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WFP: Teenage e-scooter rider struck by SUV, seriously hurt (Sept17'26)
by Beth McKechnie 17 Sep '26

17 Sep '26

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. Teenage e-scooter rider struck by SUV, seriously hurt https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2026/09/16/teenage-e-scooter… A TEENAGER who was riding an e-scooter suffered life-threatening injuries when he was struck by an SUV in southwest Winnipeg on Monday night. Witnesses provided first aid to the injured rider, who police said is under 18, after the collision happened at Waverley Street and Arbour Meadow Gate/Lake Crest Road at about 9:30 p.m. “It feels like it happened in slow motion,” said driver Audrey Vanderspek, who was waiting at a red light when she witnessed the incident. “Maybe it’s because you’re helpless, that it just feels like everything slows down in the moment.” Police said the electric scooter rider was crossing Waverley and was hit by a southbound 2010 Honda CR-V. The posted speed limit on that stretch of Waverley is 70 kilometres per hour. Exact ages weren’t released, but police said the rider and SUV driver are in their late teens. Police wouldn’t confirm the injured teen’s gender but a witness told the Free Press the rider was a boy. The injured teen remained in hospital Wednesday after being transported in critical condition. The SUV driver stayed at the scene and was interviewed by investigators. City Coun. Janice Lukes, whose Waverley West ward includes the intersection, was saddened to learn about the collision. “It’s horrifying,” she said. Canadian physicians have reported an increase in e-scooter riders being hospitalized for collisions and falls, alongside the growing popularity of the vehicles. The Manitoba government is taking steps to regulate e-scooters by bringing them under the Highway Traffic Act. Vanderspek said she was in southbound Waverley’s left lane, waiting for a turning light to switch from red to green before she could head east on Lake Crest, when she noticed the e-scooter rider. The thoroughfare that crosses Waverley is called Lake Crest Road on the east side (in Waverley Heights) and Arbour Meadow Gate on the west side (in Bridgwater Forest). Vanderspek said the teen, headed south, appeared to be in the “sidewalk area” while he crossed Arbour Meadow Gate. She said he then turned to head east on Lake Crest on the south side of the intersection. “I didn’t even see what the (traffic) lights were doing because I was distracted with him crossing (Waverley),” said Vanderspek, who was with her 14-year-old son and 11-year-old daughter. “There was another witness there who said they could confirm the light was green for the (SUV).” Police did not say who had the right of way. Vanderspek said the e-scooter rider, who wasn’t wearing a helmet, was thrown when he was struck by the SUV. She and other witnesses called 911. Her son, who has first aid training, was among those who went to the injured boy’s aid, she said. “There were bystanders there pretty quickly to help as they could.” She said the SUV’s female driver appeared to be shaken while witnesses checked on her. Police asked anyone with information or dashcam or cellphone video of the collision or moments beforehand to call the traffic division at 204-986-7085<tel:204-986-7085> or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 204-786-8477<tel:204-786-8477> (TIPS). Concerns about e-scooter safety have escalated while national figures show hospitalizations for children and adults increased by almost 40 per cent between April 2025 and March 2026. The Canadian Institute for Health Information said 837 hospitalizations were reported, up from 601 in the previous 12 months. Hospitalizations of kids aged 15 and under almost tripled from 54 to 150. A longtime Winnipeg Blue Bombers volunteer suffered serious injuries when he was hit by an e-scooter while directing football fans after a game in July. Earlier this summer, city police published safety guidance that encouraged e-scooter users to ride respectfully, wear a helmet, yield to pedestrians, be alert and share the road. Parents were advised to review safe riding habits with their children. Police issued a reminder Wednesday, saying e-scooters are not toys, while citing a recent Canadian Pediatric Society study that documented 10 deaths and 47 other cases in 2025 involving personal powered micromobility devices. The study said e-scooters were the most frequently implicated device, the most commonly injured group was boys aged 10 to 15, and head injuries were most common. New regulations for e-scooters, passed by the Manitoba government June 1, are not yet in place. Amendments will ban the use of personal electric vehicles on roads where speed limits are greater than 50 km/h, and on sidewalks (unless marked by a traffic control device allowing their use). Drivers must be 16 or older, and must wear a helmet. Speeds will be restricted to a maximum of 25 km/h. Passengers will not be permitted on e-scooters. Last month, Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Lisa Naylor said an enforcement start date and fine amounts had not yet been set. Manitoba’s new health curriculum in schools will include lessons about dangers associated with electric scooters and electric bikes, the government has said. Lukes, who chairs council’s public works committee, said the city will align bylaws around personal electric vehicles once the province’s amendments come into effect. “It’s very dangerous right now. I see (e-scooters) all over, and kids and no helmets,” she said. “They’re really, really dangerous for young kids, but they’re so wonderful for mobility. It’s such a double-edged sword.” City hall’s process is taking into account Winnipeg’s networks of trails, multi-use paths and cycling lanes that share road space with motor vehicles. Staff are expected to make recommendations to council on how best to regulate personal electric vehicles later this year or early in 2027. “Once something’s on the road it falls under the Highway Traffic Act. We have these shared pathways with shared road space, and this is what they’re having to work through and figure out how they’re going to enforce it, police it, monitor it and what kind of rules they’re going to do,” Lukes said. “It’s complicated how it’s going to work.” Morden’s city council introduced its own rules for personal electric vehicles in June to, among other things, ban them from sidewalks, mandate helmets and require a headlight and rear light or reflector in darkness. Penalties include a $50 fine. chris.kitching(a)freepress.mb.ca<mailto:chris.kitching@freepress.mb.ca>

