Episode 35 is a special report about our coverage of Winnipeg’s troubled bike lane projects. There’s more trouble for the Moving on Marion scheme- and after an interview with a city councilor, we found trouble on the horizon for another City parking-killing project, after we clued in the area businesses.
When we interviewed Transcona Coun. Russ Wyatt on October 19, he had just heard something.
A favorite guest of ours on Kick-FM and on City Circus on Shaw-TV, Russ Wyatt was invited to explain why he raised the Osborne Village bike lane process with area Councilor Sherri Rollins at a committee.
You’ll hear the big reveal and the mutual concerns which led to us investigating.
8:16- We kept our eyes on it, and went down to Sargent Avenue.
Listen to the details: the West End Biz director confirmed something was in the air and that they hadn’t been consulted. Business owners told TGCTS they reject any idea of eliminating parking on Sargent, as they already struggle with rampant theft, crime and inflation.
And another factor raised– bike lanes will impede police and emergency response in the West End and to Health Sciences Centre.
Marty does some educated guesswork of where the bike lanes would go, how gridlocked it would be, and why no one at 510 Main Street cares- but we do.
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19:32 Part 2- Around the City, the Bike Lanes review:
- In Wolseley– traffic jams every morning. How’s that idling going for ya?
- In Osborne Village– Stradbrook is now a narrowed clogjam, with parking in the area slashed by over 180 spots. As Wyatt pointed out, why are property owners treated differently for bike lane proposals than for local improvements?
- On Provencher, the BIZ set the standard, and still are, for taking a stand that bike lanes should “strike a balance between promoting sustainable transportation and preserving the heritage and vitality of our local business community.”
- But on Marion Street a few blocks south, the Norwood Grove BIZ members were caught off-guard and kept in the dark, as we exclusively reported. We have exclusive details on how the City was forced to do another Open House just with them after our investigative series– and we learned the insincere consultation session in September made Marion St. merchants even angrier.
- Then, hear all about the other half of ‘Moving on Marion’- Goulet Street. We describe the fiasco left behind after the project started this summer before council approved the plan – see the photos at Goulet Bike Lane Barricaded, New Lanes A Treacherous Wreck
- And a good news story– we report the latest from the Transcona BIZ. They caught on to what the City was up to, took a strong stand, and we report the result- the City backed off from taking away parking spots.
40:21- Listen to more from Russ Wyatt: he agrees the principles of the Assiniboine Bike Lane audit – “we will never do this again” and to provide fairness for all stakeholders – should be enforced by the 7 current Council members who voted for it in 2012, including him.
But he stresses – the problem with these faulty bike lane projects starts at the top.
45:00 Part 3- Why hasn’t the mainstream media reported on any of this? And, why we do.
Marty explains his extensive history at City Hall going back decades and as an advocate for the average Winnipegger and small businesses. Now, it’s more important than ever for you to have a watchdog.
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