I read a good article in the Canstar papers about how the McPhillips construction mess is hurting businesses along the route, some of which I frequent.

I am about to write a blog post about this, but want to get a few facts and rumours cleared up!

Wasn't McPhillips shut down for most of last summer for construction as well?

I also recall reading (perhaps on this board) that at the end of the year they screwed something up and realized that this summer they were going to pretty much have to redo the work.

Do I have that correct? Or did I just dream all this up...

No screw up, its just that much work that needed to be done from what I recall.

Did they say last summer that it was going to be finished by last fall?
Or did they say this was going to be a 2 year project....

I drive home on McPhillips frequently. Seems like construction has been going on for at least a year. I was stunned about 6 weeks ago when it looked like they completed. Packed everything up. Cleared all blockages and traffic flowed smooth for a whole weekend. Then they started again a little further down I guess.

no no I distinctly remember them saying there would be more work this spring

I think

city site has the construction currently lasting until July 23.

I'm a handful of blocks north of the construction zone - thankfully my day care is in the North West, so I have reason to avoid that stretch every day!

The thing that gets me is that Pagtakhan in the article says that they decided against working in the evenings and weekends because of costs and noise concerns.

I can understand the costs aspect, but noise concerns? There's a Casino to the west (if you can hear construction noise over the sound of slot machines, you're superhuman!), and RAIL YARDS to the east!

Is he going for the train-hopping hobo vote? Did the people living in rail cars and sleeping in the casino parking lot waiting for it to reopen raise a fuss over noise in the evenings?!?!

When I talked to a friend who is working on that site, the issue with this construction and why it is taking so long has to do with the Mb Hydro lines that needs to be upgraded. Apparently when the Casino was put in, the hydro lines on the east side of the street were never upgraded, just the west side. As well now with all of the work that has been done and all of the rain that the city has had, the ground under the street has been eroded away that there are more problems. They hope for better weather so that this can be completed by July 30th. I have had to find alternate routes to work both by car and bike because of this construction and it is a royal pain. And to think, all for a diamond lane!!!!

As for the train issue, when they are shunting/coupling in the middle of the night and it shakes my house a mile away, I think the residents that live closer would be more bothered by the rail noise than the construction noise. Mikey is just covering his A$$ on this one, making big excuses.

You live in the area, Holly?

Dean tells me that some other Sandbox member lives three doors down from me, although I can't remember the guys name....

no no.. he was never on the sandbox.

He was on newwinnipeg and he posts all over the place on newspapers websites

THAT'S what it was!

Good thing I still have your election sign in my garage to remind me everyday what your last name is!

Martimer Gold has been railing about this. He claims that Hydro and the City are each blaming the other for the delay's in completing this.

This type of thing is typical about planning in Winnipeg. There is likely little to no consultation with other stakeholders resulting in one group digging the road up, closing it and moving on followed by another group doing the same thing.

Mantha wrote:You live in the area, Holly?

Dean tells me that some other Sandbox member lives three doors down from me, although I can't remember the guys name....

I do, closer to Redwood and Main area.

I live in the Maples and work near HSC. We now refer to it as the Mcphillips parking lot.

Remember the movie "Ground Hog Day" with Bill Murray, well, thats what its like going up McPhillips each day. I just can not fathom why it is taking so long to comlete this work.

At the risk of drawing the ire of some posters, riding my bike to/from work is an adventure in itself. WHile I don't generally ride on the sidewalk, I will not subject myself and my ass to riding through the underpass McPhillips underpass. The other day, the north bound sidewalk was closed at Jarvis, and northbound traffic was limited to one lane. For thos eof you involved in that, my apolgies but I swear to God that I was pedalling as fast as I could.

You know, if I wanted to sit in traffic like that, I'd move to south Pembina.

I can understand why you ride your bike on the sidewalk whilst riding through the underpass McPhillips underpass.

At the risk of being shunned from society at large, I always ride on the sidewalk, and have no shame or guilt in doing so.

If it's really packed, I'll hit the roads, but chances are good that 9.8 times out of 10.4 the sidewalks are bare anyway, and I'm not going to risk traffic if there's a perfectly good patch of sidewalk to drive on.

ahhh but the problem with you riding on the sidewalk is that it puts yourself in a greater danger from vehciles approaching from the sidestreets.. or the real problem backlanes.

Maybe if you like to daydream!

I approach every back lane and sidewalk with a hand on the brake, ready to stop. Or, if there's no oncoming traffic, I'm ready to dart on to the street.

It forces me to be alert!

The rate of cars approaching sidestreets (most of whom would be slowing down) and the chance for accidents is far lower than having a steady stream of traffic on a major street passing you at a rate in the double digits per minute at 60+ km/h, most of whom are already agitated and speeding because they've been held up in a construction zone.

My greatest frustration is as I drive by is I never time the opening of my door well...

Hopefully Mantha, we won't ever meet on the roads then. (and I do drive in your area quite frequently).

If you ever see a vehicle drive into a puddle and splashing you on the sidewalk...it's probably me.

GET OFF THE DAMN SIDEWALKS!!!!

BESIDES being against the law, you are not only putting your life at risk at intersections, you are putting young children, pedestrians, handicapped and others at risk by your stupidity!!!

If you can't ride a bike within the confines of the rules...then WALK!!!

I had a friend tell me once I should be a copy...but I explained I couldn't...cause I'd get in trouble for shooting too many idiots!!! (of course now I'd probably Tazer them)

grumpy old man wrote:My greatest frustration is as I drive by is I never time the opening of my door well...

Takes practice GOM...remember...you're not trying to hit someone...you just want to open it in time that they hit you!!! .

That's why we need a four-lane underpass alongside the Arlington Bridge...

"BESIDES being against the law, you are not only putting your life at
risk at intersections, you are putting young children, pedestrians,
handicapped and others at risk by your stupidity!!!"

Actually AA. Anyone "walking" in Mantha's area is likely to be a criminal so no one cares if they are hurt. Now if there are people running they "might" be normal citizens.

I too when riding to/from work down McPhillips ride on the sidewalk through the underpass, regardless of construction. I do it for my safety because of the lighting changes going from bright light to darkness for the vehicle drivers. Although I wear reflective gear and my backpack has reflective taping, I have come very close to being hit numerous times and if I am lucky enough to come beside an offending driver at the lights at Logan I will ask if they saw me and each time they indicated not until they were almost on top of my back wheel because of the darkness in the underpass. It is the only underpass that I frequent that I will no longer risk my life. I travel along Keewatin Blvd on my way to the Wellness Institute and do not have any problem with the underpass there except for maybe standing water at the bottom which I have to either ride through or avoid if the traffic allows.

I'll be fair here though.

That underpass on McPhillips sucks for anyone...especially bikes.

I've ridden my bike through there about a 1/2 dozen times...and each time I've been worried someone would hit me from behind.

Ironically, the way the construction is currently on McPhillips, the sidewalk is worse than the roadway for riding...almost makes it necessary to go up Arlington instead.