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Any time an event requires use of a sidewalk or road, a Roadway License is required. The same criteria as other events held on City of Edmonton property applies: the event must be open to the public and not for private, exclusive use.
There are many types of events that use roadways:
These events may be on sidewalks or roadways. When on roadways, additional civic support such as road closures, Edmonton Transit bus detours, Edmonton Police traffic support, or other civic services may be required. The Civic Events and Festivals Section will work directly with you to facilitate that support and tailor it to your event needs.
All road closures are regulated by the City Traffic Bylaw 5590.
Roadway Licenses are issued for all permissible events on road space (parades, processions, street festivals, runs/walks, and other event closures). Block Parties and Play Streets are citizen-led events located on residential streets for single block road closures.
To host an event on a road or sidewalk, you must first obtain a Roadway License that grants you access to the space required. To get started please submit a Civic Event Application for review by a Festival & Events Liaison. Your assigned Festivals and Events Liaison will link you to all related civic services and guide you through the licensing process.
A key part of the Civic Events Application is for a road event to include specific information identifying what areas of the road and/or sidewalk are being requested. At the time of application please include a map that clearly illustrates the area you would like to use.
There is no cost for the Roadway License itself; however there may be costs related to the civic services required to support your event delivery. Cost estimates will be provided prior to your event. After your event, the City of Edmonton will issue an invoice for the actual work completed on a cost-recovery basis. You will receive an invoice six to eight weeks after the date of the event.
Below are typical roadway event considerations to help you start planning:
How does traffic get detoured around your event? The City Network Operations Department designs a Traffic Accommodation Plan (TAP) that outlines the set up plan of road barricades, cones, signs, and other traffic control devices to ensure that motorists and pedestrians know how they can safely navigate around your event.
In order to address safety, a moving roadway event (runs, walks, parades, sporting events and protest/rallies/marches/demonstrations, and so on) is required to include the use of marshals along the route to assist participants and pedestrians. Marshals may be paid or volunteers but all must be briefed about the event and be confident enough to provide guidance and direction at each point.
If your event impacts regular Edmonton Transit service, your Festival and Events Liaison will work with Edmonton Transit to determine if modification to the existing service can be supported. If Edmonton Transit can't make modifications to the existing service, we will work with you to find another event location.
If additional Edmonton Transit service is required to support the event, you will be notified and provided with the cost estimate to provide this supplementary service.
If you are organizing a roadway event that goes through signalized intersections or other high traffic areas, you may be required to hire Extra Duty Detail Edmonton Police officers. A cost estimate will be provided prior to the event.
In the event that this support is not cost-effective for the event, alternative routes will be discussed with you.
Roadway and sidewalk disruptions can be inconvenient to Edmontonians. Depending on the scope and scale of your event, notifying surrounding residents and/or businesses may be required.
This will be in the form of an event information flyer that can be mailed out through Canada Post or hand delivered door to door by event volunteers.
The event information flyer should include the following event details:
Closing a roadway has impacts beyond the movement of vehicles and pedestrians. Depending on the scope, scale, and location of your roadway event, these issues may include:
Some of these can be mitigated and some may require a change of location. Your Festival and Events Liaison will work with you to determine the best approach.
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| Telephone | In Edmonton: 311 Outside Edmonton: 780-442-5311 |
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Before you email us: Please visit Application Process: Neighbourhood Parks or Block Parties to book those type of events. Civic Events and Festivals can only assist you with events taking place on Roads, Plazas/Squares, or in River Valley Parks and Borden Park. |