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CBC: 14 pedestrians, 2 cyclists have died in vehicle collisions in Winnipeg this year: MPI
by Beth McKechnie 16 Nov '24

16 Nov '24

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/pedestrian-fatalities-2024-winnipeg…

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WFP: Lower speed limit on Wellington sought (Nov13'24)
by Beth McKechnie 13 Nov '24

13 Nov '24

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. Councillor’s traffic-law motion follows death of cyclist hit by speeding car last June Lower speed limit on Wellington sought https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2024/11/12/councillor-seeks-… A WINNIPEG city councillor is trying to get the speed limit lowered to 30 km/h on a busy bike route where a cyclist was fatally mowed down by a speeding car five months ago. A motion by Sherri Rollins (Fort Rouge-East Fort Garry) to reduce the speed limit on Wellington Crescent from River Avenue to Kenaston Boulevard until a protected bike lane is in place will be presented to the city centre community committee when it meets Monday. “Tragic deaths and troubling near-misses involving both pedestrians and cyclists… demonstrate an unacceptable level of risk posed to vulnerable road users travelling along this stretch of road,” her motion reads. Rob Jenner, 61, was killed while cycling to work on the morning of June 6 on Wellington Crescent near Cockburn Street. Jenner was hit by a car that was travelling at least 159 km/h in a spot where the posted speed limit is 50 km/h. Beckham Severight, 19, pleaded guilty last month to dangerous driving causing death and leaving the scene of an accident. His sentencing date has not been set. “That’s a main route for people cycling,” Mark Cohoe, executive director of Bike Winnipeg, said Tuesday. The non-profit group has long advocated for safer routes for cyclists and others. “The tragedy of Rob Jenner’s death moved that to the forefront,” Cohoe said. Wellington Crescent between Academy Road and River and Stradbrook avenues is “a major gap in the city’s planned primary bicycle network,” Rollins’ resolution states. It has no bike lane, which forces cyclists to ride in mixed traffic along a roadway with traffic volumes and speeds where separation of people on bikes from motor vehicles is recommended. Wellington Crescent is used by a high volume of pedestrian and bicycle traffic that is anticipated to double by 2030, as per the City of Winnipeg climate plan. There’s been a significant increase in bike traffic during the summer on the stretch between Academy Road and Guelph Street when it operates as a seasonal bike route, with a 30 km/h speed limit. That shows a “strong desire for a permanent, year-round, low-stress cycling route on Wellington Crescent,” the resolution says. The city is finalizing updates to its transportation master plan and pedestrian and cycling strategies, which are expected to go before council this winter. “I wouldn’t expect anything until the new year,” Rollins said about her proposal to lower the year-round speed limit from Kenaston Boulevard to River Avenue. “I certainly think one of the aims is safeguarding before the majority of cyclists head back to Wellington, and that would be spring time.” She said she expects there will be pushback from residents. “When it’s such an important thoroughfare, the length that this motion attempts to address will, no doubt, be challenged,” Rollins said. Reducing the speed limit to 30 km/h from 50 km/h is known to reduce collisions, she said. “It was a very problematic spring and summer for Wellington,” said the councillor. She’s seen, over the years, the fence at St. Mary’s Academy, at Wellington and Academy) damaged many times from vehicles crashing into it “which really connotes the speed at which people are going,” said Rollins, who hears from ward residents when cyclists get hit. The collision involving Jenner was one of two that day that ward residents had notified her about, she said. Rollins said she informed Jenner’s partner, Wendy Van Loon, about the reduced speed motion. Van Loon told a July 25 gathering of cyclists outside the Canadian Museum for Human Rights, where Jenner had worked, that she wants others to be able to experience his joy of cycling, and to be safe while doing so. “There’s nothing we can do to bring him back, but let’s make sure his death wasn’t in vain,” she said at the time. Wellington Crescent is identified as a high priority pathway in the draft bike route priority map, highlighting the need for safety interventions, her resolution points out. Weeks after Jenner was killed, a teen cycling with her father was injured July 29 after she was struck by a vehicle near the intersection of Wellington Crescent and Academy Road. On July 30, an estimated 180 cyclists blocked cars at the intersection of Academy and Wellington to demand safer road design. Advocates placed a “ghost bike,” which was donated by Van Loon and painted white, near the scene of the fatal collision as a tribute to Jenner and to remind drivers to slow down and be careful near cyclists. Bike Winnipeg plans to have a presence at Monday’s community committee meeting to support the resolution for a reduced speed limit until a low stress, all-ages-and-abilities cycling route can be provided along the route, Cohoe said. “We’re grateful that the councillors are taking this issue seriously and are moving forward with steps both short term and long term,” Cohoe said. carol.sanders(a)freepress.mb.ca<mailto:carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca>

