The city of Edmonton has released the list of planned road closures and parking restrictions in place during the Papal tour of Alberta.
More than 120,000 visitors are expected to take part in various papal events scheduled as part of the Catholic Church’s healing and reconciliation journey with residential school survivors and their families. Pope Francis will be in Alberta from July 24th to 27th.
Pope Francis will visit Maskwacis, home to the former Ermineskin Residential School, and Sacred Heart Church of the First Peoples, a National Indigenous church in downtown Edmonton on July 25th.
The 85-year-old pontiff will hold a public mass on July 26th at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton. Later in the day, he will visit the famous Indigenous pilgrimage site of Lac Ste. Anne.
Papal Mass at Commonwealth Stadium
The main public event during the Alberta visit is the papal mass at Commonwealth Stadium. More than 80,000 people are expected to be in the city for the mass.
Commonwealth Stadium doors will open at 7:30 a.m. on July 26th and those who have floor seats are asked to be seated by 8:30 a.m. Programming will begin at 8:15 a.m. and the mass at 10:15 a.m.
Attendees are asked to dress for the weather for the open-air stadium mass. You can bring clear bags that are 12”x 12”x 6″ and non-clear bags under 4.5” x 6.5″ with snacks and water in a plastic 750ml bottle. Glass containers are not permitted. Tickets should be properly loaded in the Ticketmaster mobile app or saved to their mobile device to ensure quick entry.
Parking Restrictions:
Commonwealth Community Recreation Centre will close to the public at 1 p.m. on Monday, July 25, and reopen the next day, Tuesday, July 26 at 2 p.m.
Parking restrictions will be in effect around Commonwealth Stadium and during the Papal Mass. Parking lots at Commonwealth Stadium and the Commonwealth Community Recreation Centre will be closed on July 25 at 1 p.m. until July 26 at 1 p.m. when the facility reopens.
- Stadium Park & Ride lot will be closed from 9 p.m. on July 25 until 2 p.m. on July 26.
- Residential parking restrictions will be in effect in the neighbourhoods around Commonwealth Stadium on July 26.
- On July 25, there will be no on-street roadway parking in the road closure area around Sacred Heart Church of the First Peoples.
Papal Mass Transit Service:
Attendees can use tickets for the Papal Mass can be used as fares for the regular bus/LRT and Park & Ride service from 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on July 26.
Edmonton Transit Service (ETS) will provide Park & Ride service between Commonwealth Stadium and a variety of Park & Ride sites for the Papal Mass. Park & Ride buses start running at 7 a.m. and run approximately every five minutes from each location:
- Calder City Lot (124 Street and 124 Avenue)
- Davies City Lot (86 Street and 61 Avenue)
- Eaux Claires Lot (97 Street and 157 Avenue)
- Lewis Farms (1021 Webber Greens Drive). This lot currently has fewer available stalls because of construction to accommodate the Valley Line West. If you use this lot, plan to arrive early or park at the Calder City lot.
- Mill Woods Town Centre (66 Street and 23 Avenue)
There will also be a downtown route. These buses will stop at:
- All eastbound bus stops between 107 Street and 97 Street on Jasper Avenue
- All northbound stops between Jasper Avenue and 107 Avenue on 97 Street.
- ETS bus routes 2, 3 and 101, as well as the Capital Line LRT, also run near Commonwealth Stadium.
Road Closures
Within the city of Edmonton:
- 96 Street, from 108 Avenue to 108A Avenue, including the east sidewalk
- 108A Avenue, from 96 Street east to the first alleyway
- Alleyways east of 96 Street and south of 108A Avenue to 108 Avenue
- 96 Street, from 107A Avenue to 109 Avenue
- 108 Avenue, from 95 Street to 97 Street
- 108A Avenue, from 95 Street to 97 Street
- 109 Avenue, from 95 Street to 97 Street
- No on-street parking will be permitted during this time. Local area residents may exit the area, however vehicle re-entry will only be permitted after the roads reopen at 6:30 p.m.
- Stadium Road, from 92 Street to 112 Avenue
- Muttart crossing, from Stadium Road to 106A Avenue
- 107A Avenue eastbound lanes, from 92 Street to 95 Street
- Expect travel delays along 112 Avenue and 111 Avenue, from 82 Street to 97 Street
- Expect travel delays along 95 Street and 97 Street, from 103A Avenue to 118 Avenue
Highway Closures:
Rolling road closures are scheduled for sections of the Queen Elizabeth II Highway and Highways 2A, 16, 43, 611 and 633 from July 24 to 27 to accommodate the papal motorcade. Rolling closures mean the highways will be closed before and after the Pope passes through.
Sunday, July 24
- The QEII will have road closures and limited access when the Pope travels from the Edmonton International Airport to his destination on July 24.
Monday, July 25
- The QEII Highway southbound and Highway 611 west of Highway 2A will be closed between Edmonton and Maskwacis when the Pope travels from Edmonton to Maskwacis on the morning of July 25.
- The QEII Highway and Highway 611 west of Highway 2A will be closed between Maskwacis and Edmonton when the Pope returns to Edmonton later in the afternoon.
- Additionally, travellers can expect closures, significant delays and limited access along portions of Highway 2A, northbound and southbound, between Wetaskiwin, Maskwacis and Ponoka all day on July 25.
- Travellers can also expect closures, significant delays and limited access along portions of Highway 611, eastbound and westbound, all day on July 25.
Tuesday, July 26
- Pope Francis will travel to Lac Ste. Anne on the afternoon of July 26 for an event at 5 p.m. Westbound Highway 16 between Edmonton and Lac St. Anne and northbound Highway 43 to westbound Highway 633 will be closed.
- When the Pope returns to Edmonton, eastbound Highway 633 to southbound Highway 43 and eastbound Highway 16 to Edmonton will be closed.
- To accommodate the movement of guests to the event, closures and restricted access to Highways 16 and 633 can be expected on all range roads and township roads west of Highway 43 and east of Highway 765 south of Lac Ste. Anne.
- Highway 633 between Highways 757 and 43 will be closed except for buses and local traffic.
- Due to the high volume of traffic expected in the area on July 26, travellers can expect delays on Highway 16 west of the City of Edmonton to Highway 757 and should plan ahead and consider alternate routes if possible
- Additionally, closures and restricted access to Highways 16 and 633 can be expected on all range roads and township roads west of Highway 43 and east of Highway 765, south of Lac Ste. Anne.
Wednesday, July 27
- QEII Highway southbound between Edmonton and the Edmonton International Airport will be closed. when the Pope travels from Edmonton to the Edmonton International Airport on the morning of July 27.
See the Special Event Road Closures web page or Current Traffic Disruptions map and Papalvisit.ca for more information.