Transcona councillor wants speed-reduction measures incorporated into street-renewal plans

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This article was published 03/04/2023 (890 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

When Winnipeg residential streets are torn up for repairs in the future, some civic leaders hope they may also be redesigned to slow down drivers.

A new motion calls for city staff to study how traffic-calming measures could be added during the local street-renewal process.

“You don’t need to (slow traffic) through (speed) enforcement, which is next to impossible, because you can’t put a police car on every street. You can do it from design… make the streets tighter in some places and it allows folks to naturally slow down,” said Coun. Russ Wyatt, who raised the motion.

Wyatt (Transcona) said he supports efforts to slow down drivers on local streets to reduce the risk to pedestrians. However, he believes changing the way streets get built would be more effective than simply lowering speed limits.

Last month, council voted to reduce speed limits to 30 km/hfrom 50 on 14 Winnipeg streets, an effort supporters say will make them more “livable” and welcoming to pedestrians and cyclists. Those speed limits will be gradually implemented over the next two years.

Reduced speeds are also being tested in a one-year pilot project in four neighbourhoods, which began in March.

Wyatt said he understands the impetus behind those changes. But he expects designing roads differently would be more effective. He said he would call for public consultation on any changes.

Coun. Janice Lukes, council’s public works chairwoman, said she also believes traffic-calming measures would have a lasting impact on drivers.

“Yes, we can drop speed limits, sure, that helps. But what really changes driver behaviour is the built environment,” said Lukes (Waverley West).

“And when you can change the built environment, that is where you succeed with really effective traffic calming.”

Lukes said the potential changes could involve narrowing some roads, adding speed tables (sections of raised road) and/or installing curb extensions that create more space for pedestrians.

“This would be having the department — instead of just ripping up and replacing (roads) — actually think about a different design,” she said, adding plans for new developments, such as Bison Run in Waverley West, include some traffic-calming measures but implementing them during road repair would slow traffic on existing streets.

Lukes said the public has mixed views on the matter, noting she receives complaints when traffic-calming measures are installed but also receives demands for the features to be added.

Wyatt’s motion will be considered at next Tuesday’s public works committee meeting.

joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga