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WFP: Arlington Bridge & Omand Park pedestrian bridge replacements a go (Dec14'24)
by Beth McKechnie 14 Dec '24

14 Dec '24

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. ARLINGTON BRIDGE REPLACEMENT A GO A $166-MILLION proposal to replace the Arlington Bridge at its current location is moving forward, though funding has not yet been approved to actually build the structure. On Thursday, city council approved the initial design plan for the bridge, which suddenly closed on Nov. 21, 2023, due to structural concerns. Since the city’s preliminary 2025 budget doesn’t include money to build the bridge, funding for the project will be debated during a January public works meeting, said Coun. Janice Lukes. The deteriorating bridge initially opened to traffic in 1912. PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE REPLACEMENT GREENLIT A revamped Omand Park pedestrian bridge is one step closer. City council has approved a plan to design a replacement for the bridge with construction “no later than 2029.” A city report deems the path over Omand’s Creek to be in poor condition and at risk of closure. A new bridge would be about 2.8 metres higher than the existing one to avoid flooding. The new bridge could cost between $3 million and $5 million.

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WFP: Wellington Crescent speed limit reduction rejected (Dec14'24)
by Beth McKechnie 14 Dec '24

14 Dec '24

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. WELLINGTON CRESCENT SPEED LIMIT REDUCTION REJECTED WELLINGTON Crescent won’t be subject to a year-round speed-limit reduction. On Thursday, city council cast a final vote against slashing the speed limit to 30 km/h from 50 km/h on Wellington, from River Avenue to the western end of Academy Road. While dozens of delegates spoke out in support of the reduced speed to improve safety, some councillors expressed concerns about having elected officials impose the change without seeking feedback from traffic experts. Council also ordered a staff report on steps that could make Wellington safer for cyclists next year.

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WFP: After 45 years, opening Portage and Main intersection to pedestrians begins in earnest (Dec11'24)
by Beth McKechnie 11 Dec '24

11 Dec '24

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. Rest in pieces: barriers fall After 45 years, opening Portage and Main intersection to pedestrians begins in earnest https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2024/12/10/beginning-of-the-… IT has been 45 years since the concrete barriers preventing pedestrians from crossing the street at Portage and Main were installed, forcing people into the concourse under the storied intersection. Construction crews began working Tuesday to reopen the crosswalks at “Canada’s windiest corner,” the beginning of the end of the ferocious, decades-long debate that has burned at the centre of the city for nearly a half-century. “It’s all coming down!” a worker exclaimed over the din as backhoes and skid-steers clawed at the much-maligned barricades along Portage Avenue as afternoon traffic slowly made its way past the blocked eastbound lane between Main and Fort streets. The closure was part of a deal the city struck with a developer to build the concourse connecting all four corners under the street. The decision to reopen the intersection — voted down by a margin of nearly two-to-one in a non-binding 2018 civic election