Successful Point Douglas Revitalization Requires Twinned Louise Bridge Now

With serious consideration now being given to constructing a new stadium and home for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in Point Douglas, Councillor Jeff Browaty (North Kildonan) today called on all levels of government to immediately act on plans to replace the Louise Bridge with a four lane structure, as detailed in the City of Winnipeg’s 2008 Capital Budget.

“There’s little chance of success for new businesses in the vicinity of the proposed Point Douglas stadium if the Louise Bridge is closed to traffic for an extended period shortly after the stadium opens,” argued Browaty. “I had a summer job on Higgins Avenue in the summer of 1993 during the last major rehabilitation and Higgins Avenue was a ghost town.”

The adopted 2008 Capital Budget calls for a preliminary engineering project on the rehabilitation or replacement of the Louise Bridge to commence in 2013 at a cost of $1.6 million.  A rehabilitation of the current 2-lane bridge is estimated to cost $22 million while a replacement 4-lane structure is expected to be in the $60 million range.

“Before the provincial and federal governments invest significant taxpayer money into a new stadium / Point Douglas revitalization project, the city needs to help ensure a broader neighbourhood renewal will take place,” Browaty stated. “Making the vicinity of the stadium a dead-end only a couple of years after opening it makes no sense.”

Browaty is cautious to point out that accelerating the Louise Bridge project should old proceed if the Disraeli rehabilitation project can safely be put-off until after the Louise Bridge is replaced.

“While I still believe a 6-lane Disraeli project is the best long-term proposal for the future development of northeast Winnipeg, replacing the 2-lane Louise Bridge with a 4-lane structure prior to the Disraeli rehabilitation will significantly help mitigate traffic gridlock,” Browaty said.