay6100]

Still affordable? How about the 5-7% tax increases year after year and the decaying roads for people that actually have somewhere to get to, not just for recreational cycling?

[@AndreasWesthues]

This was such an inspiring piece of advocacy for cycling. And also an example of a biker commmunity, where everyone is different but where they share one thing, which is cycling.

[@Bismvth]

As a Calgarian who has recently transitioned to in-person advocacy instead of Twitter simuladvocacy thank you! Sometimes the best things we can do are the least important. It's not about taking a few big steps, but lots of little ones. Just go and talk with your friends or neighbours about the problems you see, and eventually you'll create a climate ripe for fixing them.

[@MultiCappie]

The people you get at your morning coffee aren't going to be "the climate" but by supporting each other, you might become strong enough to influence "the climate." As an Edmontonian though, I suspect we've just done half your work for you. Hahaha. Good luck though.

[@nathanmcgeachy6391]

What did you do to make the transition? I’d love to do more as well but I don’t know where to start exactly

[@Bismvth]

@@nathanmcgeachy6391 I started with local elected representatives-I'm lucky to have a really active MLA with a background in advocacy work who just got elected! Just sending emails to some folks who are in the spaces you wanna be in. Organizations are always happy to see new faces at their meetups and events, for me its the newly-formed Strong Towns Calgary and More Neighbours Calgary doing urban policy + housing advocacy work. There's lots of action going on just outside of view almost everywhere!

[@the1andonly]

Great video. I'm lucky enough to live here and I've seen the progress Edmonton has made over the past decade or so. However, there are still a lot of shortfalls and way too many people that don't get it. Bike lanes benefit almost everyone in some way, but there is still a strong opposition to this plan. Even where bike lanes exist, they often get blocked by people who think it's okay to park in one to move some stuff into the car, or pick up a friend. Eyes are on this bike plan, which is good. I'm cautiously hopeful, but Edmonton still has a long way to go before it could be called truly bike friendly.

[@Shifter_Cycling]

I agree there is a lot of work remaining, but hopefully this will give the city a jumpstart.

[@ronshillum4897]

In Courtenay BC, we have an expanding network of bicycling designated lanes, an increasing number are separated by some form of barriers. I Love the idea of holding a ‘coffee clatch ‘ on one of higher traffic cycling/pedestrian routes.

[@idealisticpragmatist8508]

Do it! Calgary already started their own Coffee Outside based on Edmonton’s, and it’s been going for a few years now.

[@kostyafedot551]

This is up to date initiative for big size city in Canada. Young in charge, less younger are having fun. Removing parking allows builders to gain more profit simply because parking is not as profitable. But carless family of four needs normal parking for four bikes.. Especially, with LJ (Bakfiets) and/or trailer.

[@lws7394]

Maybe, but a car drives just 1.2 people on average.. at one car parking spot you can park 8 bikes , or 16 with a shoulder height bike rack as well. That should be enough with a family of four ! Next phase for a bike city is to designate good, secure bike parking at transit stops and 'destinations' all over town and at appartment blocks and town houses In Netherlands all row houses have a bike/storage shed in the back and there is (usually basement) bike storage for Apartments all over ...

[@kostyafedot551]

@@lws7394 It might be the case for California. In Canada we need enough space for bikes to dry after wash from salt and else during five months winter. Upper racks are no go for Canadian climate. And good luck with putting e-bike on the top rack.

[@noseboop4354]

@@lws7394 Also, you can fit twenty tents in the place of one house. The future of Canada looks so bright!

[@lws7394]

@@noseboop4354 Good point ! On the plot of one typical Canadian single family home you could easily build 4 semi detached (with garage) or 6 row houses (with 120-140 sqm space) Or alternately 8-10 Montreal style stairwell apartments ! With that Canadian cities probably can maintain their streets better than the sorry state they are currently in. In the past Canucks had the name to be tough, nowadays they appear to be whiners. In Finland they have enough 'sisu' to commonly use bikes in Oulu ( just below the arctic circle , where there is only 5 hours of sunshine in the whole month of december ).

[@seamusmuldrew5623]

I think something that really pushed Edmonton forward on this is actually a bike lane cut-back a few years ago. The last mayor, Don Iveson, who pushed the current downtown bike grid through also got a bunch of painted lanes done in more suburban areas. They were all removed fairly fast which I think helped city council and administration be more focused on high quality, separated bike infrastructure. Edmonton today has few painted bike lanes, and is certainly not building anything below standard (with a few annoying exceptions). This is in contrast with what I see in other western Canadian cities like Calgary or Vancouver where a significant portion of their bike lanes are unprotected.

[@andrewcampbellski]

I was really impressed in the video with how few painted lanes there were. it's really noticable when it's mostly separated

[@spartancanuck]

Hmm. The new lanes in Alberta Ave are pretty much all painted. Admittedly, it's on streets that are all fairly low-traffic to begin with.

[@MultiCappie]

@@spartancanuck The ones that were removed were in the neighbourhoods that complained. Most people aren't NIMBYs. But fear not, high quality is coming to the North Side as well.

[@ddhqj2023]

I was just in downtown Vancouver around the Burrard street bridge and their bike lanes in that area are protected with low curbs that keep cars out of them. So change is coming to Vancouver too.

[@glenyoung1809]

Bike lanes in cities with snow on the ground for more than 4-5 months? How many people are willing to deal with the safety as well as the weather considerations during winter? Very few cyclists are so dedicated and are willing to head out into subzero weather with half unploughed icy-roads to ride to work. In Calgary they are mostly unprotected painted lanes, there are paved and maintained bike paths separate from the main road which have been around for decades and makes more sense. It snarled downtown traffic and forced people looking for parking to park on side streets in neighborhoods surrounding the core and in the end it didn't really help that people get to work during the winter months. Bike lanes in California makes sense, in northern cities with icy winters 30-40% of the year? not so much.

[@GoWestYoungMan]

Well done Edmonton. Canadian cities are getting better and more appealing each passing year. We're not close to where we need to be but at least we're heading in the right direction. Progress!

[@pollockac]

This video is SO inspiring. As a Calgarian, I'm a smidge jealous, but mostly encouraged and energized. The concept that political outcomes like this arise from community organization is incredibly important and under-acknowledged!

[@boroditsky]

This is a really good video. I wonder to what extent 1-term city councillor Tooker Gomberg was a catalyst for some of the progressive advancements we’ve seen in the city over the past 30 years. Riding his bike to City Hall, not wearing a tie, having a worm composter in his office, and having the audacity to suggest that we envision the kind of city, we’d like to live in. He was regularly lambasted and mocked in the media. I was a bicycle activist, 30 odd years ago in Edmonton, and very recently acquired a pedal assist bike, and was thrilled to discover how much of the River Valley has been preserved, and how much of the city is accessible. I’m very excited to see how this plays out in the next few years.

[@curtismah1261]

Tooker was great, RIP to him

[@MultiCappie]

Tooker was definitely part of the movement, and very much at odds with the prevailing current of the moment, but Michael Phair and Jan Reimer would rightly deserve at least as much credit for innovation, and there were great innovators before them as well. As far as I can tell historically, it was the pro-streetcar people, the pioneers of the ERRS, who truly spearheaded the current Edmonton upheaval. They're the ones that turned around Whyte Ave. They're the ones that got the City to plan the original LRT -- the first modern-built LRT on Earth. (As opposed to streetcar-upgraded-to-LRT.) They're the ones who advocated to convert the Mill Creek rail line into a bike path, which grew into the River Valley trail network we have now.

[@curtismah1261]

@@MultiCappieYes Jan Reimer took the bus to work and advocated for the river pathway system!

[@MultiCappie]

@@curtismah1261 She also introduced the Downtown condo unit construction subsidy, which led to people living Downtown, championed the Winspear project which now draws thousands of evening visits Downtown, and with Michael Phair championed the 104 Street renovations which led to two blocks of the first street-open restaurants between 97 Street and 105 Street since the Rose and Crown and the Old Spaghetti Factory in the early '80's.

[@harrymoore8032]

I hope you had a great time in Edmonton! Thanks for the video and shining a spotlight on our City!

[@Shifter_Cycling]

I did!

[@S.L.INK.13]

Heres what you need to know about edmonton. We just spent 100 million dollars on bike paths... and now we are 73.8 million over budget. So that people can ride their bikes when its -40 degrees for half the year. Meanwhile the real urban issues of having homeless people literally everywhere! But im glad you can ride your bike on little paths that get cleared of snow all winter while the roads dont ever get touched.

[@influenza99]

As of the airing of this video, a bike lane is being constructed on 50st between Roper and Sherwood Park FWY. Can't wait to incorporate it into my daily commute.

[@everetthorner]

Very cool to learn so much about my own city from your video! I started biking to work this summer and I have certainly noticed the investments already. I can’t wait to see more.

[@Amir-jn5mo]

I think i read about a year ago in Urbanism Canada subreddit that edmonton was also planning to build the very first Dutch-style roundabout. i was already aware of their parking minimum removal too. Overall super excited about Edmonton and their progressive changes in city planning.

[@LankyFrank]

I'd love to see these become commonplace in Canada (done properly). Intersections here are terrifying and inefficient.

[@spartacusyoya]

Dutch style bicycle networks are alright for original human scale developed cities like in Europe but for North American cities they are very dangerous for cyclists. New lane/ roads need to be created for bicyclists, this crowds out motorists who will just use the next closest roadway, and this does not solve overall traffic problems.

[@LankyFrank]

@@spartacusyoya do you have any sources for this hypothesis because I would argue that this is objectively false

[@matthewq4b]

@@LankyFrank I would say you lack common sense as any one three functional brain cells knows this happens.