referendum — came suddenly last spring when a report revealed it would cost approximately $73 million to repair the leaking membrane protecting the retail concourse under the street. Citing that cost and the need to make changes because of a planned Winnipeg Transit route overhaul, city council budgeted $13 million last spring to effect changes at street level enabling foot traffic again. In November that cost ballooned to $21.3 million after the city received only one construction bid on the project, which is expected to be completed by July 1 to align with the transit system changes. A worker who used a grinder to remove a “Portage and Main” marker fastened to a barricade at one corner sent orange sparks into the snowy air, marking the beginning of a new era for the downtown. Laz Merasur will be happy to use the crossing instead of the underground concourse, which he said is inaccessible at times. The circus limits its hours from 7 a.m. to 12:30 a.m. daily. “It’ll just be a lot better for seeing people downtown, and just make it a lot more accessible for everybody,” said Merasur, who frequents the downtown core. “They make us go underground but you can’t even get through it sometimes.” Design architect and Free Press columnist Brent Bellamy already has his outfit picked out for the intersection’s Canada Day opening ceremony. The longtime advocate of taking down the barriers will triumphantly navigate the crossing sporting a navy-blue T-shirt emblazoned with a photo of the infamous 2018 plebiscite map showing the urban support and suburban opposition. “It’s a funny thing, because we’ve kind of been pushed into it with the cost of the roof membrane really being the driver of the decision and not some sort of greater aspirational goals of creating a better city,” Bellamy said Tuesday. “But you know what? I’ll take a win wherever it comes. I think in a few years, we’re gonna wonder why we worried about it for so long, and why it was such a big deal and it’ll just be a part of our city again.” Bellamy said while Winnipeg doesn’t have mountains or oceans to enjoy, the gritty city has special places — including Portage and Main — and should work to develop and protect the landmarks it has. “I know it is an intersection, but it could be much more, and maybe one day it actually will be in a place that tourists come to, and a place that really interprets our history,” he said. That sounded good to Merasur. “We have all these really big intersections everywhere, like New York, but ours is one you have to go underground… which never made sense to me,” he said. Long-term lane closures at Portage and Main appeared last week, including the closure of the southbound curb lane on Main between Portage and Pioneer avenues and the closure of the eastbound curb lane on Portage Avenue between Fort and Main. A permanent no-right-turn restriction from northbound Main onto east Portage has been implemented. Pre-construction traffic signals and underground work at the intersection concluded last week and sewer repairs and demolition of the existing barricades began earlier this week, the city said. Winnipeggers are being encouraged to consider alternate routes, as traffic will be restricted at the intersection over the next six months. Kara Boychuk, who works in the office tower at 201 Portage, wasn’t initially supportive of the idea due to the cost, but has since come around. “I figured the city spends our tax dollars on worse things,” she said. nicole.buffie(a)freepress.mb.ca<mailto:nicole.buffie@freepress.mb.ca>

