Tag Archives: transit

BRT Update – August 2020

City of Saskatoon, VVCA,

Thank you for your continued interest in the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project. These have been unusual and challenging times. The pandemic has more than ever emphasized how important public transit is to the functioning of a city, transporting essential workers to and from jobs and acting as a support for economic stability and social equity. BRT remains a crucial part of the City of Saskatoon’s growth plans and we are happy to provide you with an update on the progress of the project.

Project planning has continued according to projected timelines. The following developments have occurred, moving us ever closer to the launch of Bus Rapid Transit:

On March 29th, existing high frequency transit service (routes 8, 81, 82, 83, 84 and 86) was rerouted from the Sid Buckwold Bridge to Broadway Avenue. Routes 1 and 6 were rerouted from Broadway Avenue, to the Sid Buckwold Bridge, to maintain transit service along 8th Street west of Broadway Avenue.

Technical drawings have been received for each BRT station location, including design of the operational components.

Plans are being developed to build a pilot station to test the physical and technical requirements of each BRT station, to ensure they work well in all seasons. The testing phase will start upon installation and will be observed by a technical team including transit operators and staff.

Coordination between software companies continues to evolve to ensure the traffic signals and transit software systems will work together to provide Traffic Signal Priority (TSP).  Three intersections will be used as test sites.

We will continue to update you regularily as the project moves forward. Feel free to pass this newsletter along to anyone else you may feel would be interested.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding the Bus Rapid Transit project, please email us at brt@saskatoon.ca.

Saskatoon Transit Update

Saskatoon Transit has had major disruptions to normal business due to COVID-19; however, as many doors closed, Saskatoon Transit remained open providing an essential service. Modifications were made to keep customers and employees safe.

Due to the rapidly evolving changes to Saskatoon Transit service, please frequently visit SaskatoonTransit.ca or follow on Twitter at @stoontransit for current information.

BRT Update

City of Saskatoon, VVCA News & Events, , ,

At the City Council meeting on April 29, 2019, City Administration will be presenting reports on the Bus Rapid Transit system as well as the Downtown Active Transportation Network.


On April 29, after over three years of technical work and public engagement, Saskatoon City Council will receive routing reports and recommendations on Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) and the Downtown Active Transportation (AT) Network. The BRT system and Downtown AT Network are key components of the City’s Plan for Growth, supporting corridor growth and economic development by improving the mobility of current and future residents. They enable viable options to automobile travel, helping the City with sustainability, climate and population growth challenges that are becoming increasingly important to address.

You can find summaries of the reports, including engagement activities and route information, at saskatoon.ca/transit-plan, and find details on the Downtown AT Network at saskatoon.ca/moving-around/cycling/cycling-plans-projects. The full reports and the official Agenda for the April 29 meeting will be available at 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 24 at saskatoon.ca/city-hall.

BRT Follow-up

City of Saskatoon, VVCA News & Events, ,

Bus Rapid Transit

Thank you to everyone who participated in one of the 19 engagement sessions we held over the last few weeks. In case you weren’t able to come to one of the events, we invite you to take a look at the information presented at the sessions, including route maps. You can find them on the Transit Plan engagement page under the Getting Involved tab.

Once you have had a chance to go over all the documents, send your preference on route options along with any other comments to brt@saskatoon.ca. All feedback received before 8:00 a.m. on January 4, 2019, will be included in the report to City council, which will be submitted in the first quarter of 2019. Feedback received after the January 4 deadline will be kept on file as part of the project.

The BRT Project Team would like to thank everyone for their interest and active involvement in 2018.

Information will be added to the Growth Plan website as it becomes available.

If you have any questions about BRT, or would like to participate in future engagement activities, please contact BRT@saskatoon.ca. If you have any questions about the Plan for Growth in general, please contact the Growth Plan Implementation Team at growth@saskatoon.ca.

City BRT Sessions

City of Saskatoon, Nutana, VVCA News & Events, ,

As a stakeholder in the future of Downtown and Nutana, we want to hear from you! The City of Saskatoon will be holding two Come & Go Engagement Sessions in both the Downtown and Nutana areas to provide information on the proposed Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system, as well as additional information on the proposed Downtown All Ages and Abilities (AAA) Cycling Network. We want to work with you to ensure that the needs of everyone who uses Saskatoon’s roads are met.

