Winnipeg Roads & Infrastructure

[Spocket]

Originally Posted by rrskylar

And the speed limit has been reduced to 60KMPH, funny how most roadways in the northern half of Winnipeg including the four lane divided roads are all 50 and 60 and in the southern half of the city roads like Sterling Lyon, Wilkes, McGillivray etc. etc. are 70 and 80!

But it's obvious why that's the case: Most new development has been in the south and more modern planning practices have enabled higher speed roads.

[cllew]

For those that enjoy stats MPI released their 2019 Traffic Collision Accident Stat report:

https://www.mpi.mb.ca/Documents/TCSR2019.pdf

[cslusarc]

I recently heard a story on CBC's "As it Happens" about Continuous Flow Intersections. After learning what they were I think the City of Winnipeg in partnership with the Province should re-engineer the intersection of Lagemodière at Grassie to become a Continuous Flow Intersection.
Why? Lagemodière is an expressway which if located in Winnipeg should be engineered to avoid having a traffic jam. Unfortunately during both rush hours, but especially in the afternoon rush hour, this intersection is over capacity backing up traffic so much that it frequently takes up to five or more light cycles to get through. A Continuous Flow Intersection attempts to maximize traffic throughput by eliminating the left turn phase of the light cycle, allowing through traffic to go straight on the primary route.

[rrskylar]

Originally Posted by cslusarc

I recently heard a story on CBC's "As it Happens" about Continuous Flow Intersections. After learning what they were I think the City of Winnipeg in partnership with the Province should re-engineer the intersection of Lagemodière at Grassie to become a Continuous Flow Intersection.
Why? Lagemodière is an expressway which if located in Winnipeg should be engineered to avoid having a traffic jam. Unfortunately during both rush hours, but especially in the afternoon rush hour, this intersection is over capacity backing up traffic so much that it frequently takes up to five or more light cycles to get through. A Continuous Flow Intersection attempts to maximize traffic throughput by eliminating the left turn phase of the light cycle, allowing through traffic to go straight on the primary route.

Wouldn’t adding an extra lane each way .....god help us a six lane roadway like the big metropolises like Fargo and Saskatoon both have! This would help alleviate the congestion.

[optimusREIM]

Originally Posted by rrskylar

Wouldn’t adding an extra lane each way .....god help us a six lane roadway like the big metropolises like Fargo and Saskatoon both have! This would help alleviate the congestion.

I mean, if we do either the continuous flow, or adding a lane, that would come at a pretty big expense and disruption. Just grade separate the damn thing already, and get rid of all those lights until the SCU up the street.

[Danny D Oh]

Originally Posted by cslusarc

I recently heard a story on CBC's "As it Happens" about Continuous Flow Intersections. After learning what they were I think the City of Winnipeg in partnership with the Province should re-engineer the intersection of Lagemodière at Grassie to become a Continuous Flow Intersection.
Why? Lagemodière is an expressway which if located in Winnipeg should be engineered to avoid having a traffic jam. Unfortunately during both rush hours, but especially in the afternoon rush hour, this intersection is over capacity backing up traffic so much that it frequently takes up to five or more light cycles to get through. A Continuous Flow Intersection attempts to maximize traffic throughput by eliminating the left turn phase of the light cycle, allowing through traffic to go straight on the primary route.

And if there's any real consideration being given to emissions these kind of intersections need to be fixed someway.

Interesting how NE Winnipeg is taking a beating in terms of infrastructure in all realms, constructed, traffic, health.

[CoryB]

Originally Posted by cslusarc

After learning what they were I think the City of Winnipeg in partnership with the Province should re-engineer the intersection of Lagemodière at Grassie to become a Continuous Flow Intersection.

The medium term plan though is likely closing the Lagemodière and Grassie to left turns from Lag and through traffic on Grassie. This is a situation similar to Springfield between Lag and Henderson before the CPT extension opened. Currently Grassie is far over capacity east of Lag as it is taking all the traffic meant for CPT from Lag to Plessis. Also once the CPT extension happens where the inner ring road (CPT) meets Lag is likely going to be on the books for full grade separation (not like it is likely to happen though).

A better short term solution is likely getting CPT extended to Plessis and four lanes on Plessis extended to CPT. That will solve a lot of the traffic that is coming off CPT and going a little south of Lag to then continue on Grassie. It could also reroute traffic from points near/east of Plessis and continuing east on CPT from being on Laq.

They could do work on light synchronization along Lag. Outside of peak times the synchronization on Portage Ave is a thing of beauty as you can easily string a long run of green lights together.

[bomberjet]

The continuous flow thing is a neat idea that could be implemented at some locations where the left turns are always backed up severely.

Another even simpler thing that can be done at select locations, 3 legged intersections such as on Lag at the Steinbach credit union near Lowes. Let the southbound trough free flowing. Segregate the turns with a barrier (SB to EB, and WB to SB) and add in an acceleration lane for the WB to SB. NB still would need to stop. But makes an improvement for the SB traffic. Pick away at things like that around the City to improve things slightly.

Could do this at Jubilee and Osborne as another example. Anywhere you have a T intersection basically, unless the traffic volumes are too large it would be unsafe. At which point a grade sep should be done.

[Andy6]

Originally Posted by bomberjet

The continuous flow thing is a neat idea that could be implemented at some locations where the left turns are always backed up severely.

