This looks
like a big email - and it is - but contains VERY significant active
transportation - election - information - please circulate
widely.
Last night, at 5:00 pm - in
Erna Braun's (MLA Rossmere) campaign office -
Premier Selinger, flanked
by NDP candidates from Concordia, Elmwood, Radisson, and River East
announced to 20+ area residents - that if
re-elected
- they would build a
safe pedestrian / cycle crossing (bridge) over the Perimeter Hwy from the
Northeast Pioneers Greenway into the RM of St. Paul.
See Sigrun
Bailey's (Co-Chair of River East Neighborhood Network - Trail Committee)
email below. Sigrun, a resident of NK, was in attendance at the
event.
Some may have a hard time
understanding the significance of this safe pedestrian / cycle crossing
over the Perimeter - There is a BIG PICTURE VISION to what seems to be a
whole bunch of bits and pieces -
I'll try to briefly
summarize:
- as per the Manitoba's
Director of Highway Planning & Design, and with the development of
CentrePort - "over the next 20 years, traffic volume on the Perimeter Hwy
is projected to go from 14,500 to 40,000 vehicles / day". Infrastructure
changes on the Perimeter Hwy are occurring around the city to develop
the Perimeter into expressway. In the north east quadrant, the
interchange of the Perimeter and Hwy 59 is undergoing an $80 - $100
Million overhaul projected to be completed by
2017.
RM of East
St.Paul:
- according to the latest
census, East St. Paul is one of the fastest growing municipalities in
Manitoba.
Birds Hill
Provincial Park:
- the most heavily used
Provincial Park in Manitoba - Conservation / Park officials identify need to
reduce 'stress' on the park and support trail systems leading out of park
onto floodway
- the most heavily used trail
in Manitoba - primarily used by area residents
Economic Benefits
Provincial Cycle Tourism:
- google economic benefits and
you will see countless other examples.
The Long and Winding
Trail from Winnipeg to Birds Hill Provincial Park &
Lockport:
2004 - Rivers West enables
formation of Red River Floodway Trails Coalition
2006 - John Buhler
engage City of Winnipeg in purchase of Marconi rail line - to convert into
multi use trail
2007 - at grand opening of
the 'Northeast Pioneers Greenway' then Premier Doer states this
trail will ultimately connect to Birds Hill Provincial Park.
2007 - The Forks /Paul Jordan
(then co-chair of Winnipeg Trails Association), Bike to the Future, River West,
River East Neighborhood Network - Trail Committee initiate discussions with RM
St. Paul for 'The Forks National Historic Site to Birds Hill Provincial Park'
trail connection
2008 - Phase one of Winnipeg's
Rapid Transit is announced - and will include separate active transportation /
cycling pathway
2009- construction of asphalt
trails on floodway begin - note an asphalt trail from Birds Hill
Park to Lockport is also being constructed (attached is a DRAFT -
which will be finalized and on WTA website next week)
2010 - following strong
advocacy, City of Winnipeg includes separated pedestrian /cycle bridge for
Northeast Pioneers Greenway users to SAFELY cross over the $100M Chief Peguis
Expansion (Chief Peguis Expansion another key link in CentrePort
transportation route)
construction of pedestrian /
equestrian / cycle bridge over 59 Hwy connecting Birds Hill Park to Floodway
begins
summer 2011 - Winnipeg Trails
Association, River East Neighborhood Network - Trail Committee, Prairie
Pathfinders Hiking Club, One Green City, & Bike to
the Future launch Winnipeg to Birds Hill Awareness Campaign - citing
the need to include SAFE active transportation in the PTH 101 / PTH 59
interchange $80-$100 M rehabilitation
fall 2011 - NDP promise 'if
re-elected' they will build a safe pedestrian / cycle crossing over the
Perimeter Hwy.
The
Future:
The dream is to go from
University of Manitoba through the city of Winnipeg to Birds Hill Park and
then to Lockport on a completely separate multi use pathway - and
while there are still a few missing pieces that need to come together - I
and many others are confident this will occur within the next 5 years. Yet
to occur:
In
Winnipeg:
- a separate pathway from
Chalmers to The Forks (route has been identified)
- safe / civilized pedestrian
cycling crossing on Osborne under the rail line (in City of Winnipeg 5 year
budget projection and will have to occur as rail line needs maintenance
overhaul)
- Phase Two of Rapid Transit to
U of M (also to include an active transportation pathway) - perhaps in the next
4 years? the Stadium's location at U of M is helping move Phase Two up the
ladder of priorities
In RM Birds
Hill:
- asphalting / upgrading of
Raleigh / Gateway route which is currently on roadway
Floodway:
- Dunning Road crossing is
currently seasonal and related to floodway levels - a separated year
around route is being investigated by Manitoba Floodway
Authority
Lockport:
- the trail is being
constructed and refinements into Lockport will occur in the next few
years.
In
Summary:
Many many folks &
organizations have been working towards this vision. HUGE HUGE thank yous to all who have
helped the vision get this far.
BUT
The development of
CentrePort - positioning Manitoba as a 'global transportation
hub' - will impact countless pedestrian and cycling crossings in the year
to come- in Winnipeg and in Manitoba.
There are opportunities to
enable SAFE pedestrian and cycling crossings in the development of this trucking
network - as we've are seeing in the Forks / Birds Hill / Lockport / Floodway
trail
BUT STRONG / NON
STOP / HARD CORE ADVOCACY was required - I know I've been involved since
2004 and it hasn't been an easy ride at all to get to last night's
announcement!
IF the Province had a
Provincial Active Transportation policy - gov't would consider active
transportation when they are investing billions of tax payers dollars into
roadways. Pedestrians and cyclists would have far higher odds of having SAFE
transportation routes and crossings.
We have yet to hear a FORMAL commitment from any party
stating they would implement an Provincial Active Transportation
Policy. When candidates come knocking - please
stress the need for a Provincial Active Transportation policy. Provincial
Election Active Transportation details can be found here: http://www.winnipegtrails.ca/2011/08/23/provincial-election-2011/
Member of
City of Winnipeg Active Transportation Advisory
Committee
Chair, Province
of Manitoba Active Transportation Advisory Group
-----Original Message-----
From:
Sigrun Bailey [mailto:sigrun.bailey@gmail.com]
Sent: September 20,
2011 6:58 PM
To: undisclosed-recipients:
Subject: Important
AT Announcement
Today Premier Selinger along with all
of the NDP candidates in the NE quadrant of the City promised to build a safe
crossing (flyover) of the Northeast Pioneers Greenway at the Perimeter
Hwy. If they get elected it will be one of the first things they
do!
It will be a joyous day for AT. Our vision of connecting The Forks
National Historic Site to Birds Hill Provincial Park is one step closer to
reality.
Sigrun
RENN-TC, Co-Chair