Winnipeg City Transit/Rapid Transit

[cslusarc]

Why will transit service be removed from Smith St/Donald St/McMillian Ave between Broadway and Osborne Junction?

[GarryEllice]

Originally Posted by cslusarc

Why will transit service be removed from Smith St/Donald St/McMillian Ave between Broadway and Osborne Junction?

In the initial plan the 66 was supposed to run there, but apparently people complained about having to walk from Confusion Corner to Osborne Station to transfer between the 66 and the Blue Line, so they decided to route the 66 through the transitway for connectivity and then divert it back onto Donald/Smith at Broadway.

Seems sub-optimal to me. As you point out, it leaves that section of Donald/Smith without service, and the weird diversion via Main Street is going to slow down the route, especially with those left turns at Broadway. I wish they would have stuck to their guns on the original routing.

[dmacc]

Or at least have the 66 turn left onto river then over the Midtown instead of continuing onto main street.

[countrymouse]

That was the original plan for the 66 and 65, but the routes went back on the transit way after public consultation. It is mentioned in the full report.

[buzzg]

The 66 doesn't run on Donald/Smith now, why does it matter if it continues to not? The only one on that street is the 99, which will have some other routes replacing parts of it.

[tree]

The survey is really quite bad. I was surprised on the lack of detailed information provided. The pictures were very small to the point of being almost unreadable in the sections.

I wish they'd explain more how they plan on having busses run every 5 minutes for the core routes. The whole plan hinges on that and yet in practice without the dedicated lanes (truly dedicated - separated - the 'transit only PLEASE' signs are 90% ineffective) its going to be the same as it is now on major routes. (Where all the busses will be bunched together, leaving long intervals between stops to the point that schedule displays are completely wrong).

I was frustrated by how the survey and all documents I've seen just takes for granted they can execute this. To be honest I should admit that at least it can't get any worse - and there are some promising ideas in there - but I just can't see it actually working without changes downtown.

I actually love the BRT sections that are in place - it really does feel almost like a train once you get on it - its just the second you get downtown it all goes to hell. Throwing more busses downtown won't solve the problem I don't think?

[bomberjet]

Transit master plan is open for comments. This is only a draft of the network. Make sure to voice your opinion.
https://winnipegtransit.com/en/major...an/#tab-engage

Same goes for eastern corridor. They're currently still in the hold phase publically. But look for open house and engagement opportunities to come.

[GarryEllice]

Originally Posted by buzzg

The 66 doesn't run on Donald/Smith now, why does it matter if it continues to not? The only one on that street is the 99, which will have some other routes replacing parts of it.

It matters because the initially proposed routing of the 66 via Donald was to replace that segment of the 99. In the revised plan, with the 66 back on the transitway, there's nothing at all to replace the 99 between Confusion Corner and Broadway, and thus no transit service over the Midtown Bridge at all. That's not the end of the world, but it does seem like a bit of a loss, and the twisty new routing of the 66 is inefficient.

[mcpish]

I for one love the new "I" route. It's exactly what I've been advocating for years. A simple McPhillips/Notre Dame downtown rapid express bus. I live in Garden Park only a few houses down from McPhillips and this will be much much better for travelling downtown on.

Makes a lot of sense to get rid of all the silly meandering residential routes like the 16, 15, 17, and 33 and just have circulators. Then have them all use this McPhillips/Notre Dame route to get everyone downtown.

I really think though that "off board fare collection" and "all door boarding" need to be looked at for these new rapid routes.

[LilZebra]

Originally Posted by mcpish

I really think though that "off board fare collection" and "all door boarding" need to be looked at for these new rapid routes.

That, and making Portage, Main and the other 'rt' routes that use the regular streets most of the day Bus Only lanes. See this so much on Portage Ave. just before or after the PM rush hour...cars on the curb lane. Like yesterday near the Foodfare (905 Portage Ave.) Three cars, all behind each other, parked. Make Bus Only lanes on Portage effective for the whole workday at least 7h30 till 18h30, while the Express routes will operate.

[LilZebra]

Originally Posted by tree

The survey is really quite bad. I was surprised on the lack of detailed information provided. The pictures were very small to the point of being almost unreadable in the sections.

Yes, the feeder route map for Phase II 'rt' are fine. The TMP route map is not as easy to read, as it uses smaller fonts.

I wish they'd explain more how they plan on having buses run every 5 minutes for the core routes. The whole plan hinges on that and yet in practice without the dedicated lanes (truly dedicated - separated - the 'transit only PLEASE' signs are 90% ineffective) its going to be the same as it is now on major routes. (Where all the buses will be bunched together, leaving long intervals between stops to the point that schedule displays are completely wrong).

I was frustrated by how the survey and all documents I've seen just takes for granted they can execute this. To be honest I should admit that at least it can't get any worse - and there are some promising ideas in there - but I just can't see it actually working without changes downtown.

I actually love the BRT sections that are in place - it really does feel almost like a train once you get on it - its just the second you get downtown it all goes to hell. Throwing more buses downtown won't solve the problem I don't think?

