The ultra-lightweight aluminum tramways dreamt up as a new mode of rapid transit for Winnipeg would run above downtown city streets, where they could connect the existing skywalk system to the forthcoming southwest bus corridor.
City officials have approached the Downtown Winnipeg BIZ about a futuristic rapid-transit plan that would replace the city's free Downtown Spirit buses with what amounts to Jetson-esque aerial streetcars.
"Discussions have taken place. At this stage, it's more of a concept. Everything starts with a vision," said Stefano Grande, executive director of the Downtown BIZ. "Could a system be put in place that was not as expensive as (light) rail? Something with low maintenance costs? Those are some of the questions being asked."
Three city departments are looking at rapid-transit technologies that could augment Winnipeg's forthcoming bus corridor, public works director Bill Larkin told city councillors Tuesday.
Winnipeg's planning, property and development department is leading the search, with help from public works and Winnipeg Transit, Larkin said during a meeting of city council's public works committee.
Senior city officials are merely exploring whether it's possible for Winnipeg to make the leap from bus rapid transit to some form of light rail, Larkin said.
"We're just trying to determine if this is feasible," he said following the meeting. "At this point, these are very, very preliminary conversations."
Winnipeg is months away from beginning construction on the first phase of the city's $327-million, 9.6-kilometre bus corridor, which will eventually connect downtown with the University of Manitoba. Work on phase 1, a $138- million, 3.6-kilometre leg from Queen Elizabeth Way to Jubilee Avenue, is slated to begin this summer.
Winnipeg Mayor Sam Katz has made no secret of his desire to upgrade bus rapid transit to some form of light-rail technology, which previous city studies deemed too expensive.
The search underway right now is aimed at identifying technologies that could reduce the cost of conventional rail, possibly by cutting down on the concrete and steel required for conventional rapid transit. Ultra-lightweight aerial trams fit the bill, Grande said.
The tramway idea, which harkens back to former mayor Stephen Juba's 1972 monorail proposal, took rapid-transit proponents on city council by surprise.
"We've studied (light rail) for 10 years. We've had experts in who've told us rail is too expensive. We know there's no magic bullet," St. Boniface Coun. Dan Vandal said after Tuesday's meeting. "We're building a busway for $138 million. At some point, you have to get behind what we're actually doing."
Fort Rouge-East Fort Garry Coun. Jenny Gerbasi said she is concerned the city is talking about some new form of rapid-transit technology only months before construction begins on the bus corridor.
Phase 1 is slated to be finished by 2011. It calls for a new bridge over Osborne Street, just south of Confusion Corner, and a tunnel below CN's Fort Rouge yards.
bartley.kives@freepress.mb.ca