Entry #25 2015 School term is done, "Preferred" service Changes for Grand River Transit

Once again, the school term has come to a close, after this school year I am looking on doing something to better myself to prepare for the future career path, but that is for another blog post.

Since the school term is done (which I do not want it to be done due to my awesome new friends from class) I will miss them greatly.

Now to the "preferred"service changes for Grand River Transit

Since I have seen the final map, I am pleased to say, our planners did a great job in reviewing where new service needed to be implemented along with more crosstown routes. Listed below are the preferred changes:

New 204 iXpress:

• Implement a limited-stop iXpress route through Kitchener, with service between The Boardwalk and the Ottawa Street and Lackner Boulevard intersection via the Highland Road West and Victoria Street North corridors. Service would connect residential and commercial development in east and west Kitchener to employment and future ION stations in Downtown Kitchener.

Route 1 Queen-River (Current Routes 1 Stanley Park, 17 Heritage Park and 25 Queen South):

• Modify and combine Routes 1, 17 and 25 to provide continuous travel between Fairview Park  and The Boardwalk via Downtown Kitchener.
• Service would be extended along Ira Needles Boulevard to The Boardwalk, and would also travel along the Fairway Road, River Road, Krug Street, and Queen Street corridors.
• Implement a new 201 iXpress station at Fischer-Hallman Boulevard and Queen's Boulevard to allow connections between Route 1 and the 201 iXpress.
• Improve Sunday service to every 30 minutes.

Route 2 Forest Heights (Current Routes 2 Forest Hill and 24 Highland):

• Combine Routes 2 and 24 to travel between Downtown and the Forest Heights neighbourhood, with two-way service on Highland Road East, Stirling Avenue South, Greenbrook Drive, and Westheights Drive.
• The combined route would travel via Queen's Boulevard and Fischer-Hallman Road to continue to serve Highland Hills Mall.
• Implement a new 201 iXpress station at Fischer-Hallman Boulevard and Queen's Boulevard to allow connections between Route 2 and the 201 iXpress.
• Provide Saturday service for the full route, every 30 minutes.

Route 7 Mainline:

• Realign the 7B branch along Weber Street East between Kinzie Avenue and Fairway Road North, to provide more direct travel between Downtown Kitchener and Fairview Park.
• Other branches would remain unchanged.
• A detour route would remain in effect until ION construction is complete.

Route 8 Franklin branch:

• Operate via Weber Street East between Borden Avenue and Frederick Street at all times, to provide more consistent and direct travel between Downtown Kitchener and Fairview Park.

Route 20 Victoria-Frederick (Current Routes 15 Frederick, 19 Victoria South, and 20 Victoria Hills):

• Modify and combine Routes 15, 19 and 20 to provide continuous travel between Stanley Park Mall and The Boardwalk via Downtown, along the Victoria Street South and Frederick Street corridors.
• Service on Victoria Street South would be extended to Ira Needles Boulevard and The Boardwalk.
• Service on Frederick Street would be modified to travel through the Heritage Park neighbourhood to Stanley Park Mall, via Lorraine Avenue and River Road.
• Improve Sunday service to every 30 minutes.

Route 22 Laurentian West:

• Provide new Sunday service from approximately 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Route 23 Idlewood:

• Extend service through the Lackner Woods neighbourhood, with service travelling between Fairview Park and Stanley Park Mall via Fairway Road North, Zeller Drive, Oldfield Drive and Ottawa Street North.
• The northern portion of Route 23 would be replaced by the modified Route 1 and Route 20. An alternative route to travel Downtown would be the new 204 iXpress.
• Improve Saturday service to every 30 minutes.

New Route 34 Shirley-Bingemans Centre:

• Introduce a new route to service the employment area along the Wellington Street North, Shirley Avenue and Bingemans Centre Drive corridors, which would operate during weekday rush hour periods only.

So these are the preferred changes for September 2015. 

I hope everyone enjoys the read!