Disappointment after West End summer cycling route shelved

https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2022/08/31/aborted-plan-for-s...

PLANS to install a temporary poly-post protected bike lane on a two-kilometre stretch of Wellington Avenue under the city’s open streets program for 2022 had to be shelved.

There was not enough time and no money budgeted to overcome the complications that stopped the project from moving forward in the spring, according to a report by City of Winnipeg staff.

The proposed route between Maryland and Strathcona streets in the West End would have filled a need for cyclists, said Mark Cohoe, executive director of Bike Winnipeg.

“When you look at that area of the city, what are your east-west opportunities? There’s not a lot,” he said.

At its Sept. 7 meeting, the city’s infrastructure renewal and public works committee will vote on whether to send the proposed route to the 2023 budget process.

Cohoe hopes there is enough political will to fund and follow through with a bike route on Wellington, but he worries it won’t be a priority.

Committee chair Coun. Matt Allard (St. Boniface) said he supports a cycling route on Wellington. He hopes city council will go a step further and approve permanent lanes.

At its April 28 meeting, council approved plans for a temporary route with poly posts as part of this year’s enhanced summer bike route program.

But city staff determined the protected route is beyond the scope of the program, which reduces speed limits to 30 km/h and places weekend traffic-calming measures on 15 designated routes, not including Wellington, between May and November.

Further study is required and dedicated funding would be needed to design and construct the route, according to the report, which cited a number of challenges.

Among them, Wellington has varying widths, with some stretches too narrow for a protected cycling route.

The intersections with Erin and Wall streets, which are controlled by traffic lights, would have to be reconfigured to establish the right-of-way.

To complete the temporary route, all parking would have to be removed from Wellington until it was completed, risking the ire of residents and drivers.

Also at its Sept. 7 meeting, the four-member committee will also consider removing barricades set up on most of Scotia Street on weekends and holidays between May and November.

When the program was approved, a one-block vehicle travel restriction was to be imposed on Scotia — one of the 15 designated routes — at those times.

If approved, the change would not affect the temporary reduced speed limit of 30 km/h.

Cohoe believes keeping the reduced speed limit is the right move.

Road users fear large volumes of traffic on Scotia — a gateway to Kildonan Park — but a speed limit of 30 km/h helps to reduce that concern, he said.

“Certainly, having the reduced traffic on there is a benefit,” he said, noting he hopes the city keeps track of traffic on the street.

Scotia is part of the North Winnipeg Parkway Study that is underway.

Cohoe is among those who believe the city needs to step up efforts to include new active-transportation routes, where appropriate, when roads are reconstructed or rehabilitated.

Cyclist Ian McCausland said it is disappointing when road-construction projects do not include bike routes when the opportunity is there.

“The city has to look at all these infrastructure projects through the lens of the climate crisis,” he said.

Allard said he also finds it disappointing, given a 2008 city policy which requires reconstruction or rehabilitation of any street on the active-transportation network to include upgrades for cycling.

The enhanced summer bike route program, initially known as “open streets,” began in 2020 during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic to prioritize active transportation.

Now in its third year, the program has been hailed by Allard and fellow committee members Coun. Jeff Browaty (North Kildonan) and Coun. Markus Chambers (St. Norbert-Seine River).

“I think a lot of the kinks have been ironed out,” said Allard. “I’m satisfied it has been a success, and that it’s now going to be a feature of Winnipeg.”

chris.kitching@freepress.mb.ca Twitter: @chriskitching