Quote:
Originally Posted by Cre47
Yep that is some long history of genius planning in Kanata for many years. Genius planning that keeps on continuing.
Anyways, they better stop having Sens games at 2 PM's on Saturdays. Even with the new lanes on the 417, traffic will be atrocious if there are Sens games during peak shopping periods. One can imagine during the Holidays as well.
Once all those stores open, not only all 96's should extend to serve the Campeau extension to CTC, but they better increase the number of 96's during off-peak which by the way were reduced from every 12 to every 15 on weekdays and from every 10 to every 15 on Saturdays (mostly due to having more articulated buses on that route, though I still see some 96's served by 40 footers). 10 minutes on middays and Sundays and every 7/8 minutes should be the ideal frequencies. Ever since Jim Watson was elected, there has been a constant deterioration not just in local routes but also in major routes. Transit in Kanata for example is a disaster, except the random area in the Katimavik/Eagleson area that gets all the 96's. Otherwise it is faster to bike (or probably even walk) throughout Kanata.
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Honestly, I think 15 minutes is acceptable for off-peak service on the 96 (based on ridership patterns west of Eagleson), and should be the frequency at pretty much all off-peak periods - BUT, what I would have done differently is extended most 93s downtown, having both routes running together (6 trips an hour) between Eagleson and Queensway since there is definitely overcrowding there (someone travelling from Bayshore could take either the 93 or 96 downtown). That would have created more direct-to-downtown service from Kanata North, especially useful for shift employees during the daytime and evenings. A possible pattern for the 93:
* Peak periods, peak direction - Only runs between Eagleson and Innovation (can transfer to 96 or express routes or take the 60)
* Peak periods, off-peak direction - LeBreton to Innovation (as it is now), due to overcrowding on Albert/Slater
* Midday, early evening and daytime on weekends, plus (if warranted) during third shifts - Hurdman to Innovation (supplements the 96)
* Least used periods - Eagleson to Innovation (transfer to 96 at Eagleson)
Some of the cost of the extension would be offset by paring it back to Eagleson (from Lincoln Fields) during peak periods and at times of lower use.
As for crossing Kanata by transit, forget it. There isn't even a good focal point, and it requires three buses in many cases to go from Kanata North to parts of Kanata South. The only solution is to time the transfers at Eagleson, since Terry Fox has turned out to be a write-off. The 168 should be straightened in Kanata Lakes (perhaps running from Eagleson to Campeau and CTC, bypassing Terry Fox) and the southern (Katimavik) part of the loop removed, since it just duplicates the 96.
If all 96 trips are extended to CTC, that would leave a service hole somewhere else. The only all-day service between Eagleson and Huntmar in central Kanata would be the 118, and there would be no service along Hazeldean west of Terry Fox or along Castlefrank. The current 96A/96C pattern is probably the best possible one, although evening and weekend service would need to be extended westward.