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New diamond lanes open today

By: Staff Writer

9/11/2009 1:00 AM | Comments: 66

Watch out for new diamond lanes.

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Watch out for new diamond lanes.

DIAMONDS are a transit rider and cyclist's best friend -- starting today.

Diamond lanes, that is.

As part of a comprehensive transit improvement plan approved by Winnipeg city council, new diamond lanes take effect today.

The specially marked lanes are for transit vehicles, cyclists and right-turning vehicles -- which must turn right at the first opportunity -- during weekday peak periods.

They're designed to improve the speed and reliability of transit service and motorists who misuse them face a minimum fine of $190.80 and two demerit points.

The new lanes in effect today are located at:

Portage Avenue:

bullet point Westbound from Colony to Strathcona (7 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.)

bullet point Eastbound from Raglan to St. Mary (7 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.)

Main Street:

bullet point Southbound from Smithfield to Jarvis (7 a.m. to 9 a.m. only)

bullet point Northbound from Jarvis to Inkster (3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m only)

Goulet Street:

bullet point Westbound from Youville to Tache (7 a.m. to 9 a.m. only)

McPhillips Street:

bullet point Southbound from Hillock to William (7 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.)

New on-street parking restrictions will be also in effect to accommodate new diamond lanes on westbound Portage Avenue and on northbound Main Street.

Diamond lanes were first implemented in Winnipeg in 1995.

There are about 30 kilometres of reserved lanes on major corridors throughout the city.

The $2-million diamond lane project is funded by the federal gas tax and the Public Transit Capital Trust (PTCT) "for projects that enhance transit service in communities across Manitoba," the city said in a press release.

-- Staff

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition November 9, 2009 B1

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66 Commentscomment icon

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I am shocked at the amount of complaining that happens on this website. Really.

I agree that our city is not designed for "free flowing traffic". It would be nice if the city took this into consideration and opened the diamond lanes to people that car pool as well.

Jets-or-bust is "pretty sick of diamond lanes and busses getting priority over everyone. If no one was driving anymore, who would be left to subsidize the transit system?"

Motorized vehicles have been the priority in this city for the past 50 or more years. The evidence of this can be seen in the number of single occupant vehicles on the roads today.

I don't think you realize the irony of your last statement. If no-one was driving anymore the transit system wouldn't need subsidizing because that's what most people would be using. It would probably also mean that transit times and fares would also be significantly reduced.

$40 speeding fines in Texas is incorrect. My wife got a ticket a couple of weeks ago in Austin TX 5 mph over (45 in a 40) The fine was $157 with court costs. Talking on a cell phone in a school zone will run you something like $400. A DWI will run you about $15,000 on first offence (including attorney, fees, fines, insurance premium surcharges for three years)

Good maybe they will stop just cutting in front of my semi when it is not safe! the yield sign is asking us to let them in it's not a law! I do let them in if they give me enough notice and can safely do so, but so many just expect us to hit the binders so they can cut in and I then get to stop every 500 meters!

I have no problem with a designated lane for buses on routes that have alot of bus traffic, but some streets just don't cut it! I'm on McPhillips St. every morning and there are times that I can go from Leila all the way to William without seeing ONE bus. What a waste of a diamond lane!

For all you people suggesting people use transit...it's not always the best option! I can drive to work in 15-20 minutes but if I take the bus it takes almost an hour and three route changes!

I take the bus AND drive.

The routes where the majority of these diamond lanes have been created already ARE the fastest bus routes in the city.
Busses come every 7 - 15 minutes, particularly during rush hour, and they're already full.

It isn't going to get any faster, more efficient, or be able to accomodate higher numbers of passengers unless you take away some sidewalk and put in light rail, a skytrain, or some other REAL mass-transit solution.

In addition, improving the speed of the fastest, most frequent, routes in the city does nothing to improve service at the fringes of the city, or make the existing routes more efficient... the whole reason why the majority of people are NOT taking the bus.

And right now, trying to make the popular turns off of Portage Avenue is impossible!

I want my 2 Million back.



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Why would I want to take the bus to and from work? Seven minutes in light traffic in the car and twenty minutes in heavy periods. Compare this to an hour and a half each direction on the bus. Then a ten minute walk from the bus stop. Top this with 25 below and you know where the bus can be stuffed.

I'm all for Diamond lanes, but this is going to be a problem for people turning onto Broadway from Portage, particularly drivers who need to get quickly get into the right hand most lane on broadway to make the turn on Maryland.

If people driving East on Portage don't quickly get into the diamond lane at Broadway (where the diamond lane ends), then they won't be able to make their turn onto Broadway. If just one person jumps the queue and squeezes into that lane before you, then you're going to miss your turn. The drivers turning onto Maryland are going to have to change lanes twice in a very short span of time to make their turn.

It's not well thought out traffic-flow wise and drivers are simply not smart and civil enough to make this work properly.



Since they have a DIAMOND lane anyways, why do the bridges on St.Marys/Main have space on the sidewalk/additional barricade for cyclists??? Remove it and there might be more flow on the southbound side of St.Marys...

Makes no sense... but Winnipeg does seem to be a cart before the horse kind of city...

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