More details are emerging about Edmonton's plan to become a 15-minute city..One of those details is the city wants people to cut their vehicle usage by 50% to use other modes of transportation.."The city plan envisions a city of two million people where all Edmontonians of all ages, abilities and backgrounds can easily meet their daily needs within a short 15-minute walk, bike and/or roll," General Supervisor of Mobility, Urban Planning & Economy Department Pablo Orozco said on behalf of the City of Edmonton..READ MORE: 15-minute city project is preparing to help Edmonton reach 1.25 million people."With this anticipated growth there will be an opportunity for Edmonton’s current mobility system to evolve from one predominantly focused on individual travel by car to one that facilitates a broader array of travel options. This includes moving towards the city plan goal of 50% of all trips being made by transit or active transportation, e.g. biking or walking.".It appears the Edmonton wants to be a 15-minute city for residents and that cars will have limited places to drive and park once the plan is finished..Whyte Avenue may look very different in the coming years as the city plans to convert one lane each way to a dedicated bus lane and remove some parking to widen sidewalks..READ MORE: District planning a 'necessary tool' for 15-minute city in Edmonton."The city plan identifies the need for a mass transit route to connect West Edmonton Mall to Bonnie Doon, via the university," Senior Engineer of Urban Mobility Strategies Team, Urban Planning & Economy Department Dallas Karhut said.."Further planning work identified the need for dedicated transit lanes to run along Whyte Avenue as part of this mass transit route. The city is currently developing route alignment and design options for how the bus lanes will fit within the Whyte Avenue corridor.".Karhut said the introduction of dedicated transit lanes will, inevitably, result in some "challenging decisions" about which street spaces and elements, such as sidewalks, public realm space, boulevards, trees, vehicle parking and vehicle lanes, should be prioritized and which spaces should be repurposed..READ MORE: Knack says 15-minute cities are not about segregation."We’re looking forward to Edmontonians’ perspectives on these trade-offs and which street elements are most important to the people who use Whyte Avenue," Karhut said..Feedback on the Whyte Avenue mass transit corridor was gathered as part of the Old Strathcona Public Realm Strategy, engagement will be used, along with technical and policy considerations, to finalize details on how mass transit can be designed and serviced along this corridor.."Options for the Whyte Avenue corridor and other bus-based mass transit corridors, are targeted to be presented to Council in late 2023 or early 2024 as part of the Mass Transit: Implementing for 1.25 Million People project," Karhut said..According to city documents, the 15-minute city project is preparing to help Edmonton reach 1.25 million people..Edmonton's mayor said he believes residents need to work with communities and, at a district level, identify gaps in the multi-use trail network that limit transportation choices.."This could mean widening sidewalks or multi-use trails that encourage walking, or sustainable infrastructure in communities where they make sense. Addressing gaps and barriers will be essential for encouraging all modes of transportation at a local level," Sohi said in his policy campaign.
