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LILA ASHER, MARTY DONKERVOORT AND COLIN BONNYCASTLE
Safety on Wellington delayed again
https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/opinion/analysis/2026/03/09/safety-on-well...
THE City of Winnipeg Public Works Committee voted on March 4 to delay infrastructure improvements on Wellington Crescent again.
The recommendation to initiate the pilot was on the agenda, with a design and consultation report prepared by the public service. Nine hours into the meeting, after hearing 50 delegations supporting the implementation of the pilot project in 2026, Councillor Janice Lukes introduced an amendment to the motion that deleted all elements of the pilot.
She instead proposed that consultation and design work begin for permanent infrastructure, with funds that would be moved to 2027 from 2029, which was when Wellington would be up for permanent upgrades. Although the amendment initially did not pass, Councillor Ross Eadie introduced a motion that was substantively the same, which passed with three of the four councillors’ support.
A press release issued by Councillor Lukes shortly before the meeting made reference to having “permanent bike lanes sooner,” implying that her plan would be better than the plan developed by the city staff.
To anyone listening to the discussion in the meeting, it is abundantly clear that it is not, and here’s why.
First, as public service staff explained, installing the interim safety infrastructure is a vital part of gathering data and feedback to inform a permanent design.
The purpose of pilot projects is to test what works and gather feedback in small, inexpensive ways, to optimize permanent plans for everyone. The amended plan does not provide the opportunity to collect this vital information.
Second, it seems unlikely that the amended plan is feasible.
The public service was not given a chance to comment on whether traffic studies and consultation could be completed for 2027 installation. The possibility of borrowing $5.47 million from the general capital fund, to be repaid in 2029, to fund the permanent project ahead of schedule is also not confirmed.
Two councillors have already accused the permanent solution of “jumping the queue” ahead of other much-needed projects, raising doubts as to whether the amended plan will pass at council.
The third and most important reason why the amended motion is not better is that we desperately need safety improvements on Wellington Crescent now.
We needed them in 2024 before Rob Jenner was killed by a driver while cycling on Wellington.
We needed them last summer when they were originally promised. Neighbours are already aware of at least one serious injury collision in the past year.
We need them every day, when we experience close calls with cars as we walk, drive, and cycle around our neighbourhood.
Wellington Crescent is not safe. The wide lanes encourage drivers to exceed the 50 km/h speed limit without even meaning to.
The slip lanes and confusing left turn options create many areas where pedestrians must look in multiple directions for vehicles, and drivers may not think to look for pedestrians at all.
The lack of bike lanes forces cyclists to risk their lives riding in the street next to cars or to annoy pedestrians by riding on the sidewalk. This is a recognized gap in the city’s cycling network that is already marked for permanent improvement, but we need interim measures now before anyone else is injured or killed in a collision.
We do not understand why the interim safety measures that are already funded in current year budgets, already designed, and already recommended by the public service based on consultation, cannot be implemented this spring.
There is still time for city council to reverse course on the decision made on March 4 and revive the plans for the interim safety measures and pilot project.
This issue will come before the Executive Policy Committee on March 17, and to full council on March 26. Wellington neighbourhood residents will be watching and hoping, not for any special treatment, but for the common sense and cost-effective interim measures that could save our lives.
Lila Asher, Marty Donkervoort and Colin Bonnycastle write from Winnipeg.