The Portage and District Chamber of Commerce submitted a notice to the community, focusing on its business members, that west-end construction work taking place on the highway at Portage la Prairie will see access closed on the west side of the city for longer than anticipated.

Interim president Guy Moffat says it's required to see the progress continue, enabling the building of appropriate new roads for what the bypass is going to look like. 

"The closure happened at the end of September initially, and it was supposed to be reopened early this week," says Moffat.  However, due to complications in construction and the weather not cooperating, that's now been pushed back to October the 17th. So, we're expecting that we'll have west access to Portage la Prairie again after the 17th, barring anything unforeseen and as long as the weather cooperates."

Moffat notes these obstacles are of the nature of things that obviously cannot be controlled. 

"We know how important it is to have access to the merchants and the businesses on the west end, and we've gone through some minor interruptions in Portage before with bridges being down and roads being closed," continues Moffat. "Hopefully, this will be a very short-lived one."

He notes the manner in which to get to Portage from the west in the easiest way possible is through the route to Southport and take the ramp off to the 240. There is also a detour set up to Can-Oat drive.

"You'll also be able to gain access if you turn left at the Flying J and then come in through the #1 highway on the east side," adds Moffat. "But I would imagine most of our consumers coming in from the west are going to be coming in through that Southport route."

Moffat adds those travelling from the west can also drive in through Yellowquill Trail at Keeshkeemaquah onto Crescent Road west. 

"Progress is sometimes a little bit painful and, hopefully, our consumers are patient and they understand that there are improvements coming in. " says Moffat. "We have a couple of interruptions on the way and, hopefully, our access will reopen again on October the 17th."

He says the two roundabouts that are being constructed in the west should work well, especially considering that many who were hesitant about the first roundabout at Royal and the Crescent came to really enjoy it. 

"And the other thing that I can say about it is that since that initial roundabout was installed, there have been no accidents that have occurred at that intersection," notes Moffat. "So, roundabouts... there is a bit of a learning curve on understanding how to use them. And I think with the two roundabouts going in on the west access will help to make sure that the traffic is flowing without having to come to a dead stop, which can be frustrating at #1 and 16, and they are safe alternatives to coming up with street stop lights or stop signs."

Moffat adds he's excited to see what the end result is going to be.

"You can get an idea from the conceptual drawings and something, but I think it's going to be really interesting to see it and to be out there and use it and feel it once it's all done," says Moffat. 

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