- AT-Network - University of Manitoba Mailing Lists

WFP: Feedback wanted on final design for Omand’s Creek bridge (May7'26)
by Beth McKechnie 07 May '26

07 May '26

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. Feedback wanted on final design for Omand’s Creek bridge https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/this-just-in/feedback-wanted-on-final-des… The public is being asked for input on the final design of the new Omand’s Creek pedestrian bridge. The City of Winnipeg has now examined several designs for the bridge and want the public to say which is their favourite, said a city release Thursday. The current bridge needs to be replaced, as it’s poorly designed and prone to flooding. Residents are being asked about how the proposed designs support people in the park and how well it balances accessibility with nature. An online survey is open until June 14. Residents can also attend two drop-in events on June 2 at the park and June 9 at the Wolseley Farmers Market. More information about the designs and the survey can be found at winnipeg.ca/omandscreekbridge.<http://winnipeg.ca/omandscreekbridge> * * * * * [Survey link: https://winnipeg.surveymonkey.com/r/2QJXSPW]

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WFP: Cyclist struck in south Transcona (May7'26)
by Beth McKechnie 07 May '26

07 May '26

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. CYCLIST STRUCK IN SOUTH TRANSCONA A CYCLIST is recovering in hospital after a crash with a pickup truck in South Transcona early Wednesday morning. First responders were called to the area of Dugald Road, near Murdock Road, around 5:30 a.m., a Winnipeg Police Service spokesperson said. One person, a cyclist, was transported to hospital in critical condition, but later upgraded to stable, WPS said. Investigators were spotted taking photos of the scene, while other police deployed a drone to capture an aerial view. A black pickup truck was parked on the shoulder of the road, near what appeared to be a bent bicycle laying in the ditch. More info: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/crash-cyclist-dugald-winnipeg-9.718…

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WFP: City seeks consultant to design permanent Wellington bike lanes (May2'26)
by Beth McKechnie 02 May '26

02 May '26

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. City seeks consultant to design permanent Wellington bike lanes https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2026/05/01/city-seeks-consul… PERMANENT bike lanes on Wellington Crescent will be designed soon, as the city prepares to build them next year. “Wellington is a very popular street that people bike on because it’s a beautiful street, except this little section. This little section is horrible to bike on … It’s a dangerous gap (in the cycling network) and it’s on a curve and it’s narrow,” said Coun. Janice Lukes, chairwoman of public works. The city is now seeking a consultant to design the separated lanes, which a request for proposal deems a “high priority” to address, noting the location’s close proximity to protected bike lanes on River and Stradbrook avenues, as well as a seasonal bike route further west on Wellington. “This is one that’s been really brought up as a concern by the cycling community,” said Lukes. The winning contractor will design two options for separated bike lanes on Wellington Crescent, from Academy Road (at the Maryland Bridge) to Stradbrook Avenue. Money has been set aside for construction, though city council will vote on the final design. Last month, city councillors opted to bump up plans to build the permanent bike lanes in 2027, instead of 2029, and scrap a long-awaited temporary bike lane pilot project for the area. Dozens of Winnipeg cyclists lobbied against that move, insisting the interim measures were desperately needed. The pilot project was originally expected last summer before it was delayed to 2026 and, ultimately, cancelled. Lukes said the city should focus on permanent bike lanes instead, which will convert more space from boulevards and less from roads, allow planning to help prevent apartment delivery drop-off points from interfering with the lanes and save money. “If we put in an interim (solution), we’re just going to rip it out next year, so that just … didn’t make fiscal sense to many of us … (And) we want to provide a permanent one that would provide a higher level of safety for the cyclists,” she said. This section of Wellington currently has a speed limit of 50 km/h, which city council has voted to reduce to 40 km/h this spring and summer. Lukes said the final design will help determine whether that limit will be made permanent. The city plans to award the design contract by June 4 and begin construction on the bike lanes in spring 2027. It budgeted $300,000 for the work. joyanne.pursaga(a)freepress.mb.ca<mailto:joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca> X: @joyanne_pursaga

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WFP: Speed limits set to drop on seasonal bike routes (Apr30'26)
by Beth McKechnie 30 Apr '26

30 Apr '26

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. SPEED LIMITS SET TO DROP ON SEASONAL BIKE ROUTES DRIVERS will need to slow down on the city’s seasonal bike routes, beginning Friday. The following reduced speed limits will kick in on stretches of four routes that otherwise have speed limits of 50 km/h: ● Lyndale Drive, from Cromwell Street to Gauvin Street (30 km/h) ● Wellington Crescent, from Academy Road to Guelph Street (30 km/h) ● Churchill Drive, between Hay Street and Jubilee Avenue (30 km/h) ● Kilkenny Drive between Burgess Avenue and Kings Drive/ Kings Drive between Kilkenny Drive and Patricia Avenue (40 km/h) Speed reductions at each site will be in effect at all hours once signs are installed and continue until mid-October. The routes create calmer travel paths for cyclists between May and October. Turn requirements at select intersections will take effect during weekends in May, June, September and October, and at all hours in July and August.

