Portage and Main re-opening 2016 - Page 6

Urban recluse · #**101** Posted **Jul 7, 2016, 2:05 AM**

Hahahaha. Yes.

Biff · #**102** Posted **Jul 7, 2016, 2:04 PM**

It kind of looks like the exact definition of "lipstick on a pig".

robertocarlos · #**103** Posted **Jul 7, 2016, 2:43 PM**

It's pillow soft to sleep on. Keep the intersection closed and charge rent. The guys sitting on the sidewalk flower pots were complaining about receiving tickets for loitering.

scryer · #**104** Posted **Jul 7, 2016, 6:37 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by emeraldeyes

Well I'll be damned. I wish I could take credit for this.

WTF. Just regular, beautiful grass couldn't do?

esquire · #**105** Posted **Jul 7, 2016, 6:45 PM**

^ Those planters kept flooding and killing the grass. Although with that being the case, heaven knows what those chips will look like after the next downpour.

emeraldeyes · #**106** Posted **Jul 7, 2016, 7:32 PM**

Presumably grass would need to be mowed which in turn would present a whole other set of problems.
I for one would rather see colourful mulch than an expanse of dried up, cracking soil with the odd stump poking up. It's not ideal but at least it's something.

Cyro · #**107** Posted **Jul 7, 2016, 7:48 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by emeraldeyes

It's not ideal but at least it's something.

I here this a lot in the Peg. lol.... "Thread killer"...

beatlesque · #**108** Posted **Jul 7, 2016, 7:53 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cyro

I here this a lot in the Peg. lol.... "Thread killer"...

Yeah the other variation I've seen on that a few times is, "It's better than a parking lot."

cllew · #**109** Posted **Jul 7, 2016, 8:31 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by bomberjet

Lol Wtf is their zone then?

Sorry, I missed this question when it was posted in June.

Looks like the north east and north west corners of Portage and Main are in the Exchange Bix zone according to the Exchange Biz map

https://www.exchangedistrict.org/map/

Cyro · #**110** Posted **Jul 22, 2016, 5:49 PM**

Probe Research Poll:

68 % cent of people 55 and older are against reopening Portage and Main
61% aged 18 to 34 are in favour.

Shocking discovery..

But our illustrious leader at City Hall has Pledged:

"I't's not a question of if the barricades will come down, but
when. He has pledged to have it open in time for the 2017 Canada
Summer Games, which Winnipeg will host."

Freep snippet

bomberjet · #**111** Posted **Jul 22, 2016, 6:14 PM**

Better get started Bowman. T- 12 months!

Riverman · #**112** Posted **Jul 22, 2016, 6:56 PM**

I wonder what this will do to Waterfront Drive? I have used it to bypass downtown since it opened and it gets busier every year.

CoryB · #**113** Posted **Jul 22, 2016, 7:46 PM**

Bowman's main accomplishments from his first term:

Building an six figure underpass that rail relocation will make redundant
Approving a six figure bridge that rail relocation will make redundant
Postponing a promised rail underpass citizens were demanding
Reopening Portage and Main to pedestrians, a highly polarizing move
Buying the WPS a tank.

2018 is shaping up to be one interesting election and its still two years out.

jmt18325 · #**114** Posted **Jul 22, 2016, 7:53 PM**

Rail relocation is a pipe dream, so none of that is redundant.

oftheMoon · #**115** Posted **Jul 22, 2016, 8:07 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Riverman

I wonder what this will do to Waterfront Drive? I have used it to bypass downtown since it opened and it gets busier every year.

With a little luck they'll put some limitations on Waterfront Drive so it can't be use used as a bypass.

bomberjet · #**116** Posted **Jul 22, 2016, 8:30 PM**

One way to remove Waterfront drive from the bypass route (I use it and so do many) is to disconnect it from Higgins and from Provnecher. Using it as a local street that connects into the east exchange only. Long term plan is to disconnect at Higgins and extend Waterfront along the river bank east to the point. But that is the ultimate plan which may never happen.

Another possibility would be to remove vehicle traffic from a portion of the road in the area of James. Turn waterfront into a pedestrian only area. Again directing traffic into residential streets. People will eventually stop using it a density increases.

oftheMoon · #**117** Posted **Jul 22, 2016, 8:56 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by bomberjet

One way to remove Waterfront drive from the bypass route (I use it and so do many) is to disconnect it from Higgins and from Provnecher. Using it as a local street that connects into the east exchange only. Long term plan is to disconnect at Higgins and extend Waterfront along the river bank east to the point. But that is the ultimate plan which may never happen.

Another possibility would be to remove vehicle traffic from a portion of the road in the area of James. Turn waterfront into a pedestrian only area. Again directing traffic into residential streets. People will eventually stop using it a density increases.

I get this would be discouraging to some, but it makes sense to discourage the use of a street like Waterfront as a "main thoroughfare" or bypass. Pedestrian friendly would be more conducive to what's happening or needs to happen with the area.

Sorry, going OT with the P&M thread. But back to that...and I know it's been debated far and wide (and that will continue), but I really think opening P&M to pedestrians will have little impact on traffic, but huge impact on that corner.

Plan for tomorrow, not the past.

Riverman · #**118** Posted **Jul 22, 2016, 8:58 PM**

It is used as a bypass by many because Main gets too congested. Closing streets increases congestion more. This makes sense?

rrskylar · #**119** Posted **Jul 22, 2016, 9:02 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Riverman

It is used as a bypass by many because Main gets too congested. Closing streets increases congestion more. This makes sense?

Took me about 1/2 hour to go from Disraeli to St. Mary on Main one day last week and this was after 5:00 PM. The ''just open P&M just because" crowd can suck lemons!

buzzg · #**120** Posted **Jul 22, 2016, 9:40 PM**

You can't remove traffic from Waterfront because the City allowed Excelsior to make their parkade entrance off Waterfront unlike the others that have parking behind... and Excelsior is in the middle of it.

You can make raised crosswalks, put in speedbumps, force turns at certain streets (ie: SB Waterfront must turn right at Bannatyne roundabout; close off thru-pass). I'd be into raised crosswalks and speed bumps tbh.

Also, regardless of you opinion on whether to reopen P&M, I think it's ridiculous to think having pedestrians cross is gonna slow it down much, if at all, since most light times are about a minute already anyway and there's already plenty of lights on Main that aren't synced. It'll be interesting to see what effect the button at the new half signal @ Assiniboine will have, or if it will just turn along with other lights.