Construction season may have less of an impact on Winnipeg traffic
As the calendar turns to May, so comes the return of Winnipeg’s unofficial fifth season- construction season.
The city’s road construction list is longer than a lineup during rush hour, with dozens of projects ongoing, upcoming, or in the works. This includes major routes like Abinojii Mikanah and the Saint Vital Bridge.
However, the overall impact on the average motorist may not seem as bad as we're used to as 2023 marked the end of an accelerated regional street program.
"That's why last year and for the last three years, people really noticed the interruption in the traffic flow because we were concentrating on regional streets, which carry 80 per cent of the volume of all traffic,” said Chris Lorenc, president and CEO of the Manitoba Heavy Construction Association.
Lorenc says the emphasis is now shifting to fixing our residential roads.
"So you're going to see a lot more streets in communities being repaired and replaced, so more disruption to traffic and travel in the residential parts of our city,” he said.
All in all, the city's tabbed $138 million for road repairs in the 2024 budget -- a $21 million drop from last year.
"Regional streets and residentials are in a really, really tough shape and it's going to require significantly more investment That is sustained, that is invested with discipline to purpose so that we can get out of this annual tug of war, Lorenc said.
Lorenc noted that drivers should still be prepared for plenty of delays over the coming months.
He's urging everyone to drive with caution when heading through a construction zone.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Signs of Alzheimer’s were everywhere. Then his brain improved
Blood biomarkers of telltale signs of early Alzheimer’s disease in the brain of his patient, 55-year-old entrepreneur Simon Nicholls, had all but disappeared in a mere 14 months.
Box tree moths have infested Ontario and experts say more are coming. Here's what to do to protect your garden
An invasive moth species is on the rise in Canada and, if you've planted a certain shrub, it could stand to ruin your garden.
Lyon-bound Air Canada Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner from Montreal turns back midflight due to pressurization alert
Passengers heading from Montreal to Lyon, France on Friday were forced to return home and depart the next day after a pressurization indication was detected in flight.
Oilers dominate Canucks, win to force deciding Game 7
The Edmonton Oilers avoided elimination from the NHL playoffs Saturday night, beating the visiting Vancouver Canucks 5-1 in Game 6 of their second-round series.
The eight most expensive homes for sale in Ottawa this spring
Ottawa's ultra luxury housing market is blooming like the tulips this spring, with a significant increase in the number of homes sold worth more than $2 million.
B.C. pipeline company argues its 'haulers' are not trucks, for tax purposes
A contractor working on the Coastal GasLink pipeline has been denied more than $333,000 worth of tax rebates because pieces of machinery it purchased – and claimed were not trucks – were deemed sufficiently truck-like in B.C. Supreme Court.
$500K-worth of elvers seized at Toronto airport
Fishery and border service officers seized more than 100 kilograms of unauthorized elvers at the Toronto Pearson International Airport on Wednesday.
Usyk beats Fury by split decision, becomes undisputed heavyweight champion
Oleksandr Usyk defeated Tyson Fury by split decision to become the first undisputed heavyweight boxing champion in 24 years.
To plant or not to plant? Gardening tips for May long weekend
May long weekend is finally here, and with the extra time off you may be getting the itch to head out to your garden and plant. However, the old debate whether you should plant now, or wait, is still ever-present.