New rapid bus lines could mean massive changes for Winnipeg Transit

The completion of thesouthwest rapid transit line to the University of Manitoba could bring massive changes to routes, funding and staffing for Winnipeg Transit.

Transit is asking councillors on the city's infrastructure renewal and public works committee to approvethe changes, included in a report delivered to the committee on Tuesday, and namethe completed buswaythe Blue Line.

The proposedBlue Line would connect downtown Winnipeg with the U of M and form the "spine" of the network, while neighbourhood routes in southwest Winnipeg would run feeder buses.

The $467-million rapid transit lineis scheduled to open in April 2020.

Plans for the new system would see passengers transfer buses more often but get them to their destinations faster, with more frequent service and fewer "pass-ups" loaded buses that drive by passengers because theycannot take on more riders, Winnipeg Transit officials say.

"The idea is that if somebody is going anywhere along the Blue Line, or if they're transferring to a feeder route at one of the stations, they don't need to check the schedule anymore,"Bjorn Radstrom, WinnipegTransit's manager of service development, told reporters on Tuesday.

"They just show up at the stop [and]the bus comes every three to four minutes."

Radstrom says the plan should also makebus trips to get to the rapid transit linemuch faster.

"The feeder routes themselves shouldn't be subject to much delay at all, because they're not operating through all the congested conditions downtown,on Pembina Highway, through Confusion Corner and whatnot," he said.

"So it separates these two things. You've got shorter, more reliable feeder routes, and then the frequent service on the long route."

Under the proposal,18 bus routes will be cancelled to accommodate the addition of the new transit line,15 new routes will be added andanother 10 routes will see changes.

The service changes and new routes would require Transit to hire 38 new drivers and 11 other full- and part-time staff.

The proposed changeswouldcost the city $2.5 million in 2020, rising to $3.5 million by 2023. The new funds would require approval from city council.

Transit has purchased 28 new 18-metre articulated, or bendy, buses to run the length of the Blue Line.

The public works committee will discuss the proposal at itsNov. 4 meeting.

U of M trip could be 10 minutes faster

Transitbelieves the new system will deliver an average oftwo- to three-minute wait times for transfers from feeder routes to the BlueLine, and an average offive- to eight-minute wait times for transfers from the BlueLine to feeder routes.

Despite the many proposed alterations, there are few actual stop changes or stop cancellations in the plan. Passengers will still see bus stops in the same locations as in the past.

"One thing that we were very careful of is to make sure that we're maintaining coverage across southwest Winnipeg. So we didn't want to leave people out in the cold with no transit routes," said Transit project manager Adam Budowski.

"There are a few special cases wherethat might not be the case."

Thecity hopes under ideal conditions, the ride from downtown to the U of M will improve by eight to 10 minutes.

A spokesperson for Amalgamated Transit Union 1505 applauded the possibility of new drivers and staff in an emailed statement, but expressed concernthe city's proposed budgetfor Transit was less than the rate of inflation.