Winnipeggers raise concerns over city plan to update traffic calming circles

CTV Winnipeg: Residents raise safety worries due t Jon Hendricks looks at the city’s plans to create more traffic circles on Grosvenor Avenue. Some residents worry the circles won’t improve safety.

The City of Winnipeg said it plans to update five traffic circles along Grosvenor Avenue to boost safety for cyclists and pedestrians, but some residents worry the changes won't help.

Resident Leanne Lawrie said some drivers don’t slow down at existing circles and speed through them.

“Either they don’t notice it or don’t have to move in enough,” she said.

She said she’s worried children are at risk when walking across the street at the circles.

“My hardest thing is to try and explain to the kids how to safely cross (the) corner,” said Lawrie.

The city is planning to extend curbs into the street at the five traffic-calming circles along Grosvenor.

"These additional curb extensions are intended to make the pedestrian crossing area more prominent and improve the interaction of pedestrians, motorists and cyclists at these intersections," said Luis Escobar, the city's manager of transportation, in a statement.

Andrew Allentuck, another resident, said he’s concerned about the new curbs making it challenging for public transportation.

He said buses can barely navigate the existing circles.

Leanne Lawrie said it would be safer if the circles were replaced with stop signs, which were previously in place. If that isn’t a possibility, however, she said she’ll accept the changes to curbs.

"If they bring the curb in, at least that would slow down the Grosvenor traffic, which would be good,” she said.

CTV News contacted Coun. John Orlikow, who represents the area, but he declined to comment on Monday.

The city said it also plans to have pedestrian crossing lines painted on traffic-calming circles on Grosvenor Avenue, Warsaw Avenue and Roch Street.

In spring 2013, pedestrian crossing lines will be painted all the remaining traffic-calming circles throughout the city.