Reduced speed project begins in North End

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This article was published 19/07/2021 (1702 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

North End residents say a new pilot project reducing the speed of traffic on local roads is a welcome initiative.

On July 12, the City of Winnipeg began installing signs and traffic-calming infrastructure along four roadways known as “neighbourhood greenways.” The maximum speed limit has been lowered to 30 km/h from 50 km/h.

This includes two sections in northwest Winnipeg: Powers Street between Dufferin and Partridge avenues and Machray Avenue from Fife to Main streets.

Wedged in Shawn Sullivan’s front yard is a Safe Speeds Winnipeg sign promoting a 30 km/h speed limit. Sullivan lives at Manitoba Avenue and Powers Street, across from William Whyte School. He has seven children, three of which are aged below 12. Sullivan said kids are at risk of being hit by cars “flying” down local streets.

“I’ve had kids get hit here,” Sullivan told The Times, pointing to the road.

“It’s getting really bad.

“A lot of kids don’t care to look when they’re playing around here because they’re comfy and they get complacent (in) what they’re doing. And … you can’t do that in this area, because no one really cares. They just keep driving, they don’t even care.”

Another Winnipegger, whose parents have lived on Powers for 10 years, said drivers have been using the street as a thoroughfare since major road reconstruction on Salter Street began earlier this summer. Large machinery comes “booming” down Powers as well, she added.

“I think it’s proper to have 30 km/h,” she said. “It should be that on every residential street.”

Coun. Ross Eadie (Mynarski) said there’s a lack of safe biking infrastructure in the area and hopes the project will give cyclists some relief.

“The problem we’re trying to fix here with Powers, at least from my perspective, is we’re trying to give a safe place for people to leisurely ride as well as commute.”

There are 13 proposed speed bumps for Machray Avenue and 15 for Powers Street, according to the city’s website.

Eadie said many residents don’t support the use of speed humps. He’d rather see streets narrowed, pressuring traffic to move slower.

“What I think we should be doing is when you have long blocks, we should be narrowing the street in the middle somewhere,” he said. “Speed bumps are just very controversial; they do damage vehicles (and) cause problems for cyclists and motor vehicles.”

The pilot project — which also affects Eugenie Street from St. Mary’s Road to Youville Street and Warsaw Avenue from Thurso Street to Pembina Highway in the south end of Winnipeg — will remain in place until next summer, after which the city will conduct a follow-up report.

For more information and maps, visit winnipeg.ca/greenwaypilot