Portage & Main

Portage & Main, Winnipeg’s iconic intersection, is a part of our city’s narrative. It has played a key role in Winnipeg's physical and cultural landscapes. Pedestrians have not been able to cross the intersection at street level since 1979.

In March 2024, Council approved the recommended design vision for Portage & Main, with direction to include street-level pedestrian crossings in project work.

Work to reopen the intersection to pedestrians began in 2024.

Background

The 2024-2025 construction project is the first step in revitalizing Portage & Main.

The construction elements for this portion of the project include:

  • Demolishing and removing the existing barrier walls
  • Installing new traffic signals and streetlights
  • Adding a curb extension on the southeast corner
    • This will shorten crossing distances and add space for people to stand at the curb
  • Repairing and adjusting existing medians>
  • Installing new curbs and sidewalks throughout the intersection
    • This will accommodate pedestrian crossings on all four corners of the intersection
  • Installing new Transit stops
  • Changing traffic movements to make the intersection safer for all users

Vehicle and pedestrian traffic will be affected throughout construction. We expect long-term lane closures and intermittent sidewalk closures.

We will maintain access to the underground concourse. One or more entry points may temporarily close. Detours will be signed on-site.

In the future:

  • We will commission a study to determine how best to decommission and close the concourse
    • Staff will present the findings to Council to outline next steps, proposed scope of work, and budget
  • Additional streetscaping design work will be included in the upcoming Rapid Transit (Downtown Corridors) Preliminary Design Study
    • This study is expected to begin in 2025
    • The study will integrate Winnipeg Transit infrastructure into the final design of the intersection
    • Council will then consider the project and funding

Updates

Removal of concrete barricades at Portage & Main to turn the intersection into a pedestrian crossing is complete. Passersby will soon see hoarding at all four corners of the intersection, as crews continue underground and utility work.

Lane closures will remain unchanged until this phase of work is complete.

They include:

  • Main Street
    • Northbound curb lane and middle lane between Pioneer Avenue and Lombard Avenue
      • Right turn restriction from northbound Main Street onto Portage Avenue East
    • Southbound curb lane and middle lane between Lombard Avenue and Pioneer Avenue
  • Portage Avenue
    • Westbound curb lane between Main Street and Notre Dame Avenue
    • Partial closure of the westbound Portage Avenue right turn lane to Notre Dame Ave prior to the intersection
    • Eastbound curb lane and middle lane between Fort Street and Main Street
  • Portage Avenue E
    • One lane westbound from Westbrook Street to Main Street
    • One lane eastbound from Main Street to Westbrook Street

New lane closures are expected in April when work to rebuild the center medians and other utility adjustments begin.

It’s expected that the intersection will open to pedestrians by July 1, 2025.

New traffic restrictions expected to be in place starting the week of December 16, 2024 include:

  • Main Street
    • One additional lane closure on northbound Main Street from Pioneer Avenue to Lombard Avenue
      • This brings us to two closed northbound lanes here
  • Portage Avenue
    • One additional closed lane on eastbound Portage Avenue from Fort Street to Main Street
      • This brings us to two closed eastbound lanes here
    • Closure of one lane on westbound Portage Avenue from Main Street to Notre Dame Ave
    • Partial closure of the westbound Portage Avenue right turn lane to Notre Dame Ave prior to the intersection
  • Portage Avenue E
    • One lane closure of westbound Portage Avenue E from Westbrook Street to Main Street

Continued lane closures include:

  • Two lane closures of southbound Main Street from Lombard Avenue to Pioneer Avenue
  • Continued closure of eastbound curb lane on Portage Avenue E between Main Street and Westbrook Street

The pre-construction traffic signals work is now complete.  We expect longer-term lane closures to be in place on December 4, 2024 and work to start in the following days.

Traffic will be restricted at various locations throughout the intersection over the next six months.

Restrictions expected this week include:

  • Main Street
    • Continued closure of the northbound curb lane at Portage Avenue
    • New closure of the southbound curb lane between Portage Avenue and Pioneer Avenue
  • Portage Avenue
    • New closure of the eastbound curb lane between Fort Street and Main Street
  • Portage Avenue East
    • Continued closure of eastbound curb lane between Main Street and Westbrook Street
    • A permanent no-right-turn restriction is now in place from northbound Main Street onto Portage Avenue East - this accompanies the existing left-turn restriction from southbound Main Street onto Portage Avenue East

A weeklong full closure of Portage Avenue East in both directions will start Tuesday, November 12.

A portion of the roadway will reopen to accommodate the annual Santa Claus Parade on November 16.

The full closure is part of pre-construction traffic signals work at the intersection. Local access to the Fairmont Hotel and surrounding surface lots will be maintained via Lombard Street.

The closure will accommodate underground work to help prepare for demolition of the concrete barricades and other major construction.

Winnipeggers should expect travel delays around the Portage & Main intersection as early as Tuesday, October 15.

Various sections of both roads’ curb and median lanes will be closed intermittently over the next four weeks, as traffic signals crews undertake pre-construction work at the intersection.