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Official Manitoba Hydro Survey: Creating our energy future
by Beth McKechnie 10 Nov '24

10 Nov '24

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. [MB Hydro.png] Survey Link: https://manitobahydro.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0vlQjz8GscaAwsK Please Like &/or share if you filled it out! Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/DCNESr8P0Sz/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=pfbid0rbBJa1D6pWLys3vJxyC… X/Twitter: https://x.com/fff_manitoba/status/1855711796494991391

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WFP: Cost of reopening Portage and Main expected to jump by $8M (Nov2'24)
by Beth McKechnie 02 Nov '24

02 Nov '24

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. Cost of reopening Portage and Main expected to jump by $8M Price tag for intersection now pegged at $21.3M https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2024/11/01/cost-of-reopening… REOPENING Portage and Main to pedestrians is set to cost the city $8 million more than expected, a new report says. In March, city council voted to open the pedestrian crossing at the intersection in 2025, budgeting $13 million for the work. However, the city has since received just one bid on the project, which will raise the overall price to $21.3 million. “The additional budget is attributed to an aggressive schedule requiring significant labour and risk to complete it on time, the requirements of sub-contractor works requiring significant oversight, complex interaction between public right-of-way and private properties, and that construction will primarily occur over the winter months, which brings several logistical challenges,” Brad Neirinck, manager of engineering for public works, wrote in the report. Neirinck notes the intersection “must be opened” to pedestrians by the time Winnipeg Transit begins to overhaul its network, which is expected to begin on June 29. The report calls for the public works committee to award the contract to M.D. Steele Construction Ltd. It also notes a consultant warned it would be difficult to pin down the project’s price. “Due to the unique nature of the project, it was challenging to calculate an estimate for it as there were no comparable projects to refer to,” wrote Neirinck. Mayor Scott Gillingham said he supports a staff proposal to cover the significant cost hikes through transfers from the road renewal and downtown streets budgets, so the work can be done on time. “It will be an aggressive timeline with construction in the dead of winter — which doesn’t always happen — at the corner of Portage and Main. There are obviously increased costs associated with the type of very unique project that it is,” said Gillingham. The mayor said he isn’t concerned taking money out of the roads budget will lead other projects to be cancelled. “My understanding is the projects wouldn’t be lost but simply deferred,” he said. Reopening Portage and Main to pedestrians has proven divisive for years. While 65 per cent of Winnipeggers voted against the idea in a 2018 plebiscite, Gillingham said the option is better than spending $73 million to repair a membrane to renovate the site’s underground concourse. “What we’ve got here is short-term pain for longer-term gain,” he said. The mayor has called for the underground concourse to close. The city is set to commission a study on how that could occur, which council will then consider. Pedestrian traffic has not been allowed at the intersection since 1979. The mayor stressed it is essential that access is restored in time for Winnipeg Transit’s route overhaul. “With the change of the transit network, all major lines are going to go through Portage and Main. If we delayed this project … we would do the changeover to the new network and then immediately slow the network down with construction at Portage and Main,” said Gillingham. Coun. Janice Lukes, chairwoman of public works, said she also supports covering the rising cost of the project. “When you’re (building) something … in the winter and, when you’re doing it in a shortened timeline, there’s a risk element in it,” said Lukes (Waverley West). “It’s also a high-profile project. I know companies that didn’t want to bid on it because it was a high-profile project (and) because it was (in) the winter.” Not all councillors think the project is worth its rising price. Coun. Jeff Browaty, who serves as finance chairman, said he remains opposed to the change because he thinks adding foot traffic will create significant traffic delays. Browaty (North Kildonan) said he is also concerned about the increased cost. “It’s pretty (concerning) how much over the budget it is. And it would be interesting (to see) if there’s any good estimates as to what it would cost to do regular-season construction (instead),” he said. Coun. Russ Wyatt said he opposes covering the cost hike, arguing the cash strapped city has much more pressing priorities to fund. “The city should reverse the decision (to reopen). We have better things to do in this city than talk about Portage and Main. We’ve got a whole mental-health and addictions crisis … we have our infrastructure crumbling, we’ve got Arlington Bridge closed,” said Wyatt (Transcona). The cost hike requires only the approval of the standing policy committee on public works, not a full council vote. After a Nov. 6 meeting to determine the latest round of standing policy committee members, Lukes expects to continue to chair the committee, alongside councillors Devi Sharma, Ross Eadie and Markus Chambers as its other members. Coun. Evan Duncan said he hasn’t decided if he supports covering the cost hike. “This sends some pretty big red flags up in the air that, potentially, the folks that are ballparking these costs for us are not doing a great job at it,” said Duncan (Charleswood-Tuxedo-Westwood). He also criticized the project’s timing. “The timing on it is obviously garbage. Going through winter months is going to be extremely expensive,” said Duncan. A request to interview city staff about the cost hike was not granted Friday. In an email, communications director Felicia Wiltshire noted the same rationale for the hike that was noted in the staff report, including the desire to support the Transit overhaul in June. “Retendering the work for summer construction only would result in earliest completion in late Fall 2025,” wrote Wiltshire. The public works committee is expected to vote on the matter Thursday. joyanne.pursaga(a)freepress.mb.ca<mailto:joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca> X: @joyanne_pursaga

