City rail crossing repair launches new concerns

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This article was published 18/10/2022 (1135 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A Winnipeg railway crossing repair flaw that sent some vehicles “flying” above a busy road should soon be fixed, the city says.

A video posted to social media Monday shows multiple cars and vans with tires that appear to rise a few inches off the ground just after they pass the crossing on Bison Drive.

“They fly over… If you’re going 60 km/h, your back tires don’t touch the ground once you go over the hump. It’s a big speed table. The grading wasn’t done in a manner that prevents flying over the hump,” said Coun. Janice Lukes, who represents the area.

On the flip side, the Waverley West councillor said some residents have thanked her for the unintended alteration, noting it has led some drivers to slow down.

However, Lukes said the issue also poses some significant concerns.

“If a person’s flying over, they’re going to really land hard and I don’t know if there’s any damage to vehicles being done but… that could easily occur,” she said Tuesday.

Repairs took place to update the south Winnipeg rail crossing last weekend.

“They rebuilt it and then they put asphalt leading up to it to go over it… (This) consists of excavating, removing and replacing the rail tracks. When CN put their new tracks in, they weren’t able to place their track at our design elevations,” said Lukes.

In an emailed statement, City of Winnipeg spokesman Ken Allen did not specify who led the project, but confirmed “it was installed in such a way that resulted in an uneven pavement surface at the crossing. As a result, crews made an asphalt repair in order to be able to open the crossing to traffic.”

Allen said a repair to address the new issue that causes tires to rise above the road should be completed soon.

“The city and CN are currently working together to plan and schedule the needed repairs as quickly as possible for this coming weekend,” he said.

Speed bump and 30-km/h warning signs are in place at the site to warn drivers to slow down, while the crossing remains open to traffic.

Lukes said the route is a “major connector” to Pembina Highway. As of 2019, an average of 28,600 vehicles drove through it each week day.

CN Rail declined comment, referring all questions to the City of Winnipeg.

joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga