Would you support Winnipeg getting rail transit?

[Luisito]

Would you support Winnipeg getting rail transit? What type of rail transit would you like to see? What route do you think it should have?

If not, why not?

[optimusREIM]

^ 100%. Full on. Since we're spending like a bunch of drunken modern monetary theorists anyways, might as well use that money to invest in a proper transit system. It should ideally have about three to four lines. One should have a terminus at the airport for sure, make Union and the old CP station big junctions.

I'm actually still for the original Wilson subway plan. The landscape has changed somewhat but it could be minorly modified to suit the needs of the city today. The general shape of it was quite good though, and it really would intensify the core of the city and make it more convenient to live car free in the center-ish of the city. We can leave dedicated bus transit corridors to bring in commuters from further flung areas, but have a solid rail/subway to make the core more convenient and not too disruptive in the process.

gimme 10 billion and we can make this happen.

[Hecate]

100% Winnipeg should have rail transit. The first line could have easily been a park and ride in birds hill, there was a line going from birds hill to st Boniface down gateway Raleigh. A simple reconfiguration could have connected it to the tracks going through North st b and over the red river. you could have had mass rapid transit right into downtown for very minimal costs. Instead we added a third sidewalk. Once into downtown push underground and create what Winnipeg has needed for the past 100 years. Heated indoor public transportation.

I think about winters in downtown Montréal. You don’t have to go outside. You can go everywhere important without enduring the elements. Hospitals, universities, libraries, malls, cinemas, sporting venues, can all be accessed without a winter coat, mitts and hat. It’s a revolutionary concept I know, but one we should be striving for. Imagine going from portage place to polo park without freezing your ass off?? Would be nice and maybe help with the overall mental health of the citizens. There is no better transit than underground rail.

[scryer]

I support it.

I would like to see it come in the form of an automated metro though just to cut down on operating expenses.

[Jeff]

yes. 30 years ago. thanks! #builditandtheywillcome

[GarryEllice]

Originally Posted by Hecate

100% Winnipeg should have rail transit. The first line could have easily been a park and ride in birds hill, there was a line going from birds hill to st Boniface down gateway Raleigh. A simple reconfiguration could have connected it to the tracks going through North st b and over the red river. you could have had mass rapid transit right into downtown for very minimal costs. Instead we added a third sidewalk. Once into downtown push underground and create what Winnipeg has needed for the past 100 years. Heated indoor public transportation.

Most of Winnipeg's railway lines are not optimally located for transit service. Including the Gateway line. Thankfully the transit master plan has completely dropped the idea of using Gateway for a BRT route. It would have been a classic case of building transit infrastructure where it's easy to build rather than where it's needed. The natural corridors for higher-order transit in northeast Winnipeg are Henderson and Nairn/Regent, not Gateway.

We can all dream of subways, but if we want to be at least somewhat realistic, the layout and density of Winnipeg are pretty well suited for light rail in the medians of wide arterial roads like Portage, Main, McPhillips, Henderson, St. Mary's, Grant, etc., connected together with some short sections of tunnel downtown.

[wave46]

I'd be curious what routes one might consider for a Winnipeg LRT/subway.

[The Jabroni]

100% yes, as it should have been built, 15, 20, 25 years ago.

[1ajs]

we shoulda built that damned subway

[Luisito]

Thanks for the replies guys. I asked the question because I have brought up in conversations with freinds and coworkers and for some reason they always seem dead set against it. The usual reasons given are Wpg is too small, it would be too expensive etc. One friend said BRT is better.

I think two lines would be cool. One from from East to West from Transcona passing through downtown to the airport. Maybe going down Portage or another route. Another line running from South to North from the UofM to downtown, possibly expanding somewhere north along Main, Henderson or up to McPhilips. An lrt like Calgary or Edmonton would be cool. Obviously a metro line would be great or even a light metro like was mentioned above.

I know its not likely anytime soom, but its fun to dream and talk about trains.

[DancingDuck]

Originally Posted by wave46

I'd be curious what routes one might consider for a Winnipeg LRT/subway.

Assuming that money is no object?

Line 1 Subway: Runs from St Vital Center up St Mary's to Fermor. Then down Fermor to St Anne's. St Anne's/St Mary's/Main to Union Station. Then Main -> Notre Dame -> McPhillips all the way to Garden City and Seven Oaks. Eventual extension south to connect to U of M and Blue Line

Line 2 Subway: Runs from Unicity shopping area on Portage, along Portage all the way to downtown. Then under Rorie/Lily -> Disraeli -> Henderson and ends just north of Chief Peguis.

Line 3 Subway: Runs from Confusion Corner up Osborne to Broadway, down Broadway to Main, up Main all the way to Kildonan Park. Possible extension down Osborne to Jubilee.

Line 4 Light Rail/Rapid Transit: Starts at Grant@Moray, along Grant to Pembina, connects to Blue Line at Osborne Station. Follows existing Blue Line to Union Station. Somehow crosses Red River, ideally goes down Provencher, and then splits: one leg down Nairn -> Regent and ends around Day Street. Other follows old rail ROW between Raleigh and Gateway all the way to Headmaster Row.

Airport spur line: Connects either to Line 2 at Polo Park or to Line 1 at intersection of McPhillips@Notre Dame. Alternately a shuttle bus that runs Airport->Polo Park with no other stops.

