Edmonton's Rainbow Valley Bridge work nearing completion after years of disruption

After two and a half years of significant traffic disruptions, Edmonton's Whitemud Drive is seeing the light at the end of the tunnel as major bridge construction concludes. The newly expanded and upgraded eastbound Rainbow Valley Bridge reopened this past weekend, marking the completion of Stage 2 of the Terwillegar Drive Expansion project. This phase involved extensive work on both the eastbound and westbound bridges, including rehabilitation, widening, and the addition of a new pedestrian/cyclist bridge. During the construction, traffic was rerouted, causing near-daily gridlock. The city's project aims to upgrade Terwillegar Drive into an expressway, a more cost-effective alternative to a freeway. The expansion includes adding new pedestrian bridges and dedicated transit lanes. While the main bridge work is largely finished, landscaping and site restoration will continue through 2027. The overall Terwillegar Drive Expansion project, which began in 2021, is slated for completion in 2028. The city initially considered a freeway conversion but opted for the expressway plan due to its lower estimated cost.