23 Jun OC Transpo makes major service adjustments June 28
Ottawa – On Sunday, June 28, new OC Transpo summer schedules begin, along with route improvements and adjustments to routes travelling along a section of the Transitway, which will close between Blair and Hurdman Stations for construction of the O-Train Confederation Line.
Light rail construction is shifting east this summer
When the Transitway road section closes June 28, bus routes will be adjusted between Blair and Campus Stations. Cyrville Station will be closed, and some routes will no longer stop at Lees, Hurdman, Train or St‑Laurent Stations. These adjustments will evolve as more sections of the Transitway are closed over the next three years, until the O-Train Confederation Line opens in 2018.
Most bus routes that use this section of the Transitway will travel on Highway 417 and Road 174 to benefit from new bus-only lanes and other improvements, and to provide the quickest trip to and from downtown. Travel time will, however, increase on certain trips, and some riders will need to make an additional transfer.
The following mitigation efforts have been set in place:
- New bus-only lanes, built on portions of Road 174 and Highway 417, will be used by east-end routes to help speed up service.
- Some routes will bypass stations to avoid delays.
- Two new bus routes will be added to improve transportation options for east-end transit customers – Route 91 will supplement Route 95 between Trim and Baseline Stations from Monday to Friday, providing a faster trip downtown, and Route 92 will replace Route 96A.
- Bus routes and transfer options have been carefully planned to minimize inconvenience to customers.
- Service will be monitored closely and adjusted if possible.
Routing adjustments will affect the following: peak period routes 20-77 and 192-283, and Routes 6, 18, 94, 95, 96, 101, 114, 124, 126, 127, 128, 129, 176, 202, 401 and 451. Customers should use the Travel Planner at octranspo.com to find their best travel option.
Construction of new light-rail stations at Blair, Cyrville, St-Laurent and Train will affect customers as follows:
- Blair Station will move to a temporary location near Blair Road. The retail store will close, but the pedestrian access to Telesat and Pineview will be maintained.
- Cyrville Station will close for three years, but service will operate nearby on Cyrville Road.
- Service at St-Laurent Station will move to the upper level platform and a new ramp will connect with Highway 417 westbound. Some routes will bypass St-Laurent Station eastbound.
- Train Station will be relocated onto the VIA Rail Ottawa Station ring road. The stop will be served by Routes 92 and 96 only.
Further details, schedules and maps are available at ontrack2018.ca.
Summer service improvements
- Two new routes – 162 and 165 – will provide local service in Stittsville and Kanata North respectively for improved connections. Kanata will also see increased frequency on Route 93 to Kanata North, improved hours on Route 161, and extensions to Routes 161 and 168 to serve new commercial and residential areas and reduce walking distances. Route 164 will become a peak period route and Route 96A will be renumbered Route 92, which will operate along Campeau Drive to replace Route 164.
- Routes 35, 120, 135 and 136 will be revised slightly in Orléans South to better serve growing residential areas, reduce walking distances and improve connections.
- Route 116 will be modified to have some trips serve the commercial district on Hunt Club Road.
- Frequency will be improved on Routes 1 and 7 on weekends to better serve Lansdowne Park, and on Route 177 serving Barrhaven South and the Minto Recreation Complex.
Special summer weekend service
- Service to local museums and beaches will operate on weekends and holidays throughout the summer until September 7.
- Route 129 will serve the Canada Aviation and Space Museum and Route 185 will operate to the Agriculture Museum and Experimental Farm. Route 198, which started June 20, will serve Petrie Island.
Summer schedules
- New schedules will reflect the lower demand for service during the summer vacation period.
- School routes will be suspended until the fall, and there will be minor schedule reductions on mainline and peak period routes.
- New schedules are available at OC Transpo Sales Centres, by calling 613-741-4390, and at OcTranspo.com.
The next service change will occur on September 6.
For automated bus arrival information, customers can call 613-560-1000, or text 560560, plus their four-digit bus stop number. For more information and travel planning, visit octranspo.com or call 613-741-4390.