Manitoba Highways

[CoryB]

Originally Posted by bomberjet

We talk so much about stuff and nothing happens. 59n/101 was a miracle. Hoping for another miracle to come of the south perimeter. Any other grandiose plans I hold basically zero hope of anything happening soon.

So we are saying citizens sunk millions into building the interchange to connect the Headingley bypass to the Perimeter but the road itself will never be built?

Of course the one time they try to do something right from the start...

[esquire]

Originally Posted by CoryB

So we are saying citizens sunk millions into building the interchange to connect the Headingley bypass to the Perimeter but the road itself will never be built?

Of course the one time they try to do something right from the start...

Well... they needed the interchange for CCW itself. So I guess at worst they built a couple of ramps that may not be needed for 25 years.

[CoryB]

Originally Posted by esquire

In terms of highway developments relevant to Winnipeggers, what has happened in the last 20 years? Basically the construction of CCW, 101/59 and the completion of TCH twinning to the Sask border.

In that same general timeframe, maybe slightly extended and tossing in major grade separations:

- NE Perimeter from 59N to 15
- CPT extension from Henderson to 59
- William Clement from Portage to Grant + new bridge over the Assinboine
- Bishop + Kennaston stacked interchange
- Kennaston extension from Wilkes to Bishop
- Bishop extension from Waverly to Wilkes
- Sterling Lyon Parkway (net new road)
- Kennaston underpass
- Waverly underpass
- Keewaitin underpasss (north of Ellice)

Pretty sure McPhillips was twinned from the Perimeter to almost Lelia in that same time frame.

Also 59/101 included major road rework from 213 through to Headmaster

[esquire]

I was talking about provincial highways as opposed to city road projects... the only provincial projects you have on that list occurred nearly 25 years ago (NE Perimeter completion) or are what I would regard as relatively minor (fixing up 59 from Headmaster to Birds Hill Road... basically part of the interchange project).

[bomberjet]

What I'm saying is the Province (MI) moves at a snails pace to get these major projects done. So yes, it will likely be many years before the next major thing comes along. Seems that is St. Mary's and 101. Centreport been on the books in many forms for like 6 decades. 59N/101 took 25 years from the original construction. Those are the timelines we deal with in Manitoba. Like it or not, that's what it is.

They do a lot more reconstructions that anything new, which is of course much needed.

The City gets much more done than the Province, with the limited amount of funding. Even then those projects have been planed since the 60's. Just a slow, slow process.

[Bdog]

Originally Posted by esquire

In terms of highway developments relevant to Winnipeggers, what has happened in the last 20 years? Basically the construction of CCW, 101/59 and the completion of TCH twinning to the Sask border. Pretty well everything else fits into the category of minor changes or routine maintenance. And the first half of that 20 year stretch were relatively good economic times. The second half was much tougher. And now it's probably going to get even worse for a while which does not bode well.

Honestly, at the rate things move around here, just getting one new interchange somewhere on the south Perimeter in the next 5 years would count as a win.

Highway 59 was twinned and rerouted south of Winnipeg for 10 miles about 20 years ago.

[blueandgoldguy]

The Yellowhead saw significant improvements the past decade - additional/lengthened passing lanes, improved shoulders, curves in the highway brought up to current safe standards. Hwy 6 also saw improvements in road safety with grades in the curves brought to higher standards. Hwy 7 saw a significant rebuild in additional to extended merge lanes (around stony mountain) in 2012-13. I think Mcphillips st. north of the city saw signifant improvements as well a decade or so ago. I can't remember which particular hwys, but some of the roads in the north saw notable improvements.

[Spocket]

Originally Posted by CoryB

The Oakbank highway is not a "new" highway but rather a relocation/twining on HWY 15 from approximately the Perimeter to 206 (aka the north/south road through Oakbank, Dugald and Lorette).

Well, I'd say that if you're building a brand new highway but only keeping the provincial designation, that's still a new highway. Is there anything there right now? No. So, if you build it, that makes it new.

[plrh]

Let's not forget that the province has been spending 20-30m per year for the last few years paving shoulders on the trans canada and 75 to allow for the 110 speed limit. Probably close to $200m total on that.

[bomberjet]

A lot of that stuff would go under the maintenance category I mentioned. which is great and sorely needed. But expensive new interchanges or highways are the rarity and have been spaced out over decades. Hoping we see that time frame come down and more of the new things get done as well.

[1ajs]

if the gold mine moves forward in lynn lake i woud imagin the 391 will get a new bridge on the churchill since its max load is only 40tuns and they will need to be able to bring heavy loads up to builda new mill and such

[esquire]

Originally Posted by bomberjet

A lot of that stuff would go under the maintenance category I mentioned. which is great and sorely needed. But expensive new interchanges or highways are the rarity and have been spaced out over decades. Hoping we see that time frame come down and more of the new things get done as well.

This is what I was getting at. I'm not concerned with nice but relatively trivial upgrades like paving shoulders, smoothing out curves, passing lanes, a new bridge, etc., but significant improvements - mainly twinning projects, interchanges, new highways. I'd imagine that the only province we are ahead of in that regard over the last 20 years is PEI, and even then I wouldn't bet much money on that.

[Dengler Avenue]

P.E.I. doesn't even have 4-lane divided freeways, so that comparison isn't meaningful.
I would compare you guys to N.L. instead.

[3de14eec6a]

Originally Posted by Bdog

Highway 59 was twinned and rerouted south of Winnipeg for 10 miles about 20 years ago.

I remember when it happened, there was talk about continuing it the rest of the way to the border by 2020. But the 75 has always been the more important route to the states.

[Dengler Avenue]

I've always wondered why the states will want to touch U.S. 59 when there's already I-29...

[Biff]

Originally Posted by Dengler Avenue

P.E.I. doesn't even have 4-lane divided freeways, so that comparison isn't meaningful.

...neither does Manitoba

[WildCake]

Originally Posted by Biff

...neither does Manitoba

C'mon Biff, if you look past the woefutlly inadequate entry and exit lanes, Perimeter between Main Street to 59 north is a 4km strip of freeway.

[Andy6]

Originally Posted by esquire

This is what I was getting at. I'm not concerned with nice but relatively trivial upgrades like paving shoulders, smoothing out curves, passing lanes, a new bridge, etc., but significant improvements - mainly twinning projects, interchanges, new highways. I'd imagine that the only province we are ahead of in that regard over the last 20 years is PEI, and even then I wouldn't bet much money on that.

There is just a lot of maintenance and improvement to do, with little left over for extra lanes and interchanges. Also, the NDP (given where its MLAs were from) put a lot of emphasis on northern roads, such as the expensive road to Berens River, which isn't quite a freeway but I imagine still an important economic development tool for the people up there.

[Spocket]

Originally Posted by Biff

...neither does Manitoba

Ah! Not entirely true. The Disreali Freeway is the one stretch of roadway in Manitoba that counts as a freeway. So, we have what, 0.3 kilometers of freeway? Take that, PEI!

[esquire]

Originally Posted by Spocket

Ah! Not entirely true. The Disreali Freeway is the one stretch of roadway in Manitoba that counts as a freeway. So, we have what, 0.3 kilometers of freeway? Take that, PEI!

Doesn't the North Perimeter from Wenzel Rd to Main Street meet the standards of a freeway? It would extend as far west as Pipeline Road were it not for the level railway crossing that exists just west of Main and the one or two service road access points around there.