City unveils three options for Disraeli Freeway project

The public's preferences for pedestrian and cyclist access will determine the price tag for rebuilding one of Winnipeg's busiest commuter routes.

The city will hold three open houses next week to get public input on three different designs,costing between $125 and $160 million, to rebuild the 40-year-old four-lane Disraeli Freeway.

"What's proposed is the rehabilitation of the Disraeli Freeway, from Main Street to Hespeler, and it includes the bridge and the overpass," project manager Bill Ebenspanger told CBC News.

An assessment of the freewayfound several areas, including the bridge deck,girders and concrete piers, that needed improvement in order to meet current design standards.

Under any of the city's three proposed plans, access for vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians will be improved, the project'sApril newsletter said. The rehabilitation project will also include upgrading intersections, signing, lighting and traffic signals, and new bus stops and rest areas.

The cheapest option, with a sidewalk on one side, would cost $125 million, while the second proposal would have two sidewalks and a $160 million price tag.

The third option, the most accessible for pedestrians and cyclists, would also cost $160 millionbut would include one sidewalk and increase the size of the curb lanes shared by vehicles and cyclists. All options would have four lanes.

4 lanes sufficient for traffic volume

The city also consideredoptions such as a new six-lane twin structure or a four- and six-lane divided roadway, but they would be far more costly to construct. Additionally, the city said, an assessment indicated that a full replacement wasn't necessary and that four laneswere enough to handle the traffic.

Nona Pelltier, with the Northwest Commuter Cycling Group, said designated bike lanes would be ideal,but any of the proposals would be an improvement.

"That's the absolute safest option, and if they were going to build a brand-new bridge,[designated lanes]would be something we would be pushing for," she said. "In the case of a rehabilitated bridge, like this one, no, you have to be realistic. This is certainly an improvement on what we have at the moment, so I'd be happy with that."

Following the consultations, the project managers will make a recommendation to city council in the fall, with plans finalized by the end of the year. Construction is slated to start in late 2009, and will takeroughly 1 years to complete, with the freeway closed for 16 months during this time.