Buses get own lane on Stony Plain Road 

The eastbound lane on a section of Stony Plain Road will be reserved for buses and taxis during morning rush hour starting Thursday.

Only buses and taxis can use the lane between Jasper Place Transit Centre and 149th Street each weekday between 7 and 9 a.m.

"It’ll knock five minutes or more off the commute depending on the traffic conditions along there. It allows the buses to get out from being caught up in the car traffic," said Bob Boutilier, general manager of transportation for the city of Edmonton.

While the new lane may have a small effect on vehicle traffic along Stony Plain Road, Boutilier says it won’t be huge.

"It’s not at a level there’s going to be a traffic jam."

The bus lane is not a precursor for putting the proposed western line of the LRT along Stony Plain Road, Boutilier insisted.

Instead, the city is looking at how the bus lane works along this small section of road as a test for putting them in other parts of the city.

The city is also looking at using signal priority for buses at intersections in other parts of the city.