City looking for feedback on temporary bike lane

The City of Winnipeg has released a plan to protect bike safety on Wellington Crescent, where a cyclist was killed last year. Jeff Keele explains.

The City of Winnipeg is looking for feedback on a proposed temporary bike lane on Wellington Crescent.

According to the city, the bike lane, which would be located between Academy Road and Stradbrook Avenue, would serve as an interim measure until funding is available for a walk-bike study and permanent solution.

It added the project would help improve safety for pedestrians, cyclists and drivers using the street.

“This section of Wellington Crescent is one of Winnipeg’s most popular routes for cyclists, but it’s also a busy commuter street,” said Coun. Janice Lukes (Waverley West) in a news release issued on Thursday.

“We want to find a design that balances safety with neighbourhood and traffic needs, and that’s why we’re asking for feedback before anything is built,” she said.

The city is now seeking feedback on how its temporary bike lane design may impact Winnipeggers, noting it is especially interested in how it could affect property owners’ loading, deliveries, building access and safety.

Feedback can be given through an online survey available until Dec. 12 on the City of Winnipeg website.

More information on the project and draft design is also available online.

Winnipeg cyclist’s death the catalyst for pilot project

The proposed temporary bike lanes come in the wake of a fatal hit-and-run in June of 2024. Cyclist Rob Jenner died in the collision, sparking an outcry from the Winnipeg cycling community to enhance safety measures on the busy thoroughfare, such as lowering the speed limit from 50 km/h to 30 km/h.

“There were at least 10 more collisions between motor vehicles and pedestrians and cyclists from 2012 to 2022. This underscores the importance of road safety culture for all road users,” the city said.

The city’s public works committee approved a plan in July to test bike lanes on the 1.2 kilometre stretch of Wellington Crescent after measuring traffic flow last winter.

According to the city, about 12,000 vehicles use Wellington Crescent every day and about 2,300 travelled faster than 55 km/h. About 1,000 travelled 60 km/h or faster.

As a result of the pilot project, the city says the speed limit will be lowered from 50 km/h to 40 km/h, while the section east of Grosvenor Avenue will be reduced from four lanes to two. Additionally, some turn restrictions will be imposed and 29 temporary parking spaces on the south side of Wellington Crescent between Cockburn Street and Wardlaw Avenue will be removed.

The city said it plans to add the temporary bike lanes in the spring of 2026.

• With files from CTV’s Jeff Keele