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2011-03-31 - Column

OC Transpo is proposing changes to bus routes across Ottawa to reduce costs by $22 million annually. This includes eliminating some routes in Kanata North and combining others, resulting in longer walks for some residents. Councillor Marianne Wilkinson is exploring options to modify the proposals to lessen the impact while still achieving the needed savings. Residents are encouraged to provide feedback on the changes by April 7 to influence the Transit Commission's final decision.

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Councillor Marianne Wilkinson
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34 views2 pages

2011-03-31 - Column

OC Transpo is proposing changes to bus routes across Ottawa to reduce costs by $22 million annually. This includes eliminating some routes in Kanata North and combining others, resulting in longer walks for some residents. Councillor Marianne Wilkinson is exploring options to modify the proposals to lessen the impact while still achieving the needed savings. Residents are encouraged to provide feedback on the changes by April 7 to influence the Transit Commission's final decision.

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Councillor Marianne Wilkinson
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KANATA NORTH NEWS Marianne Wilkinson Councillor, Kanata North BUS ROUTE CHANGES MAKE YOUR VIEWS KNOWN

Over the past decade the bus system in Ottawa has evolved to include 248 routes, 6,400 bus stops, +1,000 buses, 3 O trains and 370,000 daily riders. As communities grew extensions were added to routes, new routes added and many changes made. The result was a somewhat cumbersome system and rapidly increasing costs. Council recognized that route optimization was necessary to keep costs from skyrocketing (and hence major tax increases) and to make the system more efficient. This was to be done to meet the Council policy of 95% of the population in the transit area being within a 5 minute walk of a stop during peak periods (400 metres) and 10 minutes at other times (800 metres). With this in mind, the budget this year was approved with a reduction in money for operations that requires an annualized cost reduction of $22 million, with more than $19.5 million coming from the optimization of routes. OC Transpo staff have undertaken a massive review of every route in the City, seeking to reduce duplication by consolidating routes that often run on the same street, reducing frequency on low usage routes, and in some cases cancelling all or most of a route. The changes are designed to make the service network more reliable, more efficient and more sustainable. Every part of the City is impacted. The net savings in Kanata/Stittsville, after improving service on some routes, is $2.445 million. In Kanata North, the reductions are significant, with only a few improvements to bring service to newly developed areas. For express routes, the 68 will pass through Kanata Estates providing service there. The 60 is unchanged. It is recommended that the 65 be cancelled, with those on the route having long walks to either the 60 or 68, both of which are normally full by the time they reach the Beaverbrook area. I am exploring options with OC Transpo that would bring back a 65 service with a different configuration, while reducing the 68 route by having it pass through the Terry Fox Station to serve the Park and Ride there and then go directly downtown. Any change must ensure that the cost savings are maintained. All day routes are impacted more. The 165 is cancelled with only the Varley loop added to the 168. The 168 will follow the existing route to Varley, do the loop, go down Beaverbrook to Teron, and turn right and go to Eagleson Station and back

to Terry Fox via Katimavik. For the northern part of the Ward and the Kanata Business Park, existing routes 160, 101, 182 would be combined into a new 93. This route would connect to Bayshore rather than Terry Fox. It would follow the Queensway to Campeau, turn onto Teron to March Road, pass along Legget to Terry Fox and then do a loop through Morgans Grant. During the morning rush hour the route would start at LeBreton Station and in the pm peak go as far as LeBreton as a service to those working in the Kanata North Business Park. This route increases the walk to a local route considerably in both the residential and business park areas, so Im exploring having the route go through parts of Briarbrook and Morgans Grant to reduce the walk time. The 169 will now start at Eagleson Station, rather than in Bridlewood, and would be a rush hour shuttle service to the Business Park. For details of the changes, go to the OCTranspo website and click on Network Optimization. To see the maps showing the bus routes at present and those proposed click on Kanata/Stittsville and then on Kanata Lakes & Beaverbrook for those areas or Kanata North for routes to the business park, Morgans Grant, Briarbrook and Brookside. That will provide a written outline and maps to click on to see the current and projected routings. Keep in mind that these are suggested changes. All areas of the city are affected by changes to routes, with some routes being eliminated, and others changed or combined. The Transit Commision (of which Im a member) will make the final decision on Apr. 20th. OC staff will attend meetings next week on Monday Apr. 4th at the Jim Durrell Recreation Complex, 1265 Walkley Rd. and Tues. Apr. 5th at the Shenkman Centre, 245 Centrum Blvd. in Orleans, from 7-9 pm (Kanatas meeting was last Wed.) You can also attend a meeting in Morgans Grant on Apr. 4 at St. Johns Anglican on Sandhill at 7:30 pm, or the Beaverbrook Community Association Meeting on Wed. Apr. 6 at the Community Centre, 2 Beaverbrook Rd. starting at 7:30 pm. This is a joint meeting with Kanata Lakes on both Dogs in Parks and Bus Routes. Changes can be made but only if the budgeted savings are met. You can also fill in the customer feedback form on the OC Transpo website. You have until April 7 to make your comments.

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