WINNIPEG – Between high traffic volumes and crumbling roads, driving in the Polo Park area in Winnipeg is no easy task.
“It’s the epitome of potholes,” one driver told Global News.
“Too much traffic, too many people in a restricted area,” said another.
The city and the province are committing millions of dollars to improving infrastructure in the area. The $30-million plan will be on display Tuesday at an open house hosted by the city from 4 to 8 p.m. at Canad Inns Polo Park.
Planned changes to the area include widening St. Matthews Street and extending it to Route 90 — which can only be done if the city expropriates the necessary land.
St. James Street will also see road and intersection improvements.
“It’s a long time coming,” said Lester Dean, manager of the city’s engineering department in public works. “There’s no real reason on why it waited this long, but once the stadium was decommissioned, it seemed like a good idea to wait until the construction had taken place.”
The site of the former Canad Inns Stadium, which has been replaced by the Blue Bombers’ Investors Group Field at the University of Manitoba, is now a still-under-construction Target — which could contribute to future congestion.
“There simply needs to be more lanes. They need to improve the roads,” an area resident told Global News. “And to do that, they’ll have to close things down.”
Construction on the project will start in 2014 and wrap up in 2015.
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