18 Street in Lethbridge, where the City of Lethbridge had been planning a new transportation corridor. (Image Credit: City of Lethbridge)

By David Opinko

City cancels planning for 18 Street bike boulevard due to ‘overwhelmingly negative’ feedback

Feb 11, 2026 | 10:41 AM

A new north-south transportation corridor in Lethbridge will not be happening anytime soon.

Lethbridge City Council voted 6-2 in favour of cancelling its 18 Street Functional Planning & Design Study at its meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2026.

The City had been working on developing plans for an active transportation link between Winston Churchill High School and the Sugar Bowl, or from 26 Avenue North to Scenic Drive South between 16 Street North/South and 20 Street North/South.

The so-called bike boulevard was meant to connect residents with amenities such as:

• The Sugar Bowl park at Scenic Drive
• Chinook Regional Hospital
• Several schools (Winston Churchill, Galbraith Elementary, Westminster Elementary and Lethbridge Collegiate Institute (LCI))
• Nearby parks, shopping areas and residential neighbourhoods

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Public engagement sessions were held between Jan. 16 and Feb. 4, through an online survey and in-person discussions at the Community Conversation. The response from the 191 participating residents was described as “overwhelmingly negative.”

Jeff Koshuta, G.M. of Capital Planning and Engineering Services, noted in his presentation to council this week that 75 per cent of responses were negative.

“Many of the respondents viewed the project as an unnecessary expense during a time of rising taxes and household costs, believing funds should go to core infrastructure such as roads, bridges, utilities or healthcare,” says Koshuta.

He adds that there was a strong sentiment of opposition to bike lanes, with several citing the bike lanes installed in 2023 and 2024 in the downtown core.

They were seen as used only by a small, seasonal portion of the population, “with strong skepticism of usage levels and return on investment.”

Koshuta says residents showed “notable frustration” towards City decision-making, and feelings that consultations are “performative,” and “outcomes are predetermined.”

A city official explained that the idea for the 18 Street bike boulevard came from the City’s Transportation Master Plan, but that many of the groups that it seeks to benefit, such as schools, were not consulted.

@lethbridgenewsnow Lethbridge cancels proposed “bike boulevard” due to opposition. Learn more at LethbridgeNewsNow.com #YQL #LNN #Lethbridge #Alberta #News ♬ original sound – Lethbridge News Now

Around 15 per cent of respondents had neutral or mixed feelings about the 18 Street project, while 10 per cent supported it.

Those in favour say it would improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists, better connect communities, and result in long-term health, environmental, and equity benefits.

Councillor Belinda Crowson says that a recent presentation highlighted the economic benefits of projects such as this one. Although she supported a motion to cancel the planning study, Crowson wants to have a bigger discussion on the topic with more input from impacted groups.

City council voted to cancel the current Functional Planning & Design Study, remove it from the current Capital Improvement Program (CIP), and not bring it forward in deliberations for the next CIP.

The budget for the study was $300,000, which would not include costs associated with construction.

Map showing the proposed area for the north-south transportation connector. (Image Credit: City of Lethbridge)