South Pointe – My Comments On New Bus Routes – Please Share Yours

Apr 3, 2019

RESIDENTS OF SOUTH POINTE

TODAY Transit starts a series of ‘public engagements’ regarding the PROPOSED bus route changes to connect to the new Southwest Transitway opening in 2020. These public engagements will take place in a converted BUS – find the ‘Ideas in Motion Bus’ at a variety of locations THIS week and NEXT week – see complete list of locations: Bus Routes Are Changing In Southwest Winnipeg

MONDAY April 8th, the bus will be at Ecole South Pointe School 615 Kirkbridge Dr.
3 p.m. to 5 p.m.

I have reviewed in detail and spoken with transit staff on the proposed routes in South Pointe. For transit OVERALL – I believe the proposed route changes will dramatically improve transit Southwest Winnipeg. Buses will run on a much higher frequency in the neighbourhood and essentially ‘shuttle’ you to the main line – the Blue Line.

BUT – there are some challenges for transit users in South Pointe.

ROADS BUILT FOR BUSES:
Buses travel on ‘collector’ roads – they do not travel on residential streets because residential streets are too narrow and are not constructed to withstand constant bus traffic.

AVERAGE WALKING DISTANCE:
Transit staff is using the distance of 400 meters to be the average person’s maximum walking distance to a bus stop.

When planning routes – transit staff take into consideration distance to transit stops, user counts at existing stops, location of collector roads, density (apts), and public facilities (schools, community centres, etc.)

CHALLENGES IN SOUTH POINTE:

Many many homes on Stan Bailie are more than 400 meters to the bus stop, along with homes on these streets:
– Turnstone Terrace
– Otter Lake Place
– Barkwood Bay
– Manipogo Bay
– and Waverley Pointe Condos on Shahi Street

I have spoken with transit, and regrettably – there is no way to get transit any closer than what is being proposed. Large buses cannot travel on Stan Baile, the population on these streets, while is not small, does not justify using a smaller bus. in my opinion, the City should have taken this into consideration before giving final approval to the plans.

I have requested Transit staff look at coming south on Shahi – and turning around at end which will enable a connection for the Waverley Pointe Condos.

Please look the routes over closely in below images. I have included distances (transit route is in red).