Push to lower speed along Wellington Crescent moves forward

A push to reduce the speed limit along Wellington Crescent moved forward at city hall on Monday.

The city centre committee passed a motion to lower the speed between River Avenue and Academy Road to 30 kilometres per hour. The motion came partly in response to the death of cyclist Rob Jenner earlier this year.

"It is a critical piece of the [bike] network that hasn't been reduced in speed" and does not have proper bike infrastructure, Jenner's wife Wendy Van Loon told reporters at city hall.

Jenner died on June 6 after a driver travelling more than 150 km/h hit him. 

Although the driver was going more than three times the legal speed limit, Van Loon hopes reducing the speed on Wellington will lead to fewer drivers on the street.

"In general, people will avoid using that route," she said.

"They will be slower, they will be aware, they need to slow down."

Van Loon has continued to see drivers speeding by the spot where her husband died.

"I sat there one day by my husband's ghost bike and watched for 15-20 minutes. At least two cars speeding through there. So it is [an] unsafe area."

Jenner was not the only cyclist hit on Wellington this summer. A teen was injured in a crash at Academy Road in July.

Part of Wellington between Academy and Guelph Street is already designated a summer bike route, with 30 km/h speeds from May to October.

Calls for bike route

Residents like Sharon Kirk would like to see it as a bike route year-round.

"There are many pedestrians and cyclists who use Wellington Crescent throughout the winter. They deserve a safe space to walk, jog and cycle," she told the committee.

An earlier draft of the motion, brought forward by Fort Rouge-East Fort Garry Coun. Sherri Rollins, would have reduced the speed on Wellington from River to Kenaston Boulevard, until permanent cycling infrastructure is constructed along the route. 

River Heights Coun. John Orlikow raised concerns about changing the speed without the advice of city traffic engineers.

"I'm happy to be convinced, but not from a specific group, and not on a reactionary basis."

To gain Orlikow's support, the motion was changed so the reduced speed zone would go from River to  Academy Road — the boundary between Rollins' and Olikow's wards.

Rollins says she has received a flood of calls from people asking for the change.

"Anyone can see a broken bus stop, a broken fence at Saint Mary's on the routine, right. Accidents that you know, get reported in my office on the routine, near misses that scare people."

The committee passed the motion unanimously. It will move on to the public works committee, and ultimately council for final approval.

Winnipeg committee votes to reduce speed limit on stretch where cyclist died

8 days ago

Duration 2:15

Council's city centre committee has passed a motion to lower the speed limit on a section of Wellington Crescent to 30 km/h, in response to the death of cyclist Rob Jenner on that street earlier this year.