Another even simpler thing that can be done at select locations, 3 legged intersections such as on Lag at the Steinbach credit union near Lowes. Let the southbound trough free flowing. Segregate the turns with a barrier (SB to EB, and WB to SB) and add in an acceleration lane for the WB to SB. NB still would need to stop. But makes an improvement for the SB traffic. Pick away at things like that around the City to improve things slightly.

Could do this at Jubilee and Osborne as another example. Anywhere you have a T intersection basically, unless the traffic volumes are too large it would be unsafe. At which point a grade sep should be done.

It's always been that way at Dunkirk and Fermor, although there they simply don't allow a left turn on to SB Dunkirk (if you want to do that there are other routes to take). That leads to SB Osborne-Dunkirk being one of the longest free-flow roadways in the city, from Jubilee to St. Vital Road. But that's only possible because there are no roads coming from the west (except driveways), since the river is on that side. That was a very good piece of 1960s traffic planning.

[GarryEllice]

Originally Posted by Andy6

It's always been that way at Dunkirk and Fermor, although there they simply don't allow a left turn on to SB Dunkirk (if you want to do that there are other routes to take). That leads to SB Osborne-Dunkirk being one of the longest free-flow roadways in the city, from Jubilee to St. Vital Road. But that's only possible because there are no roads coming from the west (except driveways), since the river is on that side. That was a very good piece of 1960s traffic planning.

That kind of layout only works if pedestrians are forbidden from crossing. Which is fine at Dunkirk & Fermor because there's no sidewalk on the free-flow side, so no need to cross the road. It wouldn't work at Jubilee & Osborne (as bomberjet suggested) unless you got rid of the crosswalks.

[rrskylar]

Originally Posted by Spocket

But it's obvious why that's the case: Most new development has been in the south and more modern planning practices have enabled higher speed roads.

There has been a lot of development in NE Winnipeg east of Lag., infrastructure in the form of roadways primarily arterial roads hasn’t kept up, lots of half assed roadways built, redoing Peguis but to only two lanes is a prime example!

[cslusarc]

Peguis Street is woefully too narrow north of El Tassi Drive all the way up to Concordia Avenue East. When turning right from NB Peguis onto EB Concordia is way too bumpy because of a manhole cover.

[bomberjet]

I think when the development north of Devonshire get's underway, they will add the 2nd set of lanes on Peguis. Timing may coincide with the Lag interchange rehab/upgrades, which are something like 5 years out.

[rkspec]

Twinning concordia will help at that same peguis intersection, when going WB concordia without a dedicated lane for left turns, sometimes i've sat thru 3 lights in morning rush hour cause of people who cant go around the car turning.

[bomberjet]

Ya it needs twinning from Molson to Peguis.

It's amusing when traveling EB on Concordia from Molson. The left lane ends prior to the overpass, for left turns on to the ramp. Numerous people nearly run off the road there as they don't know the lane ends. I've seen one person hit the curb and one person hit the snowbank in winter. Many other close calls.

[Wpgstvsouth94]

https://www.google.com/amp/s/winnipe...60879fce2/amp/

Did you guys see this article from yesterday? Good they are investing in our roads! So happy about Dunkirk ������ why isn’t bishop grandin on this list?? Ugh the condition of that road in both directions from St Anne to River Road is just an abomination.

[Jeff]

St. Anne's from Fermor to St. Mary's in both directions is such a donkey trail as well! Surprised it didn't make the cut.

[plrh]

Originally Posted by Wpgstvsouth94

https://www.google.com/amp/s/winnipe...60879fce2/amp/

Did you guys see this article from yesterday? Good they are investing in our roads! So happy about Dunkirk ������ why isn’t bishop grandin on this list?? Ugh the condition of that road in both directions from St Anne to River Road is just an abomination.

The article brings up a good point. Civil construction is the busiest it has been in a few years. It's a bad time to increase the number of projects. Prices next year will be waaaaay up. This will drive up building lot prices too. Off the top of my head for 2021 major reconstruction or rehabilitation: Donald, Wall, Salter, Lagimodiere, Dunkirk, Taylor, Stafford, Roblin, Corydon. No Industrial streets or Local streets packages have come out yet. And all of the same companies will be going after all of the MI stuff too. PTH 101, 59, etc.

[Winnipegger]

Originally Posted by Wpgstvsouth94

https://www.google.com/amp/s/winnipe...60879fce2/amp/

Did you guys see this article from yesterday? Good they are investing in our roads! So happy about Dunkirk ������ why isn’t bishop grandin on this list?? Ugh the condition of that road in both directions from St Anne to River Road is just an abomination.

The local and regional street renewal program only focuses on road repair, not major capital projects like building grade separations on the ring road.

At the current rate of increase in the renewal program (2% property tax per year), the amount of funding to sustain proper maintenance of our entire road network should be reached within the next 10 years. After that, the renewal program won't need massive increases in funding to be sustainable which would give politicians latitude to use funds elsewhere, which may mean actually improving traffic flow as opposed to just filling potholes.

[bomberjet]

That Stretch of Lag from Headmaster to Springfield is bloody terrible. Especially when coming off the brand new work from the 101 interchange. Onto a road that looks like you're in a warzone.

Same with that stretch of Munroe, from Raleigh to Watt in particular. Warzone like stuff. I didn't think they were doing that whole stretch this year. Good news about that for me.

In terms of crews and competition. This City is not at liberty to award anything. If the costs are too high, then can simply not award. If they really wanted to. Unless there is collusion, companies will still bid aggressively to get work for their crews.