Winnipeg city council has approved $5 million in next year’s budget to start acquiring more than 100 properties in one of its first concrete steps toward widening Kenaston Boulevard.

The vote, which passed 11-2 at Thursday’s council meeting, sets in motion a process that could ultimately lead to one of the city’s most expensive infrastructure projects.

The plan calls for widening Route 90 to six lanes between Taylor and Ness avenues, replacing the aging St. James bridges, and overhauling underground sewers and land drainage.

Mayor Scott Gillingham called the decision a necessary move to prepare for the city’s growth and give long-frustrated homeowners some clarity.

"It's all about our future … and unlocking our future potential as a city," Gillingham told reporters on Thursday.

He arg

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