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City of Winnipeg

Winnipeg Transit

Diamond Lanes

What are Diamond Lanes?

Diamond lanes are traffic lanes reserved for specific vehicles. In Winnipeg, buses, bicycles, taxis and Transit Plus vehicles can travel in them.

They were created as a means of increasing both the speed and reliability of transit service while providing a safe lane for cyclists to ride. The City of Winnipeg began allowing taxis to travel in diamond lanes in 2018; Transit Plus vehicles received access in 2020.

Signs (like the ones shown below) are posted along diamond lanes to indicate that the curb lane is reserved for specific vehicles during the hours shown on the sign. In addition to roadside and overhead signs, double divided white paint lines and white diamond patterns will designate the diamond lanes.

taxi diamond lane signage 1

Making the Right Turns

Traffic turning right can enter the diamond lane at any point in the block immediately preceding the intersection at which the turn is intended to be made (see diagram below).

Did you know?

  • Diamond lanes were first introduced in Winnipeg in 1995;
  • There are approximately 30 kilometres of reserved lanes covering 114 intersections;
  • Diamond lanes are a commonly used transit priority measure used world wide;
  • While taxis and Transit Plus vehicles can travel in diamond lanes in Winnipeg, they are not allowed to stop in them.

Diamond Lane Locations

Direction Street From To Hours in Effect
Northbound Main Sutherland Inkster Weekday PM Peak
Southbound Main Smithfield Sutherland Weekday AM Peak
Northbound Main Graham James Weekday AM/PM Peak
Southbound Main Alexander McDermot Weekday AM/PM Peak
Southbound Main Portage Assiniboine Weekday AM/PM Peak
Southbound Queen Elizabeth Way Mayfair Stradbrook 24 hours
Eastbound Portage Raglan Young Weekday AM/PM Peak
Westbound Portage Colony Strathcona Weekday AM/PM Peak
Westbound Goulet Youville Tache Weekday AM Peak
Westbound Goulet Tache St. Mary’s 24 hours
Northbound St. Mary’s Tache Ft Gibraltar Trail 24 hours
Southbound Henderson Hespeler Riverton 24 hours
Northbound Disraeli Main Disraeli Bridge 24 hours
Southbound Osborne St. Mary Granite Weekday PM Peak
Westbound Graham Main Carlton 24 hours
Eastbound Graham Carlton Fort 24 hours
Southbound Vaughan The Promenade St. Mary 24 hours
Northbound McPhillips Jarvis Inkster Weekday AM/PM Peak
Southbound McPhillips Inkster Jarvis Weekday AM/PM Peak
Eastbound Jubilee Pembina Jubilee Overpass 24 hours
Eastbound Bishop Grandin – Pembina Bypass Bishop Grandin Exit Ramp Pembina 24 hours
Northbound University Crescent Wedgewood Pembina 24 hours

More information on the proper use of diamond lanes is available online in the Manitoba Driver’s Handbook.