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New routes, times for Sudbury transit to be unveiled in February

If approved by council, changes will come into effect in the fall
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(File)

The public should get its first look at a major revision of Greater Sudbury Transit in February, included revised routes and the location of new bus stops, says a report headed to city council next week.

The ideal time to implement the changes are in the fall, the report says, when students return to school and new travel patterns are set in the city, giving Transit its best chance “to capture the largest possible share in ridership growth,” the report said. 

The $1.24 million study includes $290,000 for the Greater Sudbury Transit Action Plan study; $20,000 to buy and and install bike racks; $200,000 for wayfinding tools based on the new network service and route structure; $600,000 to buy and install contactless smart card technology; and, $130,000 for the project manager's position.

This is the first time a complete overhaul of the city's bus service has been complete since amalgamation 18 years ago. Not only has ridership been flat or declining in recent years, users have long complained about the lack of service to communities outside the old City of Sudbury, and the reduction in service on weekends and holidays.

In addition to route changes, security hours have been doubled at the downtown transit station, and the area has been redesigned with security features in mind.

Security issues downtown – including a case last spring where police shot and wounded a mentally disturbed man – have been identified as a factor holding back increased ridership.

When the transit action plan goes to city council in February for review, it will include a range of options on how to structure fares to increase ridership and help vulnerable citizens access transit. Once it's approved, work will begin on changing the route information provided to customers so they will include the new route structure, with a goal of having it in place by June 2019.

In July, a new bus stop map will be prepared to align with the new routes and drivers will begin getting familiar with the new transit maps, with an eye on rolling everything out in August.

Council will vote on the issue Dec. 11. Read the full report here.


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Darren MacDonald

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