Perimeter Highway (Winnipeg)

Provincial Trunk Highways (PTH) 100 and 101, also known as the Perimeter Highway, form a beltway around the Canadian city of Winnipeg, Manitoba. The Perimeter Highway is approximately 90 km (56 mi) in length and serves as an alternate route around Winnipeg for through traffic, as there are no freeways in the city.

Perimeter Highway
Winnipeg By-Pass
Perimeter Highway highlighted in red.
Route information
Auxiliary route of PTH 1
Maintained by Manitoba Infrastructure
Length	89.5 km (55.6 mi)
Existed	1955–present
Component highways	PTH 100 PTH 101
Major junctions
Beltway around Winnipeg, Manitoba
East end	PTH 1 (TCH) / Route 135
West end	PTH 1 (TCH) / Route 85
PTH 100 (TCH) (South Perimeter Hwy)
Length	40 km (20 mi)
Major junctions	PTH 59 / Route 20 PTH 75 / Route 42 PTH 2 PTH 3 / Route 155
PTH 101 (North Perimeter Hwy)
Length	49.5 km (30.8 mi)
Major junctions	PTH 190 PTH 6 PTH 7 / Route 90 PTH 8 / Route 180 PTH 9 / Route 52 PTH 59 / Route 20 PTH 15 / Route 115
Location
Rural municipalities	East St. Paul Macdonald Rosser Springfield West St. Paul
Major cities	Winnipeg
Highway system
Manitoba provincial highways Winnipeg City Routes ← PTH 89 → PTH 110

Portage Ave interchange

History and Future Plans

The Perimeter Highway is a four-lane divided expressway that consists of a mixture of interchanges and at-grade intersections. It was originally built in 1955 to bypass city centre rush hour traffic. The southern segment of the Perimeter Highway, or South Perimeter, is the Trans-Canada Highway's official Winnipeg Bypass and designated as Highway 100. The northern segment, or North Perimeter is a provincial highway designated as PTH 101. However, PTH 101 is part of Canada's National Highway System while PTH 100 is not. The South Perimeter Highway bridge across the Red River and roadway at Pembina Highway/PTH 75 south was constructed in 1958. The job was tendered to Peter Leitch Construction Ltd. at a cost of $188,670. In December 1957, Dominion Bridge was awarded the contract ($80,157) to supply the structural steel for the overpass.[1]

The Perimeter Highway was originally unconnected between PTH 59 and PTH 15 as PTH 59 had received significant upgrades, making the need for a northeast section less pressing. PTH 59 continued to serve as the de facto northeast leg of the Perimeter until the mid-1990s, when PTH 59 and PTH 15 were connected. The last remaining two-lane section was the PTH 59 north interchange, which was upgraded over a three-year span ending in 2018.[2][3] The highway now encircles Winnipeg as a four-lane roadway.

Improvements were made to the western segment of the highway in the early 2010s when PTH 190, Centreport Canada Way, was constructed. In addition to the interchange that connected to this new highway, a flyover was constructed over Saskatchewan Avenue (PR 425) and the adjacent railway crossing; and the median was closed at the entrance to Assiniboia Downs leaving only right-in/right-out access from the southbound side.

Planning is currently underway to upgrade the South Perimeter to a six-lane freeway.[4] The first execution of this plan included closing multiple medians and minor accesses to the South Perimeter, and replacing others with right-in/right-out accesses.[5] In 2020, the Manitoba government announced that the first major upgrade would be to replace the traffic signals at St. Mary's Road with an interchange, construction for which is planned to begin in 2021 and finish in 2023.[6]

Exit list

Exit numbering begins at Fermor Avenue and increases clockwise.

