One of the candidates running for leader of the Manitoba NDP says if he is elected Winnipeg will see a new rapid transit corridor from downtown to the suburb of Transcona.

Steve Ashton said on Tuesday the proposed corridor would cut through the neighbourhoods of Elmwood, Radisson, and Concordia on the way to Transcona.

The massive project, connecting the city's east side with the downtown, would cost about $250 million and be completed over four years, Ashton said.

"It will go down Disraeli [Street in Point Douglas] out to Transcona [with] a dedicated corridor that will include active transportation — both bus rapid transit and a bike lane. So we are going to make sure that we extend the vision of rapid transit throughout Winnipeg," he said.

The City of Winnipeg and the province signed a $138-million deal in September 2008 to build a 3.6-kilometre rapid transit corridor connecting the city's downtown with the Fort Rouge neighbourhood in the south.

Construction began in June 2009 on Phase 1 of the high-speed bus lane from The Forks in downtown to Jubilee Avenue.

The entire project is expected to take three years to complete. There will be stops on the line near Morley Avenue, Confusion Corner, Harkness Avenue and Union Station.

The project will also include high-density residential units at the hubs or stations along the line, as well as park-and-ride options.