The Original
"When looking at the future of Waterloo Region’s transportation system, the bus network is getting a revamp and a new look due to light rail being implemented in the Region. The Region believes that implementing a light rail system would increase ridership, but just for the light rail and not the bus system. Currently, the bus system has increasing ridership since 2010, but this is due to the current routes being modified into new subdivisions and not making very difficult turns. Some of these subdivisions that are looking at getting bus service in September have been growing rapidly, for example the Zeller Drive, Sims Estate Drive, Doon South, Ira Needles areas have grown rapidly. Recently, going out for a drive through the Zeller Drive neighbourhood, it has grown so rapidly houses are being built beside the Fairway Road bridge and beyond the bridge. There is a lot of potential bus service within these subdivisions, but since it has taken too long to get bus service, the majority of the people that live within these subdivisions have cars. From the view of a frequent Grand River Transit bus rider, I believe that the redesign of the transit routes should have happened before light rail.
I also believe
that light rail in the Region is still too early because of ridership numbers. In
order to provide an excellent transportation service within the region, we
should have started off with a rapid bus transit (aBRT) and modified it to
mimic the future light rail train route as well as the iXpress routes within
Waterloo, Kitchener and Cambridge to also help build up service for the future
light rail. Once the aBRT route as well as the iXpress routes have been
implemented and services the future light rail stops, that would help build
ridership for the light rail. Once the
Grand River Transit redesign has been completed and the iXpress and aBRT route
has been implemented, it could determine if Waterloo Region should have looked
at aBRT or an LRT as well as the costs to operate and maintain either the aBRT
or LRT."
The Revised version
When looking at the future of Waterloo Region's
transportation system, the bus network is getting a revamp and a new look due
to light rail being implemented in the region.
The region believes implementing a light rail system
would increase ridership, but just for the light rail and not the bus system.
Currently, the bus system has increasing ridership since
2010, but this is due to the current routes being modified into new
subdivisions and not making very difficult turns. Some of these subdivisions
that are looking at getting bus service in September have been growing rapidly,
for example the Zeller Drive, Sims Estate Drive, Doon South, and Ira Needles
areas have grown rapidly.
Recently, going out for a drive through the Zeller Drive
neighbourhood, it has grown so rapidly that houses are being built beside the
Fairway Road bridge and beyond the bridge. There is a lot of potential bus
service within these subdivisions, but since it has taken too long to get that
service, the majority of the people that live within these subdivisions have
cars.
From the viewpoint of a frequent Grand River Transit bus
rider, I believe the redesign of the transit routes should have happened before
light rail.
I also believe that light rail in the region is still too
early because of ridership numbers. In order to provide an excellent
transportation service within the region, we should have started off with bus
rapid transit and modified it to mimic the future light rail train route as well
as the iXpress routes within Waterloo, Kitchener and Cambridge to also help
build up service for the future light rail.
Once the rapid bus route as well as the iXpress routes
have been implemented and services the future light rail stops, that would help
build ridership for light rail.
Once the Grand River Transit redesign has been completed
and the iXpress and rapid bus route has been implemented, it could determine if
Waterloo Region should have looked at rapid bus transit or an LRT as well as
the costs to operate and maintain either bus rapid transit or LRT.
David Sej
Kitchener"
The amount of positive feedback from the community with respect to the article was phenomenal. Many people said it was well written, others agreed with me, and the most important question was asked "are you going to write another one?" The answer as of right now is yes, I have one underway but it probably will not get published until maybe the last week of June or later.
Now for what I believe should be the main design for future GRT routes and I will include links for all of what has been discussed.
Since many routes are looking at becoming cross-town routes like routes 1, 2, 5, 7, 8, 12, 20 and 52, I believe that more runs should be modified into something like a combination of routes 5 Erb and 52 Fairview Park-Ainslie St. terminal. For example, route 23 Idlewood, have the midway point be Stanley Park mall, and then continue it to the Region of Waterloo airport then to the future Breslau GO station to provide a cross-town route. But, it does not have to be just one branch, it have have 2 branches like route 52, so have the first branch service the Sims Estate-Tremaine neighbourhood and the Lackner corridor and the second branch service the Zeller Drive, Oldfield Drive, Holborn Drive neighbourhoods along the Fairway Road corridor to Stanley Park Mall, then send it to the Airport and Bresleu GO station along the Heritage Park neighbourhood (Lorraine Ave., Confederation Drive, Halifax Drive, Natchez Drive then Victoria St, Fountain St. to the Airport, then continue it to the Breslau GO station.
That is all for today, please let me know what your own thoughts are for this idea.
Links
http://www.therecord.com/opinion-story/5607356-focus-on-buses/
http://www.grt.ca/en/routesSchedules/resources/Rt05S.pdf
http://www.grt.ca/en/aboutus/resources/route_52_Detours.pdf - please note route 52 via Cherry Blossom is on Detour
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