New subject: Metro Winnipeg: Winnipeg cyclists not sold on speed limit increases (Nov.20'12)

22 Nov 2012


      Winnipeg cyclists not sold on speed limit increasesBy Shane Gibson | Metro
Winnipeg
http://metronews.ca/news/winnipeg/447360/winnipeg-cyclists-not-sold-on-speed...
While the province’s Highway Traffic Board considers increasing the speed
limit on a number of Winnipeg streets a group of city cyclists who advocate
for bike safety say not so fast.
Bike to the Future executive director Mark Cohoe told Metro the group would
meet Tuesday night to discuss the changes proposed for many four-lane
divided streets in Winnipeg.
“It’s really seems they haven’t thought about cyclists,” said Cohoe. “They
are just thinking about how to get cars moving quicker but they have to put
the context of all road users into consideration as well.”
The Highway Traffic Board has reviewed all the existing 50-km/h four-lane
divided roadways within the city and is considering increasing them to
60-km/h.
Board chair Al Rivers explained the idea is to eliminate sections where
speed limits suddenly change—which have become popular spots for cops to
set up speed traps.
“It’s just far too confusing,” said Rivers. “Our job is to make everything
as consistent as possible, and when you do that the roadways become safer.”
Among the dozens of roadways being considered for increases are University
Crescent between Chancellor Matheson Road and Pembina Highway, Broadway
between Osborne Street and Main Street and Moray Street between Portage
Avenue and Ness Avenue.
Cohoe is also worried about pedestrian safety on roadways like Waverly
Street between Taylor Avenue and Grant Avenue that have residential houses
on both sides.
“It seems like they’ve gone with the decision that if a roadway is divided
it automatically goes to a higher speed limit, and for some of the areas
that doesn’t really make a lot of sense,” he said.
The board has three public hearings planned for Nov. 27, Dec. 4, and Dec.
11 to go over the proposed changes with Winnipeggers, and Rivers said it’s
too soon to say if or when limits will increase.
*A breakdown of streets under consideration for speed limit increases in
Winnipeg*:
On *November 27/12* the Board will be hearing the following streets:
- Dugald Road, between a point 400 metres east and west of Plessis Road;
   - Grant Avenue, between Kenaston Boulevard and Stafford Street
   - Pembina Highway, between Ducharme Avenue and the bridge crossing the
   La Salle River (also under consideration is increasing the speed zone from
   60 km/h to 80 km/h between rue des Trappistes to south of Turnbull Drive
   and increase the 90 km/h to 100 km/h between Turnbull Drive and the City
   limit);
   - Waverley Street, between Taylor Avenue and Grant Avenue.
On *December 4, 2012* the Board will be hearing the following streets:
- Corydon Avenue, between Kelvin Boulevard and Cambridge Street;
   - Roblin Boulevard, between Haney Street and Wexford Street;
   - University Crescent, between Chancellor Matheson Road and Pembina
   Highway.
On *December 11, 2012* the Board will be hearing the following streets:
- Broadway, between Osborne Street and Main Street;
   - Memorial Boulevard/Colony Street/Balmoral Street, between Broadway and
   Qu’Appelle Avenue;
   - Isabel Street/Salter Street, between William Avenue and Stella Avenue;
   - Main Street, between Assiniboine Avenue and Manitoba Avenue;
   - Inkster Boulevard, between Lansdowne Avenue and Main Street;
   - Moray Street, between Portage Avenue and Ness Avenue;
   - Wellington Avenue, between the east limit of James Armstrong
   Richardson International Airport and St. James Street.
Additional streets not yet advertised:
- Kenaston Boulevard;
   - Taylor Avenue;
   - Provencher Boulevard.