EXCLUSIVE: Alberta plans legislation to rein in municipal bike lane decisions
Alberta is taking action to rein in city councils that have used backroom deals to push through controversial bike lanes and road changes without listening to the concerns of everyday drivers.
Alberta is taking action to rein in city councils that have used backroom deals to push through controversial bike lanes and road changes without listening to the concerns of everyday drivers.
Transportation Minister Devin Dreeshen confirmed in a year-end interview with True North that his department is drafting legislation for 2026. This legislation could require municipalities to conduct traffic impact assessments before removing driving lanes or installing bike lanes on major roads.
“We are going to be looking at, in the new year, introducing legislation regarding bike lanes and looking at traffic impact assessments,” Dreeshen said. “We are looking as a province to have legislation so that bike lanes are put in logical places and that you can just do proper city planning going forward.”
The comments signal a potential expansion of provincial oversight into municipal transportation decisions, especially where projects affect major commuter corridors. Dreeshen said population growth and congestion are forcing the province to reconsider how much discretion cities should have over roads that serve a broader regional function.
“We’ve seen over 400,000 new drivers in Alberta in the last six years,” he said.
