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A new report from Winnipeg City Hall indicates that reopening Portage and Main to pedestrian traffic will cost Winnipeggers $8 million more than anticipated, pushing the project’s total cost to $21.3 million.
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City council voted in favour of funding the pedestrian reopening with a $13 million budget in March of this year. However, only one bid for the project has been received, significantly increasing the overall price.
According to city officials, the escalated costs stem from several factors, including an aggressive schedule, extensive labour requirements, and high risks associated with completing the work on time. Much of the construction is expected to take place over the winter months, adding many challenges to the project. The work must be completed by June 29, 2025, to align with the planned overhaul of Winnipeg Transit’s network.
The city’s public works committee is being urged to award the contract to M.D. Steele Construction Ltd. The project’s complexity and lack of comparable local examples have made it challenging to estimate a reliable budget from the outset.
Mayor Scott Gillingham supports covering the extra costs by reallocating funds from the city’s road renewal and downtown street budgets. He believes this approach will keep the project on schedule without leading to any outright cancellations of other city projects, suggesting that some will be deferred.
Gillingham acknowledges the increased cost but frames it as an investment in long-term benefits for Winnipeg.
The debate over pedestrian access at Portage and Main has been ongoing since 2018 when 65% of Winnipeggers voted against the opening in a plebiscite.
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