City report proposes protected bike lane, lower speed limit pilot on Wellington Crescent

Arturo Chang · CBC News

· Posted: Jun 26, 2025 8:17 PM EDT | Last Updated: 8 hours ago

Winnipeg could aviator further protections for progressive proscription users connected a conception of a metropolis street where a cyclist was killed past year.

A study to the city's nationalist works committee calls for a aviator of one-way motorcycle lanes connected some sides of Wellington Crescent from Academy Road to Stradbrook Avenue. It also recommends the velocity bounds to beryllium lowered to 40 kilometres per hr connected that agelong of road.

The projected timeline for the task would spot the motorcycle lanes — separated by integrative bollards and factual curbs — installed adjacent spring, aft the metropolis gathers feedback from assemblage members and communicates its plan plans. 

The nationalist work would beryllium directed to study backmost successful 270 days connected the results of those consultations, the study says.

"I deliberation it's truly important like we bash connected immoderate caller roadworthy projects … to reach retired and perceive the concerns of the country residents," said Coun. Janice Lukes, who chairs the nationalist works committee.

"Often what I've recovered is there's small things that percolate up that possibly the nationalist works department's not thought [of]."

The projected aviator comes conscionable implicit a twelvemonth aft cyclist Rob Jenner, 61, was killed connected Wellington Crescent conscionable eastbound of Academy Road arsenic helium was cycling to work, erstwhile helium was deed by a speeding motorist who mislaid power of his vehicle. The driver, Beckham Keneth Severight, pleaded blameworthy to unsafe driving causing decease and failing to halt astatine the scene. He admitted to driving much than 150 km/h successful the 50 zone.

Advocates person antecedently said the country has been the tract of galore adjacent calls for cyclists.

Ian McCausland, a committee subordinate with Bike Winnipeg, said he's disappointed cyclists would inactive person to hold until 2026 for changes connected Wellington nether the projected timeline.

The study said the aviator would beryllium "atypical" since the infrastructure won't beryllium enactment into spot earlier the metropolis collects immoderate feedback. It said the projected infrastructure could beryllium implemented this year, with immoderate modifications, to much intimately lucifer a emblematic pilot.

"For immoderate crushed for Wellington, it's the reverse. They're going to get each the feedback astir however overmuch radical mightiness not similar the thought and past instal the pilot," McCausland said.

"With a small spot of governmental courage, they could instal the aviator … for this riding season. And, you know, I cognize a fig of cyclists who would proceed to usage it passim the winter."

Some 'not going to beryllium happy': councillor

McCausland said helium besides takes contented with the 40 km/h velocity limit. He and different cycling advocates have previously called a 30 km/h bounds for Wellington.

"The infinitesimal you spell supra 30 kilometres, mishap rates and instances of wounded emergence significantly," helium said. "This being Winnipeg, we cognize if it's posted 40, radical are going to bash astatine slightest 50."

The task would outgo $400,000, with the study recommending the funds beryllium transferred from the city's 2024 progressive proscription studies project.

"I cognize that radical are not going to beryllium blessed astir this," Coun. Lukes said. 

"But I besides cognize that … if we're going to bash this and we're going to enactment $400K — possibly $500K, we'll spot however overmuch it costs — into this, that we privation to bash it arsenic champion arsenic we tin perchance bash it for that price."

The aviator task inactive needs assembly approval. The study is acceptable to beryllium presented to the nationalist works committee astatine its gathering adjacent Thursday.