And they should just leave the '29 Sherbrook' alone until when the TMP is implemented (about 1 yr. from now).

Frustrated that WT published the Phase II routings on a Friday afternoon, a day after the Union contract vote at Council. That WT changed the route numbers, and some routing of the feeders, and we only have till Nov. 4 to anylize the new plan. That's when it goes to Public Works for approval.

I have been to Council and Public Works between 1998 and 2007. Am wondering if its beneficial to just write an e-mail to Lukes, Mayes, Allard and save some time going to make a presentation.

Now = 29 Sherbrook - Logan, Windermere, City Hall
Phase II = 23 Sherbrook, 29 Sherbrook
TMP = "H Maryland-Salter" line

What I'd do:

H Sherbrook - Logan or Beaumont Stn.


What becomes of the current 36 Northwest SuperExpress? It's used by alot of students.


Under the TMP, the 24 Ness Express will become the 'T' line, now serving Marion - Broadway - Portage - Ness. That's just fine. Wish I had that option when I lived in Broadway-Assiniboine to travel to Polo Park without having to take two buses.

No mention of the 'free bus' Downtown Spirit, nor mention of service beyond the Perimeter Hwy. as Winnipeg Metro Region mentioned last March that they'd be looking at doing something. That's another e-mail I've gotta send this week, to Colleen Sklar.

[Andy6]

I think this gets at the real problem, which is unpredictability, rather than the not-real problem, which is speed (beyond a certain point). I'm not avoiding the bus because the trip takes a couple minutes longer than it would on a $500 million busway. I'm not taking it because I don't want to stand there for ages waiting for it to show up. If they make it so you can go to a stop and be 90% sure that a bus will be there within 5 minutes, that's a big improvement.

[buzzg]

One interesting thing about the plan to me is that it actually negates the need for Balmoral Station to exist in its current form. It still lists the station there, but there's only 2 routes that would go up Balmoral, as BLUE continues west down Portage. So that would be a massively overbuilt station for 2 mid-level routes to pass through. Would likely make more sense to beef up shelters on Portage or something.

Considering U of W kicked out Starbucks from the station to make more student spaces, it'd be interesting to see if they'd want to "fill in" the main floor of the AnX there to expand it. Lots of opportunity to rework Balmoral to be a lot better if it's no longer going to be very busy with busses.

[LilZebra]

In my observations, Balmoral Station never really lived up to expectations that it would ever be busy with massive amounts of students coming and going. Doesn't matter if its 8:30 am or 12:30 pm or 3:30 pm. There are more Univ. students boarding and getting off on Portage Ave. at Balmoral by the Subway restaurant.

The old bus depot was announced in December 1962 and completed in 1964. It's already 55 years old. It was part of the Mall Centre development which includes Rice Financial. I am not sure whether Rice occupies the whole 7-storey office building or not. Wonder whether the whole Mall Centre could be redeveloped into something bigger and better. Yeah, maybe we don't need the bus depot anymore and maybe the office building could be doubled in number of stories or more. Univ. of Winnipeg housing or something else. I don't know.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winnipeg_Bus_Terminal

[CoryB]

Originally Posted by LilZebra

Make Bus Only lanes on Portage effective for the whole workday at least 7h30 till 18h30, while the Express routes will operate.

I would say the bus only lanes, not just on Portage but everywhere they exist, should be 0600-1900. Considering the traffic volumes outside those hours it is to the point they might as well just be made bus only 24/7

[esquire]

Originally Posted by CoryB

I would say the bus only lanes, not just on Portage but everywhere they exist, should be 0600-1900. Considering the traffic volumes outside those hours it is to the point they might as well just be made bus only 24/7

Parking restrictions on major routes should be in place until at least 6 pm, and preferably 7. It would definitely improve things for both motorists and transit users... it is frustrating when buses have to start weaving in and out of traffic right at 5:30 as parked cars start to block traffic.

[buzzg]

^Totally. I some streets may really suffer without daytime parking, but at the very least evening rush hour restrictions need to be extended to at least 6pm. Rush hour is still in full swing at 5:30, it's brutal to have a bottleneck and block transit for a single car parked in the curb lane on Main or Portage at 5:29.

[esquire]

^ Some streets have extended parking restrictions like St. Mary's Road until 6, and I think Osborne through the Village until 7 or so? But it should be the rule, 6 pm minimum. Rush hour does not end at 5:30.

[buzzg]

Originally Posted by esquire

^ Some streets have extended parking restrictions like St. Mary's Road until 6, and I think Osborne through the Village until 7 or so? But it should be the rule, 6 pm minimum. Rush hour does not end at 5:30.

St. Anne's was extended til 6pm a year or two ago (I don't think St. Mary's is, at least not north of St. Anne's). Osborne isn't really the same thing in my mind because it's not a rush hour restriction or a bus lane – it's just no parking 4 am til 7 pm.

[esquire]

^ St. Mary's has a restriction that goes until 6 for the Old St. B stretch... can't recall exactly where it ends but it's somewhere between the 7-Eleven and St. Anne's.