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WFP: City turns key on mapping transport needs (Sept17'26)
by Beth McKechnie 17 Sep '26

17 Sep '26

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. City turns key on mapping transport needs Residents to be surveyed about travel habits https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2026/09/16/road-map-to-future THE city wants to know how Winnipeggers get around. It plans to hire a consultant to conduct a household travel survey next year to provide data deemed critical to planning roads and active transportation routes. “This (will) help … when it comes to prioritizing road renewal investments because our city is growing, travel patterns are changing,” said Coun. Janice Lukes (Waverley West), council’s public works chairwoman. “A lot has happened in our city in 20 years. And, especially when we’re a city without freeways, I know there’s some major intersections and major corridors that need refinement.” The survey will delve into everything from the number of vehicles owned by residents to where they go and how they get there, providing the city’s first such fine-tuned poll since 2007. It will involve a representative sample of households in Winnipeg and surrounding communities. “It provides critical information for planning the region’s pedestrian, cycling, road and transit infrastructure. It is also the main data source for Winnipeg’s travel demand model,” says the request for proposals. The survey results are expected to break down specific responses by household, including number/demographic details of residents, work/ school locations, trips taken (with time, purpose, origin, destination and mode of travel) and transfer points that note when people switched from one mode of transportation to another. The city has budgeted $800,000 for the contract, which council’s finance chairman said will help guide many future investments. “It’s a good way to find out where Winnipeggers are going, how they’re moving around the city and where the stress points potentially are. Is there particular movements that (show) we need to perhaps further refine the (primary) Transit network with additional services to areas? Is it time to move forward with the Chief Peguis Trail extension or replacement of the Arlington Bridge?” said Coun. Jeff Browaty (North Kildonan). He noted the city has grown substantially since 2007, while transportation options have also changed, including the addition of ride-hailing services such as Uber and Lyft. Winnipeg’s 2007 travel survey found 80 per cent of trips were made by car, with 20 per cent completed through Transit or active transportation. A local cycling advocate said active transportation use has increased over the past two decades. “There are more people walking and biking (though) that isn’t distributed uniformly across the city … Some of those further flung areas, we might see some indicators of where barriers are really kind of forcing choices on people,” said Mark Cohoe, executive director of Bike Winnipeg. Cohoe said the city’s survey will be valuable because it will gather details of all trips people take, not just commutes to and from work. “It’s important, when we’re planning our transportation, to get a sense of where people are coming from and where they’re going to … This counts things like going grocery shopping, picking up the kids, all the little different things we do,” he said. However, he said it may not be clear why each mode of travel was chosen or ruled out. “It’s one thing to see where the people are riding (bikes) but it’s also important to see where they’re not riding and to try to figure out if there is something substantially different (about those areas) … If they don’t have a safe link, they’re not going to travel by bike,” said Cohoe. The company that conducts the survey will collect web and telephone answers. Questions will be asked in the fall of 2027, with a deadline to complete a report on the project in fall 2028. New questions added to the 2007 survey will aim to gauge Winnipeggers’ use of electric-powered vehicles (such as e-bikes), the effect of work-from-home on travel and car-sharing programs. Since the survey is meant to highlight normal travel conditions, it could be delayed or postponed if major storms, labour strikes or other unexpected events occur, the RFP notes. joyanne.pursaga(a)freepress.mb.ca<mailto:joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca> X: @joyanne_pursaga

