After a meeting with Manitoba Infrastructure, Morden City Council has decided on side-lining the proposed roundabout at PTH 3 and LaVerendrye.

Mayor Brandon Burley says the concept was brought to the previous council as mandated by Manitoba Infrastructure (MI) and a roundabout was the only solution MI would aid in costs. However, this was not the case.

"They informed us there was no development agreement requiring that; they did not recommend the roundabout for that intersection based on the volumes there is now."

Though the city has already invested around $170,000 into engineering along with $60,000 from MI, Burley says they shouldn't cry over spilled milk, and the pursuit of this project would cost the city millions more.

"Costs have risen to $2.8 million for an asphalt road and $3.4 million for a concrete road which is up from the communicated cost of $1.6 million. Neither of these numbers is adjusted for American steel tariffs or inflation; this means our share would be between $2 million and $2.6 million before adjustment. Manitoba Infrastructures contribution is still only $800,000, leaving Morden tax-payers with at least $2 million in cost."

Looking forward Burley says MI has committed to assisting Morden in finding a pragmatic and safe solution for this intersection.

Council will be taking another look at this intersection, looking at the broader context of what an Industrial Parkway at Road 27W to Road 12N would mean to traffic volumes.