A long-awaited proposal to widen Kenaston Boulevard is expected to cost at least $586 million, if council pursues it.
The City of Winnipeg could have to pay an additional $151 million if it becomes the sole funder and uses debt to cover the cost.
A new city report deems the well-known traffic bottleneck along Route 90 to be part of a “vital transportation corridor.”
MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS FILES
Widening Kenaston Boulevard could cost the City of Winnipeg as much as $737 million, a city report states.
“It is one of only two north-south routes that span the entire city. The corridor requires upgrades to address current and future traffic volumes, new development and future redevelopment, as well as the needs of pedestrians, cyclists and transit users,” the report states.
The project would occur between Taylor and Ness avenues.
The city report calls on city council to move the project forward for an independent business case to determine its value and consider “alternative project delivery methods.”
“Should alternate and external funding sources become available, the debt financing charges would be proportionally reduced,” the city report states.
The plan calls to widen the street to three traffic lanes in each direction, install active transportation pathways on both sides and update aging infrastructure.
Mayor Scott Gillingham campaigned on a pledge to expand Kenaston, as long as the business case supports it. He has repeatedly stressed that widening the boulevard is only one piece of the project, as sewer work and bridge upgrades would also be included.
Joyanne Pursaga
Reporter
Joyanne is city hall reporter for the Winnipeg Free Press. A reporter since 2004, she began covering politics exclusively in 2012, writing on city hall and the Manitoba Legislature for the Winnipeg Sun before joining the Free Press in early 2020. Read more about Joyanne.
Every piece of reporting Joyanne produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press’s history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.
Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber.
Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.