Do Edmonton's bike lanes ease traffic congestion or make it worse?
· Discussed by 24 people · 6 claims
Going ahead
Before-and-after traffic counts and travel times on converted corridors can show whether reallocating lanes changed congestion, while the general claim about roads carrying services adds nothing checkable.
The City's record of which lanes it reallocated, plus traffic counts and travel times on those corridors, answers both directions and shows what else the road carries.
People arguing in both directions raised this question, and every claim they made about it is checked, whichever way it points.
Where it came from
Taken from Yegscoop post on council's 2026-08-26 bike lane decision, read end to end. Every factual claim in it was extracted and merged, so this question is listed whatever became of it.
Facebook post · captured · 621 comments
The names below are pseudonyms, one to a commenter within this source; the number is the comment's place in the captured thread.
The claims under it
Taking traffic lanes for bike lanes increases congestion, slows traffic and causes idling and emissions.
Discussed by 13 people
Removing traffic lanes for cyclists and increasing the number of crossings increase congestion.
Granite Hare D. · comment 11
nope, it causes it.
Bright Goose S. · comment 19
they force traffic into one lane not two, impede turns, slow the flow of traffic significantly causing idling which creates more emissions.
Rustic Hare L. · comment 21
Now instead of 2 lanes you now have one. Now you have more cars backed up and more carbon
Windy Bison C. · comment 32
turn a two lane each way into a one lane each way so that cyclist feel safe, how exactly are you reducing congestion? Now that one lane is permanently unuseable for cars
Riverside Bluejay S. · comment 36
not have them idoling while bike lanes are not being used.
Rustic Moose R. · comment 108
It will also increase congestion in some areas.
Misty Heron R. · comment 147
what was once 2 lanes of moving traffic is now one.
Prairie Waxwing D. · comment 192
there design does nothing but hinder traffic flow.
Amber Marmot E. · comment 194
taking away from roadways (both in driving lanes and in roadside parking) adds to the congestion you see.
Bright Chickadee P. · comment 302
without contesting our streets more?
Dusty Bluejay G. · comment 325
lanes that obstruct traffic
Foggy Crow C. · comment 551
there's year round maintenance, huge traffic congestion and related pollution
Bright Grebe R. · comment 582
Cycling infrastructure reduces motor-vehicle congestion because every person who bikes is one less car on the road.
Discussed by 6 people
Using a bicycle helps reduce traffic congestion.
Quiet Goose B. · comment 7
Bike infrastructure reduces traffic congestion
Riverside Merlin T. · comment 56
The more cycling infrastructure there is, the fewer people there are driving in cars. The fewer people driving, the better Edmonton's traffic situation gets.
Granite Vole D. · comment 64
if you want less traffic congestion then start biking.
Misty Hare K. · comment 110
And every person who takes the bike lane is one less car, reducing congestion.
Cedar Pelican C. · comment 193
every person who chooses to bike is one less car. The more comfortable and safe cycling is, the fewer cars we have on the road
Cedar Pelican C. · comment 195
giving people viable alternatives to driving reduces traffic congestion
Cedar Pelican C. · comment 292
fewer cars on the road resulting in less congestion, less pollution(noise and air), and a healthier population reducing health care costs
Cedar Pelican C. · comment 295
every person on a bike is one less car in front of you!
Granite Beaver P. · comment 339
drivers also benefit from bike lanes as every person on a bike is one less person in front of you in traffic in a car!
Granite Beaver P. · comment 366
the better they are the more people will choose them instead of driving
Cedar Pelican C. · comment 530
The City has removed motor-vehicle traffic lanes across Edmonton and replaced them with bike lanes.
Discussed by 4 people
102nd Ave between 121st and 111th. Used to be 2 ways, now one way with a bike lane. 102 Ave east of 109 St also reduced traffic lanes for bicycle lanes.
Granite Hare D. · comment 13
they absolutely have removed traffic lanes all throughout the city
Boreal Crow K. · comment 15
The city is removing traffic lanes all throughout the city for bike lanes
Boreal Crow K. · comment 17
they sure have removed Traffic lanes and replaced with bike lanes! Just check out what they did on 132nd ave!
Golden Sparrow J. · comment 18
remove a vehicle lane for a bike lane
Prairie Waxwing D. · comment 192
Roads carry the goods, services, buses and emergency vehicles society depends on.
Discussed by 2 people
Roads also move the goods and services need by society
Granite Hare D. · comment 301
service vehicles to move products; bus transportation to move people; ambulances to save lives; fire trucks to do the same
Bright Elk G. · comment 375
79 Street carries traffic that would otherwise use 75 Street and is a school-run route for parents.
Discussed by 1 person
It is an important street for alleviating traffic from 75 St and for people to navigate & drive their kids to school before work.
Hardy Vole C. · comment 393
Edmonton is removing lanes for traffic calming, not for cyclists, and adding bike lanes where that work is already happening.
Discussed by 1 person
they are not removing lanes for cyclists. They are removing lanes for traffic calming measures and in places where applicable putting bike Lanes there to save money combining the two.
Riverside Muskrat A. · comment 12
Even if they had never planned bike lanes for hermatige road they are still getting traffic calming measures
Riverside Muskrat A. · comment 16