[Wpgstvsouth94]

This should have been done on day one instead of the useless BRT..

[LilZebra]

Not to rain on the parade, but since December my kidney specialists have said that my kidnet function is down to 9% (normal for my age would be 60%).

I've been given 1 yr. to live without a kidney transplant and without dialysis.

So i guess in terms of me ever seeing rail rapid transit in this life is now out of the question.

Too bad. 'cause I waited 40 yrs. for it to happen here and it never ever came.

So, I choose next lifetime to reincarnate as Adrien in Paris, France sometime 150 to 200 yrs. from now where there's a tonne of rapid transit trains, commuter rail, TGV
etc...

Screw Winnipeg.

[peg]

I have always dreamed of subways in Winnipeg. I am 100% for rail-based transit. I am also for regional rail-based transit. Bring back the train to Winnipeg Beach / Gimli! The rail line is still there too.

Also, I am really sorry to hear that LilZebra I hope you are able to find a suitable transplant.

[zen-kz]

From my point of view Winnipeg does not need the subway system as it is too long and too expensive to build and maintain. On the other hand LRT is a good option especially for Portage which has pretty decent density and potential to grow. I would say it will be good idea to have 2 lines: Portage-Provencher-Nairn-Regent and Main-Pembina (or as an alternative Main-St.Marry-St.Anne as we already have BRT on Pembina) with a potential 3rd line: Airport - PoloPark - Kenanston (to Bridgewater)

BRT has some benefits as well, where the biggest one - buses can use a transitway but then continue on local street so riders do not need to transfer. Unfortunately Winnipeg is not going this route, but introduced "Blue" buses. I totaly understand this as it allows to have better intervals and wider network with limited number of buses. However with this approach it would be much better to have LRT rather than BRT or at least trolley buses instead of disel ones.

I believe trolley buses is a good way to improve our BRT as it is zero emission, cheap to buy and maintain and can last much longer as there is no batteries like in electric buses.

[WildCake]

If money is not a problem? Absolutely. If the feds gave Winnipeg a blank cheque for this then yes LRT 4/5 lines as people have already commented.

Given that money is an issue, I say not yet. Car ownership and commuting is still convenient and will be for the next decade at least. We have a car culture and whether we lay down the most magnificient LRT or stick with BRT, most will not covert their commuting choice until it is more time consuming or much more costly to drive their car.

As Winnipeg's downtown and employment hubs gets more developped, commute times will climb and parking will get more expensive as lots are replaced with buildings.

I feel Winnipeg would be better served building BRT in the meantime, securing the necessary ROWs and building some transit hubs like Union Station has been proposed.

As it becomes less convenient for vehicle ownership, and demand for transit increases, then shift our main lines to LRT.

At the pace we're building BRT we'll probably hit that critical demand point before the 4 proposed BRT lknes are built anyways.

[rivercity]

Maybe we will get a chunk of the 15B Trudeau is announcing for Canadian transit as a restart. The Wilson subway plan is truly dreamy and I think it would have been a game changer for those inner city neighbourhoods that it would have connected.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by LilZebra

Not to rain on the parade, but since December my kidney specialists have said that my kidnet function is down to 9% (normal for my age would be 60%).

I've been given 1 yr. to live without a kidney transplant and without dialysis.

So i guess in terms of me ever seeing rail rapid transit in this life is now out of the question

I'm sorry to hear this LilZebra, I hope you get some good news on this front.

On the rail transit front, I think that would be great. But the problem is the total lack of political will. As evidenced by Brian Bowman's abject failure in realizing even his modest BRT promises.

Every time this issue comes up the issue of where the money is going to come from is raised. But if the City and Province were even moderately competent at taking advantage of federal dollars then we'd have a rail transit route by now.

Whenever there is a cost-shared federal transit spending program you always see something like

• Ottawa - new O-Train Route
• Kitchener-Waterloo - new LRT line
• Edmonton - new LRT line
• Winnipeg - expansion of bus garage to store 6 more buses

It's pathetic.

[bomberjet]

Ya Trudeaus doling out $15 billion so we should get on that this time, except Winnipeg has nothing planned yet....

Lil Zebra, I wish you good fortune in your quest for a kidney..

[Hecate]

Originally Posted by GarryEllice

Most of Winnipeg's railway lines are not optimally located for transit service. Including the Gateway line. Thankfully the transit master plan has completely dropped the idea of using Gateway for a BRT route. It would have been a classic case of building transit infrastructure where it's easy to build rather than where it's needed. The natural corridors for higher-order transit in northeast Winnipeg are Henderson and Nairn/Regent, not Gateway.

We can all dream of subways, but if we want to be at least somewhat realistic, the layout and density of Winnipeg are pretty well suited for light rail in the medians of wide arterial roads like Portage, Main, McPhillips, Henderson, St. Mary's, Grant, etc., connected together with some short sections of tunnel downtown.

Henderson would be too expensive you would have to go underground for the entire length of the line. gateway Raleigh would make the most sense as it could collect people living both east and west of it and it’s a clear path to the centre of the city. Would also extend north into birds hill allowing park and rides at the perimeter. The entire length of the stretch has lots of space for transit orientated development. A single line to service the space between the red and lagimodier is all that’s needed. Building along Henderson would alienate too many residents. From the station in birds hill, add a bus to birds hill park during the summer months and people would have access to the beach. Wouldn’t be so bad. It would actually get users.