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WFP OpEd: Growing pains? Maybe, but it’s worth it (Sept10'26)
by Beth McKechnie 10 Sep '26

10 Sep '26

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. Growing pains? Maybe, but it’s worth it DAN HENDRY https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/analysis/2026/09/10/growing-pains… WITH Winnipeg’s free youth transit pass rolling out this month, the city should expect more young people to use the bus. This is not a flaw in the program. It is one of the key benefits. I have spent more than a decade working on youth transit in Kingston, Ont., and more recently with communities across Canada. The lesson I keep coming back to is simple: when young people are given the chance to learn transit — use it and see it as a normal part of life — they become more confident riders. Over time, many become paying riders, too. Even so, operational costs are a valid consideration. Winnipeg Transit runs a real system with real limits. Buses fill up. And if full buses are consistently passing people by, that hurts everyone. The city knows this and is responding accordingly. September’s rollout will be staggered to give Transit a chance to watch where demand appears and then adjust. According to the Winnipeg School Division, older students are expected to receive passes first, with other grades following through September. This is specifically to give the system more room to adapt. What we should avoid is treating every new rider, crowded bus or early growing pain as evidence the idea is failing. And it’s important to remember that eligible youth are not the same thing as brand-new riders. Winnipeg Transit estimates roughly 65,000 youth are eligible for the program and initially planned around 30,000 passes. The city’s report notes that roughly 15,000 youth already purchase passes. For those riders, the person on the bus is not new; it’s just who’s paying for the trip that’s changing. Young people will also use transit differently. Not everyone travels downtown at 8 a.m. Some trips happen after school, in the evening or on weekends. Some students will ride every day. Others will use the pass occasionally. The important thing is to measure what happens instead of assuming the worst before the program starts. Winnipeg is already planning additional peak-period service and more trips on feeder routes serving high schools. This is the right approach: implement, collect data, identify pressure points and adjust. And let’s not forget the longer-term payoff for the whole community. Kingston started providing high school students with free transit access in 2012, adding grades over time. Research on the program found Grade 12 students used transit about three times as often as Grade 9 students. That makes intuitive sense. As teenagers gain independence, get jobs, volunteer and travel farther from home, their transportation needs grow. Because they already know the system, transit is an option they understand. The more interesting number comes later. Kingston’s annual after-high-school youth monthly-pass sales increased from 5,740 in 2018 to 11,934 in 2025. That is an increase of approximately 108 per cent. Youth transit cannot be judged only as a short-term fare policy. It is also rider development. A teenager who learns to use transit becomes a young adult who understands the benefit of transit. That person may one day buy a pass, advocate for better routes or vote for transit investment. There are immediate benefits for the community, too. Every independent trip can connect a young person to public investments we have already made — schools, recreation centres, libraries, parks, employment programs, cultural facilities and community services — along with providing them access to local businesses as patrons and employees. It can also give a parent back the time they would otherwise spend driving. None of this means Winnipeg should ignore capacity. Quite the opposite. The ultimate success of this program will require listening to operators and planners, watching for overcrowding, funding the service required and changing course if the evidence says to. It will also involve recognizing that a successful transit system is supposed to attract riders. There will probably be bumps this fall. Winnipeg is introducing a significant program into a large system during one of its busiest periods. Let’s give it room to work. Measure it carefully. Fix problems quickly. And keep the longer view in sight. If more young Winnipeggers learn that the bus can take them to school, work, recreation and the rest of their community, that is not a transit problem. That is how you build the next generation of transit riders. Dan Hendry is project director of Get on the Bus, a national youth transit initiative through Small Change Fund, and helped develop Kingston’s youth transit program.

