For Presentation to the 1976 Conference of the Canadian Institute of Transportation Engineering in Winnipeg.
c. Suburban Feeder Service
There are some areas of the City where the degree of development has warranted transit service but due to the poor physical condition of some of the roadway system, particularly during spring-time conditions, regular sized buses cannot operate in these areas. Rather than stand-by and allow the "second-car suburban syndrome" to develop and place public transit in a relatively poor competitive position, transit service has been provided to some of these areas. Small buses (19-seated passenger capacity) equipped with posi-traction differential, have been providng "suburban feeder service" in the following areas of the City since January 12, 1975:
Route Length
____________
Tyndall Park 1.91 miles
South St. Vital 3.32 miles
South Charleswood 4.00 miles
South Transcona 4.21 miles
The 1976 Suburban Feeder operating budget was $168,900 and the revenue generated was $19,400. Per passenger cost/revenue statistics for 1976 were:
Operating Cost = $1.56
Revenue = $0.18
_____
Net Cost = $1.38
d. Special Shelter Design and Construction Program
Locations at which some of the heaviest transit passenger boarding/transferring activity takes place were considered as possible sites for a "special shelter". At most of these locations, a standard shelter is generally inadequate to accommodate the large user volumes; in several cases there are limitations on the amount of available space for the placement of a shelter; and, associated with most of these sites are significant aesthetic and other architectual considerations.
A total of seven locations were identified for further consideration in this program. The approach taken with regard to the design of the shelters was to have the architects consider each site individually and design a shelter that could accommodate large volumes of transit users, was functional and vandal resistant, integrated well with the surroundings, and would identify with and enhance the image of the Transit System.
Because of the high construction costs associated with a shelter that would achieve these design criteria, the first phase of this program included the construction of only one special shelter - at the Main Street and Centennial Centre site. The benefits and function of this shelter would be reviewed after the shelter had been exposed to field conditions for approximately one year. Further decisions regarding the status of the second phase of the program would be made after this evaluation.
Construction of the special shelter at Main Street and the Centennial Centre began mid-January of 1976 and was completed in April of that year. The total cost of this shelter, including architectural fees, was $50,200.
The evaluation of this shelter is currently underway. Preliminary findings have indicated that the amount of vandalism and maintenance requirements for a shelter of this nature has been surprisingly low and, in fact, was not significantly different than that experienced with most of the standard shelters located within the downtown area. It was originally considered that such a different and attractive shelter would present a challenge to vandals, but, fortunately, such has not been the case.
a. Park and Ride
It is generally accepted that the automobile provides an effective collection/distribution function in low density areas. However, on the major arterial roadway system, line-haul transit service becomes the most effective mode of travel. By integrating these two modes and, thereby, maximizing the positive features and efficiencies of each mode, an attractive "transportation package" can be offered to the trip-maker with the potential of reducing traffic and demand for parking in the downtown area.
Essentially, the concept of park and ride is the provision of an interface between the private and public modes of travel. The park and ride facility is a parking lot and transit station designed to provide the change-of-mod function. A special area for "kiss and ride" would also be provided. In addition, bicycle storage facilities could also be made available.
The park and ride lot would be surfaced and equipped with lighting and electrical plug outlets. Transit passenger shelters and bus lanes or bus bays would also be considered as well as some attractive area landscaping. To offer the full potential of the park and ride concept to the trip-maker, the site must be served by fast and direct transit service to the downtown.
A number of potential sites have been investigated. Typical functional plans for two of the sites presently under consideration for park and ride operations are illustrated in Figures 7 and 8. Initial site capacities would be approximately 200 automobiles with the possibility of expansion if warranted by demand. Construction costs are estimated to be in the order of $1,500 to $2,000 per parking stall.
b. Graham Avenue Transit/Pedestrian Priority Mall
The number of transit vehicles travelling into and within the downtown area are expected to continue to increase. However, since Portage Avenue presently accomodates over 50% of the transit vehicles entering the Downtown and since this major arterial is operating at or beyond a practical transit capacity, most of the additional bus volume will have to be accomodated by (other) streets in the downtown area.
With the objectives of emphasising the role of public transit in the Downtown Area, improving the environment for the transit user and accommodating the anticipated increase in bus volume in the Downtown Area, a number of modifications have been proposed for Graham Avenue, which runs parallel to Portage Avenue and extends from Vaughan Street to Main Street. In summary, these proposed modifications are:
-- widening the sidewalk on both sides by 6 feet
-- the area between the new curb, which would be doweled
into the street pavement, would be filled with material such
as stone blocks, bricks, pre-cast concrete panels, gravel,
etc
-- passenger shelters and other amenities such as benches
and flower planters would be located in the vicinity of each
bus stop
A typical detail, in this case the section of Graham Avenue between Vaughan Street and Edmonton Street, is illustrated in Figure 9. The traffic operational changes include the conversion of Graham Avenue to a one-way with two lanes in the westbound direction and a contraflow transit lane in the third lane. Traffic will be allowed to cross or enter onto Graham Avenue from all north-south cross-streets. However, all westbound right turns, except at Vaughan Street will be prohibited with the intension of discouraging circulating traffic and to minimize conflicts between transit vehicles and automobiles operating in the curb lane.
c. Prototype Shelter Design
The objective of this program is to develop a transit passenger shelter that has the potential for improving the environment of the transit user (both physically and psychologically) and the utility of the shelter, and for generating a more favourable public transit image. This shelter would serve as the prototype for the on-going placement of shelters throughout the transit service area.
The types of shelter currently in operation vary from the older shop-built large wooden shelters which are equipped with doors, bench seating, convection heaters, and interior lighting to the currently used standard glass and aluminum shelters. The glass and aluminum shelters account for 181 of the 225 shelters in operation.
A number of alternatives were considered for this project ranging from a modified version of the standard glass and aluminum shelter to a totally new design which involved the use of fibre reinforced concrete. The first alternative was chosen as having the most potential for achieving the program's objectives. Some of the modifications to the standard glass and aluminum shelter which are being considered are:
- heating (a metal pyrotenex cable grid installed within the
present concrete base, generating a heating intensity of 50
watts per square foot)
- lighting (either an exterior or interior mounted lighting
source)
- seating (bench-type with cantilever support to shelter wall
or structure)
- door or windscreen
- litter receptacle
- public information facilities
- roof overhang
- color
d. Southwest Transit Corridor
In the Five-Year Transit Plan, which was adopted in principal by City Council in January, 1974, a number of line-haul transit services were outlined including a proposal to operate regular transit vehicles along exclusive transit roadways that would connect the suburban areas to the downtown with "rapid bus" service. Three potential corridors were identified within which transit-only roadways or "busways" could be accommodated.
It was decided that a detailed study of the feasibility of implementing one of these corridors, the Southwest Transit Corridor which extends from the City's southern suburban area along existing railway rights-of-way to the downtown area, be conducted with the objective of considering this corridor as a demonstration project of the rapid bus concept. A consortium of consulting firms was appointed to undertake this study with financial participation by the City, Province and Federal Governments. The terms of reference were expanded in order to consider other modes of public transit such as light rail and fixed guideway transit systems.
The study team presented the Phase One report in September, 1976, recommending the basic technology (diesel and, possibly at a later date, trolley bus) and the route options that will be studied in greater detail in Phase Two. It is anticipated that this last phase of the study will be completed by mid-summer of this year.