Wolseley to West Alexander Corridor

The Pedestrian and Cycling Strategies identify the Wolseley to West Alexander Corridor as a high priority. It will create an important cycling network connection in the area, providing access to numerous schools, community amenities and businesses. This study will be the basis for including cycling infrastructure in future street renewal programs. Based on public feedback and technical analysis the recommended design includes signage, pedestrian and cyclist push button signals, raised crosswalks/intersections, right in/right out islands, vehicular directional closures, and median barriers. Further information on feedback provided by citizens throughout this study is available in the public engagement report.

Design treatments along the route were evaluated based on a number of criteria to understand the benefits and impacts on all road users. The evaluation criteria were developed after engaging with stakeholders to gather input about what is important to those who live, travel through, visit or work in the project area. Public participants evaluated design treatments based on whether they met the top two project priorities. In addition participants rated their level of support for specific intersection treatments.

All treatments have considerations for impacts on vehicle, pedestrian and bicycle traffic. The recommended design was determined based on treatments that were ranked highest through public input in terms of cycling comfort and safety, and based on technical analysis.

View the recommended design.

Design features for the corridor, where cycling will continue to go both ways throughout:

• Palmertson Avenue to Westminster Avenue will remain the same, with the addition of raised intersections at Wolseley and Westminster avenues.
• Westminster Avenue to Preston Avenue will be one-way northbound with parking on the east side of the street.
• Preston Avenue to Portage Avenue will remain the same.
• Median barriers will be installed at the Portage Avenue intersection, which will prevent left turns out of, and in to, Ruby Street and Banning Street. Through movements along Ruby Street - Banning Street will also be prevented. Pedestrian/bicycle activated push buttons will also be added.
• Portage Avenue to Einarson Avenue remains the same with a raised intersection at Einarson Avenue. The four-way stop will change to a two-way stop for the cross streets, allowing north/south traffic to flow.
• Einarson Avenue to St. Matthews Avenue will have a raised crosswalk by Greenway School.
• The intersection at St. Matthews Avenue will have right in/right out islands and be upgraded to a half signal with pedestrian/bicycle activated push buttons.
• St. Matthews Avenue to Ellice Avenue will remain the same.
• The intersection at Ellice Avenue will add pedestrian/bicycle activated push buttons.
• Ellice Avenue to Sargent Avenue will be one-way northbound with parking and loading on the east side of the street. There will be two raised crosswalks at General Wolfe School and the egress at Sargent Avenue will be right turn only.
• The intersection at Sargent Avenue will be upgraded to a full signal with pedestrian/bicycle activated push buttons.
• Sargent Avenue to Wellington Avenue will have a raised intersection at McIntyre Avenue, and a raised crosswalk at Daniel McIntyre Collegiate.
• The intersection at Wellington Avenue will be upgraded to a full signal with pedestrian/bicycle activated push buttons.
• Wellington Avenue to the back lane before Notre Dame Avenue will be one-way northbound with parking on the east side of the street. Past the back lane the parking will continue on the east side of the street, while the street will remain two-way.

Upon further investigation, the traffic impacts at Notre Dame Avenue and Arlington Street were too great to proceed with a connection using this route. The intersection has a high utilization for all movements of vehicle traffic. With the current geometry, it was not possible to maintain the necessary four lanes of traffic or adequately accommodate the transit stops and the required protected bike lanes. The intersection is highly complex and very well used. Further, with the anticipated construction of the Arlington bridge, this will further the demands of this intersection.

Instead, the northern connection will proceed along a shared sidewalk on the west side of Banning Street and south side of Notre Dame Avenue, utilizing current crossings, and connecting to the bike lane on McDermot Avenue through a bi-directional protected bike lane on the east side of McPhillips Street.

Next Steps and Future Considerations

The City will review the project to determine how it fits with other City priorities and future budget considerations.

The creation of a parklet (i.e. public greenspace) on Ruby Street between Preston Avenue and the backlane at Portage Avenue was proposed as a potential street treatment. While this treatment received a lot of public support, views from fronting properties were mixed. This treatment could be reconsidered at this location, along with the section on Banning Street between Sargent Avenue and McIntyre Avenue, if funding becomes available, if fronting properties are supportive.

Further information on feedback provided by citizens throughout this study is available in the public engagement report.

A range of treatments were presented to create a neighbourhood greenway to make travel more comfortable for people of all ages and abilities. Neighbourhood greenways are bike routes introduced on streets with low vehicle speeds and volumes.

Treatments can be scaled to affect and increase the level of traffic calming on the street by impacting traffic flow and vehicle, pedestrian, and bicycle speed. Opportunities are available to tailor treatment levels based on the unique conditions throughout the corridor.

A neighbourhood greenway has a minimal impact on street parking. Some of the recommended treatments require a change to the side of the street parking occurs.

View the detailed drawings of the recommended design.

Phase 2

Thank you to everyone who has taken time to fill out our online survey or join us at the street event. The survey available on this website from September 1 – 29, 2017 received 171 responses. A street event at Greenway School included about 100 participants, which included the Bike Education and Skills Training Session.

Previous Engagement

Phase 1

Thank you to all who attended pop-up events from April 19 to 28. The project team had approximately 316 interactions with people at the events and received valuable feedback from participants.

As well, 87 parents and children took part in a project-related Flaming Cheetah's ride on May 3, and 25 people participated in a project-related Jane's Walk on May 6. An online survey and mapping tool were available from April 7 to May 19. Over 300 surveys were collected online.

If you would like to stay updated on City of Winnipeg public engagement events, follow the City on Facebook and Twitter or sign up for our newsletter.

Since February School Travel Planning has been taking place with Greenway School, General Wolfe School, and Daniel McIntyre Collegiate, which is occurring along with this study. The goal of School Travel Planning is to encourage walking and cycling to school, enhance school and traffic safety in the area, and improve overall options for people of all ages and abilities to walk or cycle.

The three schools have completed the data collection phase, participating in classroom hands-up surveys, family take home surveys, and traffic counts. A variety of stakeholders were engaged on a school walkabout to see the barriers in the community and to discuss potential school transportation goals and solutions. Students were also engaged through participation in several classroom presentations and photovoice workshops that visually documented their perspectives along the corridor.

The data and feedback from the schools is currently being integrated into the study and is being considered when developing the treatments for the neighbourhood greenway.

In the fall each school will be presented with a final travel plan to support them in their priorities and to encourage active transportation in their communities.

If you would like to get more involved at the school level to support this initiative, please contact your school principal.

Timeline

In November 2011, City Council approved the Transportation Master Plan (TMP). A key underlying goal of the TMP is to expand the range of travel options that are available to residents, workers and visitors, and to ensure that people are not dependent on one single mode of transportation. The TMP also called for the development of the Pedestrian and Cycling Strategies.

In 2015, City Council approved the Winnipeg Pedestrian and Cycling Strategies (PCS), which provide a long-range policy framework for active modes of transportation for the next 20 years.

The Wolseley to West Alexander Corridor is a high priority in the PCS. It will create an important cycling network connection in the area, providing access to numerous schools, community amenities and businesses. This study will be the basis for including cycling infrastructure in future street renewal programs.

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