Winnipeg City Transit/Rapid Transit - Page 161

North of 49 · #**3201** Posted **Mar 17, 2011, 12:38 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by jthor

While its now been clarified that the original commenter was referring to the situation in Ottawa, I still thought that I'd add my two cents on the issue of busses vs. LRT. For years I took busses south to the U of M along the route which the first phase and possibly-never-going-happen-second phase of BRT will cover. For years I have also worked downtown and had to catch a bus southbound toward the Corydon. Anyhow, in both cases at least a dozen times busses were too full to pick me (multiple other people) up. I have taken RT in countless other cities (Chicago, Istanbul, Rome, Paris, Vancouver, London, Vancouver, Calgary, Toronto, Athens) and never has such a thing happened even in the very middle of rush hour in a downtown area. Combined with - yes - an already longer trip home than driving, this problem more than doubled trip time. It also communicated an obvious lack of care and resources allocated to those who take (and pay a fair amount to take) transit in this city - altogether making the taking of transit in this city into a deeply unpleasant and demoralizing venture. This is particularly true given that we are a winter city. Whether BRT, LRT or simply more busses is the solution, I don't know, but I know that it is false to say that public transit in Winnipeg is greatly effective. The Navigo system and 311 service are actually great compared to similar programs elsewhere, but its not enough - actual improvements need to made to the services offered. We need to make this a pleasant city which is easy and fun to live in. I actually disagree with some who have said here that Winnipeg is not a great place to visit. I have had others who have visited tell me quite the opposite - although clearly we need to work of making the urban core more inviting (that is lived in and not vacant) and in particular need to address the disgraceful and hostile space that is our famous main intersection. Regarding transit, perhaps some of the problem is also the cities sprawling character, which diverts some busses to difficult and costly areas to serve. But while densification of these areas and a moratorium on new sprawl would be helpful, it's not enough. Tax dollars must be spent on improving the service, especially on busy routes, and soon. Having worked for the city I also know that the complaints I voiced here are not simply my own.

Well said. We're doing a little of it now.....

1ajs · #**3202** Posted **Mar 17, 2011, 1:51 PM**

Books for Transit shelters take a ride
By: Aldo Santin
Posted: 03/17/2011 1:00 AM

UNDER the cover of darkness early Monday morning, several hundred books were placed in four bus shelters across the city in a grassroots bid to promote literacy and give something free to strangers.
Unfortunately, the books never made it into the hands they were intended to reach -- Winnipeg Transit cleaned out the four shelters within hours after concluding the books and bookcases posed a fire and safety hazard.
"We're just a group of people doing something different, to give back to the community a little bit," said Lynne Church, a spokeswoman for the group calling themselves Books as Shelter.

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/bre...118154219.html

h0twired · #**3203** Posted **Mar 17, 2011, 1:56 PM**

Funny... but can we really be that outraged by Transits response?

Leave that there for a week and the bus shelter the area surrounding it would be an absolute mess.

The Jabroni · #**3204** Posted **Mar 17, 2011, 3:17 PM**

Transit must have thought it must have been some sort of practical joke, assuming that this group hasn't contacted transit.

h0twired · #**3205** Posted **Mar 17, 2011, 3:21 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Jabroni

Transit must have thought it must have been some sort of practical joke, assuming that this group hasn't contacted transit.

Read the article.

armorand93 · #**3206** Posted **Mar 17, 2011, 5:47 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by h0twired

Read the article.

True. By the way, why would they do it on Bedson and Portage? I've walked around there at 3 in the morning and not a single soul was around. Same thing during the day to be honest

Bdog · #**3207** Posted **Mar 17, 2011, 6:12 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by armorand93

True. By the way, why would they do it on Bedson and Portage? I've walked around there at 3 in the morning and not a single soul was around. Same thing during the day to be honest

^I think most places are pretty dead at 3 in the morning LOL

vid · #**3208** Posted **Mar 17, 2011, 10:56 PM**

In my city they did the book thing by putting the books on the buses themselves, leaving them on seats and stuff for people to grab and flip through while riding the bus.

Andy6 · #**3209** Posted **Mar 18, 2011, 12:00 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by armorand93

True. By the way, why would they do it on Bedson and Portage? I've walked around there at 3 in the morning and not a single soul was around. Same thing during the day to be honest

Probably to make a "statement" that not just downtown poor people need to read more.

Riverman · #**3210** Posted **Mar 18, 2011, 1:16 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by vid

A large one here; Rowhouses near a rail line, not entirely suburban-type but similar to what is in suburban Toronto; I think there are a few others. This part of North Bay is being infilled after a railway line was removed.

I see what you mean but that's not what we call suburbs here. Although if I put my Toronto hat on, those are pretty sweet!

h0twired · #**3211** Posted **Mar 18, 2011, 2:43 AM**

Where is that suburb that has only been 5% completed since 1990?

Reed Solomon · #**3212** Posted **Mar 18, 2011, 3:20 AM**

what a horrible idea.

Bus Shacks are there to get away from the cold temporarily, not a place to spend any length of time.

Next time they should spend their money on air fresheners

1ajs · #**3213** Posted **Mar 18, 2011, 4:03 AM**

the things need to be properly cleaned in ventalated

vid · #**3214** Posted **Mar 18, 2011, 3:40 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by h0twired

Where is that suburb that has only been 5% completed since 1990?

Here. Everything surrounded by Mapleward, Arthur, and the two highways except the swamp in the northeast corner was supposed to be developed by now, according to the plan from 1981. They didn't even start building anything there until 1993 or so because the economy crashed. In the middle of this was going to be another "downtown" with highrises and a shopping mall.

thurmas · #**3215** Posted **Mar 20, 2011, 10:15 PM**

is there any link to rapid transit proposals of the past in winnipeg. I know there were some in the 50's for subway and either lrt or brt in the 70's and 80's.