EverythingGP file photo

By Shane Clausing

future of transit

City seeking public feedback on transit redesign plan

May 12, 2021 | 1:10 PM

The City of Grande Prairie has launched a survey to gain public feedback on its public transit redesign plans.

When filling out the new survey, participants will learn of new transit routes and schedules being proposed to help better connect Grande Prairie.

Steve Harvard, the Transit Manager for the City of Grande Prairie tells EverythingGP the more feedback they can get, the easier it’ll be to improve transit in the City.

“An overhaul of this system was definitely overdue. What we are trying to do at this point in time is match high demand areas with better and more frequent service.”

Highlights of the newly proposed transit routes within the system include:

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• All routes will meet/transfer downtown at the Towne Centre Mall.
• Service to the Grande Prairie Regional Hospital.
• Three routes travelling between downtown and the Eastlink Centre.
• Two-way service along 100 St. between downtown and Prairie Mall.
• Two-way service along 104 Ave. linking downtown, GPRC and the Westgate area.
• A new “Shoppers Shuttle” route connecting all of the shopping areas between downtown and the Westgate area with 30-minute service all day.
• On-Demand Service to be implemented in select neighbourhoods.

For areas that are underserved, Harvard says there are plans in the works to get transit to those communities.

“In other areas where we don’t have as big of demand is to switch the service to an ‘on-demand’ service,” explained Harvard.

The idea for an on-demand service was brought up at a City Council meeting in 2020.

If the idea is approved, the on-demand service will use smaller buses and connect people from a bus stop within an on-demand zone to a transit hub.

Harvard encourages everyone to fill out the survey, to help the City make the best transit plan possible.

“Whether you currently use the transit system or not, or you see something in the system that would attract you to use it, or you have general comments, we welcome all of the feedback we can get.”

The goal of the redesign will be to increase ridership, provide enhanced service to key destinations, provide routes and service options that are more direct and easier to understand and most importantly, reduce travel time.

You can fill out the survey at the City of Grande Prairie website. The survey lasts until May 25.

After May 25, City Council will learn the data from the survey. If the plan proves to be successful, there is a chance the new plan could come into operation by the end of summer or early fall.