The UCP might make Edmonton pay up to $170M to tear out our bike lane network

How much would you pay just to make Edmonton worse?

The UCP might be charging you $170 million just for that.

There's a rumour going around that the UCP is asking for numbers on what it would cost to tear out all bike infrastructure that's impacted a traffic lane.

I've seen an internal city email that puts a price on exactly that.

Email Internal · City of Edmonton

Subject

Re: Costs of the bike infrastructure with new legislation

Thu, Oct 8, 2026

Based on a high-level review of bike lanes and active transportation infrastructure installed between 2014 and 2026 where travel lanes were impacted, the estimated cost for removal is in the realm of $150 to $170 million. The biggest contributor of cost is 132 Avenue which is estimated at $100 to $120 million, because this lengthy corridor was fully rebuilt to the new configuration.

Kind regards,

The city estimates that tearing out active transportation infrastructure built since 2014 that has had some impact on a traffic lane could cost between $150 and $170 million.

Most of it is one corridor, 132 Ave, where we have built one of the nicest neighbourhood streetscapes that Edmonton has ever seen.

132 Avenue in Edmonton: a painted bike lane beside the road, a boulevard with young trees, and a sidewalk running past a park on a sunny day. — 132 Avenue. Video: Urban Motion.

Undoing 132 Ave alone could cost up to $120 million.

But all the rest?

We put in a decade of painstaking work consulting, engaging, and building a connected active transportation network.

As little as $30 million bucks and it's gone.

Our government just blew $130 million on a glorified opinion poll.

The legislature returns this week, and Transportation Minister Devin “MAGA Hat” Dreeshen has promised legislation targeting municipal bike lanes this session.

We don't know how far he'll go, but we do know what the city estimates it could cost us.

A joke invoice from Premier Danielle Smith, Dept. of Car Lanes Only, billed to the Woke City of Edmonton Council and NDP voters (that's you). Making ur city shit, lol: $170,000,000. Data proving bike lanes don't work (couldn't find any): $0. Refund for the bike lanes you already paid for: $0. Glorified opinion poll, previously billed: $130,000,000, struck out. Total due: $170,000,000. Late fee: one (1) suburban interchange. Payable in property taxes. No refunds, no data, no takebacks. Signed xoxo, Danielle, stamped NON-REFUNDABLE.

We've already paid to build these streets, and the UCP might make us pay again to destroy them.