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WFP: City finally fixes hazardous crater at St. James pathway (Nov1'24)
by Beth McKechnie 01 Nov '24

01 Nov '24

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. City finally fixes hazardous crater at St. James pathway https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2024/10/31/city-finally-ridd… A massive hole that plagued a city pathway for more than a year is now under repair. The gaping depression that appeared to stretch at least seven metres long, three metres wide and up to one metre deep in August had long triggered complaints. It reached roughly six metres long in June 2023, just before bright orange fencing was installed to surround it as a safety measure. Coun. Shawn Dobson said work is well underway on a permanent fix for the large gap, which is concentrated mostly on the path that connects an Amarynth Crescent playground to the busy Sturgeon Creek active transportation route. “It’s very important that it gets fixed, that there’s no hazard to the people. ... It’s great for everyone who walks, cycles, etc.,” said Dobson. The St. James councillor said a multistep repair began last week. Construction crews started work to reshape and grade the creek bank to improve stream flow during periods of high water, install a concrete erosion control blanket to improve bank stability and re-establish the asphalt pathway. The final step may need to wait until spring, if Winnipeg has prolonged cold daytime temperatures soon, Dobson said. “I believe now it will be fixed once and for all,” he said. The city’s naturalist services branch plans to restore vegetation surrounding the path next year. The long-standing gap was deemed an eyesore by residents, who complained it took on water easily, attracting mosquitoes. Some residents also feared it posed a risk to kids, who could fall into it, since it is located close to a playground. Dobson said it took time to determine how best to fix the hole, since the city had filled it with limestone, followed by wood chips, both of which washed away. “We would always like (things) fixed instantly but what we want to do is … fix it once versus fix it multiple times,” said Dobson. joyanne.pursaga(a)freepress.mb.ca<mailto:joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca> X: joyanne_pursaga

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WFP: New pedestrian crossing on Dunkirk (Oct28'24)
by Beth McKechnie 28 Oct '24

28 Oct '24

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. NEW PEDESTRIAN CROSSING ON DUNKIRK DRIVERS travelling south on Dunkirk Drive approaching Fermor Avenue will now occasionally experience red lights after the recent installation of a pedestrian crossing signal. Previously, only southbound traffic turning left from Dunkirk onto Fermor could get a red light. Northbound traffic has always experienced a red-light cycle. “It’s important for people to know this is here now because drivers have experienced a constant green light at this intersection for 58 years,” Coun. Brian Mayes (St. Vital) said in a news release Saturday. “We need drivers to be aware of this change.” Both north and southbound traffic will be stopped when a pedestrian pushes a button at the southeast or southwest corners of the intersection. The signal was installed to prepare for a new transit stop on eastbound Fermor that will begin service in December.

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WFP: City on Portage and Main: stay away (Oct26'24)
by Beth McKechnie 27 Oct '24

27 Oct '24

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. City on Portage and Main: stay away Drivers can expect shifting lane closures as intersection is prepared for pedestrians https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2024/10/25/imminent-portage-… WINNIPEG’S public works chair has a warning for drivers and bus riders before major construction begins at Portage Avenue and Main Street to eventually reopen the intersection to pedestrians. “I’m telling everyone to find a different route, because lanes will be closed, lanes will be opened and more lanes will be closed,” said Coun. Janice Lukes. “It’s going to be a major headache for people who take that route.” Lukes, who drives through the downtown intersection to get to and from city hall, expects the seven- month project will add a “significant” amount of time to commutes when construction starts Nov. 15. “A lot of work will be happening at once,” the Waverley West councillor said. Mayor Scott Gillingham urged people to leave earlier than usual if they head downtown while the project is under way. Lukes hopes downtown employers will consider flexible schedules or work-from-home arrangements for eligible staff, if they don’t already, due to anticipated traffic jams at peak times. “The big thing is for people to plan right now,” she said, noting snowfall will probably slow traffic even more. Drivers began facing lane closures and delays when pre-construction work got underway earlier this week. “It’s not really that bad right now, but it’s really going to get intense starting in November,” Lukes warned. “It’s going to be intense construction, because it’s accelerated.” The city is aiming to finish construction by June 27, two days before the launch of Winnipeg Transit’s new primary network. The intersection is scheduled to reopen to foot traffic by July 1 for the first time since 1979. Details of specific lane closures and traffic impacts are expected to be released before Nov. 15. “We are working to minimize congestions and delays as best we can,” city spokesman David Driedger wrote in an email. “It’s also anticipated that some work may occur on weekends and during off-peak times on weekdays to help minimize potential disruptions.” He said drivers should use the Waze app to find the fastest route to their destination. Portage and Main closed to pedestrians 45 years ago, after the city struck a 40-year deal with a property developer who built an office tower and an underground mall. Debate over whether to reopen the intersection has gone on for years. Opponents feared a change would be too expensive and delay traffic. Supporters believed it could help rejuvenate and better connect downtown. In March, city council approved the reopening in an 11-3 vote and earmarked an initial $13 million, even though 65 per cent of voters opposed restoring pedestrian access in a non-binding plebiscite in 2018. The council vote was spurred by a staff report that said it would cost $73 million and cause up to five years of traffic disruption to repair a leaking membrane, or waterproofing layer, that protects an underground pedestrian concourse at the intersection. Additional costly repairs would be expected in 30 to 40 years. Council decided to study the cost and impacts of closing the underground concourse, which was initially proposed at an estimated cost of $20 million to $50 million. Before the March vote, a Free Press/ Probe Research poll of 600 residents found 61 per cent strongly or somewhat supported restoring pedestrian access, while 39 per cent were strongly or somewhat opposed. Gillingham said upcoming traffic delays will be a “short-term inconvenience,” compared with years-long disruption that would come with membrane replacement. Portage and Main would have to be ripped up to fix the layer. For the pre-construction phase, Gillingham said he is leaving home five to seven minutes earlier than usual when he heads to city hall in the morning. “That has been ample time right now,” he said, noting he may have to leave earlier or take a different route when construction “intensifies” next month. “I want to thank motorists in advance for their patience.” Crews are currently installing conduit at Portage and Main’s corners to prepare for new traffic signals, said Lukes. Sections of curb and median lanes will be closed intermittently. During the actual project, large concrete barricades will be demolished to make way for new sidewalks and curbs. Medians will be repaired and adjusted. Hoarding and heating will be used to pour concrete in cold weather. The city doesn’t run road construction projects 24-7 because it doesn’t have the money or volume of work to merit around-the-clock operations, said Lukes. An earlier study cited increased safety risks for workers and the public after dark, noise disruption for residents and higher costs. Lukes said “other players,” including contractors and public utilities, would also have to work or be on call if the city ran construction projects overnight. chris.kitching(a)freepress.mb.ca<mailto:chris.kitching@freepress.mb.ca>