[@MultigrainKevinOs]

To answer the conclusion: When city council was debating, having a plan for long term vision for linking up the network with multiple options at different price points was essential to getting buy in. I was shocked when they went ahead with the whole plan but it was put forward as an equity argument. Edmontonians most impacted by affordability, access to transport are typically in areas least serviced by active infrastructure. I think that really helped push the needle towards the all encompassing rollout (or as close to it as possible). I recall a lot of these arguments and leg work was done by paths for people. Having strong advocates for everyone is critical in the debate. I think a large component was also timing with the pandemic, temp bike lanes, roll outs of the escooter and ebike share services all putting pressure and use case for expanding the system. Seeing results is important for the public and councils to take the risk on spending money. There absolutely was pushback for the very same reasons you highlighted. But, i think similar to your interview in Vancouver on its expansion, there is just a tipping point where its politically safe to be pro bike lane. Seeing people of all ages out on bikes is that change and support we needed even if it took decades to build up to this point. While it's all good that there is investment, the existing system needs work too, we are a long long way from Montreal's network and adoption rate. We are a hodge podge of attempts at cycling infrastructure as the acceptance and interest by the city has evolved. I think most cities in North America still struggle with this until standards emerge or we adopt European designs. What has me genuinely excited are projects like 132nd Ave in the Northern section of the city. It's so much more focused on pedestrian and active transport than anything we have built out yet. some details to help with an outstanding video of the design to be rolled out of the next few years. If this is a sign of what the city is willing to do, we have a really bright future ahead of us. www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/here-s-why-edmonton-s-132nd-avenue-renewal-project-is-garnering-attention-1.6990066 anyway, Edmonton and Calgary are at their best when we compete. I am excited to see Cycling and active transport grow as each city and its citizens will push each other. There is a bright urbanist future in what are still a set of sprawling cities. Thank you as always for a well researched and presented video Tom, you are doing excellent work that benefits us all.

[@Shifter_Cycling]

Thank you for the context here. This is great info, and I'm so happy to hear so much optimism in Edmonton.

[@highway2heaven91]

Edmonton isn't Montreal, but it could end up being the leader in English Canada when it comes to cycling if it keeps this up.

[@MultigrainKevinOs]

@@highway2heaven91 I mean that Montreal is a clear leader and what we should all aspire for to ever be a "next great cycling city" Montreal is blazing the trail and giving us all a path to follow for a better future in urbanism.

[@noseboop4354]

@@MultigrainKevinOs It's kinda sad Montreal is the high bar when it is woefully inadequate compared to basically any major European or Asian city.

[@MultiCappie]

@@noseboop4354 This is not even close to true. I lived in Seoul, Ulsan, Chiba, and Tokyo, and I just spent two weeks in Montreal. Montreal has a lot of advantages over the Asian cities I listed.

[@humanecities]

I’m so excited for what they’re doing!!

[@aeiro5390]

I was kinda hoping to hear more about how edmonton was building infrastructure for winter cycling (plowing/grading bike lanes, improving wayfinding/lighting for the longer nights, and ensuring that weather protected bike storage is available at businesses). Would love a follow up here.

[@larryhouse3776]

They're slapping LRT lines all over this city right now spending tens of billions literally as we speak. I'm not a fan. It's going to lead to vandalism and problems with homeless people being able to move around the city more freely. What they should be doing is enclosed pedestrian cycle-ways elevated above the streets. Heated and dry environments people can cycle year round regardless of weather.

[@anthonyjirsch101]

can't even plow our roads but think they'll figure out how to plow a dam bike lane

[@curtismah1261]

So good to see Darren and Kube in this video !! Legends of the #yegbike scene ! And of Course Glatz!

[@Pensées_depuis_mon_balcon]

What I loved about your discussion with the mobility advocates at the end of the video is that they are not spring chickens 😊. I'm 59 and I find the false choice of age as an impediment to biking implementation being fully rejected by those that generate objections instead of seeking solutions.

[@BradFonseca]

Thanks! Great video. Is Edmonton planning to have safe and covered bike parking?

[@Shifter_Cycling]

Not that I've heard of. I think bike parking is often overlooked. Thanks again for the support!

[@make725daily1]

Your content is awe-inspiring! - "Success is a continuous journey, not a fixed destination."

[@int53185]

As a life long cyclist i applaud the efforts to bring cycling to the forefront of a transportation movement. Of the many benefits the only downside is the interaction with cars. If more people tried an ebike and experienced the joy and freedom that it brings there would be a transportation revolution. Keep up the good work!

[@goldenstarmusic1689]

I loved Edmonton during my visit, it's the most Minneapolis adjacent city in Canada.

[@ttopero]

What do you mean by Minneapolis adjacent? It’s farther away than Winnipeg, Calgary, and much bigger metro than those cities. The central cities themselves might be compatible if that’s what you mean.

[@goldenstarmusic1689]

@@ttopero Minneapolis adjacent in this case I'm referring to the built form, the public transit, and vibes. Winnipeg is definitely closer to us, but I found Edmonton to be more similar thanks to the light rail, emerging bike infrastructure, downtown skyway system, etc.

[@garyholt8315]

I was very impressed by the infrastructure in Minneapolis that was featured in a recent city nerd episode.

[@yaygya]

Edmonton local here, and coincidentally, Minneapolis-St. Paul is one of the only US metro areas I would ever consider moving to.

[@ttopero]

@@yaygya having grown up in Minneapolis, I concur it’s a great place. It’s too severe for me in the winter as a full time ‪bicyclist‬ , even with the improvements they’ve made for ‪bicyclist‬s since I left a decade ago. I still have fond memories and hope to have some involvement in the future

[@sdmike1141]

Thanks! Edmonton!!! The Paris of the North?!! I can dig it!

[@Shifter_Cycling]

I think they might get behind that nickname. Thank you for the support!