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WFP: Man, 33, charged in crash that killed mother of three (Apr27'26)
by Beth McKechnie 27 Apr '26

27 Apr '26

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. Man, 33, charged in crash that killed mother of three https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2026/04/26/man-33-charged-in… A 33-year-old man has been charged after a mother of three was struck and killed by a vehicle on Abinojii Mikanah last September. The man was charged April 21 with dangerous operation of a vehicle causing death and driving while disqualified, the Winnipeg Police Service said in a news release Sunday. He was released on an undertaking. Police did not release the name of the accused. Omotayo Samuel-Pepple, 49, was struck on Sept. 16 while waiting at a bus stop when an eastbound vehicle veered off Abinojii Mikanah near St. Mary’s Road. The vehicle hit a guard rail and flipped. The driver remained on scene, police said. Samuel-Pepple was rushed to hospital in critical condition but died two days later. Winnipeg police spokesman Const. Claude Chancy wouldn’t provide details about the exact circumstances of the crash, but said there was evidence of “imprudence” and the accused’s driver’s licence was suspended at the time of the crash. “It was an avoidable incident,” he said Sunday. Chancy wouldn’t say whether the suspect is known to police. The crash happened a little over seven months ago but charges were just recently authorized by the Manitoba Prosecution Service. Samuel-Pepple’s sister told the Free Press last fall the family had been given few details about what caused the collision. “It’s been frustrating, shocking and sudden,” Mary Oloyede said at the time. Samuel-Pepple arrived in Winnipeg in January 2025 as an international student and was studying human resource management at the University of Manitoba. “She was just peaceful, easygoing,” Oloyede said of her older sister. “Everyone who had an encounter with her would tell you she was a good person. She wasn’t the kind of person to make trouble. She was just a lovely person at heart. I am privileged to have her as a sister… the closest person to me.” Oloyede declined to speak to the Free Press Sunday. Samuel-Pepple’s husband and three children, a 21-year-old daughter and two sons aged 17 and 14, all lived in Nigeria at the time of the crash. Oloyede said her sister worked at one of the YMCA locations in the city and was on her way home when she was struck. At the time, Coun. Janice Lukes, who chairs the city’s public works committee and sits on the Transit Advisory Board, said the city would review the crash to see if safety improvements are needed at the site. On Sunday, a city spokesperson said the public service is planning to review the intersection and will forward any new safety recommendations for consideration, but did not provide a timeline on the review. nicole.buffie(a)freepress.mb.ca<mailto:nicole.buffie@freepress.mb.ca>

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CBC: Man charged more than 7 months after fatal Abinojii Mikanah pedestrian collision: Winnipeg police
by Beth McKechnie 26 Apr '26

26 Apr '26

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. Omotayo Samuel-Pepple, 49, was fatally struck by a vehicle while waiting for a bus on Sept. 16, 2025 https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/winnipeg-police-abinojii-mikanah-pe…

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WFP: Brandon council asks province for power over speed limit (Apr24'26)
by Beth McKechnie 24 Apr '26

