A $1,000,000 plan for modernizing and extending the present transit system has been approved by the Greater Winnipeg Transit Commission, it was announced today. Work will begin on the project at once.
The modernization program calls for the abandonment of the East Kildonan streetcar service and the purchase of large capacity buses for the Elmwood-East Kildonan line. It is expected that buses will be running on this route by September.
Plans call for the operation of the regular service to Elmwood and East Kildonan with trolley buses. Rush hour service will be given with large capacity diesel buses augmenting the trolley buses.
An order for 25 diesel buses, each capable of seating 52 passengers, has been placed with the Twin Coach Co., Kent, Ohio. Delivery is scheduled for September. These buses, the most modern available, will cost about $25,000 each.
Plans also call for the extension of the Corydon trolley bus route from Cambridge St. to Kenaston Blvd. as soon as the necessary land for a bus loop can be acquired from the Canadian Army.
The McGregor trolley bus route will also be extended from Smithfield Ave. to Hartford Ave. as soon as paving is completed by the municipality of West Kildonan.
A change in the Selkirk trolley bus route is also on the agenda. Buses will be routed via Selkirk Ave. and Main St. to downtown, rather than over the Salter St. viaduct as at present. This arrangement will eliminate heavy transfer of passengers to the shuttle bus between Salter St. and Main St. and provide better service on Main St.
Plans for a new bus depot building are now before the Commission. The building required to store the new equipment will be built in North Winnipeg on property now used as a street car storage field at Carruthers Ave. and Main St.
The building will be built in units to be enlarged as is necessary. Estimated cost of the first unit which will house 54 buses will be about $200,000.
These improvements and extensions are conditional until final approval is received from the city and the municipalities concerned to make the route changes and construct the necessary trolley bus overhead wires.
W. H. Carter, chairman of the Greater Winnipeg Transit Commission, announced a sale by tender of $4,000,000 worth of four per cent 15-year serial debentures by the Commission.
Major part of the proceeds of the sale of the debentures will be used to repay short term bank loans, borrowed by the Commission to purchase the Transit System and the head office building.