We need a better plan for Disraeli Freeway renewal. Provincial Liberal Candidate for Elmwood, Regan Wolfrom, and Councillor Jeff Browaty of North Kildonan have a Real Plan for the Disraeli and Louise Bridge projects.

Related: Disraeli Update: How the City can have its cake and eat it, too - Regan Wolfrom's Blog





The current plan for Disraeli Freeway renewal does not consider other upcoming transportation projects, nor does it alleviate the transportation problems that exist in Elmwood-EK. In fact, the current plan puts two other projects at risk and causes serious new transportation problems in the short term.

Transportation in Elmwood-EK

There are three major transportation projects that are required for the southern approach to Elmwood-EK:

1. Disraeli Freeway Renewal

The current City of Winnipeg plan is to replace Disraeli Freeway with another four-lane Disraeli Freeway, with a sidewalk on only one side. This plan will also include a dedicated cyclist/pedestrian bridge.

Cost estimate: $140 million

The NDP government has not provided its input on this project.

2. Rehabilitation or Reconstruction of Louise Bridge

The City of Winnipeg has a preliminary engineering project in place in its 2008 Capital Budget for either the rehabilitation or replacement of the Louise Bridge.

Cost estimate for rehabilitation (2 lane bridge): $22 million.

Cost estimate for replacement (4 lane bridge): $60 million or up to $100 million if the bridge direction is changed towards Watt St / Archibald Rd.

3. Elmwood-EK Mass Transit Corridor

The City of Winnipeg purchased the Marconi Line from CPR in 2006 for $1.7 million to create a bike path and a possible corridor for rapid transit. This line is bordered to the northwest by Raleigh St and on the southeast by Gateway Rd, both two-lane routes. The city recently approved a plan for bus rapid transit from Downtown Winnipeg to the University of Manitoba, with broad plans for future rapid transit expansion to other areas of the city.

Problems that the current Disraeli Freeway Plan does nothing to resolve

There are major transportation issues in Elmwood-EK, and the current plan for Disraeli Freeway renewal does not address the majority of those problems.

1. Henderson Highway

Henderson Hwy at rush hour is already at capacity. With future growth both in Winnipeg and in outlying municipalities, the volume of traffic on Henderson Hwy will increase.

2. Traffic Problems on residential streets

A large number of residential streets have traffic issues, including:

1. speeding (Glenelm, Brazier and Roch Streets)
2. high traffic volume (McLeod and Kimberley Avenues)
3. heavy truck usage on roads that are not Truck Routes (McLeod Ave)

3. Mass Transit

Aside from Henderson Hwy having the highest usage of Winnipeg Transit, with many buses during rush hour filled at or near capacity, Elmwood-EK has bus routes that depend on the Louise Bridge and Johnson Avenue. Occasional traffic problems on these routes have led to delays of twenty minutes or more. In addition, bus travel between Elmwood-EK and the University of Manitoba takes over an hour for most residents.

Problems created by the current Disraeli Freeway Plan

1. 46,500 cars redirected to other routes for an estimated 14 months

Construction on the Disraeli Bridge over the Red River will lead to alternate routes being required for the 46,500 cars that either cross the bridge or drive underneath it every weekday. Depending on how the Disraeli Overpass project is conducted, a possible closure of Higgins Avenue under the bridge would affect an additional 20,700 cars daily. The Redwood bridge currently sees 20,300 cars crossing daily, while the Louise Bridge carries 24,700 cars. This means that the closure of the Disraeli Bridge could lead to a doubling of traffic on both of these two-lane bridges. Of course, it is assumed that some drivers will detour using Chief Peguis Trail or Provencher Bridge.


Click here to enlarge

The city estimates only a few minutes of delay (approx. 5-10) for a commuter. This estimate is highly suspect due to the reports of much longer delays caused when a traffic accident forced a temporary bridge closure.

2. Loss of income to local businesses

If closure of the Disraeli bridge occurs, many businesses along Henderson stand to lose a significant portion of their income. One business owner on Henderson estimates that her business saw a reduction in income of 30% when the Redwood bridge was closed.

3. Elimination of one sidewalk on Disraeli Bridge

The current plan allows for only one sidewalk; pedestrians wishing to access the bridge from the other side will need to pass under the bridge. There are some perceived safety concerns with this method. There is a second option available to the city in their current plan to provide a widened sidewalk on each side of the bridge by extending the bridge deck.