City council approves more 30-km/h speed limits

https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2023/03/24/city-council-appro...

DRIVERS must prepare to slow down, permanently, on 14 Winnipeg streets.

On Thursday, city council cast the final vote to reduce the speed limit on four “neighbourhood greenways” to 30 km/h (from 50 km/h), along with 10 of the 2022 enhanced summer bike routes.

The new speed limits will apply at all hours, once they are gradually implemented over the next two years.

All 14 routes will be permanently declared neighbourhood greenways: on-street routes that typically use reduced speeds and traffic-calming measures to “comfortably and safely move cyclists, pedestrians and motor vehicles.”

Supporters say this improves safety for active transportation options at a much lower cost than constructing separated bike lanes.

Winnipeggers appear to have mixed views on the change.

City consultations about a pilot project that tested the reduced speed on the four initial neighbourhood greenways found 59 per cent of residents who lived on an affected street supported making the speed reduction permanent.

That number dropped to 48 per cent among nearby residents, while 70 per cent of other road users opposed a permanent speed reduction.