[@sdmike1141]

@@Shifter_Cycling I’d like to hide under the umbrella of “ignorant Americans”, but man, we ‘preciate you!! Great curated Canadian content is top dollar down here!! Thanks for your work.

[@stuflikethis]

I’m in Edmonton and this bike plan doesn’t work in practise for a few reasons - city council is horrible with budgeting. Our taxes have skyrocketed in the last couple years to keep up with woke spending that most people don’t agree with. The bike lanes are essentially a pet project that keeps city council busy instead of addressing our real problems. - the current bike lanes don’t work for the infrastructure. There isn’t physically enough room to get bike lanes in the downtown core. They talked about the cost of installing the bike lanes, but they didn’t mention the cost of specialized snow removal for these lanes that will be an ongoing cost. There have been a few buildings burn down that would have otherwise been saved because the fire department didn’t have adequate access dude to bike lane pillars. - Edmonton has huge suburban sprawl. Even if they could make bike lanes physically fit into the downtown core and central university areas, there’s no reason to bike there anymore. City council has allowed homelessness and crime to drive businesses out of the area. Take a trip down whyte Abe and every 3rd business is recently closed down (and no this is not Covid related). Even if you managed to ride your bike to one of the few remaining businesses on jasper or whyte, you’re taking a huge risk leaving your bike outside where a vagrant is likey to steal it. As for the suburban areas, there’s enough room for bikes to commute without designated bike areas. Most new roads are already built with extra room to put snow in the winter. So the need for spending money to designate part of the lane simply isn’t there. - I commuted via bike when I was younger just fine without bike lanes by using less busy side roads just adjacent to artery roads. - I get that this is a bike channel, but there’s nothing glamorous about Edmontons bike lanes. In reality it’s a depressing horror story from start to finish. Even the hipster city councillors don’t actually want to use the already existing bike lanes. The interest isn’t there. For them it’s an opportunity to virtue signal and add something to their resume at the cost of the tax payer and the frustration of the citizens who need to put up with a city core that they managed to make even worse

[@4jboyce]

This is awesome! I'm an Edmontonian who bikes to work most days and am very thankful for the work going into the bike infrastructure in my city

[@erickpalacios8904]

This benefits everyone (except maybe car manufacturers and their boards) in ways that transcend economic growth. Way to go, Edmonton! I hope to see a new wave of younger politicians implementing fresh, ambitious goals for the collective good in this country in the years to come (including my hometown in the Fraser Valley 😅)

[@michaelvickers4437]

In Ottawa we had a progressive candidate for Mayor - Catherine McKenney - who ran last year, who was considered the front runner for a long time, and put forward an even bolder plan, to spend $250 million to build out in 4 years, the cycling infra projects already on the books for the next 10-15 years. Had things gone differently, maybe you'd have been making this video about Ottawa instead. Unfortunately, instead, they lost to a candidate anointed by the local establishment, who campaigned hard on using the bike infra plan as a wedge issue with suburban, rural and older voters. Oh well, next time maybe. I'm impressed that Edmonton made it work. I'm guessing the somewhat progressive mayor didn't campaign on it specifically, but I'm curious how the community was ultimately able to turn that readiness into action, when the moment came?

[@robertlee8805]

It'll been fantastic if Catherine McKenney would've WON the mayor's office. I hope she tries again. What's the term for a mayor in Ottowa? By the way I'll wait till she's in to VISIT your city. I'll check online on all the places that we can ride our bikes to sight seeing and have some awesome Ottawa foods.

[@idealisticpragmatist8508]

Edmonton hasn’t yet made it work-we’ll see how they implement it. It’s a nice bit of hope, though, certainly.

[@The2wanderers]

It wasn't a major platform, but like Darren said in the video, the mayor did come out to Coffee Outside and specifically discussed support for the bike plan (which had been developed but not funded in the previous term). There was an establishment-approved candidate for mayor as well, who was vocally opposed to the plan. He did come in second, but a distant second. Councillors like Janz and Salvador, and downtown councillor Anne Stevenson made cycling a much more central part of their platforms. My councillor doesn't really talk about it - he didn't bike when he was first elected 3 or 4 terms ago, but is now well known as a bike commuter and density advocate, so it's not like voters didn't know who they were getting. And while I live on the urban edge of the ward, the votes here heavily skew to the deep suburbs. So I think what's really happened is that we've just won the argument. There's no appetite for building more roads in the core, and the alternative is ever-worsening congestion for those who have to drive. So even people who are personally unlikely to avail themselves of transit, bikes and density still support these things. The most important factor in today's policies was probably winning a major battle in the freeway war when the 1969 METS plan was cancelled after construction had begun. There's certainly an alternate history where Edmonton paved over the river valley with a freeway and all the politics around transportation become different.

[@MultiCappie]

The key to Edmonton's success is because the real estate developers "get it", as exemplified by 4:42 in the video. In Edmonton, most of the funds donated to civic election campaigns come from real estate developers.

[@annoyed707]

Ottawa has its issues, but it actually has some great areas and access to some excellent outdoor recreation. Bike infrastructure varies, but I have seen much worse.