These engagement sessions are an opportunity for you to review potential BRT routing and Downtown AAA Cycling Network options. We will listen to your comments and gather your input on preferences and considerations on both initiatives, prior to City Council deciding on these plans in early 2019. The proposed BRT routing options are shown below. Please consider attending an engagement session to have your say about the future of transportation in Saskatoon.

DOWNTOWN:
November 6, 2018
3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Hilton Garden Inn, Garden South Room – 90 22nd Street East.
This location is wheelchair accessible.

NUTANA:
November 8, 2018
3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Emmanuel Anglican Church, Hasalam Hall (basement), 609 Dufferin Avenue.
This location is wheelchair accessible. Parking will be available on the street and behind the building.

Bus Rapid Transit

City of Saskatoon, VVCA News & Events, , ,

As the days get shorter and the temperature takes a dip, The City of Saskatoon is planning a number of engagement events around the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system. They are looking for your input on where you would like to see the BRT system travel – particularly with regard to routes Downtown and in the Broadway area. Watch for pop-up events occurring across Saskatoon starting the week of November 13th! Pop-ups will be announced a couple of days in advance on the City of Saskatoon’s Facebook page at facebook.com/cityofsaskatoon.

On November 6th and 8th the City will be holding Come and Go engagement events with the Downtown and Broadway Business Improvement Districts. If you have a business interest in these areas or are a resident, and would like to receive more information about these events, please email brt@saskatoon.ca
or call (306) 975-2475.

NEW #808 Bus Route

City of Saskatoon, VVCA News & Events, , , ,

Saskatoon Transit is piloting a new bus route that will improve access to many medical and health facilities throughout the city. Route 808 will run on weekdays from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. starting June 1, 2018.

It will service the following facilities every 45 minutes:

Bus Stop Number – Building
#5899 – City Hall
#3168 – Saskatoon Housing Authority
#5839 – RUH / Cancer Centre
#5838 – Field House
#5480 – Luther Tower
#4140 – Ronald McDonald House
#5865 – City Hospital
#3169 – Medical Arts Building

Route 808 will provide Access Transit customers with an alternative transportation option to attend medical and health appointments.

Use the Transit mobile app or route map to plan your trip.

If the pilot route is determined as successful based on customer feedback, it may become permanent.

City of Saskatoon page

Bus Stop Blues

VVCA News & Events, , ,

“Bus Stop Blues” – Help shape the future of Saskatoon Transit and improve the transit experience! From now to Sept 20, 2017, post a photo and the location of the bus stop you would like to see improved, and add the hashtag #busstopbluesyxe.

Our Facebook and/or Twitter posts – Saskatoon Transit Twitter (@stoontransit) and City of Saskatoon Facebook and Twitter (@cityofsaskatoon) are also an easy way to share the information from your social media accounts to your neighbors.

#25 Special Transit Bus Schedule

VVCA News & Events, ,

ROUTES of the #25 Special city transit bus:

The #25 Special service is available MONDAY to FRIDAY. It leaves from the sidewalk stop alongside the driveway of Luther Tower, 1223 Temperance Street and serves the residents of Luther Tower, HOWEVER, the bus service is available for community residents to use as well. The bus operates as an express bus between Luther Tower and Midtown Plaza or Market Mall, with a few transfer stops offered. Regular bus fares apply.

Proviso 1: is that passengers new to this service be kind enough to let Tower residents get into their accustomed seats. They will have been waiting seated in the Tower entrance. They are not required to wait outside for the Temperance St. bus arrival but do go outside for the bus arrival at the Market Mall & Midtown Plaza stops.
Proviso 2: is that in inclement weather & the bus has arrived early, passengers should feel free to get into the seats further back. Passengers are also welcome to wait in the Luther Tower front vestibule with the residents during inclement weather.

