The Next Mayor and Council Must Put Winnipeg onto a More Sustainable Path
The mayor and council elected on October 22nd will have the opportunity to set Winnipeg on the path to sustainability by passing the pedestrian and cycling strategies that have been under development for the past 18 months, and by providing the resources over the next 20 years to ensure that the plan is implemented in a timely manner.
2015 Budget Priorities
Bike Winnipeg would like to see all candidates for mayor and council commit to work toward the development of a budget and 5 year capital plan for 2015 that sets forth the following priorities:
- Declare a goal to encourage 5% of trips to be made by bicycle within 5 years
- Increase Staffing dedicated to AT
- Develop A Vision Zero Policy and Action Plan That Includes
- Outreach & Education Programs
- Safety Audits to help Identify Dangerous Intersections and Roadways
- Funding to develop Slow Zones in neighbourhoods expressing a desire for reduced traffic speeds
- Increased Enforcement of Dangerous Traffic Violations
- List implementation of the pedestrian and cycling strategies as a priority project to receive funding out of the Building Canada Fund
- Commit to dedicate spending of $150 million for Active Transportation projects over the next six years
- Develop an Education/Promotion Program reaching out to all areas of the city.
We all Benefit when Walking and Biking Become Safe and Convenient
A mayor and council who follow this strategy will be putting in place the elements of a vision to truly transform transportation in Winnipeg, and will be putting our city on a path to achieving the following benefits:
- A more affluent and livable city
- A healthier population
- A city characterized by vibrant, diverse neighbourhoods
- 50,000 trips/day shifted from autos to bicycles
- An annual green dividend of $7 million generated from reduced transportation costs.
It’s Time to Make Improvements to Walking and Cycling a Priority
These are achievable goals, and a price tag of $150 million over 6 years is not at all out of line with the cost of other major projects within the city budget. Unlike the mainly localized benefits associated with most major capital projects, the nature & affordability of pedestrian and bicycle oriented projects mean that the benefits this package of infrastructure improvements will be distributed throughout the city.
The projects detailed below will produce the connectivity and desirability in our pedestrian and bicycle networks needed to achieve the 3% modal shift needed to realize the benefits listed above.
Priority Bicycle Related Projects for the 2015 Budget (in green)
| Project | Estimated Cost |
|---|---|
| Downtown Protected Bike Lanes | $8,000,000 |
| University of Winnipeg Connectivity Improvements | $2,200,000 |
| St. Mathews Improvements and Extensions | $3,750,000 |
| McPhillips Greenway | $20,300,000 |
| Winnipeg Beach Greenway | $23,850,000 |
| Pembina Highway Improvements | $8,000,000 |
| Bikeway Intersection Improvements | $1,500,000 |
| Disraeli/NPG Connectiion Improvements | $400,000 |
| Transcona Connectivity Improvements | $3,440,000 |
| Provencher Boulevard Protected Bike Lanes | $1,030,000 |
| Arlington Protected Bike Lanes | $3,360,000 |
| South Winnipeg Parkway Improvements | $1,980,000 |
| Nassau-Assiniboine Connection Improvements | $600,000 |
| North Winnipeg Parkway Improvements | $350,000 |
| Eugenie/Norwood Bridge Connectivity Improvements | $125,000 |
| U of M – St. Vital Red River Crossing | $21,000,000 |
| Ferry Road Protected Bike Lanes | $1,180,000 |
| Osborne Underpass Rehabilitation | $5,000,000 |
| Bishop Grandin Greenway/Pembina Highway Over/Underpass | $10,000,000 |
| D’Arcy-U of M Connectivity Improvements | $530,000 |
| St. Vital Neighbourhood Greenways | $800,000 |
| Enfield/St. Jean Baptiste Neighbourhood Greenway | $680,000 |
| Glenlawn Gap | $250,000 |
| Marlene-Shorehill Connection | $400,000 |
| Kingsbury Neighbourhood Greenway | $750,000 |
| River/Stradbrook Protected Bike Lanes | $4,200,000 |
| Waverley Pathway – Chevrier to Scurfield | $200,000 |
| Riverside Neighbourhood Greenway | $400,000 |
| Riviera/Plaza Pathway | $2,000,000 |
| Lagimodiere Pathway – Regent to Maginot | $2,390,000 |
| Bruce Avenue Neighbourhood Greenways | $250,000 |
| Thundering Bison SWRTC Connection | $150,000 |
| Fort Gibralter-Assiniboine Connection | $300,000 |
- Arterial Roadway Studies
- Archibald Underpass Study
- Improve Surface Conditions
- Define a “White Network”
- Empress/BNSF Corridor Study
- Expand & Improve Bicycle Parking
- Wayfinding Strategy
- Main Street Underpass Study
- Wellington/River/Stradbrook Study
- Concordia/Kimberley Corridor Study