St. Boniface to Downtown Walk Bike Project

The City’s Pedestrian and Cycling Strategies (PCS) were approved by City Council in 2015 and provide the long-term vision for providing accessible, convenient, and safe walking and cycling infrastructure for people of all ages and abilities. The PCS also assist in the prioritization of active transportation infrastructure projects throughout the city. 

A key direction of the Pedestrian and Cycling Strategies (PCS) is to develop local bike networks in each neighbourhood that connect to the existing network and to the Downtown. 

This preliminary design study will develop options for east-west connections from the Esplanade Riel Footbridge and Provencher Bridge to the Archibald Street underpass multi-use path (located approximately 300m south of Nairn Avenue). The preliminary design study will also include connections to the Southeast Corridor. Tache Promenade and Notre Dame Street pedestrian bridge over the Seine River. This route will consider the needs of all road users, create a comfortable and attractive route, and accommodate users of all ages and abilities.

In the summer of 2020 (Phase 1 Engagement), the project team sought input from residents and stakeholders within the study area to help determine where the bike route should go and other important considerations in the design process. What we heard in Phase 1 engagement, along with technical information and analysis, was used to develop several route options being presented now for further public feedback (Phase 2 engagement). 

While Provencher Boulevard was identified as an obvious option for a bike route in Phase 1, it poses some unique challenges that must be considered as part of Phase 2 engagement. 

First, because this alignment would require a major reconstruction of the street due to its current traffic volumes, limited right-of-way space, and high on-street parking utilization, it would require a greater financial investment than is currently available for construction. Second, while Phase 1 engagement told us this route is preferred by many cyclists, it raised concerns for many area businesses due to the potential loss of parking it would require.

Based on these factors, we are also exploring other routes such as Notre Dame Street, Dumoulin Street, and de la Cathedrale Avenue, which would better align with available funding and could be constructed upon completion of this study. If Provencher Boulevard were to be the preferred route, the project would be added to and prioritized against a list of other unfunded active transportation projects.