Questions of cost and safety linger as council votes in favour of Portage and Main plan

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This article was published 25/10/2017 (3241 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

City council voted in favour of fixing up Winnipeg’s most iconic intersection Wednesday. But, before opening Portage and Main to pedestrians, more studies, cost estimates and another vote will be required.

“It’s a positive step forward,” said Mayor Brian Bowman who’s long advocated for opening Portage and Main to pedestrian traffic.

A majority of council members approved a motion creating a working group with city department representatives and property owners “to ensure collaboration and consultation for aligned overall planning.”

“We’ll be moving forward in a collaborative way that hasn’t happened in 40 years,” Bowman said.

Council approved $3.5 million on revamping areas around the intersection, including: $1.5 million for further engineering and architectural work needed to allow pedestrians to cross; $500,000 for new sidewalks, curbs and street trees for the plaza area directly in front of the Richardson Building; and, $1.5 million to upgrade the underground concourse below the tower at 201 Portage Ave.

Some councillors said they’re not ready to give the greenlight to pedestrians crossing at Portage and Main but are in favour of much-needed repairs to a downtown focal point that’s been neglected and has fallen into a state of disrepair.

“It’s work that needs to be done,” said Coun. Scott Gillingham (St. James – Brooklands). “There won’t be wrecking balls knocking down the barricades tomorrow,” said the finance committee chairman. That will require another council vote after they’ve had a traffic study, transit study and full cost estimates to consider, he said.

One councillor already has his mind made up that opening the corner is a bad idea.

“It’s going to cause delays and cause problems,” said Coun. Jeff Browaty (North Kildonan), pointing to the 77,000 “vehicle events” a day at the intersection. When it stops for pedestrians at Portage and Main, traffic will jam up with more vehicles stuck and idling.

“We need to stop this expensive, unnecessary plan,” he said. “People don’t want this — there are all sorts of reasons,” Browaty told reporters during a break. “I’ve had emails, phone calls and people stop me on the street.” He expressed concern that money budgeted for road repairs would be diverted to opening the intersection to pedestrians. “It’s simply wrong.”

Councillor Jenny Gerbasi (Fort Rouge – East Fort Garry) said the downtown business community is on side with opening up the intersection to pedestrians and prepared to make significant investments to the area with exposed rebar above ground and black mould underground. Forming a working group to study it “reasonable, prudent and collaborative,” she said. “Let’s do this – let’s set the stage so when we get to it, we’ll do it right.”

Before voting, council heard from delegations including property owners who said opening the intersection will breathe new life into the downtown. Council also heard from bus drivers who said the plan could potentially put people’s safety at risk.

“Today it’s a dead zone,” said property developer, Rosanne Hill Blaisdell, vice-president of Regina-based Harvard Developments Inc. that owns the office tower at 201 Portage, the 800-stall Albert Street Parkade and several other Winnipeg properties.

“We’re in the process of investing heavily in this corner right now and we’re about to purchase another piece of land and we have a long-term belief that this is a huge opportunity for the city,” Blaisdell told reporters.

“Today it’s cold and it feels like not a vibrant heart of the city,” she said. “In order to create that economic activity and that vibrancy you’ve got to have people walking around. When you have people walking around, they’re looking for restaurants, they want hotels, they want to live in these places and they want to work in these places. And then, all of a sudden, you have something that’s vibrant and exciting and something that the citizens of Winnipeg can be really proud of.”

Looking at opening Portage and Main to pedestrians before Winnipeg has improved public transit is “putting the cart before the horse,” says the union representing the city’s bus drivers.

“Having a vibrant downtown is excellent – it’s a part of any thriving city,” said John Callahan, international vice-president of the Amalgamated Transit Union. “You need to have frequent, safe, reliable public transportation – that’s what’s going to revitalize downtown.

“Service is delayed now and when service is delayed people get upset and when people get upset they tend to assault the driver.

“We are at our capacity right now,” he said. “Right now, there’s about 18 per cent of the population in Winnipeg that uses public transit. If we want to push for a goal of 25 per cent ridership, that’s impossible because we are at our max right now. How can you expect people to use public transit when it’s just not there,” he said.

carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca