Winnipeg Roads

Carboy15

This is a rough idea of what it could look like. It would use rail beds as reference on where it could possibly be built. The CP Logan Yards would be the easiest area to build through and reserve land.

brainstorm

Carboy15 Agree with avoiding Regent.

I'd probably continue on St Matthews deeper into the city. Maybe connect McPhillips down to it. And terminate St Matthews with a big connection into Maryland/Sherbrooke, and Portage.

Carboy15

Ummm, St Matthews Ave I wouldn't want to make into a freeway. Maybe a 70km/h design speed at-grade expressway that would connect with the Crosstown Freeway. It would be a widened St Matthews Ave that would connect with Broadway Street. And a connection to McPhillips is something I kinda want anyways which would connect to Waverley, also creating an alternative to Route 90.

The Crosstown freeway pretty much follows the cities original plan for a freeway. I think it could still work to this day as it would perfectly connect Centreport Canada with Symington Yards.

I'm not sure if this idea would sit well, but I feel like that Crosstown Freeway should maybe be a toll road from St Matthews to Lagimodiere. It would help pay for the construction of the expressway, along with keeping traffic congestion down.

brainstorm

Carboy15 Either St Matthews or Wellington is the easiest to expand East/West.

Sargent, Ellice, Portage, and Notre Dame are all packed with businesses, which makes expensive land acquisition. But shaving a couple houses off each side of St Matthews is much cheaper. It could be a RIRO with full median and limited lights, but yes, at least 70km/h targeted speed. This would be a huge help.

Some sort of bypass through Route 90, St James, and Empress would be ideal for free flowing there. It's a major holdup point since it crosses 3 main roads and gets back-to-back-to-back red lights.

Carboy15

Here's my ideas for the Expressways:

James Armstrong Richardson Parkway (or James Richardson Pkwy):
From Centreport Canada Way to Portage/Broadway Intersection. Also connecting with the hypothetical Crosstown Freeway. From CCW to Ferry Road (Crosstown Freeway area), the road would be a 4 lane divided freeway. It would have an 80KM/H design speed. From CTF to Broadway, St Matthews would be a divided 4-lane Arterial Expressway with a similar design to Sterling Lyon Parkway or Lewvan Drive in Regina. It would have a 70KM/H design speed.

Waverley Street/ McPhillips Street: Similar to McPhillips and Waverley in their current state, with a 70km/h design speed.,

brainstorm

Carboy15 Interesting design. But Broadway could never be a freeway, way too developed. It would have to get from St Matthews (or Wellington) to the Rail yards and pass through the north.

Can't knock down sky scrapers for a road. Lowest value land/buildings only.

The question is how exactly you get from St Matthews/Wellington up to the rail yards in the most efficient manner.

Carboy15

I kinda wonder what Route numbers these hypothetical new roads would receive? My speculation:

Crosstown Freeway and Centreport Canada Way (from Sturgeon Road to the Perimeter) would get Route 47 replacing Logan Ave
St Matthew’s (James Richardson Pkwy) would get Route 75 or 77. Maybe Broadway Ave too
McPhillips and Waverley would be Route 80 from end-to-end.
Centreport Canada Way from Sturgeon Road to Inkster (eventually linking CPT) would get Route 17
Highway 6 from Perimeter to CPT/CCW would get Route 25.

Also, maybe if TCH Highway 1 gets realigned, it could follow CCW, JRP, and Broadway. That makes sense since it would need to have the legislature alongside the route. The CTF from St Matthew’s (JRP) would just stay Route 47.

Out of curiosity, I also wondered what Route number Plessis Road/ Edward Schreyer Parkway would get. Most likely Route 10 or 12.

Carboy15

Broadway Ave wouldn't become a freeway, my bad LOL. But I would make Broadway Ave part of the hypothetical Route 77. Technically Broadway Ave is the only Highway in Winnipeg without a Route Number. Also too, TCH 1 would continue onto the James Richardson Parkway. Broadway would stay as is, while JRP would be an arterial at-grade expressway similar to Sterling Lyon Parkway. But JRP would be a better airport connector to downtown Winnipeg than Portage and Route 90 is. Portage Ave could focus on businesses, bike lanes, and BRT (ultimately LRT), and JRP could could be focused on traffic flow with multiuse paths away from the road. Portage Ave can be the street, while JRP would be a road.

One thing I didn't mention is that possibly building these roads, some may think it could lead to urban sprawl, but I feel it could possibly help reinvent the areas. It could encourage either renovations of the older houses or building new apartments. We haven't really seen much of an Apartment Boom out there like on Pembina. No, I don't expect Winnipeg to look like Todayland (from Meet the Robinsons) or Telosa, but we need a bit more vertical living near the downtown area. Similar to connecting Hurst Way with Jubilee Ave.

Carboy15

These are the Roads that could be built. It's a mix of roads that should be built and possibilities.

Red (Freeways):

Chief Peguis Trail from CCW to Main Street -Route 17 Extension
Crosstown Freeway - Route 47
Lagimodiere to Fermor connector. Bypasses businesses to improve traffic flow and connections to Marion Industrial.
Abinoji Mikanah extension to Fermor

Blue (At-Grade Expressways):

Highway 6 to Inkster Connection - Route 25 Extension West to Perimeter
Gunn Road Expressway - Route 17 Extension
Edward Schreyer Parkway - Route 10
William R Clement Parkway Extension from Route 47 to Portage Ave, and Route 105 to Route 165 (Abinoji Mikanah) @ Route 90.
James Richardson Parkway - Route 77
Waverley and McPhillips Street Connected - Route 80
Hurst Way connector from Jubilee to Wilkes Ave - Route 125

Green (Arterial Roads):

Inkster and Concordia Connector - Route 25 Extension East to ESP
Gateway Road expansion with BRT Integration and road upgrades - Route 30 Extension North to CPT
Dugald and Marion Connector - Route 115
Fermor and McGillvary Connector - Route 155
(Possible) Grant Ave to Elizabeth Road Connector - Route 105

Carboy15

One thing that never really made sense to me is the City Route system. It is rather flawed and could use some renumbering to make it make sense.

brainstorm

@Carboy15 Something as simple is this would solve a tremendous amount of problems.

Yellow = Grade separated inner ring road. Three lanes, 80km/h.
Blue = More Stroadlike. Infrequent lights. 70km/h.

These solve the bus rapid transit issue all in one swoop too. No dedicated BRT lanes needed.

Carboy15

brainstorm

Good idea on making an arterial road connecting Dugald with Logan Ave. I see how that could work: Upgrade Dugald, Dawson, and Mission St, and build a bridge connecting to Higgins Ave. I would also extend Higgins West as a full road on part of the CP Rail Yard, with it passing under the Slaw Rebchuk and Arlington Bridge. Then it would reconnect with Logan on the land of the McPhillips Athletic Grounds.

The Wilkes and Fermor Corridor could work. In your design, the idea of it cutting through the Beaumont and Okenwald neighbourhood is a bit iffy. I'd say connect Jubilee and Wilkes via Hurst Way, and upgrade Jubilee, Dunkirk, and Fermor to handle a 70km/h design speed. Jubilee may be a little hard due to residential neighbourhood disruptions and could trigger some opposition, but it could work.

And extending Waverley as a two-way arterial to Academy is a good idea. Although I envisioned making a full two-way Waverley/McPhillips connector too, I feel like just using Academy, the Maryland/ Sherbrooke, and Notre Dame could make an okay Waverley/McPhillips connector. Also, it makes sense because there's already the pair so close to it.

The St Matthews proposal seems to connect to Salter Street. Not really sure about that. It's cheaper to have St Matthews connect with Portage and a little more functional.

brainstorm

Carboy15 cutting through the Beaumont and Okenwald neighbourhood is a bit iffy.

We'd just wipe out the golf courses. Easy land to acquire. Jubilee is too developed to expand.

Carboy15 Although I envisioned making a full two-way Waverley/McPhillips connector too

Ya I know what you mean. Looked at similar. The tree-huggers in Wolesley would lose their minds. 🤣 Regardless. Maryland/Sherbrook can fit this bill if connected right into the Waverley extension.

Carboy15 The St Matthews proposal seems to connect to Salter Street. Not really sure about that.

Ya, that whole Empress to Salter/Balmoral, and Portage to Notre Dame quadrant is a mess. Tricky to find an easy path for all routes.

brainstorm

Carboy15 Here's a short term patch to the inner portion of these cross town routes.

Convert St Matthews, Ellice, and Sargent to one-ways. Reopen Wellington by garbage hill.

It's a patch, but would provide a major relief valve for cross town traffic.

brainstorm

That's another thing this stupid city could do: Stop giving the same street a bunch of different names.

Salter --> Balmoral --> Colony --> Memorial --> Osborne --> Dunkirk --> Dakota

It's all the same street.

Yet they give it 7 different names. This is literally the dumbest most confusing shit on the face of the planet. And they do this in multiple other locations too. Pick 1 name and use that.