Location	km	mi	Exit	Destinations	Notes
Perimeter Highway (PTH 101) continues north
Springfield	0.0	0.0	1	PTH 1 (TCH) / Fermor Avenue (Route 135 west) – Kenora	Cloverleaf interchange Signed as exits 1A (west) and 1B (east) PTH 100 (TCH) eastern terminus
	0.3	0.19		Railway Crossing	Grade-separated
	2.0	1.2		Murdock Road north	Westbound (clockwise) right-in/right-out
	3.6	2.2		Symington Road	At grade
↑ / ↓	5.2	3.2		Plessis Road	Median closed, right-in/right-out access only
Winnipeg	6.8	4.2	8	PTH 59 / Lagimodiere Boulevard (Route 20 north) – St. Pierre-Jolys, Thief River Falls	Partial cloverleaf interchange
	7.9	4.9		Melnick Road north Budd Road south	Westbound (clockwise) right-in/right-out Eastbound (counter-clockwise) right-in/right-out
	8.0	5.0		Canadian Pacific Railway	Level crossing
	8.1	5.0		Aimes Road north Sumka Road south	Westbound (clockwise) right-in/right-out Eastbound (counter-clockwise) right-in/right-out
	8.8	5.5		PR 300 south / St. Anne's Road (Route 150 north)	At grade; traffic signals
	12.4	7.7		PR 200 south / St. Mary's Road (Route 52 north)	At grade; traffic signals
	14.0	8.7	Crosses the Red River
	14.1	8.8		Kilkenny Drive/Cloutier Drive	Grade separated; no access
	15.9	9.9	18	PTH 75 south / Pembina Highway (Route 42) – Morris, Emerson, Grand Forks	Cloverleaf interchange Signed as exits 18A (north) and 18B (south)
	16.2	10.1		Canadian National Railway	Grade-separated
	17.2	10.7		Waverley Street south	At grade; traffic signals
	17.9	11.1		Kenaston Boulevard (Route 90 north) to Waverley Street (Route 80 north)	At grade; traffic signals
↑ / ↓	20.2	12.6		Brady Road	No access, intersection permanently closed
Macdonald	21.4	13.3		PR 330 south – Domain, La Salle	At grade; traffic signals
	21.9	13.6		Canadian Pacific Railway	Level crossing
	23.1	14.4		Municipal Road 9E (La Salle Road)	Median closed, right-in/right-out access only
	24.7	15.3		Municipal Road 8E	Median closed, right-in/right-out access only
	26.4	16.4		Municipal Road 7E	No access, intersection permanently closed
	26.8	16.7		PTH 2 west (Red Coat Trail) – Treherne, Souris	At-grade Eastbound (counter-clockwise) right-in only
	28.0	17.4		PTH 3 to PTH 2 / McGillivray Blvd (Route 155 east) – Oak Bluff, Carman, Morden	At grade; traffic signals
	29.8	18.5		Oakland Road west Township Road 53NE east	Southbound (counter-clockwise) right-in/right-out Nouthbound (clockwise) right-in/right-out
	30.2	18.8		Central Manitoba Railway (CEMR)	Level crossing
	30.7	19.1		La Verendrye Road west	Southbound (counter-clockwise) right-in/right-out
↑ / ↓	31.0	19.3		Two Mile Road	Southbound (counter-clockwise) right-in/right-out
Winnipeg	35.3	21.9		PR 427 west / Wilkes Avenue (Route 145 east)	Partial cloverleaf interchange
	35.3	21.9		Canadian National Railway	Grade-separated
	38.1	23.7	40	PR 241 west / Roblin Boulevard (Route 105 east) – Headingley	Partial cloverleaf interchange Signed as exits 40A (east) and 40B (west) counterclockwise
	38.6	24.0	Crosses the Assiniboine River
	38.6	24.0		Oxbow Bend Road	Grade separated; no access
	39.3	24.4		Oak Forest Crescent Augier Avenue	Southbound (counter-clockwise) right-in/right-out Northbound (clockwise) right-in
	40.0	24.9	42	PTH 1 (TCH) / Portage Avenue (Route 85 east) – Airport, Portage la Prairie, Brandon	Cloverleaf interchange Signed as exits 42A (east) and 42B (west) PTH 100 (TCH) western terminus / PTH 101 eastern terminus
	40.7	25.3		Service road – Assiniboia Downs	Southbound (counter-clockwise) right-in/right-out
	42.0	26.1		PR 425 (Saskatchewan Avenue)	Grade separated; no access, intersection permanently closed
	42.0	26.1		Canadian Pacific Railway	Grade-separated
	43.1	26.8	45	CentrePort Canada Way (PTH 190 east)	Partial cloverleaf interchange Signed as exits 45A (east) and 45B (west)
	44.0	27.3		Boychuk Road	No access, intersection permanently closed
Rosser	45.6	28.3		Selkirk Avenue / Township Road 63N	At grade
	47.3	29.4		Inkster Boulevard / Township Road 64N	At grade
	48.5	30.1	50	PR 221 (Rosser Road) – Marquette, Rosser	Partial cloverleaf interchange
	48.5	30.1		Canadian Pacific Railway	Grade-separated
	51.2	31.8		Service Road	At grade
	51.3	31.9		Canadian National Railway	Level crossing
	52.1	32.4		PTH 6 north / Paterson Drive south – Ashern, Grand Rapids, Thompson	At grade; traffic signals
	52.9	32.9		Summit Road	At grade
	54.6	33.9		Sturgeon Road	At grade
	56.2	34.9		Klimpke Road	At grade
	57.9	36.0	60	PTH 7 to Brookside Boulevard (Route 90 south) – Airport, Stonewall, Arborg	Cloverleaf interchange Signed as exits 60A (South) and 60B (North)
	59.5	37.0		King Edward Street	At grade
	59.8	37.2		Canadian Pacific Railway	Level crossing
West St. Paul	62.8	39.0		PR 409 north (Pipeline Road)	At grade; traffic signals
	65.5	40.7		Second Street south / Holmes Road north	No access, intersection permanently closed
	66.8	41.5	69	PTH 8 north / McPhillips Street (Route 180 south) – Gimli	Cloverleaf interchange Signed as exits 69A (south) and 69B (north)
	68.7	42.7		Kapelus Drive north Prest Avenue south	Westbound (clockwise) right-in/right-out Eastbound (counter-clockwise) right-in/right-out
	69.0	42.9		Canadian Pacific Railway	Level crossing
	69.6	43.2	71	PTH 9 north / Main Street (Route 52 south) – Selkirk	Cloverleaf interchange Signed as exits 71A (south) and 71B (north)
↑ / ↓	70.3	43.7	Crosses the Red River
East St. Paul	70.7	43.9	72	PR 204 north / Henderson Highway (Route 42 south) – Lockport	Partial cloverleaf interchange
	72.1– 74.6	44.8– 46.4	76	PTH 59 / Lagimodiere Boulevard (Route 20 south) – Grand Beach	Interchange[7] Signed as exits 76A (north) and 76B (south)
	76.2	47.3		Wenzel Street	At grade
↑ / ↓	77.0	47.8		Central Manitoba Railway (CEMR)	Grade separated
Springfield	No major junctions
↑ / ↓	80.2	49.8		Gunn Road	At grade
Winnipeg	83.5	51.9		Canadian National Railway	Level crossing
↑ / ↓	83.6	51.9		PTH 15 east / Dugald Road (Route 115 west) – Dugald, Anola	At grade; traffic signals
Springfield	85.3	53.0		St. Boniface Road	Southbound (counter-clockwise) right-in/right-out
	87.0	54.1		Niakwa Road	No access, intersection permanently closed
	87.2	54.2		Greater Winnipeg Water District Railway (GWWDRR)	Level crossing
	88.6	55.1		Navin Road	No access, intersection permanently closed
	89.5 0.0	55.6 0.0	1	PTH 1 (TCH) / Fermor Avenue (Route 135 west) – Ste. Anne, Falcon Lake, Kenora	Cloverleaf interchange Signed as exits 1A (west) and 1B (east) PTH 101 eastern terminus
Perimeter Highway (PTH 100 (TCH)) continues south
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi       Closed/former       Incomplete access       Route transition       Unopened