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WFP: Bumps in the road as students collect free bus passes (Sept9'26)
by Beth McKechnie 09 Sep '26

09 Sep '26

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. Bumps in the road as students collect free bus passes https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2026/09/08/bumps-in-the-road… ALEXIS Enns left her guidance counsellor’s office empty-handed, but no less excited about starting Grade 12 — even though she still didn’t know how she would get there or her timetable — on Tuesday. “My summer was pretty boring,” the 17-year-old said after an unsuccessful trip to get her free bus pass and bearings at Technical Vocational High School. “I like back-to-school. I like having somewhere to be every day and something to do every day.” For some families in the Winnipeg School Division, hers included, the 2026-27 academic year kicked off with delays related to the rollout of free youth transit and course schedules. At the same time, along with typical preparations for classes beginning Wednesday and later this week, employees were busy cleaning up leaks and backed-up sewage in buildings affected by a long weekend storm. Alexis said the start of every term is disorganized because students are adjusting their schedules, but this one is proving to be particularly chaotic in spite of her efforts to prepare for it. City school boards announced last week that, immediately after Labour Day, they were launching a new pilot to distribute Winnipeg Transit passes to students aged 12 and up. Grade 11 and 12 students are supposed to be the first in line. Alexis was told on Tuesday that she’d have to wait a little longer for her school to distribute passes and find out where welding is slotted in her schedule. The release of timetables has been delayed in some buildings as administrators in her division, the largest in the province, transition to a new student information management system. It’s meant that students receive hard copies on the first day of class rather than online versions in advance. “That’s a minor inconvenience and something that we take to heart,” chief superintendent Matt Henderson said about the disruptions to transit and timetables. There’s bound to be bumps in rolling out any complex pilot, Henderson said, adding he’s heard tons of positive feedback about schools partnering with the city and province to bus students to school, work and extracurriculars for free this year. There have been some glitches related to the software transition from Mayet to PowerSchool, but he said moving away from an “antiquated system” will ultimately benefit all community members. “There’s some real momentum going into this year,” the superintendent said. Sandra Herbst, superintendent of the River East Transcona School Division, echoed his optimism about the free transit pilot and its impact on attendance this year. “A small act like this can, in fact, be life-changing for a family and that’s the beauty of the public education system,” said Herbst, who oversees the second largest school division in Manitoba. She said the initiative is another tool to bolster student engagement, in addition to the walking school buses and nutrition programs. Principals have historically used discretionary funds to buy and distribute a limited number of bus tickets to students in need of financial support. Alexis said her middle school gave out free tickets, but since entering Tec Voc, she’s often found herself short on change and relied on bus drivers to cut her some slack. “It is really stressful, standing at the bus stop and thinking, ‘Is this bus driver going to let me on?’” the Grade 12 student said. “Especially in the winter time and it’s -40 C or in the peak of summer and it’s 40 C — it’s not fun to stand out in the cold or stand out in the heat.” James Van Gerwen, president of the union for Winnipeg Transit operators, praised the rollout of free youth passes but he said passengers of all ages should prepare for delays as everyone adjusts to increased ridership. “I would like all the students to actually have their passes ready to show (before they board). That makes the process a lot smoother and it’ll help get the buses out quicker,” the leader of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1505 said. A provincial spokesperson said in a statement that “the full rollout” of Grade 11 and 12 passes is taking place throughout the first week of school. The second phase, which targets Grade 9 and 10 students, is scheduled to begin during the second-last week of September. Middle years students who are 12 and older are anticipated to be eligible during the final week of the month. Manitoba has budgeted approximately $10 million to support the rollout of free public transit for students in major urban centres. maggie.macintosh(a)freepress.mb.ca<mailto:maggie.macintosh@freepress.mb.ca>

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CBC: It's back to school season. Here's why there's a push to get rid of cars at dropoff and pickup (Sept7'26)
by Beth McKechnie 07 Sep '26

07 Sep '26

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. Scientists say car-free zones boost safety but making them last has been challenging https://www.cbc.ca/news/climate/school-streets-canada-9.7320074

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WFP: Transit proposes electric bus purchases (Sep4'26)
by Beth McKechnie 04 Sep '26

04 Sep '26

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. TRANSIT PROPOSES ELECTRIC BUS PURCHASES https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/2026/09/03/city-hall-in-brief-3 WINNIPEG Transit hopes to buy more battery electric buses, despite city council directing it to stick with diesel models from 2027 onward. A report requests a “one-time exception” from council’s 2025 vote to buy solely diesel buses from that point on, over concerns the city couldn’t afford more zero-emission models. The new proposal calls for Transit to buy up to seven 20-foot-long electric buses for a pilot project to support on-request trips, pending city council approval. On-request serves up to 4,000 riders a week, at times, and could use 35 buses that are under 30 feet long, the report states. Winnipeg Transit currently uses 30-foot and 40-foot buses for the service, which can struggle with tight turns, forcing riders to walk farther to get picked up. “A smaller bus would serve communities better. It would bring buses closer to people and reduce road damage, noise, vibration, and complaints from residents,” the report states. Each smaller battery-electric bus costs less than each 40-foot diesel bus, and the purchase may be eligible for federal funding, it notes. Transit declined to state the estimated price per bus, noting the final cost will be determined through a request for proposals. The report says the bus purchases can be covered within Transit’s existing capital budget.

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WFP: No school shouldn’t mean no school zones (Sept4'26)
by Beth McKechnie 04 Sep '26

04 Sep '26

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. No school shouldn’t mean no school zones OPINION TOM BRODBECK https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/2026/09/03/no-more-playing-around-m… WINNIPEG has already decided that 30 kilometres per hour is the right speed around schools. It’s time to stop pretending that decision should expire every summer. The city’s reduced school-zone speed limits returned Tuesday, a full week before the 2026-27 school year begins. They apply on weekdays from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., from Sept. 1 until July 1. Then, for two months, they disappear. There’s no compelling reason for that. Children don’t stop walking, biking or playing around their neighbourhood schools when classes end. Parents still take their kids to playgrounds. Daycares remain open. Community centres continue to operate. Pedestrians still have to cross busy streets. The roads don’t become safer because the school bell stops ringing. It’s time for Winnipeg to make its 30 km/h school-zone limits permanent, year-round and on weekends. The Winnipeg School Division tried last year to persuade city council to permanently reduce speeds around its elementary schools. Council declined. It should reconsider. Thirty kilometres an hour is not an unreasonable speed around schools. In fact, the city already considers it reasonable for 10 months of the year. So what exactly changes on July 1? Not the streets. Not the children. Not the cars. Not the consequences when a pedestrian is struck. The only thing that changes is the calendar. That’s not a particularly good basis for public-safety policy. The argument for seasonal limits is presumably that there are fewer children around schools during the summer. Fair enough. But schools are not sealed compounds that become deserted from July to September. Children live in these neighbourhoods. They use playgrounds and recreation facilities. They walk and cycle through school areas. Daycares operate year-round. And even when children aren’t present, lower vehicle speeds make streets safer for pedestrians, cyclists and other vulnerable road users. The city is taking some useful steps to improve school-zone safety. This summer, traffic-calming curbs were installed at several school crosswalks where there are speeding problems, long crossing distances and poor visibility. New in-street signs are being installed at 10 pedestrian crossings near schools. The city is also testing pavement markings designed to alert motorists that they are entering a school zone. Those measures are welcome. But they shouldn’t be substitutes for a permanent lower speed limit. Nor should the city rely primarily on automated enforcement to make motorists obey it. There needs to be more visible police enforcement of speeding in school zones. A police officer pulling over a speeder can do something a camera cannot. The driver gets a ticket — and demerit points. Photo radar doesn’t work that way. It issues a fine to the registered owner of the vehicle. It does not assess demerit points against the person who was actually driving. Speeding isn’t simply a financial offence. It’s dangerous behaviour. A motorist who repeatedly speeds through school zones should face consequences that affect their driving record, not merely their wallet. More police enforcement would also provide an important deterrent. Seeing a marked police cruiser in a school zone sends a very different message than receiving a ticket in the mail days or weeks later. The goal shouldn’t be to generate revenue, it should be to change behaviour. That means designing streets that encourage motorists to slow down, making school zones obvious, improving pedestrian crossings and enforcing the rules when drivers ignore them. There are roughly 170 30 km/h school zones in Winnipeg. If the city believes those roads need a lower speed during the school year, it should explain why they suddenly become safe at 50 km/h in July and August. It can’t simply be because school is out. Children don’t understand municipal traffic regulations. They don’t know that a street was 30 km/h last month but is now 50. They just know they have to cross it. And when a child steps into a crosswalk, motorists need enough time and space to stop. The city should also recognize that speed limits are only one piece of the puzzle. It needs to replace missing or damaged signs. It needs better lighting and visibility at crossings. It should continue expanding traffic-calming measures and flashing signs. But the foundation should be simple and consistent: 30 km/h around schools, all year long. Some drivers will complain that it’s too slow. They’ll say they can safely drive 40 or 50. Maybe they can. But school-zone rules aren’t designed around the abilities of the best drivers. They’re designed to protect the most vulnerable people on the road. A six-year-old walking to school doesn’t have airbags, a seatbelt or a steel frame around them. Winnipeg has already acknowledged that 30 km/h is the appropriate speed to protect children around schools. It should stop treating that protection as seasonal. Make the 30 km/h limit permanent. tom.brodbeck(a)freepress.mb.ca<mailto:tom.brodbeck@freepress.mb.ca>

