Getting around Downtown - Bike routes

Winnipeg’s Pedestrian and Cycling Strategies

The Pedestrian and Cycling Strategies (PCS) outline the long-term vision for walking and cycling infrastructure. The strategies aim to create infrastructure for people of all ages and abilities that is:

• Accessible
• Convenient
• Safe

The PCS also assist in setting priorities for active transportation projects. The strategies are being updated as part of Transportation Master Plan: 2050.

Downtown bike routes

Designing bike routes for Downtown requires trade-offs. These trade-offs involve balancing the needs of all road users, as well as businesses and other stakeholders. We must consider some design factors that set Downtown apart from other areas. These include: 

• Limited road space
• High traffic volumes
• Transit
• One-way streets
• Demand for on-street parking and loading

The following routes have been identified to improve connectivity to, from, and within the Downtown:

• St. Mary Avenue and York Avenue
• Notre Dame Avenue and Cumberland Avenue
• William Stephenson Way
• Graham Avenue (see Re-imagining Graham Avenue theme)

These bike routes  are being studied as part of CentrePlan 2050. 

View Downtown Bike Route study area map (PDF)  

St. Mary Avenue and York Avenue

Two options for protected bike lanes on St. Mary Avenue and York Avenue are being considered:

• One-way protected bike lanes on St. Mary Avenue and York Avenue
• Two-way protected bike lane on York Avenue

Both options would start at Colony Street on the west (connecting to the existing protected bike lanes on St. Mary Avenue) and end at Garry Street (connecting to the existing protected bike lanes on Garry Street). The study area for this route originally continued to Main Street. A future connection across Main Street will be studied as part of the Rapid Transit (Downtown Corridors) Preliminary Design study. 

The one-way protected bike lanes on St. Mary and York Avenue is the preferred option. 

That said, it’s important for us to hear what Winnipeggers think of both options. Your feedback may help us view the designs in a different way.

Our preference is based on what we heard in Phase 1 and the following evaluation criteria:

Cycling comfort 

• Stakeholders and the public told us they are more comfortable biking in the same direction as traffic.
• One-way bike lane follows the direction of traffic, which is more comfortable for cyclists and drivers.

Conflicts

• Crossing one-way bike lanes is typically easier for all users than crossing two-way bike lanes. Drivers, pedestrians, and other cyclists only have to scan one direction of bike traffic before determining whether it is safe to cross the bike lane. With two-way bike lanes, they must watch for bike traffic coming from two directions. 

Connectivity and proximity

• Bike access is provided to destinations on and around both St. Mary Avenue and York Avenue.

Traffic operations

• One-way protected bike lanes have fewer impacts on the way traffic flows. For example, traffic signal timing is simpler than with two-way bike lanes. 

Notre Dame Avenue and Cumberland Avenue

We are considering two options for protected bike lanes on Notre Dame Avenue and Cumberland Avenue (between Sherbrook Street and Hargrave Street):

• Two-way protected bike lane on the south side of Cumberland Avenue
• Two-way protected bike lane on the north side of Cumberland Avenue

Both options include a two-way protected bike lane on the north side of Notre Dame Avenue between Carlton Street and Adelaide Street. 

We do not yet prefer one option over another at this location. 

William Stephenson Way

We only have one design at this location. It features multi-use pathways that will provide bike access to The Forks, Exchange District, Esplanade Riel Pedestrian Bridge, Provencher Bridge, and Waterfront Drive.  This is the same design we shared in Phase 1.  We will share a refined design in Phase 3.

Graham Avenue

We are looking at cycling on Graham Avenue as part of the re-design of Graham Avenue.