Transit Priority Measures

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About the Project

Edmonton is growing, and our transit use is too. Between 2023 and 2024, Edmonton transit ridership increased by 15% above pre-COVID levels. As we grow to a city of 2 million people, the ridership is expected to grow too. The City of Edmonton is implementing Transit Priority Measures to improve the efficiency and reliability of public transit.

Did you know?

Introducing transit priority measures is a cost-effective way to improve our ability to quickly and efficiently get more Edmontonians to where they want to go. The transit priority measures coming in 2025 and 2026 will help improve transit service in the short term by enhancing what we already have, while the City plans for bigger future projects like Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), which is part of the Mass Transit Planning study.

What are Transit Priority Measures?

Transit priority measures are techniques used to reduce transit delays and improve service reliability. These measures can include (but not limited to) updated signage, changes to traffic intersection signals or the addition of dedicated bus lanes.

Transit priority measures prioritize the movement of buses in the transportation network, making transit service more efficient and reliable for transit riders and providing an incentive to take the bus rather than drive.

Types of Transit Priority Measures in Edmonton

Queue Jump

A Queue Jump allows buses to move to the front of the traffic lane and proceed through a signalized intersection ahead of other traffic. A queue jump lane is either a short dedicated transit lane or a shared turn lane paired with a transit signal priority system that allows buses to jump ahead of traffic at an intersection.

An eastbound curbside queue jump lane on Jasper Avenue at 100A Street, a bus advanced signal (I-light) facilitates the queue jump.

Transit Lane

A Transit Lane or bus lane is a traffic lane reserved for buses full-time or during designated peak periods, sometimes allowing general use or parking during off-peak times. Transit lanes help buses move through traffic congestion and are useful along busy corridors where delays and queuing are common.

Transit lanes enable buses to avoid traffic congestion, leading to faster and more reliable trips.

A northbound dedicated curb lane for transit, ride-share and bicycles on 109 Street near 82 Avenue

Photo: A northbound dedicated curb lane for transit, ride-share and bicycles on 109 Street near 82 Avenue

Signal Timing Changes

Signal Timing Changes are modifications to the sequence and duration of traffic signals which control the movement of vehicles at an intersection.

Adjustments to signal timing along a corridor promote a more efficient flow of transit between bus stops by reducing travel times and minimizing delays at signals.

On-street parking restrictions

On-street parking restrictions are times when on-street parking in the curb lane is not allowed.

Vehicles parked on the street reduce the available lanes, leading to slower speeds and potential congestion. Removing on-street parking improves the safety and reliability of transit operations by preventing conflicts with traffic when buses enter and exit the bus stop location between parked vehicles. Additionally, drivers entering or exiting these parking spaces can disrupt traffic flow, causing delays for other vehicles.

Effective curb management helps improve traffic flow for all travellers by reducing conflict between transit and other vehicles in travel lanes and bus stops.

A curb lane is the outermost traffic lane along the curb used for on-street parking, passenger and commercial loading zones, bike lanes, transit lanes and more. From the transit priority measure perspective, the curb lane can be used as a queue jump or transit lane.

Photo: On-street parking restrictions on 101 Street near 106 Avenue

Photo: On-street parking restrictions on 101 Street near 106 Avenue

Intersection Upgrades

Intersection Upgrades refer to modifications made to an intersection to enhance traffic flow, safety, and efficiency by adding features like turn lanes, pedestrian crosswalk upgrades, widened sidewalks (curb extensions or bulbouts), improved signal timing, lane reconfigurations, or other design changes to better manage vehicle movements in the intersection.

Curb extensions, or bulbouts, are where the sidewalk or curb line is extended outward into the street, usually at an intersection, to narrow the roadway and widen the sidewalk. This can improve pedestrian safety by reducing the crossing distance and enhancing visibility between pedestrians and vehicles. They also offer a way to improve transit operations by allowing passengers to get on and off the bus directly from the travel lane. This eliminates the delays associated with buses entering and exiting bus bays.

Image from City of Vancouver Granville Street transit improvements

Image from City of Vancouver Granville Street transit improvements.

Locations and Measures

Implementation anticipated in 2025

101 Street between 107 Avenue and Kingsway Avenue

Southbound transit lane between Kingsway Avenue and 107 Avenue
Signal timing improvements

97 Avenue between 105 Street and 109 Street

Westbound queue jumps at 105 Street and 106 Street
Signal timing improvements

Hewes Way between 23 Avenue and 28 Avenue

Signal timing improvements

97 Street between 107A Avenue and 118 Avenue

Afternoon peak hour parking restrictions between 3:30pm and 6pm in the northbound direction between 111 Avenue and 118 Avenue
Signal timing improvements at the intersection of 97 Street and 118 Avenue

118 Avenue between 78 Street and 82 Street

Signal timing improvements

Jasper Avenue between 95 Street and 109 Street

Westbound queue jump with transit lane at 105 Street
Signal timing improvements

Implementation anticipated in 2026

101 Street between Jasper Avenue and 102A Avenue

Transit lanes between Jasper Avenue and 102A Avenue
Signal timing improvements
Design is underway and will be shared when available

Whyte Avenue between 99 Street and 109 Street

Intersection upgrades at Gateway Boulevard, 104 Street and 105 Street
Signal timing improvements
Design is underway and will be shared when available

Some on-street parking and/or loading zones may be impacted as a result of transit priority implementation. Impacted properties will be notified about the proposed changes. As we get closer to implementation, more information on the upcoming measures will be shared.

Timelines and designs are subject to change.

Transit Priorities Project Map

Why these locations?

The locations and types of transit priority measures resulted from the analysis of transit service performance and traffic data, travel time improvements, safety, costs, ease of implementation, coordination with other infrastructure projects and alignment with policies including The City Plan and Edmonton’s Transit Strategy.

Public Engagement

The Transit Priority Measures Project is the result of public feedback on transit improvements. The City heard from transit riders that on-time performance is a priority and these proposed changes will improve both reliability and efficiency.

While it is important to consider community needs and priorities, some technical decisions necessitate specialized knowledge to meet safety and engineering standards.
The ongoing activities aim to ensure that the public and interested parties are well-informed about the approved measures.
Before implementation, property owners, businesses, and interested parties in the project area will be notified.

Opportunities will be available for the public to learn about future transit projects in the city, as the City advances planning for the expansion of the Mass Transit network.

More details will be shared about these opportunities in the coming months.

Project Timeline

Project life cycle Build chevron image

2026

Completion
Implementation:
- Whyte Avenue
- Jasper Avenue

2025

Implementation:
- 118 Avenue
- Hewes Way
- 97 Avenue
- 97 Street (Parking restrictions)
- 101 Street
Detail Design

2024

Implementation:
- 97 Street (Signal related improvements)
Preliminary Design
Concept