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WFP: Osborne safety study gets go-ahead (Sept4'26)
by Beth McKechnie 04 Sep '26

04 Sep '26

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. Osborne safety study gets go-ahead Will aim to identify inexpensive, fast fixes to busy route in effort to protect pedestrians https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2026/09/03/history-of-pedest… TRAFFIC experts will put Osborne Street safety under the microscope to find ways to make the busy route safer for pedestrians. The short-term study will take place “over the next year” with the aid of a consultant, to identify “low-cost improvements that can be installed quickly,” wrote David Patman, the city’s manager of transportation planning, in a new report. Coun. Sherri Rollins, who represents the area and has long called for safety improvements on Osborne, said the study is long overdue. “(This street is) … known for the absolute worst-case scenario, deaths and injuries from pedestrians … There have been calls for action for years,” said Rollins (Fort Rouge-East Fort Garry). There’s been a high number of injuries due to collisions at three of the route’s intersections. Patman’s report noted 18 pedestrians were injured at Confusion Corner (which technically includes three signalized intersections) between 2014 and 2023, the highest number at any Winnipeg intersection. Osborne Street and River Avenue had the third most injuries during that time period, with 13, while Osborne Street and Morley Avenue tied for the sixth most, with 10. Rollins said that data highlights why she began calling for a safety study years ago, which she said was rejected earlier due to concerns the changes could delay drivers. In November, 67-year-old Rosalie Tennison died after she was hit by a vehicle while crossing the street in Osborne Village. Rollins said the tragedy was one reason she repeated her call for the safety study. “This (study) is bittersweet because it comes after so much advocacy and it comes, tragically, after Rosalie Tennison died, something that I really sought to prevent,” she said. The staff report notes the route is in high demand for several modes of traffic. “Osborne Street is a busy road with heavy vehicle traffic. It passes through an active neighbourhood where many people walk to many destinations. This combination creates safety challenges for pedestrians,” wrote Patman. A request to interview Patman, or another city transportation expert, was not granted Thursday. The report notes the study will focus on Osborne between Broadway and the St. Vital Bridge and propose changes that can be added “without significantly impacting the current function of Osborne Street.” “I’m hoping for a pedestrian-prioritized pilot that gets us results fast that can save lives,” said Rollins. Osborne is a four-lane mostly undivided road with a 50 km/h speed limit, including 12 signalized intersections, three pedestrian corridors, a rail underpass and a bridge crossing over the Assiniboine River. “Osborne Street is currently serving multiple, competing functions … It exists in a dense, pedestrian-oriented development area that is close to rapid transit, which is at odds with the high flow of motor vehicles that travel daily along the corridor,” wrote Patman. A local cycling advocate said there is “certainly” room for improvement on Osborne, calling it a “critical” travel route and destination. “The pedestrian crossings are an issue … Some of the turning speeds are too high. Confusion Corner, which they identify here, certainly is problematic,” said Mark Cohoe, executive director of Bike Winnipeg. Cohoe said some Osborne intersections could benefit from extended concrete barriers that reduce the radius offered to drivers to make turns, a change that could help slow them down. “Speed does two things. It’s obviously more force if you are hit … (And), if you’re (driving) at a slower speed, you have more time to put focus onto the crossings and where pedestrians or people on a bike are,” said Cohoe. He said he has “mixed” views on the study, since it appears limited to low cost, quick remedies. “I think it’s a good step forward. Certainly, they are taking some actions but … there do seem to be some limitations in there as to what they’re going to allow that consultant to come back with,” said Cohoe. The study will analyze all collisions that caused injuries or deaths in the area in recent years, while reviewing key pedestrian crossings, signal timing, lighting and the speed limit. Coun. Janice Lukes, chairwoman of public works, said that effort is warranted. “If we’ve got the top-3 collision (injury) intersections (there), we should be studying it and working on it … I’m always open to anything they can do to improve pedestrian safety,” said Lukes (Waverley West). Lukes said population growth is ramping up pressure on the already uniquely dense route. “There’s no other area that’s got a higher population density and a chokepoint than (the) Confusion Corner intersection. It is a unique area without a doubt,” she said. joyanne.pursaga(a)freepress.mb.ca<mailto:joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca> X: @joyanne_pursaga