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WFP: Fixing The Forks’ bike, pedestrian span could cost $10M: report (Oct25'24)
by Beth McKechnie 26 Oct '24

26 Oct '24

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. Bridge repair cost cuts like a knife Fixing The Forks’ bike, pedestrian span could cost $10M: report https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2024/10/24/forks-bridge-clos… IT could cost more than $10 million to repair the historic rail bridge at The Forks, a favourite with pedestrians and cyclists, which has been closed for 16 months. Preliminary repairs to remediate the counterweight that sits above the bridge is expected to begin next week, said Zach Peters, communications manager of The Forks. The price tag and timeline were outlined in engineering reports, which took longer than expected to conduct because of mild temperatures last winter. Peters said upon reviewing the assessment, The Forks leadership is looking at short- and long-term solutions for the bridge, which closed without notice in June 2023. “The bridge is a vital access point to and through The Forks,” Peters said in an email. “It’s certainly a priority for us to get it reopened.” Peters declined to discuss the findings in the engineering reports. A timeline for the bridge’s repair and reopening was not provided, with The Forks only saying it is in the process of determining a permanent solution. Construction work on the 110-year-old bridge could be seen Thursday afternoon. Active transportation advocate Mark Cohoe said with a $10-million price tag, The Forks should consider asking the city and province to chip in to fast-track the repair work. “When it’s out of commission, it puts a fairly big hole in our (transportation) network,” said Cohoe, who serves as executive director of Bike Winnipeg. The former railway structure, which allows pedestrians and cyclists to cross the Assiniboine River from South Point Park to The Forks, has been closed since a routine assessment revealed potential safety issues. The Forks has not released significant updates to the bridge’s future since December, to the frustration of some who use the crossing. Jas Patel once travelled the bridge regularly on his commute to work but now has to detour on sidewalks and streets. He now rides down St. Mary’s Road and through downtown side streets, a commute that is longer and less safe, the cyclist said. “The city already has few access points for bikes … it’s a pain to deal with,” Patel said while at The Forks Thursday. The city has not been approached about sharing in the cost of repairs and it isn’t currently being considered in the capital budget, spokesperson Kalen Qually said in an email. A provincial spokesperson declined to comment, saying the federal government holds jurisdiction over any funding for the bridge. Peters did not say whether The Forks would seek external funds to help pay for the bridge repairs. Patel said it could be worth tearing down the old bridge and building anew, but cyclists are anxious to have the access point reopened in any way. “We need something back,” he said. Meanwhile, another city bridge more than a century old remains closed to traffic. The Arlington Bridge, which links downtown to the North End, shuttered in November 2023 after an inspection revealed the structure was beyond the point of repair. Council is studying options to replace the 112-year-old bridge, including a $171-million bridge option that would involve closing Dufferin Avenue at Arlington Street. A second proposal would see a $180-million version travel over Dufferin, leaving it open for vehicle traffic. In 2019, a preliminary design estimated a new bridge could cost $319 million. nicole.buffie(a)freepress.mb.ca<mailto:nicole.buffie@freepress.mb.ca>

