Bus stop upgrades ongoing as BRT plans move ahead
Improvements are still underway at bus stops around Saskatoon with the goal of improving accessibility for bus riders and starting to prepare locations for the highly anticipated rapid transit-style system.
Acting director of transit Mike Moellenbeck said the rapid transit system is still in the consultation phase, but recent improvements to the bus stop near the intersection of Attridge Drive and Rever Road that include a lengthened sidewalk and a raised curb are meant to help nearby residents get to buses and prepare the stop to be one of the major stations for the future system.
“This location, knowing it was going to be a BRT station, it was a prime example of a place where we could do some good,” Moellenbeck said.
Bus Stop Blues, a recent social media campaign by Saskatoon Transit, took in suggestions from the public on bus stop areas in Saskatoon that needed attention. The stop near Rever Road was the most commentedon location, which is why it was one of the first to be improved.
Moellenbeck said seven new bus stop shelters were installed in 2018, and seven existing shelters were upgraded. Plans are in place for 22 sidewalk and accessibility improvements to be completed in 2019, and 14 locations have been pegged to get new shelters.
Moellenbeck said the locations for work to be done on the bus routes are determined by a variety of factors, including where the city will get the “most bang for the buck” — stops that get a lot of use and can be worked on with minimal disruption to traffic. The funding comes jointly from the City of Saskatoon and the federal government and totals more than $10.6 million.
David Leboutillier, the city’s acting engineering manager for transportation, said the winter will be spent mostly planning. Work will continue through November, but the largerscale construction will pick up again in the spring.
“We’ve heard a lot of concerns with missing sidewalks or areas where ramps aren’t available,” Leboutillier said. “What we’re trying to do is fill in the gaps.”
This location, knowing it was going to be a BRT station, it was a prime example of a place where we could do some good.