Winnipeg Roads & Infrastructure

[jmt18325]

Seriously though, that level of infrastructure spending really has my attention.

[Chrisforpm]

Originally Posted by jmt18325

It's really no different than the PCs promising to lower taxes and increase investment. No one is being realistic.

The difference being that we have given one party 17 years to get things done and they haven't. Just more debt piled on to pay for later.

[jmt18325]

Originally Posted by Chrisforpm

The difference being that we have given one party 17 years to get things done and they haven't. Just more debt piled on to pay for later.

Our infrastructure has been steadily improving for a decade. In 2005, the spending level for highways was about $150M per year, what it had been for 15 years. In 2006, it was $250M. In 2007, it went up to $400M. In 2010~ it went to about $550M. Last year, we spent over $700M. If there's one thing I do trust the NDP on, it's infrastructure.

[Chrisforpm]

Originally Posted by jmt18325

Our infrastructure has been steadily improving for a decade. In 2005, the spending level for highways was about $150M per year, what it had been for 15 years. In 2006, it was $250M. In 2007, it went up to $400M. In 2010~ it went to about $550M. Last year, we spent over $700M. If there's one thing I do trust the NDP on, it's infrastructure.

I understand your point, however you have to have some perspective on the time period. During the 90s the federal govt of Jean Chrétien were cutting billions from health and transfers in order to get their books in order. The provinces (Filmon in MB) could barely afford health let alone spending on infrastructure. There was barely enough money to fix the pot holes let alone spending billions on restoration. When the NDP took over in 1999 the worst of the cuts were ending and the Feds began investing that money back to the provinces. The NDP was fortunate to be in office during the growth of the 2000s along with the restoring of transfers which allowed them to reinvest money back into roads.

With the Feds ponying up big cash for infrastructure in their released budget yesterday, flash forward 4 years from now. You could probably say the same thing about a PC govt under Pallister investing big dollars in infrastructure. It's not just about the provincial budget, the Feds have a lot to do with what we can and can't spend on.

[jmt18325]

I understand that, and if the PCs come out with a plan I can get behind, I will. I haven't seen it yet.

Hey, it took Trudeau about 50 days to convince me. There's a lot of time left yet.

[Chrisforpm]

Originally Posted by jmt18325

I understand that, and if the PCs come out with a plan I can get behind, I will. I haven't seen it yet.

Hey, it took Trudeau about 50 days to convince me. There's a lot of time left yet.

The one thing I hope to see from the PC's is what they will do with infrastructure. I think if they continue with the already announced projects and keep funding the same or more, they will get a lot more votes.

[bomberjet]

Originally Posted by optimusREIM

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manito...tion-1.3504206

So the NDP is pledging to really speed up some infrastructure projects. Not only that but the amount promised has doubled!!!! I wonder where this money is coming from!

Same place the PC's are getting the money, after they cut back the PST? Both are pledging infrastructure, with no money.

Relying on Trudeaus dole out doesn't count either.

[buzzg]

I just saw a new PC ad that only talked about cutting ambulance bills in half as if this was some sort of major election issue. It was really bizarre... trying to get some seniors from NDP I guess? It was so strange.

[jmt18325]

Ambulance fees in Manitoba can be more than 10x as much as they are in Ontario for rural residents. It's a big issue for the rural PC base.

[LilZebra]

The Campaign Trail: Inner Ring Road, Tourism and CFS

http://www.cjob.com/2016/04/06/the-c...d-tourism-and/

"A re-elected NDP government would pay half the cost of finishing the inner ring road in Winnipeg.

Leader Greg Selinger says his party would fund half of the up to $130 million project to extend Chief Peguis trail and close the loop."

Yes, but $130 M doesn't buy a whole lot of infrastructure these days. Just look at the joke BRT Today's NDP "helped" to pay for.

Manitoba election: NDP promises roads, rail relocation, rapid transit

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manito...toba-1.3523139

"The CPR Yards...you could bring the North End and the South End together..."

I'm not sure I would be comfortable with that.

[bomberjet]

That NDP thing was a bit weird. $130M gets you a 1/3 share of the ~$400M Chief Peguis Extension. Money that has already been committed to by the NDP (basically). And their drawing sucked too.