24 Apr '26

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. Brandon council asks province for power over speed limit https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/2026/04/24/brandon-council-asks-pro… BRANDON — City council is urging the provincial government to let it lower the city’s default speed limit to help make residential roads safer. The default speed limit in urban areas across the province is 50 kilometres per hour, while rural roads are subject to a 90 km/h speed limit. Brandon councillors have repeatedly discussed reducing the default limit for residential streets. “I hope that we bring residents on board for this conversation and dialogue around residential speed zones, whether it’s 40 or even 30 (km/h),” Coun. Kris Desjarlais said at Monday’s council meeting. Council agreed to send a letter to Municipal Relations Minister Glen Simard requesting the city take over setting the default speed limit. “The best way for our municipality to proceed with a legislation change would be to petition the minister,” said city traffic and transportation planner Sam van Huizen at the meeting. A provincial change would allow the city to put up “gateway signage” at entrances to Brandon that notify drivers of the default speed limit. The province could also lower the default speed limit across the board, which would affect hundreds of communities in all parts of Manitoba. Currently, the city is able to individually reduce the speed limit below the default limit on all residential roads, but would have to put up signs at every intersection to alert drivers to the change. Van Huizen said the cost to do that would be $2.25 million for more than 4,000 posts and signs, which would be “fiscally irresponsible.” “We basically can’t effectively enact similar neighbourhood-size reductions to speed limits at our local level without running into some physical requirements for signage and such,” van Huizen told the Brandon Sun after the meeting. Desjarlais said the cost for the city to enact the change on its own is just too high. “I don’t think any of us are interested in spending two and a half million to switch over, but I think we are interested in saving lives,” said Desjarlais. He noted that parts of Toronto have a speed limit of 30 km/h on residential streets to save lives. Lately, the City of Winnipeg has been similarly petitioning the province to lower the default speed limit to 40 km/h. Last month, Premier Wab Kinew told CBC that Winnipeg can make the change on its own — by putting a sign at every intersection — but that a provincial decision would mean changes for every community. Brandon Mayor Jeff Fawcett said it makes sense for the Wheat City to send its request at the same time as Winnipeg. “The bottom line is, Winnipeg had been kind of kicking this around a little bit … and the whole concept is it has to be done provincially. It can’t be random cities doing things differently,” said Fawcett after the meeting. “So it’ll be discussions over the next year or two.” Fawcett said the feedback from residents about speed-related pilot projects has been fairly positive. In 2021, the city reduced the speed limit on part of Durum Drive to 40 km/h to address speed and traffic volumes. The program expanded to include neighbourhoods and a 30 km/h zone near Rideau Park, according to a city report. Van Huizen agreed the project has produced positive results. “You’re never going to please everybody, but certainly we’ve seen people who are very much in favour of this, have seen the benefits of a reduced speed limit,” he said. “We’ve also seen and heard people (who do) not see those benefits.” If the default speed limit were to change, van Huizen said the city is aware that uptake might not be immediate. “It doesn’t happen overnight, it’s almost a culture of change,” he said. He likened it to when drunk driving and seatbelt laws were implemented. It took a long time for some people to get used to, but most people can’t imagine not wearing a seatbelt today. — Brandon Sun

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WFP: Pedestrian struck on Henderson dies (Apr21'26)
by Beth McKechnie 21 Apr '26

21 Apr '26

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. PEDESTRIAN STRUCK ON HENDERSON DIES A 32-YEAR-OLD man is dead after he was hit by a vehicle while crossing Henderson Highway on foot Friday morning. The pedestrian was crossing Henderson shortly before 5:20 a.m. when he was hit by a vehicle travelling northbound, a Winnipeg Police Service news release stated. Police were sent to the intersection of Henderson and Neil Avenue after the driver called 911. The driver spoke with officers at the scene. The victim was taken to hospital in critical condition and later died. The traffic division is continuing the investigation. Anyone with information or video from the time of the incident is asked to call officers at 204-986-7085<tel:204-986-7085> or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 204-786-8477<tel:204-786-8477> (TIPS).

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WFP: Council green-lights lower speed limit on Wellington (Mar27'26)
by Beth McKechnie 27 Mar '26

27 Mar '26

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. Council green-lights lower speed limit on Wellington https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2026/03/27/council-green-lig… WINNIPEG city council has voted to lower the speed limit on a huge section of Wellington Crescent that’s popular with cyclists, but rejected the idea of installing an interim bike lane before a permanent one is built in 2027. The issue has been the focus of intense lobbying by cycling advocates since the death of Rob Jenner in May 2025. He was killed in a hit-and-run while cycling to work. The council chamber gallery was full of attendees wearing red shirts in honour of Jenner. They watched as councillors voted to lower the speed limit to 40 kilometres per hour from 50 km/h. The group was unhappy with the decision to scrap an interim bike lane this summer. “It’s very disingenuous to offer the permanent solution a year from now and then not allow some of the interim things that were very easy to implement right now,” said Marty Donkervoort. City staff had originally recommended installing temporary lanes, but the plan was scrapped by a motion from public works chair Janice Lukes (Waverley West). City staff estimated the temporary lanes would have cost about $400,000 and would have remained in place until permanent infrastructure is built. The motion by Coun. Sherri Rollins (Fort Rouge-East Fort Garry) for a number of left-turn slip lanes to be blocked from accessing Wellington Crescent was defeated. Several councillors, including Coun. Ross Eadie (Mynarski), voted against reducing the speed limit on a regional road. “(They are) the roads that really get you quicker to the places you have to be to participate in the economy,” he said. Meantime, council voted to formally ask the province to amend the Highway Traffic Act to allow the city to decrease speed limits on residential streets and minor collector roads. Gillingham said the motion was merely to open the discussion about reducing the speed limit, and nothing would be set in stone. “For some, it may be kind of splitting hairs, but it is important. By voting in favour, the recommendation to send this to the province is not automatically voting for any change in speed limit,” he said. Premier Wab Kinew has said he’s against changing provincial legislation because it would mean every municipality in Manitoba could do the same. The city can currently change speed limits on city streets, but it must be done on a case-by-case basis and the mayor said that would be too costly. “I’m not in favour of going and changing the speed limit now without the change to the Highway Traffic Act. I’m not in favour of spending $10 million-plus and putting signs up on every street that would require (the change),” Gillingham said. nicole.buffie(a)freepress.mb.ca<mailto:nicole.buffie@freepress.mb.ca>

