Bowman, EPC back intersection revamp plan

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This article was published 17/10/2017 (2376 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A plan to upgrade the Portage and Main intersection with the intention of eventually opening it up to pedestrians was endorsed unanimously Wednesday by Mayor Brian Bowman and members of his executive policy committee (EPC).

The proposal would see the city spend $3.5 million to revamp the areas around the intersection, including: $1.5 million for further engineering and architectural work needed to allow pedestrians to cross; $500,000 for new sidewalks, curbs and street trees for the plaza area directly in front of the Richardson Building; and, $1.5 million to upgrade the underground concourse underneath the tower at 201 Portage Ave.

Bowman said he was pleased with the unanimous vote, adding it marks a milestone for Winnipeg city council.

“This is four decades to get us where we are today,” Bowman told reporters following the EPC meeting.

The vote came after nine downtown business leaders spent more than an hour in the morning urging EPC members to approve the plan.

Two early dissenters on EPC — Couns. Scott Gillingham and Brian Mayes — eventually voted for the proposal after Bowman agreed to include minor amendments from both of them.

Gillingham wanted a written assurance that the intersection will not be re-opened to pedestrians until a report detailing cost estimates and traffic impacts is presented to council. Mayes secured an agreement that the administration will consider the impact of a potential north Main Street transit corridor will have on the project.

The proposal requires council to:

— Commit to re-opening the intersection to pedestrians through a phased approach.

— Appoint a Portage Avenue and Main Street Working Group, which will include the CAO, representatives of the property owners at the intersection and the departments of Public Works, Transit, Planning, Property and Development, and Water and Waste, to ensure collaboration and consultation for aligned overall planning.

— Approve a single-source contract with Harvard Developments for reimbursement of renovation and upgrade costs up to $500,000 for work Harvard Developments is doing in the underground concourse in conjunction with upgrades to Harvard underground property.

— Sign an agreement with the adjacent property owners for at-grade pedestrian activity at the intersection, which would include termination of the original lease provisions that prohibit at-grade activity.

The proposal needs at least a majority of nine votes at council. Bowman left the EPC knowing he has seven votes but refused to speculate on whether he could find two more votes for final approval of the plan.

“Today we had the votes,” Bowman told reporters following the EPC meeting. “We’ll see what happens next week.”

At least three members of council spoke to the EPC in opposition to the proposal — Couns. Jeff Browaty, Jason Schreyer and Shawn Dobson.

aldo.santin@freepress.mb.ca