On July 2, a public meeting was held in Elm Creek as part of the functional design study of the Provincial Trunk Highway (PTH) 2 and PTH 13 intersection. The community meeting was well attended and is part of the engagement process.
The intersection of PTH 2 and PTH 13 is located just north of Elm Creek. They are both two-lane undivided highways. PTH runs east-west and serves as a key transportation link in Manitoba’s highway network, while PTH 13 runs north-south and connects to the Trans Canada Highway (PTH 1) to the north and the United States border to the south.
The study remains in process and continues to be led by the consultant firm WSP Canada Inc. As the study continues, input from all stakeholders, the public, and the rightsholders will be considered. WSP will meet with Manitoba Infrastructure and Transportation in the coming weeks to discuss the public meeting feedback and findings.
A secondary public meeting will then be hosted in the fall, and final options for the intersection will be presented then.
Options currently on the table for the intersection include an intersection with a right-turn cut-off, an intersection conflict warning system (ICWS), or the roundabout option, which is gaining traction.
Advantages to the roundabout would include:
- Safety (as the roundabout reduces severe conflict points).
- No construction of any additional culverts for the drain through PTH 2 is required.
- Improvement fuel consumption.
- Least environmental impacts.
- Least socio-economic impacts (least amount of property acquisition required).
- Lowest cost of the three options.
Disadvantages for the roundabout would be that it does not address the current hydraulic capacity of the culvert for the drain through PTH 2, but would not restrict future upgrades, in addition to traffic being negatively impacted during construction.
The project timelines remain the same. WSP anticipates completing the functional design study by the end of 2024, a detailed design in the winter of 2025, and land acquisition. Once land acquisition has been completed, tendering for construction will begin, and construction is expected to start in 2027.
Residents are encouraged to complete a survey on these proposals as quickly as possible at the link: www.surveymonkey.com. All surveys must be completed and submitted by July 16.
For additional information on this ongoing project, please contact Anya Ingram, who is the Engagement Planner for WSP at anya.ingram@wsp.com or 204-259-1667.
