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This article was published 11/3/2015 (2019 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A provincial plan to construct a tunnel underneath the north Perimeter Highway linking two sides of East St. Paul will result in a massive traffic influx into north Winnipeg, says Winnipeg Coun. Jeff Browaty.

Browaty (North Kildonan) said traffic studies conducted by the RM of East St. Paul project the tunnel would drive 30,000 vehicles onto the residential streets of north Winnipeg by 2030.

Residential streets in North Kildonan "will have traffic way beyond their engineered capacity," Browaty says. "This is just a poorly conceived idea by the province of Manitoba."

The Selinger government promised in the 2011 campaign to construct an elevated active transportation bridge across the north Perimeter – part of its plans for a cloverleaf at Perimeter and Highway 59 – linking the Pioneers Greenway path that runs through East and North Kildonan with a similar pathway in East St. Paul and on to Birds Hill Park.

Browaty said those plans – without any consultation with Winnipeg – have now morphed into a two-lane vehicular tunnel and an active transportation path underneath the Perimeter, linking the two stretches of Raleigh Street.

A provincial spokeswoman said the link across the north Perimeter is less a tunnel and more appropriately an at-grade underpass.

The spokeswoman said the cost of the at-grade underpass is estimated to be the same as a bridge for the active transportation path alone, adding it was concluded the underpass was the better option.

The province has issued a formal request for proposals for the underpass, the spokeswoman said, adding disclosing estimates now could compromise the competitive bid process.

Browaty said the province plans to close the Pritchard Farm Road access onto Hwy. 59, which would force those East St. Paul residents living along Raleigh north of the Perimeter to Birds Hill to access Hwy. 59.

But the tunnel would allow those residents a short-cut to north Winnipeg and Highway 59 along residential streets in North Kildonan.

This is the second time in two years that Browaty has challenged East St. Paul. The RM wanted to allow the construction of a big box mall anchored by Walmart just outside the city’s boundaries, but using Winnipeg streets for access.

Browaty lobbied Winnipeg council to close one street just shy of the Winnipeg-East St. Paul boundary and threaten to close Raleigh if the mall plan went ahead.

Browaty said Winnipeg’s traffic planning isn’t prepared to handle an influx of traffic onto residential streets in North Kildonan, adding he’s concerned about the added noise and safety issues, as well as the wear and tear on city streets.

"I’m getting overwhelming calls of support from my residents in North Kildonan. I’m hearing from people in East St. Paul," living inside the Perimeter who are also concerned about the impact the tunnel will have on their streets, Browaty said.

Browaty says he has always questioned the need for an AT link across the north Perimeter, adding the money would be better spent on more needed traffic improvements, including cloverleaf at Birds Hill Road and Hwy. 59, widening Lagimodiere Boulevard, and installing a median and turning lanes on Henderson Highway between Gilmore Avenue to Hoddinott Road.

aldo.santin@freepress.mb.ca