Edmonton’s Happy Beer Street bike lane making cyclists happy

Bike lanes and beer, what a great combo. Happy Beer Street in Edmonton is a collective initiative by several craft breweries located along 99th Street, south of Whyte Avenue. These include Ale Architect with its crispy lagers and Belgian ales, Alley Kat Brewing, one of Alberta’s oldest breweries, Bent Stick Brewing’s small-batch creations, and Blind Enthusiasm’s lagers and barrel-aged beers. Longroof Brewing focuses on traditional and experimental ales, while The Monolith specializes in mixed fermentation. Omen Brewing creates unique dark beers, and Sea Change Brewing is known for its community-oriented, creative brews.

Easier to get to

Now the city of Edmonton has decided to make the area a bit more friendly to those who want to ride or walk there. According to locals, parking can be difficult to find, and plus, the sidewalks are crammed.

A new lane and multi-use pathway hopes to solve that, making it a little easier for Edmontonians to enjoy the unique area, which spans 22 blocks. According to the Daily Hive, a new shared pathway is being introduced to improve safety and convenience for pedestrians, cyclists, and those using mobility devices. This path will extend along 100th Street, linking 83rd Avenue to 72nd Avenue NW.

Planning for the new route, along with 25 others across the city, is underway, with construction set to begin in 2025. These routes will add approximately 24 kilometres of bike lanes to the network.

Not everyone is happy about bike lanes in Edmonton

Edmonton has been building more and more bike lanes over the years, but not everyone is a fan. Similar to what is happening in Ontario, some local politicians have decided to say, hey Toronto, hold my beer, when it comes to additional bike lanes. Four councillors, including a mayoral candidate, have backed a motion to redirect funding from the bike lane program towards other projects and initiatives.

But the lanes for Happy Beer Street will be happening, so, that’s something to be…happy about.

You can learn more at HappyBeerStreet.com