Buses could be coming around less often, as city councillors look at restructuring routes in order to cut down the costs of extending local routes to the new Campbell Transit Centre.
On Monday, city council’s community growth and infrastructure committee heard unless adjustments are made to St. Albert Transit service levels, transit costs will soar $1.15 million as a result of extending local routes to the new transit centre.Because the main transit hub has been at Village Transit Station up until now, and the new transit centre will be out near the Anthony Henday, it will cost more to extend routes out to Campbell Road.
Recommendations include reducing bus frequencies from every 15 minutes to every 20 minutes and cancelling Saturday service to Kingswood and Mission Ave., while combining other local routes.
Service would also be concentrated on St. Albert Trail, resulting in fewer routes along Grandin Road.
If council gives the thumbs up to the recommendations, changes would take effect in September once Campbell Transit Centre opens.
While some routes will be trimmed slightly, administration said bus stops will be no more than 400 metres apart.
Improvements are also being suggested, including adding 20 to 25 new stops to the network.
Service could be expanded in the southeast to Servus Place and Campbell Business Park.
In the west, improvements would see bus service extend to new development in South Riel and the Enjoy Centre.
No changes were suggested for north St. Albert.
As a result of new 40 km/hour speed limits in some neighbourhoods, administration suggested spending $960,000 annually to put two new buses per day on certain routes that go through neighbourhoods with reduced speeds.
Early last year, city council approved lowering speed limits in Erin Ridge and Erin Ridge North as part of traffic calming measures.
No changes are being suggested for commuter routes, with the exception of Route 205. In order to avoid train crossing delays on 170 Street – which costs drivers 2.5 hours per week – the route would instead use 156 Street between St. Albert Trail and 114 Avenue.
Mayor Cathy Heron expressed concern that riders going anywhere in St. Albert would need to first stop at the Campbell Transit Centre – even if someone north of the river is trying to get to Costco.
St. Albert Transit manager of planning and customer service Will Steblyk said all routes – except commuters – would still stop at St. Albert Centre, which will be maintained as a hub.
“If I had my way, that would be indefinite,” Steblyk said. “You’re right, it’s in a prime location.”
Coun. Wes Brodhead wondered whether the increase in parking capacity at Campbell Transit Centre – combined with reduced frequency of trips – would result in capacity challenges.
Steblyk said “it could be a problem” as the new system matures, and there will be “more people standing on buses.” However, he said administration believes there is “sufficient capacity.”
When asked by Heron if administration would re-examine a local route restructuring after Campbell Transit Centre opens and patterns settle, Steblyk said the recommendations being presented contain a lot of those components.
He said the ideas promote “greater use of the local system” along with greater access to key destinations.
“But a lot of our plans were impacted by our need to be budget-neutral, unfortunately,” Steblyk said. “We had great lofty ideas of a widely expanded network, but in the end, we had to adjust those goals to meet budget requirements.”
The $16-million Campbell Transit Centre is set to increase parking capacity for commuters, offering 800 stalls with the ability to expand to 1,600. It is also set to be an eventual stop for Edmonton’s northwest LRT line.
Committee passed a motion recommending city council should approve the service adjustments.
