May 7, 2024 - In early Dec. 2022, Edmonton turned heads when city council approved $100 million to implement their massive 2023-2026 Bike Plan.

A total of 678 kilometres of bike routes have been identified, with nearly 300 kilometres representing cycling connector routes between neighbourhoods and another 390km of routes within neighbourhoods — approximately 200km represent new cycling paths.

The city is home to more than 1,300km of cycling routes including 15km of protected bike lanes, about 1% of the city’s network, which is mostly made up of shared pathways. In 2024, approximately 17km of the new network will be completed.

Bicycle trips in Edmonton have nearly doubled over the past 10 years, and the City’s new Bike Plan aims for a goal of 50% of all trips to be made by transit and active transportation, up from the current 23%.

According to the city’s Energy Transition Strategy, Edmonton still has one of the highest per capita levels of greenhouse gas emissions in the world with transportation accounting for 31% of total emissions. The Bike Plan, which should be fully implemented by 2030, is part of the city’s strategy to reduce emissions by up to 85%.

The City also plans to improve and expand its end-of-trip facilities, such as bike parking, along with wayfinding, shared micro-mobility, education and encouragement programs.

This past February, Edmonton hosted the Winter Cycling Congress. Edmonton’s active pathways are assigned a snow-clearing priority level, and the WinterCity Strategy aims to execute a cultural shift to ease the challenges, inconveniences and dangers of winter mobility. Up to one out of four residents continue to ride throughout the winter.

Local community cycling advocacy group Bike Edmonton offers refurbished bikes and parts, runs workshops on how to repair bikes, and teaches safe and effective riding. Coffee Outside is an outdoor cycling coffee club that brings people together year-round to socialize, share information and encourage outdoor activity.

The Safe Mobility Strategy 2021-2025 is Edmonton’s new approach to advancing Vision Zero and supports the Bike Plan’s safety strategy as an overarching, uncompromised, foundational aspect of bike infrastructure and programming.

Increased biking is another important way to improve the health and well-being of residents, as currently about 43% of Albertans do not achieve the minimum daily recommended levels of physical activity.