The City of Winnipeg is installing a traffic light at the Costco warehouse location on St. James Street after long-standing concerns over vehicle congestion in the area.
Public works spokeswoman Julie Dooley said the installation began late last week.
“Our plan is to get this done while minimizing impact to Costco operations. The desire is to complete it as soon as practical,” she said Thursday.
MIKAELA MACKENZIE / FREE PRESS
New traffic light at the Costco warehouse location on St. James Street on Thursday.
A report by city staff in November found the level of traffic at the site met the criteria to add lights at the north entrance to the Costco store at 1315 St. James St.
“(A) review of May 2023 traffic counts indicated that traffic control … criteria were met, and the 75 vehicle-per-hour cross-street volume threshold was also fulfilled,” the report said.
Costco frequently hired special duty Winnipeg Police Service officers — who can be contracted to work in uniform on their time off — to help direct traffic.
Because the new signal will benefit a private property owner, city developer rules dictate the the cost of the lights be covered by Costco.
City council approved a plan to have the city enter into a cost-recovery agreement with Costco and green-light the installation of the signals at its May 30 meeting.
The estimated capital cost was $250,000, eventually funded by the wholesaler under the agreement.
It’s unclear, under the agreement, when the city will be repaid for the construction of the lights. The Free Press asked the city, but Dooley’s response did not address the question. She did not respond to a followup question.
City staff estimate the annual maintenance and operating cost will be $5,000, which will be covered by the city.
A city spokesman said last year 13,700 vehicles travel through the area on a typical day.
fpcity@freepress.mb.ca