Edmonton's Groat Road will be closed to traffic all weekend

One of citys busiest roads and best routes into the river valley will be out commission this weekend.

Drivers are being warned to look for alternate routes.

Groat Road will be closed to traffic starting at 7:30 p.m. Friday, while crews lift and place girders for the 102nd Avenue Bridge.

The winding road that connects north Edmonton with the university area and Hawrelak Park will be shut down from 107th Avenue to River Valley Road.

We expect that (the work) will take the full weekend, said Allan Bartman, general supervisor for roads design and construction. If things go well, we will have the road open by the end of the day Sunday, or early Monday morning.

If were getting very close on the girder lift, though, and we can finish it up within a few hours on Monday, the plan is to keep the road closed on Monday, get the girders up, and then open the road again once all the girders are in place.

One of the biggest events in the city this weekend will be the Red Bull Crashed Ice tour. The race features heavily-padded skaters hurtling down a 500-metre ice track.

The track has been built in the river valley below the Convention Centre

Weve been anxious to do this girder lift as soon as we absolutely can, Bartman said. We are aware that Crashed Ice is happening this weekend, and yes, we have had discussion on that.

He said the city wants to get the 102nd Avenue Bridge finished by the end of the year.

This weekend, he said, there are others routes drivers can use.

The citys suggested detour routes include Victoria Park Road, 149th Street to Whitemud Drive, and 109th Street to the High Level Bridge.

A traffic update will be posted Sunday on the City of Edmonton website to advise drivers about when the road will reopen.

Once this weekends bridge work is done, Groat Road will be closed for several nights, from 7:30 p.m. to 6 a.m., while crews torque bolts on the girders and install the false deck, Bartman said.

The schedule for that work will also be posted Sunday on the citys website.