Long-awaited traffic lights finally installed in Niverville

It’s been nearly four years since a town in the southeast got its first set of traffic lights and the second set was installed on Wednesday.

In April of 2020 traffic signal light installation began at the intersection of Main Street and 5th Avenue in Niverville, for their first set of lights. Then in December 2021, the provincial government announced a second set of lights would be coming to the west side of the town.

Road construction at Hwy 311 and Mulberry in Niverville

Road construction began in June 2022, to accommodate the upcoming changes to the intersection of Hwy 311 and Mulberry. And in February 2023, the province announced more changes were coming with a possible round-about to aid with traffic movement as the west side of Niverville continues to expand.

Mayor Myron Dyck announced at Tuesday morning’s Town council meeting that he’d received an email from the province on December 27, 2023, that the traffic light poles had arrived in Manitoba.

“It stated that the contractor has picked up the poles and is planning to install them as soon as this month.”

Intersection of Hwy 311 and Mulberry in Niverville

Dyck was thrilled when news reached his office, that the poles and installation crew had arrived Wednesday morning, noting it was much sooner than he'd anticipated. "And we're very excited about that."

Now that the lights are up, traffic through Niverville will still need to wait a few weeks for them to become fully operational. Until then, vehicles will still need to make a stop at both the north and south stop-signs at Mulberry Avenue and Hwy 311 intersection.

Niverville Traffic Light installation on Wednesday

Dyck tells us why the poles took so long to arrive in Manitoba. “We're hearing it was because of procurement and supply chain. So, they (poles) apparently came from overseas, and they (province) placed their order and then they get shipped, sometimes once only a year.”

Dyck noted that once the traffic lights have been installed, the next step is to move the pedestrian crossing lights, currently at the Mulberry intersection, to 5th Avenue South. “They will be repurposed. The plan we have for 5th Ave, at the corner of Hampton at the park entrance.”