ManitobaThe City of Winnipeg is preparing to move forward with the expansion of Kenaston Boulevard and replacement of the St. James Bridge, while a new value-for-money study has found the net return on the project is expected to be less than previously estimated.$5M for property acquisitions under consideration for 2026 budgetCameron MacLean · CBC News · Posted: Oct 01, 2025 7:39 PM EDT | Last Updated: 2 hours agoThe City of Winnipeg is recommending beginning construction on widening Kenaston Boulevard and replacing the St. James Bridge by 2027. (City of Winnipeg)The City of Winnipeg is preparing to move forward with the expansion of Kenaston Boulevard and replacement of the St. James Bridge, while a new value-for-money study has found the net return on the project is expected to be less than previously estimated.A new report on the agenda for the public works committee’s Oct. 7 meeting recommends beginning property acquisitions next year and starting construction by 2027.The price tag for the full project has climbed to $757 million, including construction and interest — $20 million more than an estimate released last year.In another development, the net return the city expects to receive on the project over the next 50 years fell to $10 million from $20 million. Mayor Scott Gillingham made widening this road a top campaign promise and, after years of planning, the city appears poised to deliver.”This is not a nice-to-have project. This project has got to be done,” Gillingham told reporters at city hallThe plan would make major upgrades to Route 90 from Taylor to Ness avenues, including adding one lane of traffic in either direction, expanding the road to six lanes from four. It would also include replacing both spans of the St. James bridge — which opened in 1962 and the city says is nearing the end of its life — and the replacement of combined sewers in the area. “The biggest priority are the bridges. The bridges are getting to the point in life where they need to be repaired substantially or replaced,” Gillingham said.The chair of the public works committee, Coun. Janice Lukes (Waverly West), says the project still needs to be done, but the city can’t do it alone.”We have to have other levels of government provide support for this project. It’s a key piece of infrastructure. The bridge itself — 78,000 vehicles go on that bridge, making it the busiest section of roadway in the city of Winnipeg,” Lukes said.Funding questionsGillingham said he hopes the city, provincial and federal governments would each take on a third of the cost. He wouldn’t confirm whether the city would proceed with the project if the province and feds don’t contribute, although he said he remains confident other levels of government would be interested because of its critical economic importance.The city needs to acquire or expropriate 78 private properties. The report recommends setting aside $5 million in next year’s budget to begin the process.If council approves the administration’s plan, construction would start no later than 2027.The project has faced criticism from some council members, who have questioned what else the city could fund for the amount of money is is preparing to spend widening Kenaston. Coun. Brian Mayes (St. Vital) opposed widening Kenaston, saying the city had overstated the potential environmental benefits of the project by reducing idling of vehicles, although he agrees the bridges need replacing.”I lost the vote. I can live with that … but if we are going to put $5 million into this, then let’s not claim the cupboards [are] bare for everyone else’s projects,” Mayes said, adding he has been trying to secure funding for a new recreation complex in southeast Winnipeg.Kenneth Klassen, an engineering consultant and River Heights resident who has advised the provincial government on Manitoba Hydro, has questioned the city’s cost-benefit analysis on the project, arguing long-term maintenance costs exceed any potential returns.He called the city’s decision to go ahead with the project “surprising,” adding he doesn’t think the city can afford it”Never in the history of Winnipeg have Winnipeggers been asked to spend so much for so low a return on their investment. It’s insane,” he said.If the city can’t secure funding in time to start by 2027, officials warn they might have to scale the project back to bridge repairs alone, a $221-million option hey say would create traffic headaches for four years.The city expects the entire project, including widening, bridge replacement and land drainage work, will take five to six years, with a target completion date of 2032 or 2033.ABOUT THE AUTHORCameron MacLean is a journalist for CBC Manitoba living in Winnipeg, where he was born and raised. He has more than a decade of experience reporting in the city and across Manitoba, covering a wide range of topics, including courts, politics, housing, arts, health and breaking news. Email story tips to cameron.maclean@cbc.ca.
Begin construction on widening Kenaston, new St. James bridge by 2027: city report
