There are some changing traffic patterns in Steinbach according to the city's annual traffic count. The city does a traffic count every year in mid-October to identify trends. Head engineer Phil Kalyta says there has been a considerable increase in the number of vehicles bypassing Highway #12, using Park Road and Industrial Road to the west and Park Road and Old Tom Road to the east. In fact, he says the increase in traffic at Park Road and Old Tom Road in 2018 was astounding.

"Traffic went up over 100 per cent (111 per cent) in just one year. People have found out about it (as a paved alternative) and it's being well used. There were very few incidents as well so, obviously, it seems to be working."

Kalyta adds they will install some street lights at Park and Old Tom this summer for better visibility at night.

Kalyta notes despite the increase in traffic on these routes on either side of Highway #12, traffic on Highway #12 itself, between Main Street and Park Road, also increased again last year.

Meanwhile, he says the traffic count showed the intersection of Highway #12 and Loewen Boulevard continues to be the most challenging in terms of moving traffic efficiently. Eastbound traffic is waiting as long as seven minutes to get through the intersection. Kalyta says the city plans to make changes there in three years.

"We're working both with Manitoba Infrastructure and with our own budgeting process and, right now, we've got that intersection slated to be rebuilt, along with Loewen Boulevard between Highways #12 and #52, in 2022."