City to study safety improvements at this downtown intersection

A cyclists rides along Assiniboine Avenue in Winnipeg on Oct. 5, 2023. (Source: Jamie Dowsett/ CTV News Winnipeg)

Rather than probing a pedestrian-prioritized pilot project closing a portion of Assiniboine Avenue to traffic, the city has opted to study the intersection more generally and report back with several options to improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists.

Speaking to the Public Works committee Tuesday morning, Councillor Sheri Rollins (Fort Rouge - East Fort Garry) said she has heard lots of concern from her constituents about the intersection of Assiniboine Avenue and Main Street.

She said she is often tagged in videos shared to social media showing car after car failing to stop at the stop sign in the intersection – resulting in near misses for pedestrians and cyclists.

"You don't take these things and these calls lightly as a councillor," she said.

Her motion requests the city's public works report back on a 'pedestrian-prioritized pilot' that would close Assiniboine Avenue from Fort Street to Main Street to all vehicle traffic – leaving it open for pedestrians and cyclists.

The committee received several letters of support for the pilot project, along with a delegation from Mark Cohoe, the executive director of Bike Winnipeg.

"I'm aware that crossing has been the site of a number of collisions, and obviously that is a concern," Cohoe told the committee.

"This is a main route on the city's bike network leading into one of the city's primary attractions – The Forks. It really does need to be safe and the current configuration really isn't providing that safe crossing."

However, the idea saw pushback from Coun. Russ Wyatt (Transcona), who said bike lanes on Assiniboine Avenue drove more traffic to Broadway.

"Broadway is at full capacity at certain times of the day. You cannot make a left turn without taking your life into your hands," he said.

"Ever since we did what we did to Assiniboine, Broadway – which was already at high capacity – is even worse now, and now we're proposing to make it even worse?"

City administration told the committee Tuesday that perhaps Rollins' motion is jumping the gun in saying closing the road is the solution. Members suggested instead to study the intersection and come up with one or more options to improve safety – which may include closing the section of road to vehicles.

Ultimately, the committee agreed, voting to have the public service report back in 210 days with options to improve safety for pedestrians and cyclists. The Public Service has also been asked to report back on eliminating a slip lane at River and Osborne.