[@johngalt97]

Ames, Iowa, U.S. city of pop. 66K (half university) has greatly improved its bicycling infrastructure, as have the surrounding areas. But, they still insist on their unconstitutional bicycle ban on one 4-lane street, and have a dozen 'NO BICYCLE' signs displayed. Sigh. Although there is a bunch of legalese in with the unconstitutional city code that says, "disregard this code if its unconstitutional" (it is), the signs give residents the idea that bicyclists are second-class road users.

[@langhamp8912]

A couple of logistic bottlenecks, UAW strikes, and a dash of interest rate spikes will put a quick stop to that. Driving is expensive and American drivers are increasingly realizing they can't afford to.

[@alpacarama21]

Hello fellow Ames-ian, I presume you're talking mainly about Grand Ave? To be honest, anybody biking on there must have a deathwish anyway. That and Lincoln, and Duff.

[@johngalt97]

@@alpacarama21 Do you think those ‘NO BICYCLES’ signs imply bicyclists are second class road users? And yes, of course, riders should not get in over their skills. As a track and field sprinter, Grand Ave. (Limit 35 MPH) doesn’t intimidate me. Electric bicycles are allowed 30 MPH, now, too.

[@alpacarama21]

@@johngalt97 I... good for you, I guess? But aside from bragging about how strong you are, that doesn't change anything for everybody else. What I'm saying is that the signs are a secondary concern. We've got bigger fish to fry here, in other words. An ebike is basically a 70's Iowa Spec moped anyway, so yeah that's true though.

[@robadr13]

One thing I didn’t hear anything about was maintenance. Hopefully they have an adequate budget & a firm commitment re snow removal during the winter. As we know from Mr. Tahkola in Oulu 😂 maintenance is as important as the infrastructure itself.

[@Shifter_Cycling]

This is a crucial component for a viable year-round bike city. Just ask Pekka!

[@krylonizer]

It is! Especially since we're a winter city. We're winter here basically 6-8 months a year. Of the million or so people in this city, how many are using this infrastructure or are interested in cycling for transportation purposes in this sprawl of a city when it's -30? Or everything is coated in glare ice? I suppose we'll see.

[@lisabrown8772]

@@krylonizer eight months of winter? I ride without studded tires April to October - that's eight months of fair weather riding.

[@ScottRollans]

-30C days in Edmonton are actually pretty rare. We do get some cold snaps here and there, but the vast majority of days are eminently rideable, even for this 62-year-old with a 10km commute. And, yes, the "6-to-8-month long winter" claim is pure fiction. I was out riding in shorts yesterday, in the middle of October.

[@PeterSdrolias]

Good on Edmonton! Winnipeg is slowly getting better.

[@tryathletes]

A few things I love about Edmonton (went to U of A there). It has the most beautiful running river valley trail system. Perhaps the most trails of any city in NA? It is also a requirement of all home owners to shovel the sidewalk in front of their homes after it snows. They do NOT rely exclusively on government to clear sidewalks, they do it themselves. Even after a large snowfall you can get around anywhere in Edmonton on sidewalks. Go to a city that relies on government to clear sidewalks and they wont be clear .. in fact the snow will quickly turn to packed ice. Added cycling infrastructure now makes this another feather in their cap. All for what ... one third of the cost of a single major highway overpass?

[@martinabest5801]

There are so many people in Edmonton whining and complaining about bike lanes, it drives me nuts. Those folks need to get out of their cars, get a bike, and ride. I'm excited and sure would like to see far more bike lanes than the ones we currently have. Where I live, there are NONE, NADA, no bike lanes whatsoever, other than a very, short one to the LRT station through some "parkland", so I hope that some of that $100 mil makes it's way to my neighbourhood for actual bike lanes.

[@Shifter_Cycling]

Hopefully this investment in cycling puts the city over the hump of complaining -- maybe people will now realize that cycling is good and it won't ruin their car commute, so cycling will cease to be a political punching bag. This will take time, but I think it will happen.

[@flargus7919]

Those folks complain about bike lanes despite not having ridden a bike since they were children and refuse to even try cycling again, just like they'll complain about the LRT and transit while also refusing to ever use it. I don't think there's any helping them, they'll always find something new to complain about while they drive in from the burbs.

[@thecaveofthedead]

I feel like it's not so much about getting them on bikes as convincing them that every person who does is one more person out of their way on their auto commute. Yeah, you may reduce lanes in some cases. But there are also fewer cars on what remains. It's only when it comes to the last few hundred meters of convenience that prioritising biking offers any 'downside' to drivers IMO.

[@prestigewoodworks]

Cyclists here; I won’t use bike lanes or infrastructure I absolutely hate the bike lanes in Edmonton they are awful

[@upnorthexpeditions8580]

I am a cyclist in Edmonton. It is winter 7 months out of the year in Edmonton. 0.001% of the population in Edmonton will use bike lanes from October to December. Why would the 99.99% pay for these bike lanes? These bike lanes cause confusion and congestion in traffic making it a net loss for the environment. It is absolutely mind boggling to invest in bike lanes in Edmonton let alone 100million when we have snow on the ground and extreme cold temperatures for 7 months of the year. I’m all for spending a few million on bike lanes for the down town core for making summer commuting easier for the select few that used to ride bikes. But trying to make Edmonton a “cycle city” or some kind of tourist hub is an idiotic utopian dream. No compared to large road infrastructure projects 100 million is not a large investment but when you compare it to other community investments it’s massive. This money should be spent on cleaning up our city, combatting the homeless and drug user issues and repairing our existing failing infrastructure and park system. Bike lanes are lipstick on a dirty old pig we need to focus our efforts on projects that make Edmonton a clean and safe place to live. That’s my opinion as an Edmonton local that is a cyclist. Now Montreal and Vancouver that’s a different story it makes way more sense to invest in bike lanes in cities with a mild claimant and large population.

