Seamlessly Surviving The City’s Construction Season

There is an ongoing joke that people in Edmonton say every year, starting in April and ending in October. “There are only two seasons in Edmonton: winter, and then construction season.”

This commentary is shared with amusement, but mostly with annoyance. I can imagine people getting frustrated during their trips because of roads with reduced lanes or signs for detours that seem to appear out of nowhere. Given that we live in an area where it’s too cold to do construction work for half a year, the frenzy to get as much done during the warmer months is inevitable.

Construction seems endless. That is partially true, and it happens for various reasons. It could be a multiyear project such as a large building, highway, or LRT construction; a series of pothole repairs over a street; underground utilities in an area or a dozen trees being planted requiring a sidewalk to be blocked; a playground being made; a large home renovation extending to the sidewalk, or; a complete rebuilding of a couple of homes in a divided infill lot.

For those who pay some attention to city and provincial politics, it’s easy to recognize there are many infrastructure projects that were approved in recent years. Oftentimes, some of these projects span multiple years, even close to a decade. That’s the situation right now by my house, as the LRT going to the west side of the city began construction in 2021.

Here are some tips I can share to share that can help reduce the stress and annoyance. It can be summed up to these two: Knowledge is power. You have a voice.

Stay informed and subscribe to updates from the government. This can help with understanding the status of the project. Is it the beginning, middle or end of a project?

Is it a large roadway construction that spans many years, like the recent Terwillegar Drive expansion? Both the City of Edmonton and Government of Alberta publish updates on social

General Point Of View

gqgeneral@gmail.com media and you have an option to get e-newsletter updates.

Stay informed and subscribe to updates from the construction company. Some of the larger construction companies are diligent with giving advanced notice for upcoming construction changes. This can help with being familiar with detours and changing travel routes ahead of time so that there’s no sense of panic. In my area, they use social media frequently as well as e-newsletters.

Pay attention to road closures and changes in sidewalks and bus stops. Signs in the sidewalks and roads and streetlights are helpful. It’s useful to see the signage especially for when bus stops get moved. Construction companies that are diligent and responsible install signage as visibly as possible.

Make the most of navigation apps as they are even more advanced now. It’s impressive that even in short trips, when you are following the route, the bright yellow or red line on a portion of a road clearly shows that traffic will be slowmoving there. The best part, is that they sometimes offer multiple routes showing the fastest one, so even if it is not what you typically use, it can help you avoid congestion altogether.

Don’t hesitate to file complaints when something is wrong. Construction companies are responsible for many things around their construction zone so that people are as safe as possible, such as clear and safe detours for pedestrians especially in the winter. It is easy to file a complaint using the City of Edmonton 311 app as you can take a photo and the location is automatically detected.

The mindset of “the long-term gain might be worth it” can give some comfort. As someone who cannot drive, I eagerly look forward to using the new LRT lines so I can reach other parts of the city more conveniently. For road expansions, it can be helpful to look forward to the additional road capacity once it’s opened. And it’s always a good thing when road surfaces are fixed, and the dreaded potholes are gone.

I hope that everyone stays safe, stays informed and happy–or at least more relaxed–despite potential traffic and travel jams.