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WFP Analysis: Wellington Crescent: a call for timely action (Dec11'24)
by Beth McKechnie 11 Dec '24

11 Dec '24

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. Wellington Crescent: a call for timely action RACHAEL ALGUIRE https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/analysis/2024/12/11/wellington-cr… IMAGINE walking down Wellington Crescent, the sun setting over the river, as neighbours meet and catch up. Someone cycles by after picking up their child from school, safely seated on a cargo bike. Families stroll along the sidewalk, sharing a space where pedestrians, cyclists and drivers can co-exist together. This could be the year-round reality of one of Winnipeg’s most iconic streets. Wellington Crescent, linking a historic, high-density neighbourhood to a world-class park, is currently failing its community. Inconsistent speed limits and a racetrack-like design have turned what should be a safe, shared space into a death trap. The city’s executive policy committee has voted down the motion to lower the speed limit to 30 km/h year-round but approved plans for temporary bike lanes, which will go before full city council on Dec. 12. There is still a chance to revisit the speed limit reduction, and it’s essential the city doesn’t let this opportunity slip away. Making this stretch of road safer for all residents aligns with over 20 years of city reports advocating for this change. It’s time for the city to follow its own recommendations. Reducing the speed limit isn’t just a good thing to do — it’s a moral obligation. We know that speed limits and traffic-calmed streets save lives. This motion comes nearly six months after the death of Rob Jenner, a cyclist killed by a speeding driver on Wellington Crescent. His passing adds to the growing list of names: Tammy Bateman in Fort Rouge Park; Doris Porter on Harry Lazarenko Bridge; and Nardia Bedward standing at a bus stop on Portage Avenue. These are just a few of the 14 pedestrians and two cyclists killed by traffic violence on Winnipeg streets this year alone. These weren’t “accidents.” They were completely preventable and the result of deadly road designs and decades of neglect. How many more lives will Mayor Scott Gilligham gamble with before taking action? He’s seen study, after study, after study calling for slower speeds. He’s witnessed the ghost bikes and grieving families, yet he continues to do nothing. Every preventable death on our streets is a direct result of his inaction. How many more ghost bikes must appear before he finally acts? The May-to-October 30 km/h limit on part of Wellington Crescent has already shown that slower traffic makes the space a place people want to be, not just move through. Extending this limit year-round from Academy Road to River Avenue would make this a safer, more welcoming space for everyone. So, what are we waiting for? The excuse that enforcing a 30 km/h speed limit is too difficult is weak. Well-designed traffic calming and permanent cycling infrastructure will narrow the road, making it impossible to speed. These measures are proven to work in cities worldwide, and it’s time Winnipeg followed suit. Frankly, I don’t want another ghost bike put up on my street. At the Nov. 29 public works meeting, deputy mayor Janice Lukes said it best as she advocated for the change: “People, it’s going to take you three more minutes in your nice heated car.” City leaders love to talk about a sustainable, forward-thinking Winnipeg. Policies like Our-Winnipeg 2045 and the draft Transportation Master Plan: 2050 lay out a vision for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, building active transportation networks and creating vibrant neighbourhoods. But these goals are too distant. This motion on Wellington should have been passed on June 7, 2024, the day after Rob Jenner’s death. Yet here we are, six months later, still begging for the bare minimum. The 2022 Enhanced Summer Bike Route survey showed strong public support for lower speeds on Wellington Crescent. People want safer streets — it’s that simple. Yet, the time it takes for most drivers to go through the Tim Hortons drive-thru is often considered more important than the lives of people who move around the city outside of a car. Young people in this city are watching. Cars are a luxury we cannot afford and do not want. We’re tired of living in a city where cars are king and driving is the default. We want a Winnipeg that values people over vehicles — a city where streets are safe, livable and vibrant. The city needs to think bigger and believe in a future where personal vehicles are no longer the dominant form of transportation and the needs of real people are prioritized. Every neighbourhood deserves 30 km/h speed limits year-round. Slower speeds in residential areas transform streets into vibrant, shared spaces. Streets become places for connection, not just thoroughfares for cars. This shift encourages local businesses to thrive, as people are more likely to linger and engage in the community. In the midst of a loneliness epidemic, this kind of third space is needed more than ever. This isn’t just about Wellington Crescent. It’s about what kind of city Winnipeg wants to be. Will we start making choices that reflect the needs of all our residents — not just those who can afford cars? Or will we keep enabling individuals who feel entitled to speed down our streets at the expense of everyone else? To city council: the time for half-measures, more studies and excuses is over. The future of our city depends on the choices we make today. Let’s make it a place where people come first. Pass this motion, including the speed limit reduction, and show us you value human lives. You owe it to the people you serve to act decisively and prevent any further tragedies. Rachael Alguire is a Wellington Crescent resident.

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WFP: Higher density key to fixing budget woes (Dec9'24)
by Beth McKechnie 09 Dec '24

09 Dec '24

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. Only way to become more economically viable is to allow city to grow inwards and upwards Higher density key to fixing budget woes https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2024/12/09/higher-density-ke… ALARM bells have been ringing at Winnipeg City Hall ahead of Wednesday’s 2025 budget update. It might be the annual doom and gloom dance, done to lower expectations before every budget announcement, but with the city’s rainy-day fund being emptied and a significant deficit projected, it does feel like this time the warnings are real. Like many before him, Mayor Scott Gillingham has responded by being vocal about the need for the province to come to the table with new funding sources for the city. Two polls — one conducted for the mayor’s office, and one for the Federation of Canadian Municipalities — were recently released in support of this campaign. The surveys identified that Winnipeggers believe the top priority for civic spending should be repairing infrastructure, with 81 per cent indicating road quality as the top civic issue impacting quality of life. A majority also believe the city needs additional municipal funding, with strong support shown for increased provincial transfers. The only immediate solution appears to be more tax dollars, either civic or provincial, but asking taxpayers to take more money from their pockets is a Band-Aid that avoids addressing the core issue that got us here. Winnipeg, like most Canadian cities, has been on an economic slippery slope for a long time. That slope is called suburban sprawl. It makes many people defensive to hear it, but our crippling infrastructure deficit and annual budget crunch at city hall can be directly linked to the city’s financially unsustainable, low-density growth patterns over the last 50 years. The concept is simple. Lower density means fewer people are paying for more things. Ten people living on a street have their taxes divided by 10 to maintain the road. If only five people live on that same street, each taxpayer is responsible for twice as much. On a macro scale, this is how Winnipeg got to where it is. Our city has been growing three times faster in area than in population, meaning overall density has been dropping as it grows. In 2019, the city compared the built-up area of Winnipeg over 50 years and found that the footprint of the city had increased by 96 per cent, almost doubling, while the population increased by only 37 per cent. If Winnipeg had simply maintained the density it had in the 1970s, the city’s footprint, and its corresponding infrastructure would be 30 per cent smaller than it is today. This would have gone a long way to balancing our civic budgets. From the founding of Winnipeg until the late 1960s, the city grew simply by extending the existing street grid. Ride your bike from Wellington Crescent to Taylor Avenue on any street in River Heights and you will see a different decade of houses every two blocks. As the city grew, the streets just got longer. After this time, we started building isolated subdivisions with long stretches of infrastructure connecting them back to the older neighbourhoods. This development pattern wildly increased the city’s overall footprint and reduced its density. Every Winnipeg taxpayer is today responsible for maintaining 10 per cent more roads than they were in 2010. Fewer people paying for more things. Greater distances between neighbourhoods meant that existing civic amenities like schools, libraries and community centres, could no longer be shared with new growth, requiring new ones to be built. This issue was compounded by opposition to higher density, new development in existing neighbourhoods that meant, as household sizes naturally decreased, neighbourhood populations fell. Most of Winnipeg’s mature neighbourhoods have 20 to 30 per cent fewer people living in them today than 50 years ago. This resulted in existing civic amenities being underused, while at the same time we were building new ones in outer suburbs. Again, fewer people paying for more things. The types of neighbourhoods we started building also impacted the city’s economic viability. With apartment buildings, townhouses and single-family homes mixed on every street, the higher density of mature neighbourhoods makes them far more productive at generating tax revenue than newer single-family subdivisions. Per square foot of land, the assessed tax value of neighbourhoods like Wolseley, West Broadway, and Osborne Village, is twice that of Island Lakes or Whyte Ridge. The impacts of sprawl are not limited to where we live but also includes where we shop. Older neighbourhoods were centred along commercial streets and former streetcar lines, fronted with shops that people could walk to from their home. That pattern has been replaced with big box stores and oceans of asphalt parking that push the footprint of the city outward. This retail development pattern is a similarly unproductive tax base. The handful of small buildings and shops on a single block of Corydon Avenue has a collective assessed tax value that is equal to a Costco in south Winnipeg that consumes five times more land area. Longer travel distances in the expanding city has created a greater reliance on private vehicles. Car ownership per capita has increased by 20 per cent in only 20 years, and the number of vehicles on Winnipeg’s roads increases by about 7,500 every year. This results in more parking lots and bigger roads that push the city even further out in a never-ending cycle of economically unsustainable sprawl. The solution to the perennial budget woes at city hall requires that we take a step back and re-evaluate our city-building choices. The city is growing quickly, and the only way to become economically viable in the long term is for each of us to welcome more neighbours into our communities, allowing our city to grow inwards and upwards, instead of outwards. More people paying for fewer things. Brent Bellamy is creative director at Number Ten Architectural Group.

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CBC: Wellington Crescent speed-reduction motion loses momentum after committee vote (Dec5'24)
by Beth McKechnie 05 Dec '24

05 Dec '24

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/wellington-crescent-speed-reduction…

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WFP: Mayor’s cabinet puts brakes on reduced speed on Wellington Crescent (Dec6'24)
by Beth McKechnie 05 Dec '24

