Winkler's Mayor says the installation of a new left-hand turning signal for northbound traffic on Highway 32 at the intersection of Highway 14 is fantastic news.
Henry Siemens says it's been needed for several years and something the city began seriously advocating for this year.
Crews with Manitoba Highways came out last week Friday to install the new left turning signal - a move that came as a pleasant surprise. Siemens noted city staff were informed it was on the spring project list for Manitoba.
"Our staff have been working closely with Manitoba Highways staff to have conversations around the greatest needs that we have on Provincial roads leading through our community," said Siemens. "And my understanding was that we were expecting something in spring. Maybe it's the weather, maybe it's just being ahead of schedule, but suddenly to have them here at the end of last week was exciting. It's something that we think will greatly enhance the safety and travelability of that road. So we're looking forward to having them lit."
Siemens added council is again happy to have a listening ear at Manitoba Highways and recognizes the concern brought forward. He said Manitoba Highways did their due diligence, looked into it saw it was a valid concern, and quickly took action.
"I drive that road very regularly and if you need to make a left-hand turn going north on 32, it can be frustrating at times. And now to see some action in that corner leaves us feeling hopeful and frankly more than a little bit excited."
Now that they've been installed, the city has reached out to inquire about the activation timeline of the new turning signals. Siemens noted different crews handle the stages of the setup. One is the installation and the other is computerization. He anticipates that will be done quickly as well.