04 May Summer 2015 Transit Service Changes
The following memo was provided by OC Transpo and provides an overview of the transit service changes that will be starting on Sunday, June 28 and Monday, June 29, 2015.
These changes are part of OC Transpo’s regular schedule adjustments, which take place four times a year – April, June, September and December. Transit Commission and City Council members are provided with a summary of the service changes in advance of each new schedule period.
The Summer service changes include three types of modifications:
- Service adjustments during Confederation Line construction;
- Transit network improvements resulting from approved funding in the 2015 Operating Budget; and
- Seasonal adjustments to service levels and capacity.
Transit Service during Confederation Line Construction
The Transitway from Blair Station to Hurdman Station will be closed for conversion to light rail. All service that now operates on this section of the Transitway will be moved to use bus lanes on Regional Road 174 / Highway 417 and other parallel corridors. Bus routes have been designed to minimize customer inconvenience, continue to serve customers’ destinations, maintain key transfer points, and provide a cost effective service. The level of service is set to match projected ridership demand and ensure sufficient capacity is provided. Many buses to/from downtown will bypass Hurdman Station to keep travel times as quick as possible. The station platforms at Train Station and Blair Station will be relocated to allow for construction of the new light rail stations and platforms. Cyrville Station will close, and customers travelling to/from there will be served by nearby local routes. The journey time for most customers travelling between Blair Station and downtown will range from 3 to 7 minutes longer than today. Changes to the route network include:
- Routes that will travel on Highway 417 bypassing Train and Hurdman Stations which include new Route 91, 94, and the east end express routes;
- Routes that will travel on Highway 417 bypassing Train Station which includes Route 95, 114, 129, 192 and 199;
- Routes that will provide service to the relocated Train Station which includes new Route 92 and 96;
- A new Route 91 which will supplement Route 95 service and will bypass Hurdman Station providing a more direct trip downtown;
- Combining of Route 127 with Route 124 to provide service to residents in the Ogilvie/Cyrville community;
- Shortening of Routes 126 and 128 to end at Blair Station 7 days a week;
- Revised routing at Lees Station on Routes 6 and 101; and
- West end express routes will end at Hurdman Station in the morning and will start at Campus Station in the afternoon.
Improvements to the Transit Network
Orléans South – Routes 35, 120, 135, and 136 will be revised in Orléans South to keep pace with the growth in new residential areas, reduce walking distances and improve connections to transit in the Orléans South community. The start locations of these routes will be modified slightly. These service changes were carried out in consultation with the community and ward councillors. All service improvements have been made within existing budgets.
Kanata and Stittsville – Several improvements will be made in Kanata and Stittsville based on discussions with the community and Councillors. Funding for these changes was approved as part of the 2015 Operating Budget.
- Route 96A service will be renumbered as new Route 92 and revised to operate along Campeau Drive.
- Route 161 will be extended to serve commercial and new residential areas west of Eagleson Road and the hours of service will be improved.
- Route 164 will be changed to a peak period route maintaining a direct connection for the Hope Side Road community to Eagleson and Terry Fox Stations.
- A new Route 165 will operate Monday to Friday in the midday and evening providing a direct connection between Terry Fox Station and the Kanata North area.
- Route 168 will be revised, replacing parts of Route 164 in the Bridlewood and Glen Cairn areas, will provide a direct connection from the Kanata Lakes area to Kanata South and new off-peak service on Keyrock Drive.
- New Route 162 will operate Monday to Friday in the late midday and evening and Saturday for most of the day, providing a direct connection between the western residential area of Stittsville along West Ridge Drive, Johnwoods Street, Tanger Outlets and Terry Fox Station in Kanata.
Other Schedule and Route Changes – Improvements are based on discussions with area Councillors and funding for these changes was approved as part of the 2015 Operating Budget.
- Frequency of service on Routes 1 and 7 will be improved on weekends to accommodate the projected increases in ridership demand with the continued residential and commercial growth of the Lansdowne Park development.
