Motorists in Ponoka now have full traffic lights at the 46 Street and Rodeo Drive intersection. The lights were turned on Friday, June 19, 2026, ending a testing phase that had been in place with flashing amber and red signals. The Town of Ponoka and Alberta Transportation and Economic Corridors are asking drivers and walkers to get used to the new signals and be careful at the corner.
Before the switch, the lights were set to flash amber and red. The town explained that flashing amber meant slow down and go with care, while flashing red meant stop completely and move when safe. Now the lights work like any other traffic signal, controlling when to go and when to stop.
This new light is part of the Rodeo Drive (Highway 53) Corridor Improvements, an $8.2 million project that started in July 2025. Alberta Transportation and Economic Corridors, the Town of Ponoka off-site levy reserve, and a debenture through the Town’s Borrowing Bylaw are all helping pay for it. Work is expected to wrap up later in 2026.
The project has already made a few other changes along what was once called Highway 53. The road is now ceremonially named Rodeo Drive, a nod to the Ponoka Stampede and its role as a main entry to downtown. Access from 54 Street was closed after a safety assessment identified limited sight lines at the intersection. Workers will also keep adding signs to help people find their way, finish landscaping, and put up more light poles between 46 Street and 38 Street.
The town says the fixes are needed because the pavement was getting old and the road was hard to keep up. Making the route safer and smoother is meant to help local businesses and bring more people to the stampede each year.
