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Bike Winnipeg 2015 Budget Priorities

The Next Mayor and Council Must Put Winnipeg onto a More Sustainable Path

The mayor and council elected on October 22nd will have the opportunity to set Winnipeg on the path to sustainability by passing the pedestrian and cycling strategies that have been under development for the past 18 months, and by providing the resources over the next 20 years to ensure that the plan is implemented in a timely manner.

2015 Budget Priorities

Bike Winnipeg would like to see all candidates for mayor and council commit to work toward the development of a budget and 5 year capital plan for 2015 that sets forth the following priorities:

  • Declare a goal to encourage 5% of trips to be made by bicycle within 5 years
  • Increase Staffing dedicated to AT
  • Develop A Vision Zero Policy and Action Plan That Includes
    • Outreach & Education Programs
    • Safety Audits to help Identify Dangerous Intersections and Roadways
    • Funding to develop Slow Zones in neighbourhoods expressing a desire for reduced traffic speeds
    • Increased Enforcement of Dangerous Traffic Violations
  • List implementation of the pedestrian and cycling strategies as a priority project to receive funding out of the Building Canada Fund
  • Commit to dedicate spending of $150 million for Active Transportation projects over the next six years
  • Develop an Education/Promotion Program reaching out to all areas of the city.

We all Benefit when Walking and Biking Become Safe and Convenient

A mayor and council who follow this strategy will be putting in place the elements of a vision to truly transform transportation in Winnipeg, and will be putting our city on a path to achieving the following benefits:

  • A more affluent and livable city
  • A healthier population
  • A city characterized by vibrant, diverse neighbourhoods
  • 50,000 trips/day shifted from autos to bicycles
  • An annual green dividend of $7 million generated from reduced transportation costs.

It’s Time to Make Improvements to Walking and Cycling a Priority

These are achievable goals, and a price tag of $150 million over 6 years is not at all out of line with the cost of other major projects within the city budget. Unlike the mainly localized benefits associated with most major capital projects, the nature & affordability of pedestrian and bicycle oriented projects mean that the benefits this package of infrastructure improvements will be distributed throughout the city.

The projects detailed below will produce the connectivity and desirability in our pedestrian and bicycle networks needed to achieve the 3% modal shift needed to realize the benefits listed above.

Priority Bicycle Related Projects for the 2015 Budget (in green)

 

Project Estimated Cost
Downtown Protected Bike Lanes $8,000,000
University of Winnipeg Connectivity Improvements $2,200,000
St. Mathews Improvements and Extensions $3,750,000
McPhillips Greenway $20,300,000
Winnipeg Beach Greenway $23,850,000
Pembina Highway Improvements $8,000,000
Bikeway Intersection Improvements $1,500,000
Disraeli/NPG Connectiion Improvements $400,000
Transcona Connectivity Improvements $3,440,000
Provencher Boulevard Protected Bike Lanes $1,030,000
Arlington Protected Bike Lanes $3,360,000
South Winnipeg Parkway Improvements $1,980,000
Nassau-Assiniboine Connection Improvements $600,000
North Winnipeg Parkway Improvements $350,000
Eugenie/Norwood Bridge Connectivity Improvements $125,000
U of M – St. Vital Red River Crossing $21,000,000
Ferry Road Protected Bike Lanes $1,180,000
Osborne Underpass Rehabilitation $5,000,000
Bishop Grandin Greenway/Pembina Highway Over/Underpass $10,000,000
D’Arcy-U of M Connectivity Improvements $530,000
St. Vital Neighbourhood Greenways $800,000
Enfield/St. Jean Baptiste Neighbourhood Greenway $680,000
Glenlawn Gap $250,000
Marlene-Shorehill Connection $400,000
Kingsbury Neighbourhood Greenway $750,000
River/Stradbrook Protected Bike Lanes $4,200,000
Waverley Pathway – Chevrier to Scurfield $200,000
Riverside Neighbourhood Greenway $400,000
Riviera/Plaza Pathway $2,000,000
Lagimodiere Pathway – Regent to Maginot $2,390,000
Bruce Avenue Neighbourhood Greenways $250,000
Thundering Bison SWRTC Connection $150,000
Fort Gibralter-Assiniboine Connection $300,000
  • Arterial Roadway Studies
  • Archibald Underpass Study
  • Improve Surface Conditions
  • Define a “White Network”
  • Empress/BNSF Corridor Study
  • Expand & Improve Bicycle Parking
  • Wayfinding Strategy
  • Main Street Underpass Study
  • Wellington/River/Stradbrook Study
  • Concordia/Kimberley Corridor Study