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$4.7 million targeted for active transportation

People who walk or cycle around Winnipeg won a small but significant victory in a city hall committee room today.

After hearing public delegations for the better part of four hours, members of the Infrastructure Renewal and Public Works committee voted to re-allocate $4.7 million in the city’s 2009 capital budget to cover projects associated with so-called active transportation.

Struck by public appeals that the city had only targeted $1.75 million for bike paths and other active transportation works - as opposed to $95 million for road and bridge construction - the committee agreed to add $4.25 million for active transportation projects, leaving it to administrators to decide how such funds should be distributed.

They also agreed to shift $250,000 from the $1.9 million set aside for land acquisition to pay for a study into building a pedestrian bridge across the Red River from the University of Manitoba into south St. Vital.

That project had the backing of St. Norbert Coun. Justin Swandel, the city’s finance committee chairman and budget architect.

Finally, the public works committee also agreed to spend an additonal $200,000 on sidewalk repairs.
The capital budget, released last week, had allocated $250,000 in 2009 to new sidewalks on major streets.

More challenges lie ahead however, for advocates of bike paths and pedestrian bridges.

The Executive Policy Committee, which reviews the capital budget next week, could still overturn today’s decision.

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