05 Dec '24

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. Mayor’s cabinet puts brakes on reduced speed on Wellington Crescent https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2024/12/05/mayors-cabinet-pu… The mayor’s cabinet has rejected the call to slash the speed limit on Wellington Crescent. The executive policy committee cast a three-two vote against reducing the speed limit to 30 km/h from 50 km/h on Wellington, from River Avenue to the western end of Academy Road. A final council vote is still required. While more than 50 delegates spoke to support the change, EPC members were told it drew ample backlash in at least one ward. “When they called my office, I got mostly people in opposition,” said Coun. John Orlikow (River Heights-Fort Garry). Orlikow said some residents fear reducing the speed limit could divert more drivers onto Kingsway, increasing traffic around some schools. He said elected officials shouldn’t impose the change without having city traffic experts study it first. “Arbitrarily deciding (to reduce the speed) without a report, that’s breaking the trust I have with the neighbourhood. I told them I wouldn’t do that… We have to think not just of Wellington Crescent (and) not just of cyclists,” said Orlikow. An expedited speed limit reduction could have unintended consequences and fuel opposition to reduced speed limits in general, he said. “It’s going to be very hard to educate people if we decide… we don’t care what you want and think,” said Orlikow. Derek Rolstone, the only unelected delegate who spoke against the change at the EPC meeting, said reducing Wellington’s speed would divert traffic to several nearby residential streets. Rolstone urged councillors to study the change in much more depth. “This is a ridiculous, knee-jerk reaction to a terrible crime,” he said. Several delegates linked their support for the speed reduction to the death of cyclist Rob Jenner, who was killed June 6 when he was hit by a vehicle on Wellington Crescent that was driving 159 km/h. Beckham Severeight, 19, pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing death. Rolstone said a lower speed limit couldn’t have prevented that tragedy or others like it. After a lengthy discussion, EPC split the motion into parts and narrowly rejected the speed limit reduction, with Mayor Scott Gillingham joining councillors Vivian Santos and Evan Duncan to oppose the change and councillors Sherri Rollins and Janice Lukes voting to support it. Coun. Jeff Browaty was away on city business and absent from the vote. The mayor said he was not prepared to support the speed reduction without further study over concerns that could have a domino effect on other routes. “If we drop the speed to 30 (km/h), we don’t know the impact of that on (other) residential streets in the neighbourhood. Would it push traffic off of Wellington into residential streets? What impact would it have on our transit system? …It’s time to analyse that and (have) our road safety team take a look at the impact,” said Gillingham, in an interview Thursday. The mayor said he’s heard mixed reaction to the idea and personally believes a separated bike lane would be the most effective option to make the route safer. Santos said she supports reduced speed limits on residential streets but believes council should wait for the outcome of current pilot projects that are testing the change before taking further action. “To do one-offs, it irks me a little because it kind of starts to (favour) one area,” she said. On Thursday, Lukes stressed the vote included steps to make Wellington Crescent safer. EPC unanimously voted to direct staff to report on an interim solution to improve cyclist safety on the route that can be implemented in 2025. A report on that work is expected back in about four months. Mark Cohoe, executive director of Bike Winnipeg, said the decision did offer some hope. “I think there was strong sentiment (among) the delegates to move towards 30 km/h, so obviously there’s disappointment there. At the same time, (the) other motions that were in there have important ramifications… I think (city council members) are sincere in their desire to see something (change) in 2025,” said Cohoe.

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WFP: Committee backs 30 km/h speed limit on Wellington Crescent (Nov29'24)
by Beth McKechnie 29 Nov '24