To the Market Mall destination:
The AM trip: departs Luther Tower @ 9:00 AM, travelling via Clarence to 8th Street – where a transfer can be made to the #8 bus to travel along 8th Street – continuing along Clarence to the Cope Cres. terminal @ Stonebridge by 9:10 AM, the Circle Drive Alliance Residence by 9:15, then via Preston to Market Mall by 9:21 AM.

For the return trip the #25 leaves Market Mall @ 12:10 via Preston to Circle Drive Alliance Residence & returning to Cope Cres. & via Clarence, 12th & Wiggins to Luther Tower by 12:31.

The PM trip: departs Luther Tower @ 11:45 AM following the above route to arrive @ Market Mall by 12:06, leaving for return trip @ 2:36 PM, arriving @ Luther Tower by 2:57 PM

To the Mid-town Plaza destination:
The AM trip: departs Luther Tower @ 9:45 AM, travels along Clarence, 12th to Broadway – where one can disembark to transfer to bus routes travelling Broadway – along 3rd Ave. to the Downtown Terminal (for transfers), along 23rd & 1st Ave. to Mid-Town Plaza (with option to disembark along the route)
For the return trip the #25 departs the Plaza @ 11:30 following the above route (may reboard the bus @ “5 Corners” alongside Victoria Community Centre by flagging down the bus shortly after 11:30 AM).

The PM trip: departs Luther Tower @ 12:30 following the same route to arrive @ the Mid-Town Plaza, returns the same route with the pick-up @ the Mid-Town Plaza @ 2:00 PM

See the VVCA-prepared bus route map here: VVCA Special 25 Bus Route Map

University Bridge Closure

VVCA News & Events, , , , ,

University Bridge Closure – “A pain in the Asphalt”

The University Bridge will be closed on May 3rd for the remainder of the summer while the deck is replaced. There will be no lanes open for regular traffic, but on lane open for buses and emergency vehicles. There will be one pedestrian walkway open for walking and cycling during the closure as well. There will be some inconvenience there is no question. There is a traffic management plan posted on the City Website here if you want more information.

Growing Forward! Shaping Saskatoon

VVCA News & Events, , , ,

Growing Forward! Shaping Saskatoon – the City’s public planning initiative to develop a Growth Plan to Half a Million that will help guide future infrastructure investments for the next 30 to 40 years.

The next round of Growth Plan public engagement is being planned from February 25 to March 18. It will feature two workshop-style events on March 3 at TCU Place, a Campus Consultation on March 10 at Louis’ Loft at the U of S, as well as an online survey from February 25 to March 18 at www.growingfwd.ca. This engagement will:
· present the recommended long-term plans for Corridor Growth, Transit and Core Bridges for confirmation; and,
· begin discussion about implementation priorities for these plans (what do we make happen in 0-5 years, 5-10 years, 10-20 years?).

A key component of the Growth Plan is development of a new transit system with Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) to help provide more attractive options for moving around the city. As discussed during our engagement before Christmas, providing a greater variety of transit services to suit more user needs would include BRT running along 8th Street to Preston Avenue and College Drive. If adopted, BRT along Preston Avenue would likely be developed in stages, beginning with increased service and moving towards eventual dedication of road space over several years. This will be discussed in greater detail during the next round of Growth Plan public engagement starting February 25.

Learn more and get involved at www.growingfwd.ca

#25 SPECIAL City Transit Service

VVCA News & Events, ,

The residents of Luther Tower have graciously invited other residents of VVCA to make use of the above service, which is available from Monday to Friday. Normal City transit fares apply. Buses leave from the sidewalk stop alongside the driveway of 1223 Temperance St at 9:15 am and 12:45 pm. They travel down Temperance St. to Clarence Ave., along Clarence Ave to 12th St., along 12th St. to Broadway Ave., across the Broadway Bridge, down 3rd Ave., to the terminal and then to Midtown Plaza. Return buses leave Midtown Plaza at 11:37 am and 2:35 pm.

Passengers new to the service are asked to permit Tower residents to get into their accustomed seats before boarding. As well, they are invited to use seats further back in the bus in inclement weather, if the bus arrives early, but are asked to ensure that the driver does not leave Luther Tower early.