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3 • POSTED ON August 03, 2005
Posted by ottawastart 
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City cuts transit advisory committee - chair resigns ... Light rail plans proceed on rough tracks ... TransPlan and other September changes ... Behind Door Number ... Sightings and Mysteries ... Riders' Calendar ...
==> Notes before the News
Welcome to the August issue of OTB, issued on 1st August 2005.
No OTRA meetings are scheduled for this month. Watch the otra-discuss
mailing list for further information.
*** Ontario Civic Holiday Mon 1 August 2005 ***
OC: Sunday schedule with extra service on routes 8 and 95
STO: special schedule - check with STO for particular routes
*** Labour Day Mon 5 September 2005 ***
OC: details unavailable (likely Sunday or reduced Sunday schedule)
STO: details unavailable (Sunday schedule?)
*** Next general schedule changes ***
* OC: 5 September 2005 (http://www.octranspo.com)
* STO: 29 August 2005 (http://www.sto.ca)
=========================================================================
==> In this issue (in order) ...
* City cuts transit advisory committee - chair resigns
* Light rail plans proceed on rough tracks
* TransPlan and other September changes
* Behind Door Number ...
* Sightings and Mysteries
* Riders' Calendar
* Contact us
Thanks again:
-------------
To those whose contributions, encouragement and feedback help make this
issue of OTB possible.
=========================================================================
==> City cuts transit advisory committee - chair resigns
Ottawa Pedestrian and Transit Advisory Committee chair Dr David Bell
resigned last month over a City Council decision to uphold the slashing
of the committee's budget. The half-budget prevents the committee from
holding proper monthly meetings, at a time when major transit issues such
as O-Train expansion, fare increases, new bus roads and new bus purchases
are in the works. Dr Bell was particularly discouraged that City
Transportation Committee Chair Janet Stavinga supported cuts to the
advisory committee's budget.
Although options are being considered, including potential informal
committee meetings, it appears there will be no more Pedestrian and
Transit Advisory Committee meetings, at least until 2006. The committee
brought together a variety of citizens, representing various concerns
and backgrounds, with city and OC staff. The purpose was to provide
community input into transit and pedestrian matters. The advisory
committee itself was combined from formerly separate pedestrian and
transit advisory committees.
=========================================================================
==> Light rail plans proceed on rough tracks
Ottawa's light rail plans are encountering further controversy.
Business groups object to the proposed mixture of trains, buses and
cars on the Albert/Slater corridor. They are calling for a tunnel
for the trains, to allow vehicle traffic to continue on the streets.
There are other alarms being rung about the plan to terminate the
train service at Mackenzie King bridge, and the problems that could
be created from the need to transfer between train and bus at
that point. The rail line extension is planned from Mackenzie King
(Rideau Centre) through the downtown, to Bayview then along the
existing O-Train corridor through Carleton, then west over a proposed
residential subdivision.
There are concerns that the train plans are being rushed through
without considering all the consequences compared to the costs
involved.
Other concerns include:
- Continued resistance to the Prince of Wales railway bridge for
interprovincial transit; an O-Train extension to Hull and the
Casino would be relatively inexpensive and would quickly provide
another river crossing.
- The existing successful O-Train service through Carleton would
be closed for years during the planned downtown expansion,
requiring significant extra operating costs for replacement buses.
- Existing transitway routes would still need to run through the
downtown, since the proposed light rail would only cover between
Bayview and Mackenzie King. It is unwieldy for riders to transfer
at Bayview/Lebreton or Mackenzie King - Hurdman and Lincoln Fields
would provide better transfer points to rail, to provide a
significant corridor through the central area of the city.
- There is doubt that the train would connect with the Airport,
despite being close to the existing O-Train corridor.
=========================================================================
==> TransPlan and other September changes
A summary of 5th September route changes are indicated at
http://www.octranspo.com but detailed fall schedules are yet to
be posted (this is expected mid-August).
Some increased service is due to a 3% boost in transit funding:
Routes 1, 7, 14, 95, 96, 97, 99 are affected.
Routes 130, 170, 173 and 176 will be added to the list of routes which
are supposed to have disabled-accessible buses in most time periods.
Changes by route:
Route 4 - Carleton University:
Carleton University requested that on-campus routing be reversed so
that buses will enter the university from Sunnyside/Bronson, proceed
to Campus and travel south instead of north, before exiting through
University Drive. The routing is expected to change later this month,
no exact date specified.
Route 7 - Carleton University:
See Route 4 - Carleton University campus routing change.
Route 15 - Montreal Rd/Blair:
Extended east on weekday mornings from Rideau Centre terminus, somewhat
duplicating Route 2. Will extend east from Rideau through La Cité
collégiale, CMHC, NRC and Montfort Hospital, ending at Blair station.
Route 32 - Orleans:
Express service extended to Avalon. Buses will originate on Aquaview,
routing through Lakepointe and Tenth Line then through the existing route.
Routes 60 and 160 - Kanata:
Extended into Morgan's Grant north of Klondike, via Halton Terrace and
Flamborough Way, extending the existing routing. Klondike loses service.
Route 95 - Trim:
Service to Trim Road/Hwy 174 Park and Ride will be available throughout
the day on weekdays, up to midnight.
Route 117 - Carleton University:
See Route 4 - Carleton University campus routing change.
Route 136 - Orleans:
Extended to Trim and Valin housing areas.
Route 142:
Shortened to resemble the Local North portion: Bridlepath, Albion,
Bank, Queensdale, Conroy, Rosebella, Sixth and Athans, back to Bank.
