Edmonton pilots late-night Whyte Avenue bus

The city is rolling out its late-night bus service on Whyte Avenue this weekend.

For the next three months, buses willrunSaturdayand Sunday morningsfrom 1:30 a.m. to3:30 a.m.

The service isto help alleviate congestion on Whyte Avenue at closing time and provide bar employees withtransportation home, said Angela Turner, program manager for Responsible Hospitality Edmonton.

Buseswill stop every 12 minutes along Whyte Avenue and head west to the University of Alberta, beforeturning south to theSouthgate Transit Centre.

The buseswill stop along 51st Avenue to Gateway Boulevard beforeheading back to Whyte Avenue.

The Night Ride pilot project was originally supposed to start in September, but was delayed after peopleliving near Southgate complained aboutdrunk bar patrons disrupting their neighbourhoods.

The citysurveyed potential users and found mostpassengers willlikelyget off the buses along the route.

The more southside residents using the buses will mean more taxis onWhyte Avenue for residents going in other directions, said Turner.

The pilot will end April 14, with results going to city council in the spring.