Good point about the differences between the 2 neighborhoods, Spocket. PD likely would be in the same situation today with or without the Disraeli.

I can't help but think, though, that we might be missing a few lessons learned from the countless highways that have bisected existing neighborhoods across North America. I know the trail has been planned since the 60s, but no matter how it's put, building a highway blocks from 3 major schools that hundreds of kids walk/bike to every day is concerning. Building it below grade helped mitigate this - I can see why residents are a bit miffed now.

All that being said, when looking at Winnipeg's big picture, with the number of large scale capital projects on the horizon with little to no money to complete them, I question the judgement of building this highway now. Me thinks putting this capital into rapid transit, or a proper trucking transport system, or even expanded convention center would currently be a better return of investment for the city in terms of growth rather than another suburban commuter highway.

This is garbage. Build the CPT right, or don't build it at all. We don't need anymore freakin traffic lights in this city. :hell:

No, I'm not surprised at all. In fact, weren't there rumors months back about these overpasses being scrapped, along with overpasses proposed for the new Kenaston extension? This gives Calgarians and those who are like-minded yet another reason to proclaim their superiority over Winnipeg, and I'm so frustrated at this point that I almost don't blame them for doing so.

Honestly, as much as I love Winnipeg, I am losing hope with each passing day that things will ever be done (planned, constructed, maintained) properly in that city, and that my decision to move to Edmonton on a permanent basis is an appropriate one.

Bang on. Edmonton can seem to do things on the cheap compared to most other cities but its nothing like Winnipeg. Just like you, it seems like it's getting harder and harder for me to defend this place and after coming back a few months ago after being away for several years, it's disappointing to see other cities move forward while here, it's all stuck in time.

Every city wrestles with project costs but no place dwells on the short term as much as Winnipeg. Seems to be a failure to take into account 'the long term costs of not doing things right' on everything. I guess there's always hope but its fading.

Agreed.

It's like we're being set up to fail, and most of the time, we do. Even when we get "lucky," things get half-assed.

I agree, this is a good recession make work project.

Just out of curiosity, what part of the city do you live in?

In the village now, but proudly grew up in the NK hood. Don't get me wrong, I know how much a better commuter freeway is needed out there every time I go visit my parents. I just question the prioirity of building it now over some of the other major capital project facing our city.

^I think the reasoning is that if we don't build it now , we'll be stuck with the cost of building it in the near future anyway as well as a total rebuilding of the streets that are handling the traffic currently (Springfield in particular) The other reason is probably (well, almost certainly) because growth has resumed on the other side of Lagimodiere right about where the CPT will terminate for the time being. The added traffic will simply be too much on those streets (which isn't to say that it isn't already too much)

Personally I would prefer to see North/South corridor running between Raleigh and Gateway turned into a rapid transit line first but I suppose it's fair to point out that that wouldn't solve the East/West traffic problems we currently have in EK.

I didn't see this coming...




City approves ring road concept
By: Bartley Kives

Updated: March 19 at 12:34 PM CDT

Winnipeg city council has approved the principle of completing an inner ring road and upgrading Winnipeg's transportation infrastructure despite minority concerns about the costs.


Council voted 10-4 this morning to approve the final report of the Mayor's Trade Council, a nine-member body appointed explore ways the city can take advantage of global trade opportunities.

Councillors Jenny Gerbasi, Dan Vandal, Harvey Smith and Lillian Thomas argued it would be folly to approve the report in principle before city staff figure out how much it would cost to build the new roads in question.

Mayor Sam Katz and his allies countered city staff will study the report in detail before adding any new major projects to Winnipeg's long-term construction plan.

The fractious debate, which saw some councillors resort to personal jabs, sucked up 75 minutes of a city council session that will also see local politicians decide whether to alter a development deal with volunteer group Friends of Upper Fort Garry, who want to build a heritage park at 100 Main St.

That debate is slated to take place after 1:30 p.m.

bartley.kives@freepress.mb.ca

But again, this doesn't define what "kind" of ring road is being considered: an at-grade traffic light Winnipeg-style roadway, or a freeflowing traffic light-free efficient roadway.