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WFP: The rush for Wellington bike lanes is misguided (Mar26'26)
by Beth McKechnie 26 Mar '26

26 Mar '26

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. The rush for Wellington bike lanes is misguided JOHN YOUNGMAN https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/analysis/2026/03/26/the-rush-for-… I HAVE lived on or within a block of Wellington Crescent for 35 years. I drive my vehicle on the Crescent almost every day, and cycle regularly on Wellington in the summertime. Not once have I felt unsafe driving or cycling on Wellington. However, that could soon change. The city is voting on whether to approve bike lanes on Wellington Crescent, which would reduce vehicular traffic to one lane each way from Academy to Stradbrook and reduce speeds to 40 km/h. If the botched bike lanes on River and Stradbrook avenues are any indication, drivers on Wellington Crescent are in for a rough ride. The River/Stradbrook bike lanes have resulted in travel lanes so narrow that driving on them means doing everything in your power to avoid colliding with the vehicle next to you. This is not traffic calming. It is engineered danger. It gets worse. The Wellington Crescent bike lane proposal restricts drivers from making left-hand turns onto the Crescent from Dorchester and Gertrude. That means all vehicles that used to be able to access the Crescent directly would now have to cut through adjacent residential neighbourhoods in order to make left-hand turns onto the Crescent via Hugo, McMillan, Lilac, Ruskin, Palk and Kingsway — streets that lack cycling infrastructure and are ill-equipped for increased traffic volumes. Rather than improving safety, the proposed bike plan simply offloads the safety risk from Wellington Crescent onto adjacent neighbourhoods. While bike lobbyists are quick to demand things like bike lanes, reduced speeds and turning restrictions, they are silent when it comes to the downstream dangers these measures impose on nearby residential communities. In their support of bike lanes on the crescent, bike lobbyists have repeatedly invoked the death of a cyclist who was tragically killed in 2024 by an SUV travelling 159 km/h. The sad reality is that no bike lane can protect a cyclist from a maniac driving at extreme speeds. And if the dinky physical barriers (low curbs, really) on the River/Stradbrook bike lanes are any indication of what is in store for the crescent, they wouldn’t even protect a cyclist from a vehicle going the legal speed limit. This calls into question whether the push for bike lanes on the crescent is really about safety at all, or merely reactive. Coun. Russ Wyatt hit the nail on the head when he said the city would be “jumping the queue” by approving the Wellington Crescent bike lanes. In a city with limited resources, moving the Wellington Crescent bike lanes to the front of the line means other deserving active transportation projects already in the works — many designed to improve cyclist safety — would have to be delayed or scrapped altogether. That is not leadership. That is pandering to the squeaky wheel. There are other ways to make Wellington Crescent safer for cyclists without eliminating two lanes of vehicular traffic. The stretch of the crescent under consideration for bike lanes is blessed with wide boulevards on both sides. There is no reason bike lanes could not be located there, parallel to the sidewalks. It would be far less expensive and pose no disruption whatsoever to vehicular traffic. Nor would it rely on physical barriers to keep cyclists safe from traffic. Allowing left-hand turns from Grosvenor onto Wellington Crescent would also go a long way toward alleviating unsafe levels of vehicular traffic on nearby residential streets. As citizens, we should not have to tolerate poorly conceived bike lanes that fail to adequately protect cyclists, make roads more dangerous for drivers and offload arterial traffic onto unsuspecting residential communities. Expanding cycling infrastructure that actually makes streets safer for cyclists is an important goal as we move forward as a city. However, we should let sound planning, data and due process tell us where and when bike lanes should be located, not special interest groups. John Youngman has lived, walked, driven and cycled on and around Wellington Crescent for 35 years.

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