- Route 93 will be increased to operate every 15 minutes during the midday Monday to Friday to better service Kanata industrial areas.
- The frequency of service on Route 177 will be increased 7 days a week and the hours of service will be lengthened on weekends to better serve the growing areas of Half Moon Bay and Stonebridge in Barrhaven.
- Route 116 will be modified to provide transit service to the commercial area along Hunt Club Road east of Merivale Road.
- Route 147 service will be removed from the EY Centre Monday to Friday before noon due to very low ridership.
Seasonal Service Changes
Every year, ridership declines across the system as the school year ends, as customers take summer vacations, and as the weather improves to allow easier cycling and walking. The frequency of service is adjusted to reflect these changes in ridership, and the capacity provided remains sufficient to carry the number of customers travelling during this time. This summer, the number of trips is being reduced on Routes 4, 5, 8, 12, 14, 20, 30, 35, 61, 72, 77, 85, 86, 87, 91, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 101, 111, 114, 118, and 172. The special school trips on regular routes and the 600-series school routes will also be removed for the summer. On most routes, the pre-summer service level will return in September.
Summer Weekend Service to Leisure/Recreation Destinations – Summer weekend service will return on Route 129 to the Canada Aviation and Space Museum, on Route 185 to the Canada Agriculture Museum and on Route 198 to Petrie Island.
Lansdowne Park Special Event Service – During the summer months, TD Place will host large and small events, including CFL football, NASL soccer, and concerts. For all events and for everyday travel, Routes 1 and 7 provide service on Bank Street and transfers can be made with the rest of the transit network. For larger events like the Ottawa Redblacks football games, the Connexion 450 service will provide direct service from Kanata, Barrhaven, South Keys, Blair and Orléans to Lansdowne Park.
Seasonal Summer Construction Detours – Several major road construction projects that began in the spring in addition to new ones will affect transit service during the summer. Some buses will be detoured as required by the construction work, and some of the detours will increase customers’ travel time by a few minutes. The areas of work and routes affected include:
- Albert Street – Routes 16 and 85;
- First Avenue – Route 6;
- Innes Road – Routes 121 and 126;
- Main Street – Routes 5, 6, and 16;
- Marier Avenue – Route 5;
- McRae Avenue – Routes 2 and 151;
- Piperville Road – Route 232;
- Scott Street – affects Route 16;
- Queen Street – Route 4, 9, and 12; and,
- St-Joseph Boulevard – Route 122.
Holidays and Special Events:
- Canada Day – On Wednesday, July 1, a special Canada Day service will be operated, with more trips and higher-capacity buses to provide enough capacity for the higher ridership levels on that day. The new route changes, described above, will be in place for July 1. Extra trips will operate on Routes 1, 2, 7, 8, 12, 85, 86, 87, 91, 92, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, and the O-Train Trillium Line. Extra service will also be added in the later evening to Transitway, mainline and many local routes, including Routes 106, 111, 112, 114, 116, 118, 122, 124, 126, 128, 129, 130, 131, 134, 135, 143, 144, 146, 147, 148, 149, 152, 153, 156, 168, 170, 172, 176, and 177.
- Bluesfest – From July 8 to July 19, additional late evening service will be added to Transitway routes.
- Civic Holiday – On Monday, August 3, a Sunday schedule will be operated on most routes, with additional service on Routes 8, 94, 95, and 105 because some customers will still be travelling to work in Gatineau, where it is not a holiday.
- Early return of the French-language school boards – From September 1 to September 4, school services for the French-language school boards will operate.
Full details of these service changes will be communicated to customers starting in late April and throughout May and June. Please direct customers to octranspo.com or to the OC Transpo contact centre (613-741-4390) for more information. Once the new service begins, customers can find up-to-date schedules by using octranspo.mobi or the MyTransit iPhone app, by calling 613-560-1000 or by texting 560560.
These service changes will be evaluated based on feedback we collect from customers and operating staff, as well as ridership and operational data measurements. Our goal continues to be to provide excellent service for customers as their travel needs change.
Original signed by
John Manconi