The debate over the direction of Winnipeg’s transit system continues to highlight the kind of transportation the city hopes to rely on.
Since the approval of a master plan in 2021, the city has allowed work to be done on a design for three rapid bus transit lines. The plan also gave the city the go-ahead to purchase more than 100 zero-emission buses, as well as allowing for work to be done to the transit network’s infrastructure.
At the time, the master plan was valued at around $538.9 million, combining a total of six projects over 25 years. The three rapid transit lines included in the plan are set to converge on Main Street, between Portage and Stradbrook avenues.
But looking at it now, Coun. Brain Mayes told 680 CJOB on Thursday that the city should ditch the bus routes and opt instead for a light rail transit system instead.
“Perhaps we waited too long, through no fault of the current mayor, but we waited too long to get around to the BRT (bus rapid transit) option,” said Mayes. “I feel like we’re building a whole BRT system to be done, and the day we finish it in 20 years or so, they’ll say, ‘Well, now we’re at a million. Now we have to upgrade.’ Couldn’t you skip a step and just go straight to the rail?”
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To Mayes, the push for a more expanded bus-based transit system has been in the works since he got elected. He added that it’s about time to move towards what he said are effective means of transportation — light rail or even streetcars.
“I do think it’s a debate that we should keep having. Other cities are certainly taking the plunge, and there’s money to do it. I do hope we keep looking into it,” he said.
Mayor Scott Gillingham told 680 CJOB that he isn’t looking at the transportation option. For him, the city’s push for the ongoing transit masterplan is a better way of changing the system to serve residents.
“I’m not looking at LRT. I think what’s important to point out is when it comes to LRT, we do have this transit masterplan that will be transformative citywide,” said Gillingham. “I don’t want to lose focus. I’m focused on implementing the transit master plan and our councillors as well.”
The push for an LRT system can be traced back years. In 2014, the city’s plan came under scrutiny by residents of the Parker Wetlands Conservation area, many of whom criticized the city’s push to add more money into a rapid transit that didn’t include light rail.
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