[Spocket]

It really only gets us the roadways without any of the stuff like overpasses and other grade separations. At this point in time I personally don't see that the need is there for this loop to be completed as we have the Perimeter if you want to go around and you can access the suburban industrial parks pretty easily from it.

If the money is going to go towards roadways then we should be putting it into overpasses to ease the congestion that already exists. We'd get a lot more out of a limited access Bishop or Lagimodiere than another ring road we don't really need.

[rrskylar]

Originally Posted by Spocket

It really only gets us the roadways without any of the stuff like overpasses and other grade separations. At this point in time I personally don't see that the need is there for this loop to be completed as we have the Perimeter if you want to go around and you can access the suburban industrial parks pretty easily from it.

If the money is going to go towards roadways then we should be putting it into overpasses to ease the congestion that already exists. We'd get a lot more out of a limited access Bishop or Lagimodiere than another ring road we don't really need.

Disagree with you on the need for the inner ring road, I believe that it is a priority, there's far too much truck traffic on roads that they have no place being, it's the heavy truck traffic that breaks down city streets a lot faster than they should.

Drove down Main all the way to Chief the other day and can't believe the poor condition of Main from Inkster to Kildonan Park, don't think I ever saw a city street in that need of repair so badly in a dozen former Soviet bloc cities in Eastern Europe!

[drew]

Originally Posted by rrskylar

there's far too much truck traffic on roads that they have no place being, it's the heavy truck traffic that breaks down city streets a lot faster than they should.

Trucks are bad, but IMO it's the transit buses that by far do the most damage to the streets.

[Spocket]

Originally Posted by rrskylar

Disagree with you on the need for the inner ring road, I believe that it is a priority, there's far too much truck traffic on roads that they have no place being, it's the heavy truck traffic that breaks down city streets a lot faster than they should.

Drove down Main all the way to Chief the other day and can't believe the poor condition of Main from Inkster to Kildonan Park, don't think I ever saw a city street in that need of repair so badly in a dozen former Soviet bloc cities in Eastern Europe!

I get your point but the question is whether or not those big rigs would actually use the inner ring road as intended.
You could be right of course, I don't mean to say that there's no way it would make a difference. Maybe it would, I really don't know. I think that if most trucks aren't going from some point in a city to another but rather from one city to another, they're still going to use those other routes when they're the most efficient way to get around. That's why I'm not sure what we've got isn't enough already. It would make more sense to reinforce those routes from the Perimeter to the industrial parks in my opinion.

As to the condition of Main, that may have more to do with the climate than a lack of repair or heavy truck traffic. That's what we've always been told anyway so it's something to consider.

[CoryB]

Originally Posted by Spocket

I get your point but the question is whether or not those big rigs would actually use the inner ring road as intended.

Where the large commercial trucks can travel is heavily restricted and regulated. You see that with some of the "truck route" and "not a truck route" signs already. You also don't see the double or triple trailer setups driving through downtown Winnipeg as they are even further router restricted. There is no reason to think that if the inner ring road is built that those trucks would not be using it as intended, especially if it makes their trips quicker.

[Bluenote]

Originally Posted by drew

Trucks are bad, but IMO it's the transit buses that by far do the most damage to the streets.

Exactly. The worst lanes are always the bus lanes.

[bomberjet]

Anytime a road is renewed now, they put concrete in at the bus stops instead of asphalt. Buses tear up the roads pretty good due to the repetitiveness of transit routes.

[Bluenote]

Originally Posted by bomberjet

Anytime a road is renewed now, they put concrete in at the bus stops instead of asphalt. Buses tear up the roads pretty good due to the repetitiveness of transit routes.

They need to use concrete period. Asphalt on downtown routes lasts maybe 8 years max. Concrete lasts 20 plus.

[rrskylar]

Originally Posted by Bluenote

They need to use concrete period. Asphalt on downtown routes lasts maybe 8 years max. Concrete lasts 20 plus.

Or two terms for a city Councillor, which past that is outside their realm of thinking! You don't have to go far to see where roads are constructed properly in the same climate and soil conditions, Fargo's roads are in ten times better shape than Winnipeg's!