Queensdale areas now served by new Route 144. Service eliminated on
Davidson and Conroy south of Queensdale. Additional frequencies on
Bridlepath with Route 144.
New Route 144:
Serving Leitrim/Findlay Creek area. Routing with Greenboro Station,
Bridlepath, Albion, Queensdale and Bank, Findlay Creek and Kelly Farm.
Replaces parts of Routes 142 and 197. Additional frequencies on
Bridlepath with Route 142.
Route 145:
Sunday service added (08h00-22h30), plus earlier and later trips
Monday-Saturday (from 05h30 weekdays, 06h30 Saturdays until 23h30).
New Route 157:
To be introduced at least late 2005, or perhaps early 2006 when the new
segregated Route 95 bus road between Fallowfield and Nepean Sportsplex
is opened. Route 95 will be removed from Woodroffe, eliminating all stops
between Nepean Sportsplex and Fallowfield. To replace service in the area,
only a few route 157 buses will cover peak periods into Merivale Gardens
and Grenfell Glen.
Route 186:
More service Monday-Saturday between Stonebridge (Nepean South) and
Fallowfield Station, including a new Golflinks south section. Approach
with Fallowfield will be along Greenbank and Fallowfield instead of
Berrigan and Longfields. Service continues to the Marketplace stores,
as does peak-only service to Manotick and Friday-only trips to North Gower.
Route 197:
Peak periods only - Greenboro Station and Fenton at Leitrim,
via Albion. Some trips extend to CFS Leitrim. Southbound in mornings,
northbound in afternoons.
No service on Lester.
Route 199:
Cancelled, in favour of some extensions to route 144 on Sundays.
=========================================================================
==> Behind Door Number ...
Rear doors of buses have labels which should indicate whether rear
door boarding is permitted and under which conditions.
Labels of shorter buses (only one rear door) should indicate that
there is front door boarding only.
Labels on articulated buses (with two rear doors) should indicate
that boarding is only permitted with a valid transit pass. This
"Proof of Payment" (POP) policy on OC is intended to speed up boarding
of buses on heavily used routes.
Unfortunately some articulated buses get the rear door labels wrong.
Some of the labels indicate front door boarding only. A few labels
are even outdated, indicating that boarding is valid with a "Transpass"
or "Unipass". OC's regular and express monthly passes have not used
those names for years.
A rather high 17% of buses surveyed have incorrect rear door labelling.
This adds to the confusion that already surrounds the POP process for
riders. People are often unclear as to when they can board a bus through
the rear doors. The labels also use the same "do not enter" road sign
symbol, regardless of whether boarding with passes is allowed.
Add to all that the fact that drivers don't apply the policy very
consistently - sometimes the rear doors are opened, other times they
are not forcing passholders to use the front. It is also unclear as
to whether POP still ends after 7pm or whether it is available at any time.
The POP policy needs to be relaunched, especially with the coming emphasis
on fare enforcement. New labels with distinctive symbols and correct
wording should be introduced. Pass users shouldn't have to guess when they
can board by the rear doors.
=========================================================================
==> Sightings and Mysteries
1. Mystery: It was reported last month that OC drivers received a
pamphlet on how to spot terrorist activity. Things like unattended
bags are a concern, but also people hanging around bus stops for long
periods of time, taking notes, showing interest in transit activities,
etc. One wonders if real terrorists will be less detectable while the
transit fans and independent monitors of transit service quality will
be labelled as terrorist suspects.
2. Sighting: The provincial government announced numerous superhighway
widenings - 417 west of Bayshore will be widened to 8 lanes to Kanata
(where 2 of the lanes are to be reserved for buses, and other "high
occupancy" vehicles such as 3 or more persons in a car), and 6 lanes
to the Hwy 7 junction. Highway 7 from 417 will become
a 4-lane superhighway to Carleton Place.
3. Mystery: Currently the 417 west of Bayshore to Kanata has a shoulder
bus lane. It is restricted to OC and ParaTranspo vehicles only; even
Greyhound buses are not supposed to use these lanes. Therefore there
is already effectively a 6-lane roadway in the section with 2 bus
lanes. What will be the effect on OC service when the buses have to
share with multi-occupant vehicles, taxis and other kinds of
"high occupancy" vehicles? What will be the safety factors - will
there be an increased risk of crashes in this lane? (One remembers the
July 2003 case where an OC bus rear-ended a car that was stopped
in this lane, killing a child and seriously injuring the parents).
=========================================================================
==> Riders' Calendar
Monday 1 August - Civic Holiday / Colonel By Day - Sunday schedules
Ottawa Transportation Committee meeting is cancelled for August.
Pedestrian and Transit Advisory Committee does not meet this month
(and is unlikely to have any more formal meetings in 2005).
Watch for new OC and STO timetables to be announced this month.
=========================================================================
==> Contact us
OTB welcomes letters and articles on transit topics - please e-mail them
to: otra-info@flora.org - please note that typical editorial and content
type rules may apply to letters or other contributions.
Note that issues of OTB are available in various ways, including:
OTRA website (includes back issues):
http://otra.sandelman.ottawa.on.ca/otb/index.html
OttawaStart Transit Guide - Ottawa Transit Bulletin is linked from here:
http://www.ottawastart.com/transit.shtml
=========================================================================
Ottawa Transit Bulletin (OTB) is a monthly electronic publication produced
by the Ottawa Transit Riders Association (OTRA).
It is primarily available in e-mail format. Distribution of this bulletin
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Publication will normally be around the first day of each month (may vary
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