Transcona 2018

The Trasncona Trail was one of the biggest projects included in the 2010 Federal Stimulus Fund Package. It runs 6.7km from the Perimeter Highway across the northern limit of Transcona before veering southwest to follow the CEMR rail line to Regent Ave, where it ends.

This leaves people with the choice of continuing their ride along Regent Ave and its six plus lanes of traffic, or turning around and heading back to wherever they cam from. Not many choose to continue down Regent Ave. The lack of any safe, direct connection between the southern end of the Transcona Trail and St. Boniface is one of the biggest barriers to cycling in the city.

Thankfully, plans are in the works to close this gap in the city’s bike network.

Plans to extend the Transcona Trail south across Regent Ave to Panet Rd will make a huge difference for people biking into or out of Transcona while providing much needed access to shopping within Transcona.

Trancona Trail Extension to Provide Safe Crossings of Regent and Lagimodiere

The Transcona Trail Extension Project will construct a multi-use path to extend the Transcona Trail from its existing termination at Regent Avenue West to Panet Road. The design will include a crossing connection at Regent Avenue to access the path extension.

This project was approved for multiple year funding in the 2017 Pedestrian and Cycling Program of the Capital Budget. A preliminary study was completed in 2016 and more detailed design work is taking place throughout 2017, which includes land negotiations.

From Panet Road, it is hoped that the pathway would connect up with an all ages and abilities bikeway to be built as part of the Eastern Rapid Transit Corridor. The Eastern Corridor Study, currently underway, aims to determine routing for the Eastern Rapid Transit Corridor and Pathways.

In the meantime, the most likely connection from Panet Road to the Downtown is via Mission St and Notre Dame St to Tache Ave and the Esplanade Riel Walk/Bike Bridge into The Forks. To facilitate the connection to MIssion St, we are recommending that the city include a pathway connection from the planned western terminus of the pathway at Panet Road to Mission St. The city has an easement for a pathway along the eastern side of Panet Road for just this purpose, so an extension of the pathway south to Mission St should be a fairly simple addition to any construction contract.

Key Candidate Commitments

• Commit to Completion of the Transcona Trail Extension Project as currently planned in 2019
• Commit to an Extension of the planned Transcona Trail Extension south to Mission St. along the east side of Panet Rd through an existing easement.

More Information

Transcona Trail Extension Project (City of Winnipeg)
Eastern Corridor Study (City of Winnipeg)

The Trasncona Trail was one of the biggest projects included in the 2010 Federal Stimulus Fund Package. It runs 6.7km from the Perimeter Highway across the northern limit of Transcona before veering southwest to follow the CEMR rail line to Regent Ave, where it ends.The Transcona Trail Extension project will extend the Transcona Trail across Regent Avenue and westward to Panet Rd. Construction of the Transcona Trail Extension is currently scheduled for 2019.

Plans to extend the Transcona Trail south across Regent Ave to Panet Rd will make a huge difference for people biking into or out of Transcona while providing much needed access to shopping within Transcona.

A second project included in the 2010 Federal Stimulus Fund Package constructed a pathway along the north side of Pandora Ave W between Plessis Rd and Day St. Pandora Ave East will undergo major rehabilitation work in 2020, which should extend the Pandora Pathway form Day St to Wayoata St. Similarly, Regent Ave West is scheduled for a mill & fill rehabilitation between Plessis Rd and Rougeau Rd in 2021.

Regional Streets Renewal Work in 2020 and 2021 present an opportunity to connect the Transcona Trail with the Pandora Pathway that whould not be missed.

Upcoming Rehab Work Needs to Include Connection between Transcona Trail & Pandora Pathway

It’s obvious that a low street connection between the Transcona Trail and the Pandora Pathway would provide a lot of benefit for people biking into or out of Transcona. The Regional Street Renewal program includes the renewal and reconstruction of the City’s regional streets, sidewalks and recreational walkways/paths, as well as incorporating pedestrian and cycling facilities on regional street renewal projects where identified in the Winnipeg Pedestrian and Cycling Strategies.

