The start of the school year in Portage la Prairie is facing a bumpy transition as surface rehabilitation on Provincial Road 240 creates significant congestion for parents dropping off children at nearby Crescentview School and École Arthur Meighen.
The construction, which began just before fall classes began, has sparked frustration online over its timing, though some parents on the ground are choosing to focus on the eventual improvements.
The half-kilometre project spans the area near the new Portage Regional Health Centre site, from the south junction of Crescent Road East to the north junction. Manitoba Transportation and Infrastructure (MTI) anticipates the work will be completed by mid-September, pending favourable weather.
The department states the road will generally be reduced to one lane with flaggers during construction hours, with a full temporary closure expected for a short duration during milling and paving operations.
Parent frustration and cautious optimism bubble up
For many, the construction’s timing is the primary point of contention.
Thankfully, however, at least on the first day of school, both lanes were open during the peak school drop-off hour between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m., making things more manageable for some. Others argue, however, that the timing is still poor.
Parent Deseree Willcott expresses a common frustration, noting this is not the first time road work has coincided with the school year.
"The timing could have been a little more well thought out in general," Willcott says. "My older child... the first three years of his schooling, the road was torn up as well. If you're a single parent like myself, trying to make sure that you're getting to your shift on time, it does cause a bit of concern about safety, getting to work and so forth."
She also points out that traffic is difficult on a normal day, often leading to 10 or 15-minute waits just to turn onto Crescent Road.
Karen, a concerned grandmother, echoes the sentiment that the timing is poor.
"I feel it's an inconvenience, especially with school. I mean, it's stressful enough having to watch for kids crossing," Karen notes. "I think they definitely should have tried to do it sooner in the year, and I'd be very surprised if they're done in two weeks."
However, other parents arriving for the first day of classes were more optimistic, noting the crews seemed to be managing the flow effectively.
Brittany, a parent, said her experience was better than anticipated.
"I think they're doing a great job trying to navigate this; we really didn't have to wait too long," she says, adding that, "I'm just putting all my faith and trust in them that it'll be done in two weeks."
Parent Shane Osborne-Richards also found the morning smoother than expected, but the situation not without criticism.
"We got through there pretty quickly, we didn't have to stop, so it was smoother than expected... we are looking forward to how it's going to look in the end," he says, though he acknowledges the challenge of navigating constant city-wide construction, and adds he feels, "maybe the planning could have been a little better."
Mandy Costley, who avoided the construction zone this morning, represents a pragmatic view, acknowledging the necessity of the work despite its inconvenient timing.
"I know they're going to do it as fast as they can, and it kind of needs to be done, right? So, it's too bad that it had to be right when school started, but I think it'll be okay," Costley says, adding, "The road's been in rough shape for a while. So I'm glad to see that there is work being done."
School division urges patience and safety first
Pam Garnham, Superintendent of the Portage la Prairie School Division, confirms the construction is impacting school bus routes and advises everyone to plan for delays.
"Our transportation department has obviously been impacted by all of the construction around the city of Portage," Garnham says. "There may be delays, and students may be late for the first couple of weeks until the construction is cleared up. But once it's completed, we'll have some very good roads in place."
Her primary message is one of caution and patience. She urges parents to leave extra time for travel and to drive carefully through school zones, noting that more students may be walking on side streets. She also suggests considering alternatives like walking, biking, or carpooling if possible.
"Student safety is our top priority. And as a community, we can just work together to ensure a safe and smooth start to the school year," Garnham says.
She adds a reminder for parents who wish to have their children ride the bus to contact the school division's Transportation Supervisor, Adam Thompson, to register their children for bus routes, noting that it's a requirement for children to ride.
Province cites contractor scheduling and hospital work
In a statement, a spokesperson for the Province of Manitoba explained that the start date for the project was scheduled by the contractor, who factored in on-site considerations related to the nearby hospital construction and the contractor’s own availability.
The department has placed variable message boards in the area to notify drivers in advance of the construction activities.
During the temporary closure for milling and paving, traffic will be detoured down Crescent Road to Royal Road South.
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