Manitoba infrastructure minister endorses new Brandon road access despite department's collision concerns

Manitoba's infrastructure minister overruled the advice of his own departmenttoapprove a highway accesshe was warned could increase collisions.

A recent briefing note provided toDoyle Piwniukstressed that adding a newentrance onto 18th Streetin the southwest corner of Brandon one of the city's busiest roads, also known as Highway 10would increase the likelihood of accidents and may degrade awetland. The proposed accessalso featuresturning lanes that would be shorter than standard policy.

"Adding an intersection at this location will increase collisions," thebriefing note said, suggesting that access to a new proposed development couldcome from theless-busy Patricia Avenue instead.

Despite his department's rationale, Piwniukapproved a permit for the access, with conditions, in August, according to adocument obtained by CBC News.

The street access has been sought unsuccessfully since 2016by VBJ Developments, which isbehinda proposed mixed-use development including retail/commercial units and residentialhousing. It's slated forthe corner ofan undeveloped parcel west of 18th Street and south of Patricia Avenue.

The development is a source of contention among Brandon ratepayers. It's onereason, along with future growth,the cityneeds a$30-million debenture for wastewater infrastructure upgrades and a double-digit percentage increase in water rates annually.

Councillor wants to know minister's rationale

Kris Desjarlais, a city councillor representing Brandon's downtown, said the infrastructuredepartment's objections givecredence to his push for another public hearing on the debenture a type of unsecuredlong-term financing.

"I can't speak for the minister.I would like to know what went into making that decision because I'm acouncillor, I'm not an engineer, andI want to be assured that we are still following expert advice when we're moving forward with this development," said Desjarlais, who is facing two challengers as heseeksre-election in Ward 2 on Oct. 26.

Piwniukargued Tuesday he isn't sacrificing safety at the expense of future development.

He said Brandon needs to grow and the city can continue expanding in the southwest direction until it reaches the nearby bypass. Piwniuk said it's comparable to how Winnipeg has stretched toward the boundaries of the Perimeter Highwayin some areas.

"When the design is done, they can reduce the speed zones and that's something we can look at:reducing the speed zonefrom 80kilometresto a 50-kilometrezone."

Piwniuk's spokesperson said in an emailthe terms and conditions of the minister's permit are being addressed. The access along 18th Street has since been endorsed through a citycouncil resolution and the developer has submitted atraffic impact study and drainage plan, which areunder review.

At Desjarlais's suggestion, city council voted last week to hold another public hearing for the $30 million to upgrade wastewater improvements for Brandon's southwest corner. The city of 51,000 people requires the upgrades for current and future needs, but not exclusively the proposed VBJ development.

He said residents are worried by thenumber of majorinfrastructure projects the city is undertaking at once, including $129 million to upgrade its water treatment plant and $30 million for drainageupgrades in Brandon's southeast.

Other levels of government may cover some funding,but "that's a lot of borrowing all at the same time," Desjarlais said.

Minister shouldn't 'ignoregood advice': NDP

Mark Allard, Brandon's director of engineering, said the city wanted an access off of 18th Street for futuregrowth, but officials estimatedit could take decadesto happen.

"I think in this case our desires, be it for maybe different reasons, have alignedwith a little bit of VBJ's desires as well," Allard said, explaining the city wasn't more picky aboutwhere the access went.

He said the Manitoba Transportation department's standards around access points and length of turning lanes will likely be eased as that section of Brandon transforms from a largely rural area with a speed limit of 80 kilometres per hourinto aslower-speed urban area.

NDP transportation and infrastructure critic Matt Wiebe said Brandon residents have a right to be concerned about the minister's decision. The proposal for the highway access was first rejected in 2016 by the Highway Traffic Board, a provincial board that was later dissolvedby the government.

"Atthe end of the day it shouldn't beupon the minister to ignoregood advice, ignore safety, ignore the impact that it's going to have on water rates for the average personin Brandon," he said.

"We need to make sure this is done in an open and transparent way."

He alleged the Progressive Conservative government is doing the bidding ofparty donorJared Jacobson, the owner of VBJ Developments, who donated $3,000 to now Premier Heather Stefanson's leadership campaign last year.

Jacobson adamantly denied that suggestion in a short phone call.

WATCH | Acess for proposed Brandon development gets minister's green light:

Manitoba infrastructure minister gives Brandon access green light, despite concerns

2 years ago

Duration 2:22

Doyle Piwniuk says a proposed development in the city's southwest will support city's growth.

VBJ argued that access from 18th Street is vital in attracting large commercial tenants to the location, according to a report to city council from Brandon's administration.

The company initially agreedto an interview, but backed out.

Weighing city priorities

The city still needs to approve a final proposal for the development.

Coun. Desjarlaissaid he can be convinced further growthis worth the expense, buthopes it doesn't come at the expense of the downtown and a worsening homelessness and addictions crisis.

"It has been frustrating sometimes at the kind of nickel and diming I think we doon council when it comes to the downtownbut we're willing to double or triple the amount that we're going to borrow on future development and cross our fingers that indeed we are going to reap the benefits from that," he said.

"And maybe it will. We'll see."