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WFP: Ontario plans to make cities seek bike lane approval (Oct16'24)
by Beth McKechnie 17 Oct '24

17 Oct '24

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. Ontario plans to make cities seek bike lane approval Cites gridlock for new veto over changes that remove lanes of vehicle traffic https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/canada/2024/10/15/ontario-to-make-cities-… TORONTO — Ontario cities would have to seek the province’s permission to install new bike lanes that remove lanes of vehicle traffic under upcoming legislation, the transportation minister announced Tuesday. Too many drivers are stuck in gridlock as a result of bike lanes installed during the COVID-19 pandemic and the process is “frankly, out of control,” Transportation Minister Prabmeet Sarkaria said at a press conference. “When strategically placed, bike lanes are a vital part of every city, offering residents a safe and reliable way to move around,” he said. “What cities should not be doing, however, is taking away lanes of traffic on our most congested roads.” The first government bill to be introduced when the legislature resumes sitting next week will focus on tackling gridlock, the province said. It is expected to contain a requirement that municipalities receive provincial approval for certain bike lanes and demonstrate the proposed bike lanes won’t negatively affect vehicle traffic. Premier Doug Ford, who lives in the west end of Toronto, has complained about bike lanes that were installed on Bloor Street West, saying the street is jammed and first responders are having a hard time getting through the congestion. “There’s a petition just in Etobicoke for 50,000 people signing to get rid of these bike lanes,” he said last month. “You might see four or five bikes as you see traffic lined up all the way down the road for kilometres and kilometres. … It’s an absolute disaster.” Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow said she does not support limiting city powers. “It’s always better when we work together to get things right,” she wrote in a statement. “To tackle congestion and keep people safe on city roads we need all types of transportation. The province should focus on their job of finally getting the Eglinton Crosstown and Finch LRT open, which will have a huge impact on congestion in our city.” Sarkaria, who made his announcement Tuesday with the Bloor bike lanes as a backdrop, said the province is not ordering the removal of those lanes at the moment, but is asking for more data and pausing the installation of any new, similar bike lanes. A City of Toronto report on an earlier stretch of bike lanes on Bloor, which were added in 2016 as a pilot project, found that collisions and near misses with cyclists decreased, the number of cyclists increased by 56 per cent, customer spending at area businesses increased and vehicle volumes decreased, while drivers’ travel time increased. The city’s report said that travel time increased by up to 8 ½ minutes, depending on the section of Bloor, but after traffic signal adjustments were made, that went down to four minutes during afternoon rush hour. Sarkaria said data that cities have used to justify bike lane decisions don’t take into account low usage on rainy days, during periods of extreme heat, or in the winter months. One local bar owner’s security camera showed just nine cyclists in a 24-hour period in February, Sarkaria said. “I think all of that has to be taken into consideration,” he said. “But the data is in commute times. I hear it from every single person … those members on Bloor Street that use this road every single day, on University, on Yonge, travel times have gone up and we have to have a balanced approach.” The Green Party asked in a press release, “Is this government for real?” “The ‘evidence’ this government has based this decision off of is one man’s security camera outside his bar in Etobicoke,” deputy leader Aislinn Clancy wrote in the statement. “Is that how they make decisions for this province now?” The province is asking municipalities for data on any bike lane project launched in the last five years. Sarkaria also said the province is moving ahead with a plan to increase the speed limit to 110 kilometres per hour on all 400-series highways, where it is safe to do so. The government said it is developing a design standard that could allow vehicles to travel safely at speeds higher than 120 km/h on new highways. — The Canadian Press

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WFP: Property-tax spending drives city in wrong direction (Oct8'24)
by Beth McKechnie 08 Oct '24

