New innovations aimed at quickening the current pace of Calgary Transit are in store for buses and LRT cars and how they get around over the next quarter-century.
According to the manager of transit planning, Neil McKendrick, things like bus only lanes, higher occupancy vehicles and an innovation called Q-jumps will put an extra hop in their step.
“Our transit plan, in quite simple terms, is that we’re going to have a lot more transit, and it will be a lot more connective than it is today,” said McKendrick.
CT is looking at Calgary roadways that will include bus only lanes to give their users transportation that is competitive with driving to destinations, said McKendrick.
McKendrick also said transit is looking to transport more people in the same number of trips, with the introduction of four car C-Trains and higher capacity buses.
Transit is also hoping for the implementation of something called a Q-jump.
According to McKendrick a Q-jump is a special light at intersections meant specifically for buses; this light would turn green a few seconds before the light for regular traffic to allow the bus to jump ahead of traffic.
Calgary Transit has the view that Calgary should move away from providing roadway capacity to reduce congestion.
“If you provide roadway capacity people will fill it up,” said McKendrick
“But if you provide roadway capacity for transit you would have to add a lot of transit vehicles before you have more congestion problems.”
