Why some River Heights residents are calling for speed humps on their street

Homeowners on a River Heights street are pushing for speed humps because traffic is a problem from drivers trying to avoid Kenaston Boulevard.

Diane Mitchell, who has lived on Centennial Street for 33 years, says the road is used as a cut-through, and safety is a concern.

“We call it the Perimeter Highway because it’s very very busy, people don’t always follow the speed limit, they’re in a rush, they need to get home,” said Mitchell.

Last July, the city’s public works committee ordered city staff to do a traffic study to determine if speed humps on Centennial between Taylor Avenue and Grosvenor Avenue could be installed. The results of the traffic study are pending. Speed humps already exist on Centennial between Grosvenor and Academy. Mitchell and other residents on the streets say they’ve applied multiple times to have the traffic calming measures installed, only to be denied.

“There’s families and children on this street.”

A motion, which spurred the traffic study, says there is increased traffic on Centennial, in part, because of a “lack of upgrading” on Kenaston Boulevard. Currently, there is no funding to follow through on a long-promised plan to widen Kenaston.

Several residents on Centennial tell CTV News Winnipeg, drivers use their street to avoid the congestion on Kenaston.

Mayor Scott Gillingham campaigned on a pledge to widen the major corridor by getting the latest cost estimates and then making a business case to the province and Ottawa for the needed dollars. The mayor’s office says work to firm up costs is underway and that there will be something in the upcoming budget to address the project.

Mitchell would like to see the speed humps and says widening Kenaston might take some of the heat off her street.

“One would hope, but how many years are we talking?” asked Mitchell.