The Manitoba government is slowly moving ahead with plans to improve the south Perimeter Highway.
The province is putting out a tender to hire a consultant who would conduct a study on “rebuilding” the highway.
Infrastructure Minister Blaine Pedersen said the idea is to convert it into a modern freeway “similar to American Interstate standards”.
“It was built 50 years ago. The city has expanded a lot, trade has expanded a lot. We need to know where we need to be for the next 50 years.”
The study will look at everything from locations for potential interchanges or grade separations to new bridges to a potential bypass around St. Norbert. That’s an idea floated before the last election by the previous NDP government.
Pedersen wouldn’t give a cost of the study but says it will take two years to complete. The government would be able to pick and choose which recommendations to act on.