Pedestrian safety, business development cited as reasons for change

Speed limit reduced on Marion, Goulet

https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/permanent-speed-reductions-for-secti...

TRAFFIC on two major streets in St.

Boniface will have to slow down starting today and the councillor for the area calls that a sign of progress.

“Marion and Goulet are not freeways through the heart of St. Boniface,” said Coun. Matt Allard in a statement.

The speed limit on Marion and Goulet between St. Mary’s Road and Youville Street has been reduced to 50 km/h, from 60 km/h.

Allard said the speed reduction is needed to make the area safer for pedestrians and promote development.

“It has long been a goal of the St. Boniface community... to grow Marion and Goulet into the neighbourhood main streets they can be, and indeed once were,” Allard said. “The (60 km/h) speed limit is a barrier to the realization of that goal.”

The streets, which have a mix of businesses and restaurants, are near St. Boniface Hospital and other community resources.

Allard and the local business improvement zone have wanted to reduce the speed limit for years.

In 2017, Allard launched his bid to change the speed limit, and St. Boniface neighbourhood associations passed resolutions in its favour. The motion failed. At the time, the provincial Highway Traffic Board had jurisdiction over municipal speed limits, and it ruled against the reduction.

After lobbying by the Association of Manitoba Municipalities, the province passed the Traffic and Transportation Modernization Act, which eliminated the Highway Traffic Board and gave municipalities control over speed limits. The act came into effect in March 2019.

Marion and Goulet are the first major Winnipeg streets to have their speed limits reduced under the new protocol.

ben.waldman@freepress.mb.ca