29 Nov '24

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. Committee backs 30 km/h speed limit on Wellington Crescent https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2024/11/29/committee-backs-3… The proposal to slash the speed limit on Wellington Crescent is moving forward, along with a plan to study additional options to make the street safer. More than 20 delegates went to city hall to advocate for the speed reduction Friday. Later, council’s public works committee voted to reduce the speed limit to 30 km/h from 50 km/h on Wellington, from River Avenue to Academy Road, until a protected bike lane is added along the route. The change cannot be implemented until council votes on it. Coun. Janice Lukes, chairwoman of public works, noted Friday’s vote reflected an “incredible outpouring” of safety concerns, which will require more than one change to address. “We need to look at a super short-term solution, then a short-term (one), then a long-term solution… This is a major, major transportation corridor and we really want to be sharing the space more equitably,” said Lukes. The Waverley West councillor told transportation staff she hopes the speed limit can be reduced by February. The committee ordered a staff report, which is due back in about four months, on potential changes that can help calm the street next year, and directed staff to hold consultations on longer term safety solutions. Prior to the vote, Lukes told reporters she feared changing a speed limit alone wouldn’t address all safety concerns on the route. “It’s one thing to put a speed limit up, it’s another thing that it become effective. We don’t have enough police in the city to monitor every speed on every road. When a road is designed, like Wellington, to kind of flow and go, there’s a natural tendency for speed to increase (But) … I know for a fact that it is proven, time and time again, that lowering speeds reduces (crash) fatalities,” she said. Lukes said she didn’t think the city needed traffic experts to further study the topic before elected officials took action, despite some councillors’ concerns about acting without that input. “Cities all around the world have been studying (this.) We know that reducing speed saves lives. But we also know that when you change the built environment, it’s more effective,” she said. Without changes to the design of the street, a lower speed limit could wind up creating a false sense of security, Lukes added. Coun. Sherri Rollins, who pushed for the speed reduction, said frequent reports of crashes, near-misses and vehicles repeatedly knocking down the fence at St. Mary’s Academy warrant a quick response. “I don’t need or want a study on 30 (km/h) between River and Academy… The evidence base here that I’m leaning on is 30 (km/h) saves lives,” said Rollins (Fort Rouge-East Fort Garry). The councillor said she’s aware “the odd person” won’t like the speed reduction but believes a large majority of residents want it. “As someone who’s interested in more bike lanes, the quickest way possible to obtain that is not by multi-millions of (dollars of) infrastructure but to slow everything down to 30 (km/h),” she said. Safety on the street has been in the spotlight in recent months, especially after a cyclist died in a crash this spring. Rob Jenner, 61, was killed in a collision with a speeding vehicle while cycling to work on Wellington Crescent near Cockburn Street on June 6. A 19-year-old driver pleaded guilty to dangerous driving causing death after travelling at least 159 km/h despite the 50 km/h speed limit. Cycling advocates said the crash makes it clear the road’s design is far too conducive to speeding. While it may not have prevented the crash that killed Jenner, they argue a lower speed limit could alleviate other safety concerns. “How do we make streets safe? We reduce speeds. This has been studied all over the world… When a vehicle hits somebody at 30 km (per hour) or less, typically, the people survive,” said Andrew Single. Some delegates told the committee the risk of a crash prevents them from taking up cycling. “I’m too scared to ride a bike in Winnipeg because of how dangerous it is,” said Nathalie Kleinschmit. Kleinschmit said slowing down traffic would greatly reduce the risk. “No one is a perfect driver, neither car nor bike, but slowing that down provides the necessary room for error and adjustment, with safer interactions for those who share the road,” she said. The proposal would set the lower speed limit year-round. That would add to the seasonal bike route that applies a 30 km/h speed limit to Wellington between Academy Road and Guelph Street in the summer. joyanne.pursaga(a)freepress.mb.ca<mailto:joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca> X: @joyanne_pursaga

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WFP: Deteriorating Omand Park bridge needs replacement: city report (Nov26'24)
by Beth McKechnie 26 Nov '24

26 Nov '24

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. Deteriorating Omand Park bridge needs replacement: city report https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2024/11/25/deteriorating-oma… A PLAN to replace the Omand Park pedestrian bridge could soon be on the way, as city staff warn the deteriorating structure could fail at any time. A report seeks city council approval to plan and design a replacement bridge for construction “no later than 2029.” The path over Omand’s Creek, connecting the park to Wolseley, is in poor condition and at risk of closure, the report notes. “It may be permanently closed at any time without warning when it is no longer considered safe for public use,” writes Brad Neirinck, the city’s manager of engineering. A new bridge would be about 2.8 metres higher than the existing one to avoid seasonal flooding and is expected to cost between $3 million and $5 million, which could potentially be funded through a city reserve. Preventing further flooding is deemed key to the project. “In addition to age-related deterioration, the bridge is also frequently closed due to flood,” it states. The city says the bridge has been covered in water for more than 600 days over the last 10 years and doesn’t meet current accessibility standards. Coun. Janice Lukes, chairwoman of council’s public works committee, said she supports the study, since the bridge is part of a key active transportation route. “This is a key link and it’s a beautiful area, a beautiful park. It’s very well used,” said Lukes (Waverley West). The councillor said raising the height of the bridge is necessary to address flooding but could also significantly change the park’s appearance. “This will be interesting because in order to raise the bridge so it doesn’t flood, it will fundamentally have a major effect on the park. It will change the look of the park,” said Lukes. The public works committee will debate the idea on Friday. joyanne.pursaga(a)freepress.mb.ca<mailto:joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca> X: @joyanne_pursaga