These preparations will allow a contractor to begin demolition of the concrete barricades and other major construction work in mid-November.

To help accommodate street-level work at the Portage & Main intersection, the War Monument at 335 Main St. needs to be relocated.  

The Standing Policy Committee on Planning and Development considered an administrative report at its meeting on October 3, 2024. The committee concurred with the recommendation that the City accept the War Monument as a gift from the Manitoba Métis Federation, the National Government of the Red River Métis. 

The War Monument, which commemorates 231 Bank of Montreal staff members who gave their lives during the First World War, will be relocated from its present location at 335 Main St. to the Brookside Cemetery Field of Honour.

Bank of Montreal & Royal Canadian Legion of Manitoba and Northwest Ontario were consulted and actively supported the relocation plan.

The City of Winnipeg issued a tender for construction that will allow pedestrians to cross the Portage & Main intersection at street level (an at-grade crossing).

This work will significantly change operation of the intersection to facilitate the safe movement of pedestrians, vehicles, and cyclists through the intersection.

Work includes:

  • Demolishing and removing the existing barrier walls
  • Installing new traffic signals and streetlights
  • Adding a curb extension on the southeast corner to allow for shorter pedestrian crossing distance across Portage Avenue and more pedestrian space at the corner
  • Repairing and adjusting existing medians
  • Installing new curbs and sidewalks throughout the intersection to accommodate pedestrian crossings on all four corners of the intersection

The tender is anticipated to be awarded in early November, with construction activities outlined in the tender expected to start in mid-November.

It’s expected that construction at the intersection will finish by June 27, 2025, which will allow Winnipeg Transit to launch its new Primary Transit Network on June 29, 2025.

It’s anticipated that the Portage & Main intersection will open to street-level pedestrian crossing by July 1, 2025.

Timeline

March 21, 2024

  • Project launch 
  • Council directive to begin project

April – July 2024

  • Preliminary design

August – September 2024

  • Detailed design

October 2024

  • Construction tendering 

November 2024

  • Construction tender awarded 

December 2024

  • Construction begins

June 27, 2025

  • Construction completed

June 29, 2025

  • Primary Transit Network launches

July 1, 2025

  • Intersection opens to at-grade pedestrian crossing

FAQs

  • Main Street (Lombard Street to Pioneer Avenue)
  • Portage Avenue (Fort Street to Main Street)
  • Portage Avenue East (Main Street to 335 Main St. alleyway)

Construction will start in mid-November 2024. 

The first steps will include demolition and structural and utility work. 

Road and sidewalk construction will start in early spring 2025. 

We are working with area stakeholders to minimize potential impacts throughout construction.  

As with any construction, traffic will be affected. 

We are working to minimize congestions and delays as best we can. 

It’s also anticipated that some work may occur on weekends and during off-peak times on weekdays to help minimize potential disruptions.  

We expect curb lanes in all four directions will be closed for the duration of the project. 

After construction is complete, the following permanent traffic lane changes will be in place:

  • No northbound right turn allowed from Main Street to Portage Avenue East
  • A third left turn only lane added from eastbound Portage Avenue to northbound Main Street
  • Eastbound Portage Avenue East reduced from two to one through lanes 

Drivers can keep up-to-date on changing lane closures in the intersection by visiting winnipeg.ca/laneclosures.

We will maintain pedestrian access as much as possible. 

We will review any interruptions to access with the affected property owners in advance. 

Portions of sidewalks at each of the four corners will also be closed throughout construction. 

We will provide construction staging directly to affected businesses and residents. 

No, that is not part of this project. 

The Public Service will be commissioning a study to assess the condition of the below-grade concourse to determine the steps required to decommission and close the concourse to public access and prepare the scope of work and budget. 

Once this is completed, an administrative report will be presented to Council for its consideration.

Design

Changing traffic movements to make the intersection of Portage & Main safer for all users
Changing traffic movements to make the intersection of Portage & Main safer for all users

We expect to complete construction on Portage & Main in July 2025. 

When we do, the intersection will look very different: 

  • The old concrete barriers will be gone 
  • There will be new pedestrian crosswalks in all four directions 
  • Each corner will have accessible pedestrian signals 
  • Signal timing will change to make moving around safer for pedestrians and vehicles 

We will also make two major changes to the way cars move around the intersection. 

Vehicles will no longer be able to turn right from Main Street onto Portage Avenue E 

  • The number of vehicles making this turn was relatively low
  • Removing the right turn gives people more space on the sidewalk and improves pedestrian safety 
  • Destinations on Portage Avenue East remain easily accessible via William Stephenson Way, Westbrook Street, and Lombard Avenue

We will adjust the lanes on Portage at Main to include:

  • Three left-turn lanes (to northbound Main Street)
  • One through lane
  • One right-turn lane

This increases the capacity for left turns (one of the highest-volume movements at the intersection). It also eliminates the dual right-turn movement, which posed a higher risk to pedestrians.
 

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