Small Projects & Policy Tweaks | Winnipeg

[zalf]

I think it would be an interesting, evergreen topic to discuss small policy tweaks and minor projects the City of Winnipeg could take on that could have a disproportionate impact on quality of life.

So no big projects like a highway interchange or BRT build-out, but smallish practical adjustments to the way the City does things.

A recent example might be the Amoowigamig toilets installed at Thunderbird House (though I know funding/service levels are currently being debated).

What other "cheap and cheerful" things could the City do?

[zalf]

Since it's springtime, and here in Winnipeg we're experiencing our annual trash explosion as a whole winter's worth of litter is released from the snow simultaneously, I think the city should explore installing subterranean trash bins in downtown and maybe Osborne-Corydon. A big problem in the more walkable parts of the city is overflowing public trash cans, which then contribute counterproductively to street litter. These subterranean bins are far larger, and can even replace household municipal waste collection. Once installed, my reading says that it more cost-effective than traditional garbage pickup.

Liverpool installed enough underground bins to cover 27,000 homes for the equivalent of 2.5M CAD.

Much of Amsterdam uses subterranean bins for residential waste.

[thebasketballgeek]

Reduced speed limits would be the one policy tweak that is quite small in the grand scheme of things but can have drastic effects on safety. A change of speed from 50 to 30 is known to reduce pedestrian fatalities by 90%. I am glad the city is doing pilot projects in suburban neighborhoods and residential streets for starters.

I just hope at some point we look at the commercial streets with a semblance of urban fabric. Having streets such as Osborne, Broadway, or Selkirk be 30 zones would do wonders for the vitality of those streetscapes and surrounding context. Really the whole Downtown should reduce speed limits.

[CoryB]

Originally Posted by thebasketballgeek

I just hope at some point we look at the commercial streets with a semblance of urban fabric. Having streets such as Osborne, Broadway, or Selkirk be 30 zones would do wonders for the vitality of those streetscapes and surrounding context. Really the whole Downtown should reduce speed limits.

Reducing speeds on 100% residential streets that should never handle through traffic, like the grid neighborhoods in the north end, west k, east k, elmwood, etc could be workable.

Reducing the speeds on anything classified a Priority 1 or 2 by the city is a dumb idea and would cripple the city. That obviously includes Osborne, Broadway and Selkirk, among others, that are likely P1.

--

Speaking of street classification, we desperately need someone willing to open up the snow clearing policy and give it a serious overhaul. I am not talking about necessarily spending more on snow but giving it a solid view as it has so many mixed messages. For example you can have a sole access road in a residential neighborhood acting as the collector for 100+ homes and have it classified as the same as a residential street with 10 or fewer homes in terms of a snow clearing priority. And there is the whole issue how lots of the City has moved to front side collection yet the snow clearing policy has specific clauses to consider collection activities that don't automatically apply there. So many things that could be changed there, not so much to really change service up but to better reflect what is happening here and in other similar cities.

[thebasketballgeek]

Originally Posted by CoryB

Reducing the speeds on anything classified a Priority 1 or 2 by the city is a dumb idea and would cripple the city. That obviously includes Osborne, Broadway and Selkirk, among others, that are likely P1..

Please explain why it is a dumb idea and “would cripple the city.” Because if that’s the case you’re essentially saying Downtown and all those collector streets should remain the traffic sewer they currently are just to accommodate the automobile in areas where they really shouldn’t be anyway. Even though Downtown has by far the most collisions with pedestrians and vehicles.

Toronto has already reduced their speed limit on collectors too 40 km/h. I just went to Amsterdam and Paris where all their streets are 30 km/h except for like 2/3 exceptions.

It does matter, it does make streets safer, and will make other modes of transportation more viable.

Of course if one of the main collector streets like Portage for example were to have lowered speed limits it would need to come with an effective redesign of the street first because our thoroughfares as is are designed to cut through the city at high speeds. Which is another reason why they are so dangerous and hostile to pedestrians.

These street designs would need to include features such as implementation of bike lanes, curb bump outs, trees, removal of slip lanes, potentially transit lanes etc.

But for streets with less ROW space like Osborne or Selkirk then even curb bump outs, bike lane, and a few street trees would do the trick.

[esquire]

I think Winnipeg would probably benefit from a 10 km/h across the board reduction in speed limits.

[Hecate]

Originally Posted by esquire

I think Winnipeg would probably benefit from a 10 km/h across the board reduction in speed limits.

Why? So they can collect more fine money? Every time I go into Winnipeg I can barely get up to the speed limits anyways. So much traffic everywhere and so many shitty drivers holding things up, and the timing of lights is just atrocious.

And the Paris thing is a pipe dream. It’s one thing to limit speeds in a compact European city with millions of citizens that attracts 30 million tourists a year. Especially one that has an efficient underground public transportation system that can get you anywhere in the city within fifteen minutes. Versus Winnipeg a city with no transportation system and no freeways. There’s probably more tourists in Paris on any given day than there are citizens in Winnipeg. And even then The champs d’Élysée is still 50

[BlackDog204]

Back when I lived in West Broadway 20 years ago, I loved the idea of transforming an empty lot into a designated community garden, where residents could grow their own food. They also did this in the West End.

These small community initiatives brang residents together, and ultimately deterred crime in gang activity, since the more residents of a community interact in a positive way, the greater chance they will be vigilant about any negative activity moving into close proximity (drugs, prostitution, etc)

[rrskylar]

Originally Posted by esquire

I think Winnipeg would probably benefit from a 10 km/h across the board reduction in speed limits.