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WFP: Slower speed limits directly ahead (Aug31'26)
by Beth McKechnie 31 Aug '26

31 Aug '26

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. Slower speed limits directly ahead School zones return Tuesday as lead-footed drivers risk steep fines https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2026/08/31/slower-speed-limi… SCHOOL crossing guards are preparing to resume their posts on busy corners across the Winnipeg School Division, but Luna Zúñiga isn’t one of them. Zúñiga hung up her high-visibility vest about 30 months ago after she was struck by a motorist while escorting a child through a pedestrian crosswalk on Grant Avenue at Lanark Street. Zúñiga protected the child, who wasn’t hurt, but the educational assistant at nearby J.B. Mitchell School suffered life-altering injuries, including nerve damage that limits her stamina, range of motion and makes her left leg “feel like it’s burning all the time.” “I don’t know what needs to be done (to improve school-zone safety),” she said. “But I do know that when a six-year-old is crossing the street, a car needs to be fully stopped.” Winnipeg’s 30 km/h school zones return on Tuesday — a full week before the 2026-27 school year starts — following a summer hiatus. They are in effect every weekday, from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., from Sept. 1 until July 1. The WSD board was unsuccessful last year in making an appeal to city council to permanently reduce speeds around its elementary school buildings. The city’s road-safety unit is focusing on piloting traffic-calming measures, such as in-street crosswalk signage, and reviewing whether any regional roads should be designated as 30 km/h school zones. Grant Avenue, where Zúñiga was injured during a morning shift in February 2024, is currently classified as a regional road. Zúñiga said she supports lowering the limit and doing so on a year-round basis, but she said that alone won’t fix the chronic safety issues at the site. Historic speeding-ticket records suggest Tuesday will be one of the most profitable days of 2026 for the city, said Curtis Pankratz, a traffic- safety researcher at the University of Winnipeg. “September days before school starts are immensely profitable. There’s nothing going on and it still feels like holidays and those are streets that are normally 50,” Pankratz said. The associate professor estimates photo-radar tickets in Winnipeg generate, on an average month, about $4 million. That figure is higher when drivers are adjusting to new routines during back-to-school season, he said. Pankratz recently analyzed time stamps of more than 260,000 infraction records from reduced-speed school zones between September 2014 and September 2019. “There’s a rule of thumb — when there’s no kids (visible), there’s a lot of tickets,” he said. His team’s latest research project shows overall infractions on instructional days drop, as well as average speeds, within 15 minutes of the first bell and final bell, Pankratz said. The review included nearly 24,400 photo-radar tickets outside River Elm School on eastbound Talbot Avenue east of Watt Street. There were 103 infractions in that 30 km/h zone between 8:50 a.m. — which is when the first bell rings at the elementary school — and 8:55 a.m. Between 9:15 a.m. and 9:20 a.m., that number spiked to 386. “It reinforces what we already knew,” said Chris Sweryda, an independent researcher who regularly collaborates with Pankratz, after becoming obsessed with photo radar-related corruption about 13 years ago. “People don’t speed when kids are present… and it shows that people will drive accordingly, to the conditions of the road, which is the system we need to depend on.” Sweryda, who was a candidate in the 2025 city council byelection in the Elmwood- East Kildonan ward, said he’s in favour of proactive interventions, such as the widespread use of flashing lights at eye-level, rather than punitive ones. There are dozens of missing schoolzone signs that need to be replaced or installed to make motorists aware they’re entering them, he added. Over the summer, in preparation for a new school year, the city installed traffic-calming curbs at several school crosswalks “with vehicle speeding issues, long crossing distances and poor visibility,” spokesperson Julie Dooley said. New in-street signage is also being set up at 10 pedestrian crossings — near Elwick, Acadia Junior High, Victor H L Wyatt, Harold Hatcher, HC Avery, Frontenac, St. Germain, Princess Margaret, South Pointe and Wellington schools — before classes start. “We are also piloting a new school-area pavement marking as a way to increase driver awareness when entering a school zone,” Dooley said in a statement. She said these markings are being tested, starting in late September, at five schools with wide streets that are speeding hot spots. Sargent Park resident Jeff Rupert said he wants speed bumps installed on Clifton Street, where there is one of the city’s roughly 170 30 km/h zones. “Cars still rip by here during the school day,” Rupert said, sitting on his front porch — the senior’s usual hangout spot — facing Clifton School. Neighbour Emmalee Mosher echoed his concerns about speeding near the elementary school. Mosher regularly walks her two huskies and recently experienced a near-miss there. “People think it’s a right to drive,” she said, “but it’s actually a privilege.” She is “pro community-based solutions,” such as expanding school-patrol programs. Clifton was among 270 schools in Manitoba that participated in the CAA School Safety Patrol last year. The program gives young students the opportunity to don their own high-visibility vests alongside paid adult crossing guards to help kids get to and from school during peak commuter times. maggie.macintosh(a)freepress.mb.ca<mailto:maggie.macintosh@freepress.mb.ca>

