Nairn Avenue Reconstruction and Watermain Renewal Project

This project is part of the City’s Regional Street Renewal Program, which means roads included in the City’s regional street network will be reconstructed to increase their lifespan and improve their condition. Work includes installing a new watermain and constructing a new pavement structure and sidewalks. The designs include operational and geometric improvements, and upgrades to meet pedestrian accessibility standards.

The project involves Nairn Avenue between Stadacona Street and Watt Street.

• Nairn Avenue between Stadacona Street and Allan Street will see the installation of a new watermain on the south side of the roadway.
• Nairn Avenue between Stadacona Street and Watt Street will be completely reconstructed with a new concrete structure including new curbs and sidewalks. 

Construction will occur from April to October 2022.

Pedestrian facilities will be designed according to the latest accessibility standards and will also focus on serving individuals with visual impairments. New design features include yellow detectable warning tiles, realigned pedestrian crossings including a new pedestrian island at the intersection of Nairn Avenue and Stadacona Street, and constructing a pedestrian half-signal at the intersection of Nairn Avenue and Allan Street.

We are attempting to mitigate major concerns, and will work with stakeholders to minimize construction impacts. Some impacts are inevitable and include:

• Lane reductions
• Directional closures
• Parking removal and restrictions
• Reduced access from intersecting local streets and alleys
• Bus stop relocations or temporary stop cancellations, and bus route detours

If you feel you may be affected by the construction phase (but have not yet heard from us), please reach out directly to Taran J Peters at tpeters@dillon.ca.

Nairn Avenue will remain open to traffic but will have lane impacts and directional closures throughout construction. As with any road construction project, there will be traffic implications. We will be initiating proactive public communications once staging is complete to ensure the public is aware of staging, rerouting, lane closures, parking restrictions/removal, and project progress.

The traffic lanes on Nairn Avenue are very narrow. Since we do not want to widen the road to encroach the private property, there is limited room to reconstruct the pavement, provide room for construction equipment, and provide safe passage for the public and the Contractor all at the same time. During this stage only, only one eastbound lane will be available as westbound traffic will be re-routed to Talbot Avenue. Signage will be placed in advance of the westbound lane closure to warn drivers. After this stage, one lane of traffic will be available in both directions.

All businesses on the south side of Nairn Avenue within the project limits will still be accessible throughout Stage 1. As with any road construction project, access to certain businesses or properties may be limited at times during each stage. The project has been designed to minimize the impact the construction has on the businesses within the project limits.

During Stage 1, westbound transit service will be re-routed to Talbot Avenue along with all westbound traffic. Eastbound transit service will still be maintained throughout the project area with the addition of accessibility platforms/ramps. Eastbound transit service stops may be relocated throughout Stage 1 as pedestrian access points are changed, and may be re-routed to Talbot Avenue if this can’t be maintained. During Stage 2 and 3, transit stops will be relocated back to Nairn Avenue as at least one lane of traffic will be available in both directions.

We have designed the project to minimize the removal of trees, however some trees will be removed since they are encroaching the sidewalk, creating a safety risk for pedestrians. Approximately seven trees will be removed from the south boulevard between Desalaberry Avenue and Watt Street. The remainder of the trees along Nairn Avenue are being protected during construction and saved.

We encourage those who feel they may be affected but have not yet heard from us to reach out directly to Taran J Peters at tpeters@dillon.ca.

While the City continues to evaluate its services and projects amid the COVID-19 pandemic, road construction is considered an essential service by the Province of Manitoba and at this time is expected to proceed as planned with the following considerations:

• Our contractors are working with their industry and public health officials to determine safe work procedures for construction sites.
• In-person outreach and consultations to help us understand the needs of property owners adjacent to regional road renewals and other non-Capital projects will now be done remotely via phone, regular mail, email or other online channels.
• We are evaluating options for public engagement on larger capital projects and looking at how to continue to stay connected to Winnipeggers and their feedback and input. Updates on specific projects and their timelines will be provided once information is available.

We are doing our best to reach stakeholders in a timely and efficient manner but also understand that normal is changing every day and people may no longer be reachable where, or how, we once expected.

If you are a stakeholder on an upcoming project and have new or temporary contact information, please reach out to PWDCommunications@winnipeg.ca.

Please reach out to us. Send an email to PWDCommunications@winnipeg.ca and we will have the project team contact you.