Why did the Winnipegger cross at Portage and Main? Because decades of sometimes acrimonious debate came to a rather anti-climactic end a month ago when the light turned green for pedestrians to get to the other side… and life went on By: Chris Kitching Posted: 2:00 PM CDT Friday, Aug. 1, 2025

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 01/08/2025 (341 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

On a cool and overcast Monday afternoon, smartly dressed workers strode with purpose across Portage Avenue at Main Street, nearly rubbing shoulders with a pair of backpack-toting tourists whose gaze was fixed on an office tower’s upper floors.

As a pedestrian signal’s countdown hit zero and drivers got a green light, Winnipeg’s best-known intersection looked like any other in any Canadian city’s downtown core, a month after reopening to foot traffic for the first time in 46 years.

“It’s kind of funny our main intersection, our flagship intersection, was closed off,” office worker Brad Obirek told the Free Press after crossing the west side of Portage. “It seems more vibrant now. I’m happy the city is being progressive.”

The change has made it easier and quicker to get around on foot, said Obirek, who had a gym bag slung over his shoulder after working out on his lunch break.

He stood where a visually imposing (and since-demolished) concrete barrier separated traffic lanes and a sidewalk when pedestrian crossings were forbidden in the heart of Winnipeg.

There was support and opposition when Portage and Main became vehicle-only in 1979 as part of a commercial development deal. The hope, at that time, was new buildings would breathe new life into an area where revitalization is still an objective.

Proponents of Portage and Main’s new look had a similar hope when at-grade crossings resumed June 27, following decades of debate.

Time will tell what happens. Early reviews from Winnipeggers interviewed by the Free Press were mostly positive.

Some were indifferent or concerned about potential impacts on traffic or the future of the Portage and Main Circus, a circular concourse beneath the intersection.

Initially tabbed for closure, the concourse connects to high-rise buildings and Winnipeg Square, a subterranean mall with stores, restaurants and services. The underground spaces offer shelter from cold or rainy weather.

Obirek was in favour of reopening Portage and Main to foot traffic. He said he will continue to use the underground route, especially when he goes out for lunch, but he prefers to be above ground.

“It’s a better walk. It’s nice to get fresh air,” he said.

His drive to and from work can take him through Portage and Main, but he hasn’t noticed much of a difference to travel times.

“It seems more vibrant now. I’m happy the city is being progressive.”–Brad Obirek

For downtown worker Ryan Holm, being able to cross at street level has provided a little bit more convenience.

“We’ll see what happens when winter comes,” he said.

Holm said he hasn’t noticed anything negative while driving through the intersection.

“It’s pretty much the same as before,” he said. “I thought traffic might slow down, but it doesn’t seem that way. I think it will be fine going forward. It’s been less of an issue than I thought it would be.”

Melissa Graham, executive director of the downtown-based Manitoba League of Persons with Disabilities, crosses Portage and Main about once a week.

“On the positive side, it makes downtown easier to access,” Graham said. “A lot of people avoided the underground because it was complicated to access.”

She said the only downside is the length of time per crossing. Existing crossing times could prove stressful for a person who uses a manual wheelchair or a senior who uses a walker, she said.

“They’re very short,” said Graham, who uses a power wheelchair. “Even I found they could be a little longer.”

The signals play non-visual audible tones. The city recently introduced a five-second head start for pedestrians at intersections throughout downtown.

There are signs that people are still adjusting to the change. Graham said a few drivers appeared to forget she had the right of way and came to a stop too close to her.

The city has urged all road users to pay extra attention to each other, and to make note of a few specific changes.

Northbound drivers cannot turn right from Main onto Portage East, a change designed to improve safety and give pedestrians more room on the sidewalk.

There are now three left-turn lanes from eastbound Portage to northbound Main. One lane continues straight to Portage East. There is now only one right-turn lane to southbound Main.

Raylene Stagg, who’s worked downtown for 15 years, said she felt uneasy when she walked through Portage and Main for the first and only time as of Monday.

While she was happy to see more pedestrians on the surface, she would rather use the underground network to get from one side to the other.

“I really hope they don’t get rid of the underground,” Stagg said. “I much prefer it, and feel more comfortable using it than Portage and Main.”

Stagg, who avoids the intersection when driving, said pedestrians will prefer to be underground in winter.

Seated on a bench in a courtyard just west of the intersection, she said traffic back-ups appear to be longer now that pedestrians are in the mix.

In the same courtyard, Jeremy Magotiaux said he thinks Portage and Main will bring more vibrancy and benefits to downtown.

“Seeing more people out and being active is always a nice feeling,” he said. “It will be fine as people get used to it.”

“We are still very hopeful that the underground can remain open.”–Kate Fenske

Magotiaux, who still uses the “bunker” beneath the intersection, said he hasn’t noticed a change to travel times since Portage and Main was revamped.

Critics suggested the reopening to pedestrians would be a waste of money, result in longer commutes or make the city’s sixth-busiest intersection more dangerous.

It’s too soon for the city to have any data on commute times, the daily number of pedestrian crossings or collisions, spokeswoman Julie Dooley said.

