City of Winnipeg adding 5 more active transportation routes for pedestrians, cyclists

The City of Winnipeg is temporarily limiting vehicle traffic on five more streets to allow extra space for pedestrians and cyclists, and is extending vehiclerestrictions already in placeon four other active transportation routes.

Parts of Lyndale Drive, Scotia Street, Wellington Crescent, and Wolseley Avenue have been restricted to traffic every day since April 6. Motor vehicles are limited to one block of travel from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on those routes.

On Friday, the city announcedfive more streets will be converted to active transportation routes with the same restrictions for vehicles, startingMay 5.

The new routes are:

• Assiniboine Avenue from Bedson Street to Westwood Drive.
• Churchill Drive from Hay Street to Jubilee Avenue.
• Egerton Road from Bank Avenue to Morier Avenue.
• Kildonan Drive from Helmsdale Avenue to Rossmere Crescent, and from Larchdale Crescent to Irving Place.
• Kilkenny Drive from Burgess Avenue to Patricia Avenue and Kings Drive.

The restrictions will be in place until May 29.

The city also announced that Lyndale Drive, Scotia Street, Wellington Crescent, and Wolseley Avenue will continue to be used as active transportation routes until May 29.

Vehicle traffic on thoseroutes is normally restricted on Sundays and holidays during the summer months, but the city brought in the restrictions early this year, and made them daily, to provide opportunities for people to get outside and stay active during the coronavirus pandemic.

"It's important that we provide Winnipeggers with safe spaces they can use to keep active while practising social distancing," Coun. Matt Allard, who chairs the city's public works committee, said in a statement from the city on Friday.

No giveaway weekend due to COVID-19

In order to promote physical distancing and limit the spread of COVID-19, city officials also announced that there will be no spring giveaway weekend this year.

Jason Shaw, manager of the city'semergency operations centre, said the city didn't think it was a safe event to hold in the midst of the pandemic.

"We want people to stay home wherever possible, follow safe practices of social distancing, and the giveaway weekend encourages a lot of people to get out and about," he said.

He said the city also didn't want to give people mixed messaging about physical distancing by holding a giveaway weekend.

"We gotta keep our focus and keep going. Things like the giveaway weekend maybe take away from that."