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WFP: Two arrested in June theft of cross-country fundraising cyclists’ bikes (Aug27'26)
by Beth McKechnie 27 Aug '26

27 Aug '26

Caution! This message was sent from outside the University of Manitoba. Two arrested in June theft of cross-country fundraising cyclists’ bikes https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2026/08/26/police-make-two-a… ON June 22, Thomas Clark and Valentin Duquenne set out to cycle across Canada to raise money for men’s mental health. Along the way, they lost four bikes to thieves in two cities — first in Winnipeg, then in Calgary. Just over a month after their first bikes were stolen in Winnipeg, police have arrested two men for the theft. The bicycles, valued at about $15,000, were stolen July 24 from a vehicle parked in the 400 block of Portage Avenue while Clark and Duquenne were inside CBC Manitoba for a media interview. The Winnipeg Police Service said one of the bikes was recovered Aug. 7 after officers spotted a 60-year-old man riding it in the 1800 block of Bannatyne Avenue West. He was arrested and charged with possession of property obtained by crime over $5,000 before being released on an appearance notice. The bicycle was returned to its owner. Investigators later identified a suspect in the theft and learned the bicycles had been traded to the 60-year-old man and another unidentified male. On Aug. 23, officers with the Central District Community Support Unit arrested 42-year-old Kuol Thomas Madit at the intersection of Notre Dame Avenue and Balmoral Street as part of the WPS crackdown on open drug use. Police said officers seized a small amount of methamphetamine during the arrest. Madit has been charged with two counts of theft over $5,000, trafficking in property obtained by crime over $5,000, possession of fentanyl and failing to comply with probation. He was detained in custody. Madit has no prior criminal convictions. The second bike has not been recovered. Clark and Duquenne, friends from Moncton, N.B., began their Men Don’t Ride Alone charity trek in June with plans to cycle more than 6,000 kilometres across Canada and raise $250,000 for men’s mental-health initiatives through Movember Canada. They completed the journey in Victoria on Aug. 11, falling well short of their target by raising just under $16,000. Duquenne said the idea for the ride came after he sought help for substance- abuse and mental-health issues last September. The pair had never been to Winnipeg before their bikes were stolen. “When I walked out, Tom started running towards the car and then I saw the bikes were gone. We were pretty speechless,” Duquenne told the Free Press after the theft. The Trek and Cannondale bikes were locked to a rack on the back of the pair’s support vehicle when the thief cut through the lock. The men were temporarily stranded in Winnipeg, but their story quickly drew attention. An online fundraising page was set up to cover the cost of new bikes, and more than $15,000 had been raised within a few hours. Canadian Tire stepped in to help them get back on the road, donating just shy of $9,000. Less than a month later, their replacement bikes were taken in Calgary. They had already completed their cross-country journey and flown home to Moncton when the replacement cycles were stolen from a vehicle parked at a Calgary hotel. The bikes were being driven back to New Brunswick. According to Clark in a social-media post, the bikes had been triple-locked to the back of the vehicle while the driver slept inside the hotel. The hitch itself was stolen, taking the bike rack and bicycles with it. Calgary police are investigating that theft. Winnipeg police estimate about 3,000 bikes are stolen in the city each year. The service encourages cyclists to register their bikes with Project 529, a bicycle-registration program, to improve the chances of recovery if they are stolen. zoe.pierce(a)freepress.mb.ca<mailto:zoe.pierce@freepress.mb.ca>

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