Manitoba government begins process of twinning McGillivray Boulevard southwest of Brady Road

The Manitoba government is moving ahead on a years-long process to twin a roughly seven-kilometre section of McGillivray Boulevard heading out of the City of Winnipeg.

The province has started the functional design study to twin a section of the highway from Road 7E, or Wyper Road1.6 kilometres east of the Perimeter Highway to Brady Road, which is thecity of Winnipeg limit, Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Doyle Piwniuk said Thursday at a news conference.

That section of McGillivray is inside the city's Perimeter Highway, but technically just outside city limits. Past the perimeter, McGillivray becomes Highway 3.

"I look forward to the outcomes, that we move this project forward to make sure it's safe and reliable for our population when it comes to coming into the city of Winnipeg," Piwniuk said.

Construction won't start for some time. Part of the functional design study involvespublic and stakeholder consultation that started inFebruary and is expected to runto May 2024, withthree phases of engagement.

The province is also moving ahead with a refined design of an already-announced interchange at McGillivrayBoulevard and the Perimeter Highway that was recommended in a 2020 design study, Piwniuk said Thursday.

The planned diamond interchange will eventually replace the existing intersection with traffic lights.

The reeve of the rural municipality of Macdonald is thrilled with the news that the projects are moving forward.

"I can't be more excited and more happy," Brad Erbsaid at the news conference.

"This has been a priority for our residents and our businesses in Macdonald for a long time for public safety and their daily commutes to work."

The money for these projects comes from the provincial government's 2023 infrastructure investment strategy, which outlines $4.1 billion in strategic investment in roads, highways, bridges, airports and flood protection over the next five years.