City prioritizes moving buses through downtown faster, easing rush-hour congestion

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Getting buses through the downtown more quickly is now set to become the city’s top rapid-transit priority, which would also be expected to cut congestion for other vehicles.

New rapid-transit documents list Downtown Transitways as “Priority 1.” They would include a proposed route from Main Street at Higgins Avenue in the north to St. Mary’s Road at Taché Avenue in the south. Another route would stretch from Portage Avenue at the University of Winnipeg to Westbrook Street in the east.

A proposed elevated transitway would go through Union Station, from William Stephenson Way to Harkness Station.

The document notes Union Station would serve as a central hub for all rapid-transit lines.

Mayor Brian Bowman said the new strategy to include some existing infrastructure should cost much less than dedicated corridors such as the Southwest Rapid Transitway, the second phase of which was recently completed for $467 million.

“This is absolutely trying to make do with the resources that we have available to us, current infrastructure assets, as well as available supports from the provincial and federal budget,” said Bowman.

The mayor said the new focus on downtown routes should also help cut commute times.

“The area of the city in which the congestion is the greatest, of course, is really downtown during rush hour. So (having) opportunities to really efficiently move people in and out of and through downtown during those times, using a lot of existing infrastructure, is helpful,” said Bowman.

The documents don’t state a timeline or cost for the changes, which will soon head to a public consultation process. The mayor expects the city would require financial support from senior governments to implement the plan.

The proposal notes the city could add diamond lanes, install short transit-only paths and use priority traffic signals to ensure buses can bypass any congestion.

In a model projected to 2044, city staff predict the changes would ensure the average person travelling downtown by car or bus would save three minutes on each afternoon rush-hour commute.

“Getting buses out of the way of cars is as much a benefit to car drivers as it is to transit passengers and so it’s really a win-win proposal here that can save people a lot of time,” said Kevin Sturgeon, a senior planner with Winnipeg Transit.

Sturgeon said a report with more specific rapid-transit recommendations for council to consider is expected in the spring.

More separated, bus-only infrastructure could be added to the rapid transportation network over time, which the city says could be converted to serve light-rail vehicles in the future.

While Winnipeg began to plan an Eastern Rapid Transit Corridor years ago, that construction is now ranked alongside a West Transitway in the city’s fourth, or lowest, priority rapid-transit plans.

Coun. Brian Mayes (St. Vital) said it makes sense to switch the focus to a Main Street route.

“It’s shorter, it’s cheaper, it would service more people,” said Mayes.

Coun. Sherri Rollins (Fort Rouge-East Fort Garry) said she expects the new plan would improve bus travel in her ward, which includes part of the downtown.

“(This offers) routes in the ward that we critically need,” said Rollins.

Under the current proposal, a North Transitway and extensions to the Southwest Transitway are listed in the Priority 2 tier. Priority 3 initiatives would create Grant and Southeast priority corridors, as well as a North Transitway extension.

A survey to gather feedback on the plan will be posted at winnipeg.ca/transitmasterplan until Nov. 6, 2020.

Joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @joyanne_pursaga

 

 

Winnipeg Transit Network Plan (2020-08-21)