'It’s getting out of control': Back lane pain in Winnipeg’s northeast

When the main roads are backed up, some drivers turn to back lanes to bypass traffic.

However, residents who live in the city’s East Kildonan neighbourhood say they’re fed up with the makeshift detours down their alleyway.

The back lane, located between Simpson and Concordia avenues, is mostly barrier-free and car-friendly. While the speed limit is set at 30 kilometres per hour, residents believe vehicles are driving faster and more often.

“People try to use this as a shortcut,” said Ritik Ranga. “They’re trying to go around all the cars just so they could get to their place more quickly.”

Ranga said the back lane has turned into a popular “parking lot,” with parents waiting to pick up and drop off their children at nearby schools.

It’s become a pain and a safety concern, said Randy Bercier.

“I have a family here,” he said. “We try and play as much as we can, we try and use this as a green space to play and it’s just a super dangerous location right now.”

Bercier has lived in the area for nearly a decade. He said he and his neighbours have been searching for a solution to the problem for years and even petitioned the city, but they haven’t had much luck.

“It’s just, it’s getting out of control,” he said.

Elmwood-East Kildonan Coun. Jason Schreyer said he hopes to bring it under control soon with the help of Winnipeg police. 

“We will monitor yet again, and we’re going to look at the idea—the possibility of having a sort of more permanent logging for a while,” Schreyer said.

Schreyer added that police will be tasked with monitoring traffic volumes and speed, but he couldn’t say when that would be.

“They’re not going to tell us,” he said. “That’s how monitoring works.”

Bercier said he hopes something will be done soon and is looking for more concrete action from the city.

“You can put up signage or stop signs or ‘Slow down, kids playing.’ People are going to ignore that as they do anyways, whereas something that could damage your vehicle if you go too fast, I think that’s a better measure at this point,” said Bercier.

Schreyer said speed bumps in back lanes aren’t common but could be implemented, so long as there is a petition to the city’s Public Works committee and a motion could be put forward.

In the meantime, the Winnipeg Police Service advises pedestrians and residents who use the alleyway to stay safe and vigilant. It’s also asking drivers to stay on the main roads and exercise caution if they’re travelling in the back lanes.