Beyond the entrance to 1500 Regent Ave, accommodating people on bikes along Regent Avenue would require a significant reallocation of roadway space and may not be politically viable at this point. Pandora Ave W, just south of Regent Ave and with far better connectivity to Mission Gardens Neighbourhood to the south Regent Ave, has wide boulevards between Owen Rd and Plessis Rd where a pathway could easily be built, and which would provide a direct connection to the existing pathway on the north side of Pandora Ave W. This pathway is part of the planned bike network laid out in the Pedestrian and Cycling Strategies. West of Owen Rd, Pandora Ave W is a quiet residential street that is suitable for people on bikes as is.

To provide a connection between the Transcona Trail at Rougeau Rd and Pandora Ave W, we see two possibilities.

1. A neighbourhood greenway mixing pathways and on street travel on low stress roads may be possible if an easement for a pathway behind the Frontier Toyota Lot can be acquired. This would connect to a pathway through a vacant park lot to Rougeau Garden DR and through a back lane to the CEMR Rail/Hydro Corridor and the Transcona Trail.
2. A pathway built along the south side of Regent Ave W from the CEMR rail line and hydro corridor to Starlight Dr, which would provide the connection to Pandora Ave W.

Options for a low stress cycling connection between the Transcona Trail and the Pandora Ave W Pathway.

Our recommendation is to include construction of a pathway and neighbourhood greenway connection between the Transcona Trail and the Pandora Pathway in the rehabilitation works planned for Regent Ave W in 2021. A public engagement process should be included within the 2020 Pandora Ave E Rehabilitation project to determine connections between the Transcona Trail and the Pandora Pathway, and to provide preliminary and detailed design for the Pandora Pathway along Pandora Ave W.

Key Candidate Commitments

• Commit to including a preliminary design and public engagement process in the 2020 Pandora Ave E roadway rehabilitation project to set plans for a low stress bikeway connection between the Transcona Trail and the Pandora Pathway.
• Commit to including construction of any recommended low stress bikeway connection between the Transcona Trail and the Pandora Pathway as part of the Regent Ave W rehabilitation project planned for 2021.
• Commit to  including construction of any recommended pathway on the north side of Pandora Ave W between Day St and Wayoata St (and along Day St) as part of the planned roadway rehabilitation of Pandora Ave W (Day St to Wayaota St) and Day St (Pandora Ave W to Regent Ave W).

More Information

Transcona Trail Extension Project (City of Winnipeg)
Eastern Corridor Study (City of Winnipeg)
Revised Budget – Regional and Local Street Renewal 2019-2023 (City of Winnipeg)

• Appendix A: Regional and Local Street Renewal Capital Detail Sheet
• Appendix B: Maps showing location of regional street renewal 2019 to 2023

A major rehabilitation of the Lagimodiere Twin Bridges (Concordia and CPR Keewatin) will provide the city with an opportunity to carry through on one of the crossing improvements identified in the Pedestrian and Cycling Strategies[1].

A Through-Pass at the southern end of the Lagimodiere Twin Bridges would provide a connection between:

• West of Lagimodiere
  • Molson/Panet Bike Lanes
  • CPR Keewatin Rail with Trail (planned)
  • Kimbeley/Concordia Bikeway (planned)
• East of Lagimodiere
  • CPR Keewatin Rail with Trail (planned)
  • Peguis St Pathway
  • Ravelstone/Transcona Blvd Bike Lanes (planned)

A Through-Pass similar to the one begin built as part of the Fermor Ave Seine River Bridge should be included in the Lagimodiere Twin Bridges Rehabilitation Project.

Options for a through-pass at Lagimodiere include a new through-pass along the Ravelstone right of way, similar to what is being done with the Fermor Ave Seine River Bridge rehabilitation project, or a pathway under the CPR Keewatin Bridge similar to what was built along the Bishop Grandin Greenway beneath the CN Letellier rail line.

Summary of Recommendations

We are asking candidates to commit to the inclusion of a Walk/Bike Though-Pass in the Lagimodiere Twin Bridges Rehabilitation Project.

More Information

• Lagimodiere Twin Bridges Project Site (City of Winnipeg)
• Fermor Avenue Bridge Over Seine River Rehabilitation and Roadworks (City of Winnipeg)

Footnotes

[1]Pages 178-179, Pedestrian and Cycling Strategies, City of Winnipeg, 2015