102 Avenue between 130 Street and 132 Street will see a lengthy closure starting September 15 as crews work to replace the Wellington Bridge. The city says the bridge, built in 1932, is on its last legs. “We’re trying to extend its life by providing shoring and posting ... it’s time now to do the replacement,” said Sam El Mohtar, director of transportation and infrastructure deliver with the City of Edmonton. He said the last major rehabilitation took place in 1992 and the bridge has been on life support since 2014. During construction, this portion of 102 Avenue will be fully closed to vehicles, transit, pedestrians and cyclists. The trail underneath the bridge will also be closed. The city says drivers can detour via 142 Street, 124 Street, Groat Road and 107 Avenue, while pedestrians and cyclists can detour north on 130 Street or 132 Street to 104 Avenue. Parking on affected routes will also be limited and ETS Route 2 will detour via 124 Street. Once finished, the new bridge will include a shared pathway on the north side, upgraded traffic barriers, handrails and new streetlights. El Mohtar said construction on the bridge will run until the end of October 2026. “We tried to push it as far as possible this year without compromising the one-year construction period,” said El Mohtar. “If we miss that window, the next year will cost us one more extra year.” The project was scheduled in coordination with other projects, allowing for traffic to be detoured at intersections that were closed for LRT construction. The city said it will be using a “traditional” work schedule as opposed to an accelerated one, which other construction projects involving major thoroughfares have seen.
