Burnside -
The Greater Burnside Business Association (GBBA) has spoken out about the need for improved transit services within and to the Park for many years and appears Metro transit is now listening.
In its recently released five-year strategic plan, the transit service makes frequent reference to Burnside as an area it considers a priority for improvement. The plan calls Burnside and surrounding Dartmouth communities "the second largest destination" it serves next to downtown Halifax. As such, the plan calls for restructuring of several routes (including Routes 16, 52, 56, 64, 66, 72 and 85); creation of new routes to link Burnside with such areas as Sherwood Park; and the creation of a central terminal or transfer point in the Park.
The change of must interest to the GBBA is the creation of a terminal within the Park. Metro Transit is proposing it be located at the intersection of John Savage Drive and Akerley Boulevard. The transit service is calling for a facility with up to 10 platforms (subject to final service plan and route scheduling), a passenger waiting area and bus operator washrooms. It would be similar in appearance to the Portland Hills terminal. A preliminary cost estimate would be $1.5 million excluding any land costs.
The plan also says, "In Burnside, a new off-street terminal will need to be built at Wright and John Savage before Routes 52, 56, 64, 66, 72 and 85 can be restructured. The proposed changes to services in Burnside would need to be implemented as a package, similar to the proposed changes to services in the Portland corridor."
The proposed changes for these routes include:
• Route 52 Crosstown - this core route would be improved to provide more direct and consistent service to and in Burnside. From the Highfield Terminal, the route would operate into Burnside on Ilsley, Wright through the Burnside Terminal transfer point to Dartmouth Crossing, looping at Finlay and Countryview. Frequency would be improved from 30 minutes to 15 minutes during peak periods for the full length of the route from Chain Lake to Burnside. The route would meet Routes 56, 64, 66, 72, and 85 at the Burnside Terminal so that passengers can transfer to access any point in Burnside and Dartmouth Crossing.
• Route 56 Dartmouth Crossing - this route would be restructured to serve Burnside and Southdale. In Burnside, the route would be extended past Dartmouth Crossing to serve Commodore, John Savage and the new Burnside Terminal. The route would meet Routes 52, 66, 72, and 85 at the Burnside Terminal so that passengers can transfer to access any point in Burnside. The Penhorn/Portland Hills section of the route would be dropped. Frequency would continue to be 30 minutes to 10 p.m., when service ends.
• Route 64 Akerley - this local route would be restructured in Burnside to serve Akerley, Mosher, Pettipas, Topple, Joseph Zatzman, Akerley and Williams to the Burnside Terminal at Wright and John Savage. The route would meet Routes 52, 56, 66, 72, and 85 at the Burnside Terminal so that passengers can transfer. There would be no change to the 30-minute peak frequency.
• Route 66 Bedford/Burnside (formerly Penhorn) - the route would be restructured in Burnside and Dartmouth. In Dartmouth, the route would start at the Highfield Terminal accessing Burnside via Highland Park Drive, Burnside, Commodore, Brownlow, Eileen Stubbs, Commodore and John Savage to the Burnside Terminal at Wright. At the terminal, the route would go to Bedford and Sackville via Wright, Windmill Road and the Bedford Highway to the Cobequid Terminal in Sackville. The route would meet Routes 52, 56, 72, and 85 at the Burnside Terminal. In an attempt to improve the low modal split between Sherwood Park and Burnside, Route 66 would be interlined with Route 16 at the Highfield Terminal for service to Burnside. Route 66 would be interlined with Route 16 at the Highfield Terminal for direct service to Sherwood Park and the upper mainland.
• Route 72 Tacoma Burnside (formerly called Portland Hills) - this route would be restructured in Dartmouth and Burnside. At the Highfield terminal, the route would access Burnside via Highfield Park Drive, the Metro Transit Garage, MacDonald and Wright to the Burnside Terminal at John Savage. The route would meet Routes 52, 56, 64 and 85 at the Burnside Terminal. Frequency on Route 72 would be improved to 30 minutes to 10 p.m.
• Route 85 Downsview Express - this peak period route would be restructured to serve Burnside between the Sackville Terminal in Sackville and the Highfield Terminal in Dartmouth. From Sackville, it would access Burnside via Wright to the Burnside Terminal and then along John Savage to Commodore, Burnside and Highfield Park Drive to the Highfield Terminal. The route would meet Routes 52, 56, 66 and 72, at the Burnside Terminal. No change to the 30-minute frequency.
Other route alterations include:
• Route 16 Parkland -In an attempt to improve the low modal split between Sherwood Park and Burnside, Route 16 would be interlined with Route 66 at the Highfield Terminal for service to Burnside. Frequency would be improved to 30 minutes to 10 p.m. No service after 10 p.m.
• Route 51 Shannon - this core route would be changed to provide service to Wallis Heights and the Bedford Institute of Technology and not service to Burnside.
"The vision for this new five year transit plan should be to move Metro Transit to the next level in terms of significantly increasing the transit modal share from 12 per cent to 14 per cent and increase transit ridership by up to 20 per cent," the plan states. "To accomplish this vision, the transit system will have to continue to improve its service levels… It will need to improve and expand service to its strongest markets - downtown Dartmouth and Halifax, the universities and colleges (students, faculty, staff), the businesses in Burnside and other major business parks, as well as the medical centres and shopping centres in each community."
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