Manitoba Public Insurance had not received any claims for collisions involving pedestrians or cyclists as of Monday, according to preliminary data.

Spokeswoman Tara Seel said nine vehicle collisions were reported at Portage and Main in the first four weeks of July, compared with four and 10 during the same periods in 2024 and 2023, respectively.

Jino Distasio, a professor of urban geography at the University of Winnipeg, said he thinks most Winnipeggers have realized Portage and Main is no more or no less different than any other intersection.

“It’s now just a simple street crossing that became mired in a long debate over politics and not common sense,” he said.

Distasio was among the first pedestrians to cross June 27. He’s also driven through the intersection a few times. For him, the novelty is over.

“I suspect anyone new to Winnipeg would not even notice the changes,” he said. “I say this in a good way. The design was thoughtful and is now a functional crossing.”

In his opinion, the more pressing issue is focusing on rebuilding retail in the area, and making it a true, walkable pedestrian space.

“The intersection’s opening will help, but now we must address the barriers that have prevented downtown recovery post-pandemic,” he said. “But unlike Portage and Main, the wrecking ball will not help. What we need is a co-ordinated effort among many.”

Portage and Main closed to foot traffic in a 40-year deal the city struck with a property developer that built offices and the underground mall. Pedestrians were forced underground or had to cross at different intersections at street level.

A year before the deal expired in 2019, two-thirds of Winnipeggers who voted in a non-binding plebiscite opposed reopening Portage and Main to pedestrians.

The catalyst for change was a City of Winnipeg staff report in 2024 that said it would cost $73 million and cause up to five years of traffic disruption to dig up the road and replace a waterproof membrane that protects the concourse — work that would have to be repeated decades later.

City council voted 11-3 to end the ban on pedestrians. The city said the eight-month construction project came in under its $21.3-million budget and on schedule to coincide with Winnipeg Transit’s network overhaul.

Mayor Scott Gillingham, who previously opposed reopening Portage and Main to pedestrians, likes what he’s seen so far.

“The traffic is flowing smoothly, the pedestrians are crossing the street seemingly with ease,” he said. “There’s been really no interruptions and no problems at this point. I think it’s a better look to our key intersection in the heart of our city.”

Kate Fenske, CEO of the Downtown Winnipeg Business Improvement Zone, hopes the reopening is a step toward bigger things.

“It was one of those moments, I think, in our history that marks a general change, saying people are important, that a vibrant downtown community is a priority and that accessibility matters,” she said.

“Sometimes it’s risky to make a big move and make a change, but when the change happens and everything seems to be running fairly smoothly, that’s a good sign. Hopefully, it shows we can make some more bold decisions downtown moving forward.”

“The intersection’s opening will help, but now we must address the barriers that have prevented downtown recovery post-pandemic.”–Jino Distasio

The underground concourse’s fate has not yet been decided by council, which is awaiting a staff report that will outline its condition and potential steps forward.

The 2024 staff report said it could cost up to $50 million to decommission the city’s portion of the concourse.

Downtown Winnipeg BIZ and several other organizations lobbied the city to keep it open for the benefit of residents, workers and visitors.

“I don’t think it has to be an either-or. We understand there are financial reasons and decisions that were made, and I think right now the right decision has been made to open it to pedestrians and for people simply to cross,” Fenske said.

“We are still very hopeful that the underground can remain open because the most important thing is that no matter where you’re trying to get to, or how you’re travelling, that it is easy to get around downtown, and that we are a connected community.”

Christine Neustaeter, who owns Eye GO Mobile Optical in Winnipeg Square, said the volume of foot traffic that passes by her store could drop if the concourse closes.

“It’s not any different,” said Neustaeter, who opened the store in 2018, said of the uncertainty hanging over businesses. “We’ve had so much uncertainty since COVID.”

She said it’s too soon to tell if Portage and Main’s street-level changes will have an impact on her business.

Fenske said Downtown Winnipeg BIZ members in the underground area are still seeing customers, and haven’t reported any negative feedback.

The Building Owners and Managers Association of Manitoba, which represents some buildings linked to the concourse, wants the space to stay open.

“Mayor and council insist that the (city-owned) underground circus is too expensive to repair and so it should be decommissioned. We disagree,” executive director Tom Thiessen wrote in an email.

“BOMA’s position has been consistent on this matter: The underground concourse is a vital part of the downtown network, providing year-round, climate-controlled access for downtown workers and businesses.

“Our building owners at Portage and Main have all made significant investments in order to upgrade and maintain their respective sections of the concourse, and the City of Winnipeg should be expected to do the same.”

For the most part, pedestrians seem to be crossing Portage and Main safely, and most drivers seem to be approaching the intersection with caution, Thiessen said.

“Hopefully, that continues to be the case,” he wrote. “The at-grade crossing doesn’t seem to be particularly busy during the business day. That leads us to believe that most downtown workers and many visitors are still crossing the intersection via the underground concourse.”

— With files from Malak Abas

chris.kitching@freepress.mb.ca