[@SamRoxxJDM]

so great to see this channel grow well deserved

[@dps140]

I'm kinda shocked about this, but super happy to hear it. I have spent some good time in the area around Edmonton and it's the worst place I have ever seen in terms of being flooded with lifted gigantic (and pointless) pickup trucks. Seems the city is not reflecting the surrounding region which is relieving,

[@james-p]

Me, as an American who grew up playing hockey in Philadelphia: Edmonton! That's like a day's drive from Flin Flon, where Bobby Clarke is from! lol I live in Los Angeles. It is hell here. But I ended up over on the west side, in Santa Monica, for work recently. Santa Monica is doing it right! Protected bike lanes, and, shiver me timbers, a couple of actual Dutch Junctions!! There is hope.

[@jess3824]

really cool to see "Coffee Outside", would love to see more videos where you highlight cycling communities and initiatives in different cities and see what kind of events or programs they're leading

[@geoffreyhoney122]

This is a really good idea! I want to see this too! Especially since Tom is making the point that it is COMMUNITY that drives these changes!

[@An-Ma]

What an exciting and hopeful video. Good luck Edmonton, and well done!

[@bigbadblackbear3031]

My girlfriend's from Edmonton and we're considering moving there at some point. We're in Ottawa and the bike infrastructure has really gone downhill lately due to some never ending construction projects and an idiot mayor. Good to hear about the progress Edmonton is making!

[@ghostassoc]

Edmonton is a great city. It’s alive in a way Ottawa and a lot of Canadian cities aren’t. People are outgoing and always looking to have a good time.

[@graphofolie]

I loved seeing Café bicyclette on your channel! It's year round hot spot in the cultural hub of the Cité francophone.

[@Shifter_Cycling]

It's a great spot.

[@Jupiter065]

As a cyclist who used to live in Edmonton, this change is very welcome and desperately needed. After moving to Victoria and seeing what decent transportation infrastructure actually looks like, Edmonton is very limited. For a largely flat city (other than the river valley), biking just makes sense. And prioritizing clearing snow in bike lanes makes winter biking easy and fun.

[@mattinvic1]

The resistance to Victoria's bike lanes was tremendous and the epitome of a conservative "maintain the status quo at all costs" mentality. Kudos to Mayor Helps for dragging a provincial political backwater ruled my a tiny rich municipality Oak Bay (behind the gray curtain as Don Harron brilliantly spoofed it in The Canadian Establishment) into the 21st century. There are few more important abilities of politicians than forward thinking.

[@paulmcewen7384]

Victoria is awesome and has great bike infra but it has 91 000 people, Edmonton has a million, it's an apples to oranges

[@mattinvic1]

@@paulmcewen7384 The CRD is 383,360 (2016), so kumquats to oranges?

[@laurelcaldwell7804]

what a great point that changing your city might not be as intimidating as walking into your next city council meeting with a plan, but instead simply beginning a community. Definitely something with much less intimidation!

[@julioluapts491]

Here in Saint Paul, Minnesota USA plans are being made to build a separated bike lane along the longest stretch of Victorian homes in the US. It will be amazing, except coordinated efforts of wealthy homeowners are attempting to undermine it.

[@Shifter_Cycling]

This could be one of the great urban bike routes in the country! We're rooting for you.

[@aaronrdomanais]

Calgary needs to follow!!

[@leopoldleoleo]

After moving from Vancouver to Montreal (and being really disappointed in Vancouver’s recent turn/stagnation) - I had kinda resigned myself to Montreal being the only decent cycling city in Canada. Really happy that we might get some real competition. On piece of constructive criticism for this video is that it would have been great to see some kind of map of what’s being proposed, to understand the scale of the proposed changes

[@Shifter_Cycling]

The details of the plan haven't been released, so there is no map to share. I'll be watching it pretty closely when it comes.

[@leopoldleoleo]

@@Shifter_Cycling fair enough! In that case maybe some kind of representation of how many miles of protected bikeways could be provided, relative to the size of the existing network. I think I’ve just been burned by my experience in planning where proposals get made and money spent without anything actually happening on the ground.

[@zigzag00]

What stagnation of Vancouver if I may ask?

[@leopoldleoleo]

@@zigzag00 they haven’t built significant new protected bike infra in what feels like a generation, and the latest administration is pretty anti-bike lane

[@Barbara-lu7ch]

In the Chicago suburb I live in, we have some nice paths that get you where you need to go. The fear of coming out of the store to no bike keeps people from using them for running errands. Will Edmonton take bike theft seriously?

[@TheRandCrews]

Does Edmonton have a bike share? Feel like with all these new transit projects and bike infrastructure this could be a game changer. Like in Toronto and Montreal with Bikeshare Toronto & Bixi by transit stations. Edmonton also might have a commuter train to the airport so 👀

[@Shifter_Cycling]

It has, like Calgary, private bike and scooter share companies in place. It's a key component.

[@SheenaMalfoy]

The Lime bikes/scooters are only around in the warmer months, but they make a huge difference during the time they've got. I look forward to them every spring, as it signals the arrival of easier city exploration.

[@Amir-jn5mo]

public bike share is a godsent. I moved to Vancouver a few months back and god damn the Mobi bikes allow me to do everything. They are way better than private companies too cause they integrate with the cities existing transit stations and bike networks

[@UrdnotChuckles]

Edmonton is also working on revamping the zoning code to encourage more density, and thus support more walking & rolling access. Should hopefully work well with all the bike lanes!

[@yaygya]

Yeah, it’s crazy how this place is changing. We also got rid of parking minimums in 2020.

[@paulmcewen7384]

zoning passed!

[@sjpconnor]

Meanwhile, here in Vancouver, our city council is hoping to return us to the 1950s.

[@wdpm6424]

As an edmontonian who just realized this and started biking few weeks ago I’m very excited as I feel encouraged to keep expanding into this biking commuting

[@Paddyhudson]

The river valley and the hip urban areas are a great place to bike but the rest of the city needs a little more consideration.

[@garyholt8315]

the city also dropped the ball when re-decking James Mcdonald and Capilano bridges a few years ago. spend hundreds of millions but did not make them wheelchair accessible when they did the work. very discouraging.

[@marakuyovimalesh3793]

Fellow Calgarian here; I thought about you the other day, and was wondering if any new videos have come out. Somehow, YT has unsubscribed me... So I'm glad I searched you up to see some new videos :)

[@LankyFrank]

I wish Calgary would get their ass in gear and try to out-do our rivals in Edmonton. The urban policy changes coming out of Edmonton in the last 20 years make it seem so much more forward thinking, it makes me jealous as a Calgarian, especially out in the suburbs. I'd love to see a similar thing done with the broken network here, we have so many paths but they're all disjoint. Hopefully our council sees the positives that come out of Edmonton and follow suit

[@Shifter_Cycling]

Calgary recently approved plans to spend $40M on bikes. I'm looking forward to seeing what this will mean.

[@LankyFrank]

​@@Shifter_CyclingI didn't hear about that, that's very exciting! While we definitely need to hammer out a better downtown grid I do hope they eventually make bike highways out to the suburbs. I feel like a route parallel to Macleod/Red Line cutting through the entire city would be a great start to a city-wide network. Either way, I'm excited to see the network grow here.

[@artvandelay6100]

I like how so many people think it is forward thinking. Those people are in support of building their own prison. Does nobody have families anymore? I have yet to see a family on their way to the hockey rink or swimming pool in the dead of winter. This kind of thinking is so forward it is backward.

[@lolajuliet2662]

God I love this channel. Can't wait to visit Edmonton in a few years to see the changes being made. Great video keep it up!

[@jastahl]

Jealous to see what $100MM can do for bike infrastructure in EDM; I live in New York and costs are so out of control I think that amount might just get us a couple of blocks. It what I really want to know is, will this make it possible to bike to Oilers games?

[@lisabrown8772]

I can bike the entire route from home to Roger's Place on protected infrastructure!

[@jastahl]

@@frankfurter7260 spoken like a true New Yorker 🙌

[@DavidReid-d1d]

I worked with Nathan, Brenda and the rest of the sustainable transportation team at the CoE in 2015. Wishing them all the luck with implementing this plan, it will be an uphill battle!

[@spicyfrog8818]

It should be noted that Edmonton was late to the suburbia game in the first place, so it's this isn't the drastic jump that it would be for American or even other Canadian cities. Edmonton has very distinct development 'rings' that mark the style of its urban planning which are very apparent when you drive from the city centre to its outskirts, and it's only in the period between 2000-2020 that you see the heavily car-centric urban sprawl complete with power centres and food deserts. Up until then, the city's residential development had a very clear '15-minute' logic when it came to how schools, corner stores, and malls/strip malls were placed and it is all walkable with plenty of contiguous parkland(Edmonton has long been known for its gargantuan park network) with bike lanes and paved pedestrian walkways connecting most of the city. The neighbourhood that I grew up in and the one that I live in has kids playing outside everywhere, walking and biking to school on their own, and so on. Rather than what you're talking about being a radical change to the city, Edmonton's development went full American-style suburbia for about two decades, measured the results between the old and the new, and decided that the old way of doing things was better. At least that's what the effective result was. The $100M allocation shouldn't be seen as a new frontier in urbanism, but a plan to upgrade and expand existing urbanism laid down in the 20th century while amending the soulless crap that appeared between 2000-2020. Also, Edmonton is huge, area-wise - like six times larger than Houston with half of Houston's population. $100M here does not go as far as one might think. Edmonton's REAL problem is that it still sucks at density, and, going by its current zoning laws and categories, it will continue to suck at it. Most of the city is this weird, highly-walkable/bikable suburban sprawl that has all of the financial issues that low density creates for infrastructure maintenance, public transportation, and business. Oh well, at least it's still better than Calgary.

[@jacquesfourie2158]

Arent zoning bylaws changing / improving to make it easy to get more dense structures built?

[@spicyfrog8818]

@@jacquesfourie2158 Sort of, not really. What they're proposing is the consolidation of about 130 different zones because that was just getting ridiculous. In the old zoning code, which has been around since 1960 or something, there is a specific zone type(DC1/DC2) which is effectively 'do whatever'. This is meant for anything from historical preservation to masterplanned suburban development. In some places, you see it utilised quite well. Windemere is one example: you can live anywhere in the neighbourhood and have a five-minute bike ride to everything through a robust system of modal filters that keep pedestrians and cyclists out of sight of traffic. Plus, there are plenty of community facilities maintained through HOA fees. Of course, Windemere is the penultimate suburb for kajillionaires and that factors heavily into that resident-friendly planning. For the most part, you get the poorer, suburban desert dominating Edmonton's 2000-2020+ development ring. The point that I was trying to make was that consolidating and revamping the zoning code is a paper fix. Edmonton already has zoning provisions for density and even mixed-use(and it exists in many older parts of the city and the downtown stuff). The problem lies in the fact that it's not individuals who develop neighbourhoods - it's property developers. Unless you get a community development trust directing things, the average property developer still has the 20th-century suburban paradigm at the forefront of their minds. The actual fix is a slow process of raising awareness, freeing people from the car-centric mindset, and, in some cases, waiting for some people to literally die because they hold the pursestrings on development.

[@yaiirable]

LOVE this video! Great way to show the different types of groups/stakeholders that come together to make this sort of thing happen. And how we might get involved.

[@esgee3829]

if alberta is the texas of canada, which one is dallas and which one is houston? and what's the equivalent of "dont mess with texas"?

[@highway2heaven91]

Edmonton is Houston and Calgary is Dallas by far. I agree that Edmonton has some Austin elements but the massive oil refineries and industrial areas will remind one more of Houston than Austin. Calgary is much more similar to Dallas but has some Houston elements because of the Oil company HQ's.

[@onthejob9153]

This channel is doing amazing work for Canadian communities coast to coast I wish I could invite this gentleman to our next community meeting in north York Toronto

[@toxecteamer8674]

Tom, we should start this tradition of morning coffee here in Calgary! I have coffee!

[@Shifter_Cycling]

It's been happening here for years: twitter.com/CoffeeOutside

[@jeffsurtees847]

Love this! I work in Edmonton and love the bike paths. It’s a great way to get around.

[@bentrig9128]

I would have liked to see a little more info on what a $100 million investment can do. What does the current network look like and what will it look like after this is finished? This was touched on but no detail was given. It makes it hard to understand how impactful this will really be other than being a large number.

[@Shifter_Cycling]

The way the money will be spent hasn't been decided yet. I'm interested in this too.

[@garyholt8315]

that investment needs to be spent in the right areas

[@NaturallyRC]

Great video. Gives us a lot to think about.

[@timapelov]

I, too, have long come to the conclusion that the cycling city is not created by bike paths, but by people! People who ride a bicycle.

[@Patrick-cj7es]

Such a hopeful and informative video, thank you! I really enjoy your journalistic approach to these videos, interviewing people on the ground. It really embodies the new urbanism movement so much mire than the other informative but abstract policy-focused videos on new urbanism youtube.

[@hyleslie]

The oil sands are 400km away.

[@sacroyalty]

Great to hear more cities are making good decisions!

[@I.____.....__...__]

You should've consulted with Darcy of _bike bike nudge nudge_ who has plenty of videos about cycling in Edmonton and the renovations.

[@Shifter_Cycling]

He has a great channel

[@inasapostle2ndapostleofthe635]

Finally someone who is talking about Edmonton! This city has so much potential and feels like the city actually wants to move in the right direction.

[@botks894]

As an Edmontonian I can say I am kind of excited about the direction that our city is going in, they are building lots of high density housing through downtown, they are building bike lanes throughout downtown, around the river, university area and around brides, not to mention that the our rivervalley already has lots of pathways for biking already in there, we are also adding lines to the lrt (it is taking a while buts that’s likely cause we underfunded it initially),my hope is we can get bike lanes all the way to WEM from downtown and to lots of the high schools pretty soon (and beyond obviously).

[@Indicaprince]

I ride a bike in Edmonton, and I'm always concerned when I come back to where I locked it up it won't be there. The mass bike theft is a pretty big deterrent, as is the delay in removing snow from the multi-use pathways in a timely manner. Can't ride through a foot of snow without cyborg legs.

[@leftenentcrittendon3134]

This is actually horrendous. The city is nothing but gridlock these days. Bike lanes that very few use, extremely non inclusive towards pedestrians, the elderly, little people and the differently abled. An enormous white elephant for the extreme minority, almost none of which have ever obeyed a stop sign.

[@haveaseatplease]

Thank you for this fantastic news! Go go go Edmonton!!!

[@statelyelms]

My city's investing 5M.. and for the size, I think it's about the same if not more! But Calgary (edit: not Calgary, Edmunston) will probably get better results out of it, so I can't wait to see what they're doing. It's a great year for cyclists in Canada I guess!

[@dealbreakerc]

Edmunston is a town in New Brunswick. Edmonton is the capital of Alberta. Big difference.