Petition calls for safety improvements at ‘unsafe’ southwest Edmonton intersection

A group of people in west Edmonton started a petition to demand the city make safety improvements at a busy intersection. CTV News Edmonton Gates Guarin reports

People who live in the southwest Rivers Edge and Uplands neighbourhoods are calling for safety upgrades to an intersection that has seen increased traffic in recent years.

Maskêkosihk Trail has become busier with rapid development in the area and residents say the 192 Street intersection is now unsafe for motorists and pedestrians.

“We need to put a stop light,” Gopez Denilo told CTV News Edmonton. “The big trucks aren’t stopping.”

Denilo described the intersection as “very dangerous.”

It has four lanes of free flow traffic for drivers on Maskêkosihk Trail, two stop signs at the adjacent lanes and no pedestrian crossings.

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Another resident told CTV News Edmonton drivers at the stop signs often wait a long time to cross.

“It would be helpful if we could get lights set up so it’s safer for the community,” Fara Quadiri said.

A citizen-led petition calls on the city to implement solutions which could include installing a crosswalk or pedestrian lights, conducting a traffic study and adding speed reduction measures.

How the city prioritizes signal installation

The director of traffic operations for the city told CTV News Edmonton it has a prioritization list for signals based on data it gathers.

Mark Pivovar said on-site staff will record things such as how many vehicles pass through, the number of pedestrians they see and congestion witnessed during peak hours.

“In our new growth areas, we really look at intersections and try to determine if a full signal is required or sometimes we can utilize pedestrian rapid flashing beacons for the interim to solve some pedestrian conflicts,” he explained.

He also said future plans for an area, such as new schools, are considered as well as feedback from residents.

“I think listening to the community is really important, they are the users of these roads every day,” Pivovar said.

In the case of Maskêkosihk Trail and 192 Street, he said the most recent assessment was done earlier this month and it is now ranked higher than it was previously.

He said further assessment will be completed this winter with signals “most likely” being installed in 2026.

“We do have a lot of locations, up to 40 or 50 locations each year get looked at, and we are trying to balance what has to be done. We can deliver a finite amount of signals in a year, right?” Pivovar said.

He encouraged anyone concerned about an intersection to contact 311 so the information is considered by city staff.

With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Gates Guarin