Carboy15

I see, just turn Point Road into an arterial connecting to Hurst Way and Fermor. You're right it would be easier to acquire the golf course, but the neighbourhoods would be a little bit of a challenge regardless. But I feel like North of the Fermor-Point-Hurst Connector, they could do a redevelopment in the process as it's a cheaper area. Put some apartments, etc. It would be a bit easier to do that. Wolseley and Wellington Crescent is more of a richer area, so it wouldn't work as well.

I feel like Route 62 should be Osborne Street or Dunkirk Street throughout its length. I also find it wierd that Route 62 doesn't continue to Leila.

Carboy15

This could be a complete freeway system for Winnipeg.

Carboy15

The second photo is a zoom-in of a freeway tackling the Airport Area. St Matthews and Century would be the connection point of the James Richardson Expy/ St Matthews Ave and Route 90 which would connect with the Logan Bypass and McPhillips Bypass. The Route 90 freeway would also flatten less buildings ((mostly businesses, which could be relocated to better locations). Plus, this freeway design could help connect the Airport and Centreport Canada, along with major trade corridors like Highway 75, also connecting Selkirk MB too.

Carboy15

https://stroadz.glide.page/dl/d0a5f4/s/c0a8e8/r/QXOnqlSt9HtL5lqpPUGz

This proposal, inspired by @brainstorm's idea, envisions a roadway linking Wilkes Avenue to Fermor Avenue, offering a more effective alternative to previous concepts like the Wilkes–Jubilee connection. Unlike Jubilee, which was originally intended as a local residential street and not designed for arterial traffic, this new route could better accommodate higher volumes and serve more strategic functions.
Compared to a McGillivray–Fermor connector, this route shifts traffic closer to the major shopping destination at the Outlet Collection while avoiding the redundancy of Abinoji Mikanah, which serves a similar traffic role. It also circumvents two school zones, potentially reducing community opposition and lowering construction costs.

For drivers traveling from Fermor and seeking access to McGillivray, existing routes via Pembina Highway or Waverley Street would still provide efficient southbound alternatives.

brainstorm

Carboy15 Ya man, something like this.

Combine this with the Waverley extension and SB/EB traffic has ton of extra options. This also alleviates the Bishop bridge, which is the 2nd highest traffic load in the city. And, these routes can double as rapid transit.

But, city went and committed $4B to rapid transit. Can't fix the stupidity in this place. For that amount we could grade separate the inner ring road and complete these connectors which can double for busses and cars and solve both problems at once.

But nope, "you'll ride the bus and be happy".

Carboy15

Good point. BRT is a good start to improving traffic flow. But the reason roads like Route 90 and Abinoji are so congested is due to the lack of alternative routes. Just like I mentioned that an alternative for Route 90 (like a Waverley extension to Academy), Abinoji Mikanah needs more too. Pembina Highway and the Red River almost feels like a cutoff point for major roads. For example, streets that end at Pembina include Corydon, Grant, Taylor/Stafford, Jubilee, McGillvary, Bison Drive (technically continues, but not a through road, just to serve the U of M). Portage Ave and St Mary's feels a lot like this too. I understand it would cost more to build bridges over the Red or Assiniboine, but a Fermor-Jubilee and a Waverley-McPhillips (at least Waverley North to Academy) would make a difference. More crosstown routes are needed in Winnipeg rather than just ending in random places. Doesn't have to be freeways, but arterials can help do the trick.

Also too, roads like Sterling Lyon are pretty well built, but it's potential is undermined by it ending in the middle of nowhere. Same with Fermor, although it does connect with Dunkirk heading towards downtown, but Osborne isn't meant to be a high-capacity arterial road. Anyways, Sterling Lyon just ends at Waverleyit doesn't really connect anywhere. Jubilee by design doesn't look like a throughfare to me, but plays that role because it's the only way across. That street I would rather shrink and add bike lanes for residential traffic while Wilkes-Fermor could help connect neighbourhoods while moving traffic from one end of the city to the other. Same would go with the Logan-Dugald Connector.

brainstorm

Carboy15 More crosstown routes are needed in Winnipeg rather than just ending in random places.

Routes ending in random places. Exactly. This is precisely the problem. And it happens all over the city in many places.

Agree with your Waverley extension, Sterling/Fermor connector, and north downtown bypass. These would be gigantic improvements.

But CoW will make sure to build high rises right along all of these potential routes to ensure they can never happen ever. The stupidity is astounding.

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