Don't understand this whole "lower speed limits" BS, there was never an issue until it was made a problem, all throughout the 1940's, 50's, 60's, 70's, 80's, 90's, 00's, 10's no one ever had a problem with speed limits.

Obviously people are dumber than they once were and can't effectively cross a street or handle a bike!

Certain residential streets could go from 50 to 40 but why 30 which is ridiculous, 40 KMPH is 24 miles per hour, if you can't handle a vehicle at that speed you shouldn't be driving!

30 KMPH = 18.6 MPH

40 KMPH = 24.8 MPH

50 KMPH = 31 MPH

Go anywhere else in the world and see what speed limits are set at, unlike our dumbed down society where people will only be happy when motorized vehicles are no longer allowed on any public street!

[zalf]

Originally Posted by BlackDog204

Back when I lived in West Broadway 20 years ago, I loved the idea of transforming an empty lot into a designated community garden, where residents could grow their own food. They also did this in the West End.

These small community initiatives brang residents together, and ultimately deterred crime in gang activity, since the more residents of a community interact in a positive way, the greater chance they will be vigilant about any negative activity moving into close proximity (drugs, prostitution, etc)

Yeah, this is what I was after! The City could easily expand it's Community Garden program to every park and community centre in the city at negligible cost. It currently operates just seven garden allotment locations.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by rrskylar

Certain residential streets could go from 50 to 40 but why 30 which is ridiculous, 40 KMPH is 24 miles per hour, if you can't handle a vehicle at that speed you shouldn't be driving!

Sadly a lot of people can't seem to handle vehicles at existing speeds judging by collision stats.

Cars don't have exclusivity over roads, they are meant for other modes too. On my street they are shared with pedestrians and cyclists (no sidewalks). So cars should be required to go at a speed that is safe for everyone.

This does not speak to safe driving habits:

[Hecate]

Originally Posted by esquire

Sadly a lot of people can't seem to handle vehicles at existing speeds judging by collision stats.

Cars don't have exclusivity over roads, they are meant for other modes too. On my street they are shared with pedestrians and cyclists (no sidewalks). So cars should be required to go at a speed that is safe for everyone.

This does not speak to safe driving habits:

I’d say it speaks more of improper, inefficient, antiquated infrastructure. We have the third worst traffic in Canada behind Toronto and Vancouver. It should not take an hour to drive across Winnipeg.

[bomberjet]

I don't think there has been any proposal to reduce speeds on major routes. It's on residential streets and some of the less used collectors.

[bomberjet]

Originally Posted by rrskylar

Don't understand this whole "lower speed limits" BS, there was never an issue until it was made a problem, all throughout the 1940's, 50's, 60's, 70's, 80's, 90's, 00's, 10's no one ever had a problem with speed limits.

Obviously people are dumber than they once were and can't effectively cross a street or handle a bike!

Certain residential streets could go from 50 to 40 but why 30 which is ridiculous, 40 KMPH is 24 miles per hour, if you can't handle a vehicle at that speed you shouldn't be driving!

30 KMPH = 18.6 MPH

40 KMPH = 24.8 MPH

50 KMPH = 31 MPH

Go anywhere else in the world and see what speed limits are set at, unlike our dumbed down society where people will only be happy when motorized vehicles are no longer allowed on any public street!

Literally allover the world there are places that have lower speeds in residential areas.

To your point about not driving. Yes! I believe drivers should absolutely be retested every 5 years or some type of interval.

[rrskylar]

Originally Posted by bomberjet

Literally allover the world there are places that have lower speeds in residential areas.

To your point about not driving. Yes! I believe drivers should absolutely be retested every 5 years or some type of interval.

Had a guy coming right at me this week when I was going west on Notre Dame before Sherbrooke going the wrong way on a clearly marked one way street, have seen other people driving the wrong way on Gateway, have seen people turning in front of me on green when I am going straight and have the right of way, incidentally all new Canadians by appearance! But skylar how do you know that...

[rrskylar]

Originally Posted by bomberjet

I don't think there has been any proposal to reduce speeds on major routes. It's on residential streets and some of the less used collectors.

So how do you pick and choose, should McLeod or Munroe be lowered from 50 to 30, both are residential lined with homes, how does one street justify a lowered speed to 30 while others don't?

[rrskylar]

Originally Posted by esquire

Sadly a lot of people can't seem to handle vehicles at existing speeds judging by collision stats.

Cars don't have exclusivity over roads, they are meant for other modes too. On my street they are shared with pedestrians and cyclists (no sidewalks). So cars should be required to go at a speed that is safe for everyone.

This does not speak to safe driving habits:

I live near a street with seasonal lowered speed limits from 50 to 30, it has sidewalks which no one now uses now as they have all been conditioned to walk on the street, cycling has now become hazardous with people now walking 2-3-4 abreast with dogs and leash's!

[esquire]

Originally Posted by bomberjet

I don't think there has been any proposal to reduce speeds on major routes. It's on residential streets and some of the less used collectors.

Yeah, Bishop Grandin can probably stay at 80. But sometimes I wonder whether, say, Leila should be 60. Even 50 seems a bit fast for downtown streets like Kennedy. 50 definitely seems too fast for purely residential streets.

[bomberjet]

Munroe, McLeod stay at 50. MAYBE have streets like Roch, Brazier be 40 kmh. All the other avenues in those areas be 40 or 30.

That's what I see as reasonable. When driving down the avenues doing 50, it seems fast to me.

Nevermind if you're in some of the newer areas with curvilinear streets. Doing 50 is too fast.

[bomberjet]

Sorry, took over the new thread with roads talk again..