By Sam Borsato - @BorsatoSam on Twitter

Public Input Needed for Transit Master Plan

Apr 25, 2016 | 5:09 PM

LETHBRIDGE – Change could be on the way for Lethbridge’s transit system. Administration provided an update on the Transit Master Plan process at Monday’s Community Issues Committee meeting.

The plan looks to strike the right balance between a coverage and ridership system over the next 20 years. The current transit and paratransit systems have been reviewed to identify any gaps or opportunities to improve, and research has been conducted into best practices in other communities.

Lethbridge currently operates a coverage system, which is basic transit access used mostly as an alternative mode of transportation for those who don’t have their own vehicles.

A ridership system would aim to compete with personal vehicles, making stops at mostly the more popular destinations instead.

However, Acting Transit Manager, Conrad Westerson, says this issue is far more complex than simply spending more money.

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“Transit demand analysis is done based on where people are, where they want to be, how fast they can actually get there or what route that they take is. There’s a lot of other factors that impact who uses transit, how well they use transit or how well transit provides them service.”

The city currently has a rule that states bus stops must be within a 400-meter walking distance in residential areas, which is hampering the current system by forcing buses to make more stops and turns.

Westerson also explained that as Lethbridge continues to grow and expand, routes are getting longer which results in less time efficiency for riders.

A Transit Advisory Committee is being developed, and public engagement sessions should start before this summer to gauge what the public’s need is. They’ll then engage with the university, college and high schools for further information sometime in the fall.

The committee will be engaged with this project for at least two years, and further members will hopefully stay with it so Lethbridge will always have an outlet for public input into transit.