08 Oct '24

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. Property-tax spending drives city in wrong direction OPINION https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/2024/10/07/property-tax-spending-dr… SOMETHING’S got to give. This year has been — in my humble, anecdote-based opinion — one of the most challenging for driving in and around Winnipeg. Rush hour is more intense, starts earlier and lasts longer. Construction seems to be everywhere, choking off entire parts of the city during our overly short construction season. All the trend lines point to a near-term future where, despite our status as a medium- sized city, we will have traffic congestion worthy of much larger places. Once we accept that this is our future, we’ll have to accept the need to start doing things differently to avoid or at least mitigate the impending traffic apocalypse that’s headed our way. A good place to start would be to radically change the way we dedicate portions of annual property taxes to make a final, determined effort to de-emphasize roads and expand transit. Currently, Winnipeg property owners are facing a 3.5 per cent general rate increase this year. Of that total increase, two per cent will be dedicated to road repairs and only 0.33 per cent to public transit operations. None of the annual increase in property taxes is dedicated to expanding Winnipeg’s stunted rapid-transit system. The current approach to allotting property taxes is — literally and figuratively — a road to disaster. Ignoring transit to invest heavily in roads — whether it’s to repair, expand or lengthen — does nothing to encourage people to get out of their vehicles and use other modes of transport to get where they are going. This is particularly true when it comes to commuting to work. This creates a vicious cycle for the city: increasing investments are made in roads while transit is starved of needed money; transit continues to attract few new riders because of limited service; people continue driving, one person to a car in traffic that continues getting worse; as traffic volumes increase so, too, does the wear and tear on roads, which then require more frequent repair and reconstruction. Have you ever asked yourself why one of the major streets you use each day to drive back and forth to work is being repaired again, just a year or two after the last time it was torn up? It’s because traffic volumes have continued to escalate, causing more damage to road surfaces. It’s not hard to see how, eventually, we are going to have the worst of all worlds: crappy streets, crappy transit and worsening traffic jams. Think that’s an exaggeration? Consider that Winnipeg is already hitting way above its weight in traffic congestion. I recently wrote a newsletter on this topic, highlighting traffic data that showed we have the third-worst traffic of all Canadian cities. In short, the data showed that our average commuting times are going up and the distances we can travel in a 30-minute window are going down. And if you’re not depressed enough by that current snapshot, consider that increasing traffic volumes also translates into increasing carbon emissions that — in case you hadn’t noticed — are helping to warm the planet and trigger increasingly extreme weather events. There is a way to avoid this future, but many of us are not going to like it. We have to start now to make it increasingly unattractive to commute by car while, at the same time, making transit much more attractive. Next year’s reimagining of Winnipeg Transit — with new routes and schedules — may help in that regard. But we also need to dedicate more lanes of existing roadways to buses (both downtown and on major routes to and from the downtown) while expanding rapid-transit busways. In the short term, this will put a lot of pressure on traffic by compressing it into fewer lanes on feeder routes and making it harder for drivers to get into, out of and around downtown. And all this requires a new approach to property taxes. It can be done. Halifax, for example, dedicates roughly two-thirds of annual property tax increases to a “climate fund” that pays for improvements in things such as electric vehicle charging stations, the purchase of more electric buses and installation of solar panels on city buildings. Small gestures such as those can add up to significant changes, but it’s never going to be enough. Even if Winnipeg were to flip the way it divides up property tax increases, or push employers to subsidize transit passes, it would never generate enough money to build the transit system necessary to supplant vehicular traffic. The provincial and federal governments have largely focused their support on building or expanding rapid transit. However, just about every major city in this country is suffering from massive transit system operating deficits. Transit needs to be the No. 1 infrastructure funding priority for governments of all levels to ensure that we have sensible and climate-friendly alternatives to hopping in the car and driving to and from work. Even so, the city could send a strong message to citizens by starting with the way it divides up property tax increases. It won’t be enough to solve the problem, but it will represent one small step away from the traffic and climate apocalypse. dan.lett(a)winnipegfreepress.com<mailto:dan.lett@winnipegfreepress.com>

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