Construction begins on upgrades to Corydon Avenue west of Kenaston Boulevard

Work has begun on a Corydon Avenue construction project that upgrades road, water and active-transportation infrastructure in the Tuxedo area.

The $7.5 million in road work on Corydon Avenue between Kenaston and Shaftesbury boulevards — funded by the municipal, provincial and federal governments — is expected to be completed by late fall, at the end of the year’s construction season.

The work includes roadway paving, a new active-transportation pathway adjacent to the roadways from Kenaston to Assiniboine Park, upgrades to bus stops and new sewer and water infrastructure. All vehicle lanes on Corydon between Tuxedo Avenue and Kenaston, and from Tuxedo to Shaftesbury, will be re-paved.

Municipal and provincial government officials held a news conference Tuesday at Corydon and Tuxedo avenues to highlight the project.

“The federal, provincial and municipal governments are working in partnership to invest in the infrastructure needs that the citizens of Winnipeg require,” said Mayor Scott Gillingham. “This is a big improvement to Corydon Avenue, which is a key route.”

Jeline Opina, the owner of Fruit de la Vie Juice Co. — a juice, smoothie and coffee bar that opened a location in the Tuxedo Junction strip mall on Corydon Avenue earlier this year — said she thinks the project, particularly the active-transportation path, will be positive for the area.

“I think that would be better for the community,” she said. “I find that this strip is very active; there’s runners, there’s bikers… and right now it’s a little tricky with traffic flow.”

Since the work began, she’s had some customers come in irritated about how inconvenient it is to access the strip mall’s parking lot in a vehicle, and has heard from other business owners in the mall who’ve seen a slowdown in customer traffic, but hasn’t seen much effect on business at her shop.

Many of her customers, including many students on lunch breaks from area schools, walk or cycle to the store, said Opina.

One of the realities of road and infrastructure work is that residents and businesses are temporarily affected by it, said the mayor, adding city staff and consultants are supposed to be in regular contact with residents and business owners about projects in their area.

The paved walking and cycling path will start on the south side of Corydon Avenue at Park Boulevard, across from the southeast entrance to Assiniboine Park. The path won’t be in a vehicle lane.

The pathway will extend east along Corydon to Edgeland Boulevard, where it will cross at the pedestrian corridor and continue along the north side of Corydon Avenue up to Doncaster Street, then along the Lockston Avenue alley to Kenaston.

The City of Winnipeg put about $3.6 million into the project, while the federal and provincial governments contributed about $2 million apiece.

Waverley West Coun. Janice Lukes, who chairs city council’s public works committee, said the Corydon Avenue project is included in the approximately $164 million in road work planned this year.

erik.pindera@freepress.mb.ca