The expansion of Route 90, by constructing additional lanes between Taylor Avenue and Ness Avenue, has been in discussion at the City since at least 2012, when the first benefit-cost analysis and study were done for the project. Over time, the scope of the project has expanded to include three main components: bridge rehabilitation and road renewal, road widening and capacity improvements, as well as sewer and drainage upgrades (including the separation of combined sewers). While there is little doubt as to the necessity of much of the bridge and sewer renewal work, questions have arisen regarding the costs and benefits of widening this 3.8 km section of road.
As there is a lot of conflicting information (and misinformation) circulating about this project, my office has created this primer in order to help residents better understand this proposed project.
What is the cost of the project?
The latest cost estimate for all three components of the work is $613.9 million. It is also estimated that there would be an additional $143.4 million in construction period interest, should the city fund the entire project on its own, for a total cost of $757.3 million.
Source: Route 90 Improvements – Taylor Avenue to Ness Avenue Value for Money Study Findings and Next Steps – Report to Public Works Committee, October 7th, 2025, page 4.
This is a Class 3 estimate. Class 3 estimates are considered accurate within -20% to +30%, meaning the actual cost could fall anywhere between $491.1 million and $798.1 million, plus interest.
Source: Cost Estimate Classification, Supplement to the 2026 Preliminary Budget, page 295.
For the full project to proceed, funding from the Provincial and Federal governments would be needed. Considering ineligible costs, it’s estimated that funding under a typical tri-party cost-sharing agreement would be approximately $175 million each, leaving the City’s share at $263.9 million, plus interest.
Source: Supplement to the 2026 Preliminary Budget, page 57.
At last publicly-available estimate, just the road widening component makes up 36% of the total cost of the project.
Source: Route 90 Improvements Benefit-Cost Analysis, March 2024, page 7.
It should be noted that the interest figures above are for the construction period only, that is, from 2026-2033. The City’s borrowing costs for 30-year external debt are estimated to be 7.28% (which includes interest+principal), meaning even with Provincial and Federal support, just the widening component could cost the City upwards of $8.5 million per year for the next 30 years, or over $255 million in additional debt service costs overall.
Source: 2026 Preliminary Budget, page 82.
But won’t this help with congestion?
Actually, the City’s own traffic modelling has projected that congestion will get worse after the expansion. The table below compares average travel times after the expansion to travel times in 2017:
| Travel direction and time | 2017 | 2041 |
| Northbound AM | 8 minutes | 8.7 minutes |
| Northbound PM | 7.2 minutes | 9.2 minutes |
| Southbound AM | 7 minutes | 7.4 minutes |
| Southbound PM | 8 minutes | 8.2 minutes |
Source: Route 90 Improvements Study Open House, May 2023, page 7.
In fact, most of the congestion relief counted as a benefit is during the two years of its initial construction, since two lanes can be left open while constructing the third. This benefit is temporary, but makes up 41% of the benefits of the widening, and if excluded, the benefit-cost ratio falls well below 1, indicating that the long-term costs of the widening exceed its benefits.
Source: Route 90 Improvements Benefit-Cost Analysis, March 2024, page 25.
Isn’t this a key trade corridor?
Truck traffic currently accounts for less than 4% of total traffic on Route 90. The overwhelming majority of traffic congestion on this route is caused by automobiles, which could be better addressed by improving transit and active transportation. By giving people better transportation options, we leave more space for commercial traffic to get where it needs to, at a much lower cost.
Source: Route 90 Improvements Study FAQ.
What else could we do instead?
That’s the billion-dollar question that has not yet been asked. Are there other projects that could deliver congestion relief, grow our economy, increase livability, or help us reach any number of other goals, at a much lower cost? Rather than spending hundreds of millions of dollars of borrowed money on the Kenaston widening, could we get a better return on our investment by spending instead on transit, active transportation, or recreation? Would we be better off using what little money we do have on maintaining what we already own rather than building new? As the Benefit-Cost Analysis states: “calculations have not been conducted on any other major transportation projects being considered by the City of Winnipeg at this time. Therefore, there may be projects or proposals that yield better results, but the outcomes of those projects are currently unknown. This limits the usefulness of benefit-cost analysis.”
Source: Route 90 Improvements Benefit-Cost Analysis, March 2024, page 36.
Still have questions?
My office would be happy to answer them. Feel free to contact us at:
Councillor Emma Durand-Wood
Elmwood-East Kildonan Ward, City of Winnipeg
510 Main Street
Winnipeg MB R2B 1B9
Send an email here
Or phone (204) 986-5195