March 5, 2014

$250-MILLION INVESTMENT MANITOBA'S LARGEST EVER IN WINNIPEG ROADS

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From the Street in Front of Your House to the Road to Work or School, Winnipeggers will have a Smoother, Safer Ride: Premier Selinger, Mayor Katz

The Manitoba government is investing a quarter of a billion dollars to repair and rebuild Winnipeg streets and sidewalks over the next five years, Premier Greg Selinger announced today with Mayor Sam Katz at the Manitoba Legislative Building.
“I want Winnipeggers to have a safe, smooth ride wherever their day takes them.  Working with the city, we will do everything from patching potholes to completing street and intersection rebuilds,” said Premier Selinger.  “We know the roads we are building today will benefit us and the next generation because building first-rate infrastructure attracts first-rate industry and jobs.” 
The premier noted the funding agreement will add a total of $66 million in all new funding over the next five years to existing road improvement programs in Winnipeg, making it the largest-ever Winnipeg street renewal investment.
“Winnipeggers have been clear that it’s time to rebuild our roads and we are listening,” said Katz.  “Like us, the province is making infrastructure a priority.  This additional funding allows us to make the most of Winnipeg’s short construction season and to expand our capacity to get the job done.”
The additional funding will allow major new road reconstruction projects to proceed this year, the premier said.  When new funding is combined with extended and continuing financial support from the Province of Manitoba, this partnership with the City of Winnipeg will fund more than 100 individual road, back lane and sidewalk repair projects this year.
“The funding being announced today shows what the province and city can do to keep Winnipeg competitive when we work together,” said Children and Youth Opportunities Minister Kevin Chief, minister responsible for the City of Winnipeg.  “This agreement allows the City of Winnipeg to plan ahead, starting more road repair projects all over the city that will have an immediate impact in Winnipeg neighbourhoods.”
Examples of road repair projects now scheduled for 2014 include:

• King Edward Street from Logan Avenue to Legion Avenue;
• Berrydale Avenue from St. George Road to Ste. Anne’s Road; and
• Kildare Avenue from Brewster Street to Day Street.

Examples of road repair projects now scheduled for 2015 include:

• Berry Street from Wellington Avenue to Sargent Avenue; and
• intersection reconstruction at Sturgeon Road in the Murray Industrial Park.

“This agreement with the city is part of a $5.5-billion, five-year plan for the whole province announced earlier today with investments in strategic trade routes, flood protection and other core infrastructure that will grow our economy and create good jobs,” the premier said.  “The last generation of roads and bridges served us well over the last 50 years and now we must restore that infrastructure to ensure its reliability and safety, at the same time as we expand it for our growing population and economy.”
A complete project list of street and sidewalk renewal projects is available at: www.gov.mb.ca/ia/index.html.

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