City of Winnipeg names Plenary Roads Winnipeg as 'preferred bidder' for rapid transit's 2nd phase

Winnipeg city officials have selected Plenary Roads Winnipeg as its preferred bidder to build the second phase of the southwest rapid transit corridor as well as Pembina Highway underpass.

Plenary Roads Winnipeg's technical and financial submission for the project received the highest score in the city's request for proposals (RFP) process for the project, the city said in a news release Friday.

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The city said naming a preferred bidder now allows it to start working with the company to "complete the financial and contractual obligations required to award the contract."

The second phase would expand the existing Southwest Transitway corridor, which runs from downtown to Jubilee Avenue, by 7.6 kilometres to the University of Manitoba.

"When completed, the Southwest Transitway will allow Winnipeg Transit to bypass heavy traffic volumes on Pembina Highway, leading to greater on-time reliability, higher travel speeds, and improved service to the surrounding neighbourhoods," Mayor Brian Bowman said in the release.

Meanwhile, the city says it is seeking proposals to study possible routes for a new rapid transit line from downtown to eastern Winnipeg.

"As construction begins on the Southwest Transitway, we need to begin examining the next best route, and this initial work will be undertaken along the eastern corridor which was identified in the Transportation Master Plan as the next priority for rapid transit," Bowman said.