Oh, and again, down with the Friends! :D

I'm not really surprised about the ring road. Actually, I don't understand why this is even on the discussion itinerary. It's pretty much always been on the boards to build an inner ring road. You just need to look at a map to see where it's going to go for that matter. So they must be talking about actually building it (or really, completing it) Umm....that part I don't really get. Improving what's there right now makes sense and I always advocate for these improvements. There's no hurry for the Kildonan Corridor (that's from the CPT over the northwest of the city to Brookside Blvd)

Mind you, all they said was that they agreed with the idea in principle. Sure, whatever. I agree with Bill Gates making a large cash deposit into my bank account in principle too.

From todays Freep, letters to the editor:


North versus south

Only in north Winnipeg would planners decide to implement a controlled level crossing at an intersection of a freeway and a small residential street (Rising costs force changes in city's Chief Peguis plans, March 17). Either reinstate the original underpass plans, cut the street off and install an overhead pedestrian bridge or junk the entire project. I can't imagine a more dangerous situation. A ludicrous modification to this much needed roadway would never even be considered in south Winnipeg.

Jeff Couch

Winnipeg

Jeff Couch is right on the money.

Au contraire, mon frere.

Again, I bring up the junking of the overpasses on the proposed Kenaston Blvd. extention. Only in the city of Winnipeg would this BE considered :rolleyes:

Exactly, I'm trying to picture even one overpass in the south of Winnipeg and I can't seem to be able to...

Bishop and Pembina, but there are still lights on Pembina so I don't know how much of an overpass that is its a 50% job on that one.

I would expect the Bishop and Pembina overpass to be exactly as they had optimally designed. It is a Parclo A4 interchange as described in:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parclo_interchange

They are considered safer than (and the successor to) the cloverleaf. My assumption is that this is exactly as originally designed, although I could be wrong.

this project is a stupid idea....is this really a top priority for the city?....check the long list of valuable things cut from the city budget in the paper today....how can building a suburban freeway from nowhere to nowhere be tops on the list?...its not even in the top 50 things winnipeg needs most...i hope it dies a horrible death.

slash the tree maintenance budget in half so we can afford a pointless freeway that seemingly accomplishes nothing.

Makeover ordered for Chief Peguis extension

By: Joe Paraskevas

Updated: March 25 at 12:55 AM CDT

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A north Winnipeg councillor has sent city staff back to the drawing board over a controversial intersection planned for the Chief Peguis Trail.

North Kildonan Coun. Jeff Browaty said Monday he has asked city administrators to look into alternatives to the proposed design of an intersection between Rothesay Street and the planned extension of Chief Peguis Trail, a four-lane road meant to be a major east-west route across the city's northern reaches.

Rather than build an underpass at Rothesay and have Chief Peguis traffic flow virtually unimpeded, the city proposed building a traffic-light controlled intersection due to skyrocketing construction costs. The city asked the public for feedback at a public meeting three weeks ago.

Browaty, who lives along the trail's proposed route, said he was "disappointed" when he saw details of the $64-million new road at the meeting.

"(The intersection with) Rothesay isn't good," he said, noting he is concerned about young people crossing the roads to go to nearby schools.

He suggested alternatives.

One involves blocking off Rothesay on each side of Chief Peguis. Traffic could use on- and off-ramps to access the new road, Browaty suggested, and emergency vehicles could be rerouted.

Pedestrians would have a dedicated overpass.

"It would probably (cost) less..." Browaty said.

He also suggested a "scaled-down underpass." Under that option, planners would narrow the boulevard separating traffic on Chief Peguis. A bike path would cross Rothesay at a level intersection, rather than follow Chief Peguis through the underpass, Browaty said.

The city has estimated the underpass would cost as much as $60 million.

Construction of Chief Peguis from Henderson Highway east to Lagimodi ®re Boulevard will start next year.

joe.paraskevas@freepress.mb.ca