Funding to finish bike-pedestrian projects in danger of disappearing

Only half of the bike-and-pedestrian projects planned for Winnipeg this year have been completed, placing federal funding for some of the remaining projects in jeopardy.

As of Wednesday, construction crews had finished 18 of the 36 active-transportation projects slated for 2010 as part of a $20.4-million infrastructure- stimulus program funded by all three levels of government.

Another 13 projects are under construction and could be completed before the snow falls if weather conditions remain favourable. But five others are on hold, pending further public consultations and property approvals.

Under the terms of a 2009 infrastructure-stimulus agreement, all the projects must be completed by April 2011. Since all but three involve concrete, which cannot be poured during the winter, the construction season for the upgrade is effectively over.

That means Ottawa could withdraw its funding for the incomplete projects. The city will likely seek some sort of extension to ensure that money doesn't disappear, said St. Boniface Coun. Dan Vandal, city council's new public works chairman.

"You go hard until you can't go anymore because of the weather. The large majority of them will likely get done and the ones you can't get done will be finished in the spring," Vandal said in an interview, expressing optimism the federal government will give the City of Winnipeg more time.

"Hopefully, at the end of the day they will see the difficulty the (infrastructure-stimulus) timelines placed on not just Winnipeg, but every municipality that had to spend infrastructure-stimulus funds.

"There's no disadvantage to the federal government to allow a few more months for the projects to be completed in the spring."

Prior to this year, the City of Winnipeg had never spent more than $4.4 million on cycling and pedestrian routes in a single year. Once a laggard on active-transportation infrastructure, the city hoped this year's influx of $20.4-million would add 102 kilometres of cycling routes to an existing 274-kilometre network.

But the rollout of the project proved more difficult than expected, as the design work, public consultation and construction all had to be completed within a year.

One of the projects, a $1-million bridge over Omand's Creek in Omand Park, was scrapped due to public opposition and replaced with $100,000 worth of trail improvements in the park. And since most of the other projects involve changes to existing streets, at least eight other routes garnered heavy criticism.

A spokesman for Infrastructure Minister Chuck Strahl referred questions about funding deadlines to the department Friday. A department spokeswoman said the March 31, 2011, deadline was a clear condition of the funding and all applicants signed agreements attesting to it and guaranteeing projects would be finished in time.

However, she said, the government is "monitoring the issue" and will be "fair and reasonable."

"We are still several months away from the end of the fiscal year and we want to work with our partners to ensure that the projects are completed," said Michelle Viau in an email.

In September, project manager Bill Woroby conceded the city should not attempt to complete so many active-transportation projects in a single year in the future. More time needs to be spent to ensure the changes enjoy widespread support, Vandal added.

"It's great to have access to the money, but when you're dealing with something as passionate as traffic management, you have to consult with the community," Vandal said. "Hopefully, we've learned something in this case. I'd say the reasons we went so quickly was the timelines imposed by the federal government."

-- with files from Mia Rabson

bartley.kives@freepress.mb.ca

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition November 13, 2010 B1