Winnipeg | Portage and Main

[OTA in Winnipeg]

Originally Posted by cllew

I can see some community activist groups complaining that the monument would be "militarizing" those two locations.

Maybe it would be a good fit in front of Minto Armoury or Lieutenant-Colonel Harcus Strachan, VC, MC Armoury (aka McGregor Armoury). The Canadian Armed Forces would probably be willing to accept it for display for its historic value.

Or if more viability is desired maybe in the green space around Ness & Conway by 17 Wing. The is already the static jet display there so there would be a bit of a military tie in.

The legislative grounds or these two.

[The Jabroni]

Originally Posted by ColdRain&Snow

Surely they could find somewhere more prominent for it than a cemetery by the airport.

Had a roundabout been part of this plan, it would have been the perfect centrepiece on the roundabout island in the middle of Portage and Main. This may have been in previous plans in years past.

[pspeid]

It's starting!

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/portage-main-intersection-traffic-work-opening-1.7349978

[ColdRain&Snow]

^ Great news!

[The Jabroni]

It's about time.

Will be worth it come Canada Day next July.

[michelleb]

The city has published a "Portage & Main" project page: https://www.winnipeg.ca/city-governance/city-projects/portage-main

There's a link to more detailed "Recommended Vision Renderings" from HTFC dated Aug 2023 that were shown to "stakeholders" and property owners, clearly finalized without foreknowledge of the mayor's bombshell announcement about closing the concourse: https://clkapps.winnipeg.ca/DMIS/ViewPdf.asp?SectionId=722007

[bon_vivant]

I hope we get to see some updated renderings eventually because it's going to look nothing like that. The circular pattern is pretty but I doubt that will actually happen, given our seeming inability to properly maintain even the most basic of roads.

[bomberjet]

For clarity, what is shown in the fancy renderings is not what's being installed now. That work is part of the Downtown Corridors project, which is mentioned at the bottom of the City page. I don't know if we've seen anything of what the current project will look like. Buy it'll likely just be normal curbs and sidewalk with the dark strip.

Note, the City seems to have gone from paving stones to some type of asphalt/concrete pavement for those dark strips on the sidewalks.

[bomberjet]

I also don't think the City will actually close the underground. They're bluffing. Someone here surmised it's a ploy to get the landowners to pay for it.

[Mr Tall Forehead]

Originally Posted by bomberjet

I also don't think the City will actually close the underground. They're bluffing. Someone here surmised it's a ploy to get the landowners to pay for it.

Yep. Partially a ploy to get the landowners to contribute towards the repairs (they'll never pay for the whole thing, but should pay part) and partially a ploy to rationalize opening the intersection for the suburban boomers who voted 'no' during the referendum (the fear of raising taxes is much greater than the horror of spending an extra 20 seconds at an intersection they rarely travel to).

[neutroniks]

I imagine it'll have mostly bollards

[OTA in Winnipeg]

Barricades starting to go up as I traveled through the intersection today.

[cllew]

looked at the MERX tender result link and if I am reading it right there was only one bidder on the project. (MD Steele Construction Ltd)

Either the construction industry is really busy or most general contractors don't want to touch it for some reason.

[plrh]

It's a project management heavy job. There is no contractor who can do more than half of the work on it. Most contractors don't want to manage jobs this big and not have a lot of pay items to mark up. The large GCs don't want it either because there is no building on it.

There is a lot of work with a lot of risk and not a lot of places to put big profits in. Also tendering season is upon us, so many contractors will choose to wait for something easier.

[bomberjet]

Originally Posted by OTA in Winnipeg

Barricades starting to go up as I traveled through the intersection today.

There was a guy cutting concrete in the SB lanes with the big saw at like 9:45 this morning as I went through. He was moving the barricades from one lane to the next.

[OTA in Winnipeg]

Originally Posted by bomberjet

There was a guy cutting concrete in the SB lanes with the big saw at like 9:45 this morning as I went through. He was moving the barricades from one lane to the next.

Ah, he was on the NE corner when I went through. I thought it was the beginning of them blocking off the one lane on each corner.

[Biff]

Estimated budget was $13m - bid came in at just over $16m

[Malcsta]

Forgive me for being out of the loop - but will we see any additional cosmetic changes in this project? any banners, art, flag poles etc or is it just going to be a basic pedestrian crossing? didnt we see renders of some overhangs, greenery, and the like?

[pspeid]

Originally Posted by Malcsta

Forgive me for being out of the loop - but will we see any additional cosmetic changes in this project? any banners, art, flag poles etc or is it just going to be a basic pedestrian crossing? didnt we see renders of some overhangs, greenery, and the like?

I think this first stage is just opening the intersection, re-building curbs, etc., not part of an overall beautification plan.

Wasn't there supposed to be a BRT stop in the area? Wouldn't a beautification plan have to wait until that's completed?

[neutroniks]

Originally Posted by pspeid

I think this first stage is just opening the intersection, re-building curbs, etc., not part of an overall beautification plan.

Wasn't there supposed to be a BRT stop in the area? Wouldn't a beautification plan have to wait until that's completed?

BRT stop will be right in front of the Richardson building