PUBLIC TRANSIT STUDY
(Second Progress Report)
DOWNTOWN TRANSIT
Streets and Transportation Division
Works and Operations Department
JUNE 1974
In the early part of January of this year the Transportation Division presented the first progress report of a Public Transit Study to the Committee of Works and Operations, Environment and Executive Policy (to which all members of Council were invited). The public transit concepts presented at that time included proposals for radial express bus routes utilizing existing major thoroughfares leading to downtown and the development of three exclusive "rapid bus" corridors serving the downtown area fro mthe east, northwest, and southwest.
These proposals were endorsed by the above Committees of Council and on January 9th, 1974 the Executive Policy Committee reported their approval in principle of these proposals to Council and authorized the administration to "immediately continue their studies into the necessary advanced stages to investigate and prepare functional plans, operational requirements, recommendations for a downtown distribution system integrated with the area-wide system proposals, and estimates of capital and operating costs of implementing the five year public plan".
Subsequently Council budgeted the amount of $100,000 in the 1974 Capital Estimates for the purpose of participating in a detailed study of the feasibility of implementing the southwest "rapid bus" corridor as a Demonstration Project. On March 18th, 1974 the Government of the Province of Manitoba formally agreed to contribute the same amount towards such a study. Detailed terms of reference for the study were prepared by the City administration in March and are presently being reviewed by the Tri-Level Administration Commitee to determine if, and to what extent, the study would qualify for Federal Government financial participation.
During the last several months the administration, in keeping with the instructions of Executive Policy Committee, has been engaged in that part of the second phase of the transit study dealing with the investigation of functional and operating requirements for a downtown distribution system integrated with the area wide system proposals.
The visual presentation which accompanies this report describes the specific demographic characteristics of the downtown area, the existing transit service and related travel patterns within downtown. A capsulizaed description of these characteristics is presented herein accompanied by proposed guidelines for improving public transit in the downtown area and recommended programs which in our opinion would achieve the objectives defined in the guidelines.
Four out of ten work trips to the downtown are presently made by transit. From studies conducted it appears that approximately 60% of those persons presently making their work trip by automobile do not require the use of this auto during their hours of employment and could be considered as potential transit riders.
Only 8% of the work trips destined to the downtown originate from residences within the downtown area. Of these, 70% are made by walking, 16% by transit and 14% by auto.
Approximately 30% of all transit passenger trips entering the downtown in the peak hour are through trips. Of these approximately 90% require a transfer in the downtown area to proceed to their ultimate destinations beyond downtown.
Approximately 84% of transit passenger work trips to downtown destinations accommodated without need to transfer in the downtown area.
Most major boarding and transferring points in downtown do not lend themselves to the construction of conventional weather protected facilities.
There appears to be an inverse relationship between the use of transit for work trips and the availability of monthly parking in the downtown area (i.e. the more monthly parking provided, the less use of transit).
Although present transit coverage in the downtown is extensive, better route identification for internal trip making is desirable.
The most significant transit operational problems are centered on Portage Avenue and the river crossings approaching downtown.
Anticipated downtown growth indicates an increased emphasis south of Portage Avenue in the area lying between Graham and York Avenues.
In order to make public transit more attractive for current and potential users, the following guidelines should provide a framework for developing programs for improving public transit in the downtown area.
Minimize transfers for through trips.
Maintain a minimum of transfers for downtown destined trips.
Make transfers as convenient as possible where they are necessary.
Maximize environmental protection for public transit users at major boarding and transferring points.
Provide for convenient trip making within the downtown area.
Reduce existing constraints and introduce innovative measures to assist transit operations in the downtown area.
Encourage the use of public transit to and within the downtown area by adopting a complementary downtown parking policy.
Place greater emphasis on the relationship between downtown development and transit operations.
THE EXECUTIVE POLICY COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS THAT THE WORDS "INCLUDING THE PROHIBITION OF ON-STREET PARKING WHERE APPROPRIATE" BE ADDED AT THE END OF THE GUIDELINE ON THE DOWNTOWN PARKING POLICY.In order to achieve the objectives described in the guidelines, the following programs are recommended for implementation during the next five years:
Provide additional through routes by linking compatible terminating routes.
Increase the downtown distribution effectiveness of terminating routes.
Penetrate the downtown area with rapid bus routes to obtain effective distribution.
Provide public parking outside the periphery of downtown to complement express or rapid bus service into the downtown area.
Establish a downtown shuttle service to accommodate off peak trip activity.
Develop Graham Avenue and Vaughan Street for preferencial transit operations with conveniently located and environmentally designed passenger terminals.
Upon receipt of approval in principle of all or parts of the program recommended above, your administration is prepared to proceed with the details of program development including operating and capital costs and submit reports on these schemes to appropriate Committees for further conseridation and approval.