Speed limit pilot project gets green light at council
Drivers will soon have to pump the brakes while driving through four Winnipeg neighbourhoods, after council gave the green light on a pilot project lowering speed limits.
The pilot project, approved last April, will see speed limits drop for a year in four Winnipeg areas. However, council still needed to vote to amend two bylaws allowing the project to move forward.
Drivers will need to drive 30 km/h in the Bourkevale and Tyndall Park South neighbourhoods, and 40 km/h in the Richmond West and the Worthington neighbourhoods.
"This is truly about quality of life as we densify our city," said Coun. Janice Lukes (Waverley West), chair of the public works committee.
The city chose these four areas – two newly constructed and two older ones – to get data on neighbourhood layouts and make recommendations for future speed limit changes.
"I think that it's really time. It's time that we do and we move forward with this," said Coun. Cindy Gilroy (Daniel McIntyre). "There's lots of municipalities that are moving with the reduced speeds. I think it is really important that we do a pilot so that we can see where those speeds are needed."
Not all councillors were onboard with the project. Coun. Jeff Browaty (North Kildonan) opposed the move at council Thursday.
"Everyone understands vehicles are dangerous. They can cause great harm to pedestrians if they are hit. That is why we have rules in Manitoba," he said. "It is upon everybody who uses the road – drivers, pedestrians, cyclists – you have to be very careful. These are shared spaces in many cases."
He said a 50 km/h speed limit on residential streets is prudent. He brought up concerns of signing, saying if some residential streets speed limits are changed, the city will have to post speed limit signs on every one of them.
"I support road safety, but this is not the path we need to take."
A majority of council voted in favour of the move, with the bylaw amendments receiving a third reading Thursday.
Lukes told CTV News with these bylaw changes passed, the project can now move forward. She said she expects the project will get underway in the spring, but said more announcements will be released in the coming days.
- With files from CTV's Jeff Keele
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.