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WFP: City report delivers less-expensive plan to replace Arlington Bridge (Nov26'24)
by Beth McKechnie 26 Nov '24

26 Nov '24

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. City report delivers less-expensive plan to replace Arlington Bridge https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2024/11/25/city-report-deliv… A NEW proposal to replace the Arlington Bridge at its current location could cost $166 million, plus up to $27 million more in interest, and require six years to build. A long-awaited report on the bridge’s future comes about a year after it closed suddenly on Nov. 21, 2023, due to structural concerns. The decaying bridge first opened to traffic in 1912. While the city explored repairing it, that is no longer a viable option, Brad Neirinck, the city’s manager of engineering, writes in the report. “It is not feasible to repair the existing truss spans of the bridge due to severe deterioration and lack of strength to support construction loading and operations… load testing showed the foundations could not support a new bridge superstructure,” Neirinck notes. The price to replace the bridge has plummeted from a 2019 proposal, a version expected to cost $319 million. That earlier plan would have created a much wider, three-lane structure with two protected one-way bike lanes and two sidewalks. The new plan offers a narrower, two-lane bridge with two shared, multi-use active-transportation paths. The newer proposal would also require fewer property acquisitions. “It became a much shorter project, a narrower bridge and a much more modest project…. We would restore the traffic back to what it was pre-2023,” Neirinck told reporters Monday. The new bridge would be able to support Winnipeg Transit buses, unlike the now-closed structure, while also improving access for cyclists and pedestrians. It would be designed to offer a minimum 75-year service life. Coun. Janice Lukes, chairwoman of council’s public works committee, said the construction is needed to restore a critical transportation route. “I think it’s really obvious that the need is there if you look at the volume of traffic and you see the uptake in other parts of the city (after the bridge closed),” said Lukes (Waverley West). In the report, Neirinck notes all modes of traffic have faced significant delays since the Arlington Bridge closure, with some pedestrians forced to add more than a kilometre to their routes. Morning peak traffic flows now last an hour longer at the McPhillips Street underpass, with afternoon peak traffic extended two hours. McPhillips Street and Logan Avenue now operate at 25 per cent above its capacity during afternoon rush hour, while traffic on the Slaw Rebchuk Bridge has increased by about 5,000 vehicles per day. “It’s a critical link, so I’m very supportive of proceeding with (the bridge). We just have to see how we can fit it into the budget,” said Lukes. Even with a smaller price tag for a downsized bridge, the cash-strapped city could struggle to cover the cost. The city has only $149 million left to borrow within its council-imposed debt strategy, the report notes. Mayor Scott Gillingham said that fiscal reality shows why the city needs a new funding formula from the province, with some form of growth revenue. “If we funded the Arlington Bridge by ourselves as the city, we completely eat up the rest of our debt capacity… (and) this project also competes with an array of other important infrastructure projects,” said Gillingham. The report recommends city council approve the replacement design and refer it to next year’s budget process. Coun. Ross Eadie (Mynarski) plans to lobby senior governments to support the new bridge. “It’s very critical. It’s already going to be six years to (get this work) done… so we have to start now,” said Eadie. The project’s price includes $16.9 million to demolish the existing bridge, which city engineers say must be done within the next five years to mitigate risks to the rail lines below it. Neirinck said large parts of the bridge are also unsafe to move. “We need to demolish the bridge in place by using explosives and dropping it span by span onto the railway tracks,” he said. About $27 million in interest costs would be expected if the project is funded solely through debt. The new structure would result in Dufferin Avenue closing at Arlington Street, with the bridge ending about halfway between Dufferin and Stella avenues. If the intersection of Dufferin Avenue and Arlington Street remained open, the city would need to acquire more properties and spend about $8 million more on the project, the report notes. The bridge design would require modifications for Canadian Pacific Kansas City rail operations beneath the bridge, which the company would need to approve. That includes abandoning one track and the realignment/relocation of a few others. The report says consultations over those changes are still underway and have been “generally positive.” — with files from Malak Abas joyanne.pursaga(a)freepress.mb.ca<mailto:joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca> X: @joyanne_pursaga

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