13°c Partly cloudy
10°c Rain
Winnipeg Free Press - PRINT EDITION
Province wants transit action, not concepts
Lemieux pushes Katz on corridor
The Selinger government wants Mayor Sam Katz to "get moving" on the second phase of Winnipeg's first rapid transit corridor instead of talking about light rail or streetcars.
Late last week, Katz revealed Winnipeg is exploring the idea of purchasing flexible streetcars that could operate on both downtown streets and rapid-transit corridors.
But the provincial government -- which has grown increasingly frustrated with Katz on the pace of rapid transit -- insists the city must first complete the Southwest Rapid Transit Corridor, a dedicated bus-way that will eventually connect downtown to the University of Manitoba.
"You can't keep coming up with a new idea every month," Local Government Minister Ron Lemieux said Monday in an interview. "I want a dance partner who wants to get moving and getting on with it."
In 2008, all three levels of government agreed to fund the southwest corridor's $138-million first phase, which runs from Queen Elizabeth Way near The Forks to Jubilee Avenue near Pembina Highway. Construction began in 2009 and is expected to be finished in late 2011.
But no deal is in place to fund the bus corridor's second phase, whose price tag is now estimated by the city at $220 million. The province and Ottawa have offered to cover almost two-thirds of the cost, but the city has removed the project from its list of infrastructure priorities.
Instead, Katz has spent the past four months publicly urging Selinger to fly with him to Ottawa to lobby the federal Conservatives to fund a light-rail system. He also convinced council to authorize a $100,000 study of new rail technology that turned out to be a modern form of streetcar now in use in Portland and Seattle.
A spokesman for the mayor said Katz spoke to Selinger about the streetcars on Saturday. But no formal proposal about streetcars or any form of light rail has come before the province, Lemieux said.
"No one's objecting to people throwing out good ideas, but there hasn't been anything concrete, and that's the difficulty I'm having with light rail and streetcars," Lemieux said. "We're moving ahead on bus rapid transit and the system will be a good one. And we can use the infrastructure to integrate into light rail or streetcars in the future."
A study the city commissioned in 2008 suggests there are no serious obstacles to converting bus-ways to light rail corridors, provided station platforms are built at the correct height and turning radii are not too tight.
A separate study completed in 2009 determined bus rapid transit is more cost-effective, on average, than light rail transit.
Fort Rouge Coun. Jenny Gerbasi, council's most vociferous rapid-transit proponent, said all the talk about rail versus buses is pointless without an agreement to fund the completion of the southwest corridor.
"We're getting lost in the debate about the technology, but we don't have any money to build rapid transit to the university because the mayor has switched the money to deal with our roads," Gerbasi said.
Katz has said he wants to ensure Winnipeg gets the bang for its rapid-transit buck and believes rail will encourage greater ridership. He also wants Ottawa to fund a rapid-transit system for Winnipeg using sources other than the Building Canada Fund. Gerbasi said Prime Minister Stephen Harper made it clear last week Ottawa has no new infrastructure-funding programs on the horizon.
bartley.kives@freepress.mb.ca
Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition June 8, 2010 B1
More Local
- Back to Top
- Return to Local
Poll
Proudly brought to you by:
Most Popular Local
- Thieves strip $20K worth of copper wiring from gravel pit
- Cyclist killed on Higgins Avenue was passionate mentor, volunteer
- WWE's Jericho breaks code in Brazil
- Ex-Bomber sued for $4.8M
- Pukatawagan RCMP looking for two dangerous suspects
- Ex-Hydro boss slams closure
- Gang members get lengthy sentences for jailhouse beating
- Blue boxes to garden boxes?
- Man hit before fatal blow, friend testifies
- Teachers split on issue of human sexuality
- Bear pulls camper from outhouse, before being shot
- Cyclist killed in collision on Higgins identified
- Cyclist killed on Higgins Avenue was passionate mentor, volunteer
- A SHED is not enough
- Football star's fatal punch probed at manslaughter trail
- Cyclist killed in Higgins Avenue crash
- Sex-scandal inquiry to be heard in city
- Winnipeg man recovering after campground bear attack
- Man hit before fatal blow, friend testifies
- Female cyclist dies on Higgins after falling into semi's path
- Boozy night out, lying cost city man big bucks
- Neighbours shaken by two deaths
- Rapid buses rattling homes
- Severe storm warning issued
- Has Gimli gone to pot?
- Bear pulls camper from outhouse, before being shot
- Cyclist killed in collision on Higgins identified
- Teen hit by vehicle on Pembina
- Triple whammy hits homes
- Cyclist killed on Higgins Avenue was passionate mentor, volunteer
- Cyclist killed on Higgins Avenue was passionate mentor, volunteer
- Ex-Hydro boss slams closure
- Ex-Bomber sued for $4.8M
- At 100, she's still winning friends and winning at bridge
- His life made our world a better place
- Band, council defy feds on aid
- Hydro headquarters named Canada's greenest office tower
- Teachers split on issue of human sexuality
- Diplomat saved thousands from Hitler
- Cummings steps out of reunion for sick mom
- Bear pulls camper from outhouse, before being shot
- Pooch paradise, where champion beagles run free
- His life made our world a better place
- Winnipeg man recovering after campground bear attack
- He was enjoying view, bear came out of blue
- Scientists lash Harper government for pulling plug on Experimental Lakes Area
- Diplomat saved thousands from Hitler
- Weeding out the chemicals
- U of W rejects copyright deal as 'money grab'
- Chemicals not par for the course
- Bear pulls camper from outhouse, before being shot
- Has Gimli gone to pot?
- Pooch paradise, where champion beagles run free
- His life made our world a better place
- Scientists lash Harper government for pulling plug on Experimental Lakes Area
- RRC's old gem a beauty
- Attack on hockey ref nets jail time
- Our Village is as good as it gets
- Judge faces second complaint
- Winnipeg man recovering after campground bear attack
Ads by Google
You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is register and/or login and you can join the conversation and give your feedback.
The Winnipeg Free Press does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comment, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. These terms were revised effective April 16, 2010; View the changes. New to commenting? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.