Inner city beltway, the second half of the Perimeter plan

This roadway is what was to be part of a two ring road system, with the outer Perimeter Highway, and an inner ring. The inner ring was initially tabled in the 1960s and was slow to progress.

The inner ring, also sometimes referred to as the inner city beltway, was to be (Route 17) the Chief Peguis Trail to the north, heading west to Route 96 (William R. Clement Pkwy), circling to Route 165 (Bishop Grandin Blvd), and from there to a point near Northern Blower on Route 37 (Regent Ave). Several years ago a group working with a councillor, worked to stop the loop from going into the Transcona area, and had the roadway's land designated a natural prairie grass park. From this point on Regent, the road was supposed to loop north back to Route 17 (Chief Peguis Tr). The current plan has had to move the eastern portion to Plessis Road. Plessis Road is not as suited to the required connection and space for intersections, but is the only remaining viable option.

While construction of the east–west Bishop Grandin portion was done years ago, the northern portions have remained unlinked, with only the short portion between Route 52 (Main Street) and Lagimodière. This has provided an effective link over the Red River, but the short span of road leaves much of the north part of the city with difficult navigation choices on an east–west basis, often pushing major cross town traffic to use residential roads and regional arteries like Inkster, MacIvor and Springfield Roads.

The city of Winnipeg completed the extension of Route 17 (Chief Peguis Tr) to Lagimodière Blvd in [8] December 2011. This brings the inner ring road one step further to completion.

The absence of a link between the intersection of Route 52 (Main St) and Route 17 (Chief Peguis Tr) toward Route 90 (Brookside Blvd) makes east-west travel difficult, and is an important link for the north part of town to significant areas like the Airport and Red River Community College, as well as the future CentrePort (an inland port).

The land for these links is owned by the city and simply awaits the laying of roadway. These type of major traffic arteries are designed to carry crosstown traffic efficiently with fewer environmentally damaging starts and stops. Further these roadways are designed to move traffic away from direct contact with residential streets.

References

1. "Giant Overpass, Bridge For City Perimeter Route". The Winnipeg Tribune. January 30, 1958.
2. Rollason, Kevin. "Work starts on interchange at Perimeter, Highway 59". Retrieved 6 September 2015.
3. Lawson, Kim. "Cloverleaf at Perimeter, Hwy 59 Under Construction". AM 680 CJOB. Retrieved 6 September 2015.
4. "Province looks for input on plans to change South Perimeter Highway into a freeway". CTV News. December 10, 2019.
5. "South Perimeter Highway Safety Plan". Manitoba Government. 2019.
6. "Manitoba government plans new interchange for South Perimeter Highway". Global News. June 29, 2020.
7. "PTH 59 – PTH 101 Interchange Construction Project" (Map). Government of Manitoba. Retrieved December 15, 2016.
8. "Chief Peguis Trail extension opens". CBC News. December 2, 2011.