Manitoba Highways

[KnickKnack]

It's not exactly super clear from the article but I think their issue is with option 2b and 3b, which would have the highway pass falcon beach town on more or less the existing alignment then make a swing north to go around barren lake and require some expropriation (not sure if that's the right term given the land is leased) of the ranch property.

Options 2a and 3a go further north around the ranch but result in the highway moving away from the town, and they're concerned about losing business.

https://wfpquantum.s3.amazonaws.com/...esentation.pdf

I'm glad they aren't wasting any more time with the goofy alternatives south of falcon or north of west hawk that connect to nothing on the ontario side. Seems like the easiest solution for everyone involved is just to follow the existing alignment if they can find a way to squeeze in the interchange at falcon.

[bomberjet]

2b or 3b. If they can properly expand the highway and interchnages on the current alignment, I'd also be fine with that i guess.

But in general 2b would be my overall preffered choice to move the highway traffic away from falcon. Bypassing wouldn't really affect business in Falcon that much as there's really nothing at falcon that highway users driving through need to stop at.

[drew]

^ agreed. I am back and forth from Kenora routinely and we never stop at Falcon (unless we are camping there).

The gas stations at Prawda are positioned way better for that purpose.

[Dengler Avenue]

https://www.ckdr.net/2025/07/04/123520/
Meanwhile, on the Ontario side, Phase 2 might start this fall.
It’ll be interesting to see which one gets done first: the Falcon Lake stretch or the Kenora stretch.

[drew]

MB will make sure that their section is fully twinned just slightly before Ontario is fully twinned to Kenora.

Similar to what happened on the west border when Sask. was twinning their last sections of the highway.

[KnickKnack]

I’m sure the cottagers on falcon would appreciate moving the highway traffic away from the shore, but a new alignment through the forest in a provincial park might be a tough sell.

[Mr Tall Forehead]

I drive that stretch regularly in the summer. Manitoba has a tough/expensive decision to deal with Barren Lake, Ontario has a tougher/more expensive decision when they have to deal with Granite Lake and the whole Clearwater Bay area when they eventually get to their Phase 3 twinning.

[Dengler Avenue]

MTO can technically eke out 70 m of ROW for TCH through Clearwater Bay, but that will result in a 15-m median where the access road to both sides of the hamlet intersects the highway. That can easily become the Carberry situation.
Most likely, MTO will swing the divided 4 lanes north of Clearwater Bay and south of Rice Lake before rejoining it to the current alignment near Caribou Lake.

[craner]

Originally Posted by Dengler Avenue

https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/br...anada-twinning
There’s a paywall but the title may give you an idea.
I am checking the map. The current twinned portion actually ends at a strategic spot, so that a completely new alignment to the north of the ranch (and north of Barren Lake) is doable.

Thanks for the link Dengler - pretty much what I figured.
As Biff says - lets get this done. Not sure why it takes 3 years to study the options - there only seems to be 2 that are viable. And I’m with bomberjet - 2b is my preferred.

[craner]

Originally Posted by Dengler Avenue

https://www.ckdr.net/2025/07/04/123520/
Meanwhile, on the Ontario side, Phase 2 might start this fall.
It’ll be interesting to see which one gets done first: the Falcon Lake stretch or the Kenora stretch.

C’mon Ontario - don’t lose momentum on this.

[bomberjet]

Where exactly is that latest open house material posted at? I know there's a link here. But I cant find it on the MB main site on the Engage site.

[bomberjet]

And ya this is a conceptual design study, not a functional plan.. ffs. After 3 years they still won't have any sort of info on actual design. And will take another 2 years to do that. And then need to do the actual design which will take more years. Such an extended process for a rather simple project imo.

I would assume they are looking at grades and such. But taking a really long time.

[Mr Tall Forehead]

A thorough and comprehensive public engagement process is political speak for kicking a project/issue/proposal down the road for 5-10 years.

[craner]

Why do they want to kick it down the road though ?
Wouldn’t be better to be a government that gets projects like this done ?

[Mr Tall Forehead]

This is the slow process to get projects to ‘shovel ready’. If as a government you support something but can’t pay for it, make sure you have done your homework and consultation

[Dengler Avenue]

^ and hope that Mr. Carney will fund your thing

[Biff]

Originally Posted by Dengler Avenue

https://www.ckdr.net/2025/07/04/123520/
Meanwhile, on the Ontario side, Phase 2 might start this fall.
It’ll be interesting to see which one gets done first: the Falcon Lake stretch or the Kenora stretch.

I'm not sure if that MP in the article really knew what he was talking about, but according to a Jul 2025 update on WSP, they have just picked the preferred alignment and are currently in Environmental Assessment. Maybe he meant the design could start this fall? Maybe some grubbing and clearing?

https://4lanehighway17kenora.ca/

[KnickKnack]

Originally Posted by bomberjet

Where exactly is that latest open house material posted at? I know there's a link here. But I cant find it on the MB main site on the Engage site.

I got the link from the free press article, I guess they must have got it from the province, but MTI has not updated their projects website. They are not quick about posting project updates.

[OTA in Winnipeg]

https://www.ontario.ca/page/ontarios-highway-programs

[Dengler Avenue]

^ That might get updated again this year.
Ps: How many of you Manitoban SSPers (besides @harls) have driven past Thunder Bay to check out Lake Superior (and the divided TCH east of Thunder Bay)?