Bus improvements coming to Barrhaven, councillor promises

Bus service between Barrhaven and Ottawa's downtown is about to improve, Coun. Jan Harder promised frustrated transit users Tuesday.

Harder said the changes follow a city review of OC Transpo service in the area.

"It is no secret that we have had our share and then some of OC Transpo issues this year," Harder announced in a Facebook message to residents. "Certainly you have done a great job of keeping me informed and OC Transpo as well."

Harder also thanked Mayor Jim Watson and senior managers for working "diligently to address issues and develop solutions that we hope will improve service."

Some of the improvements will come this week, while others will take years to implement.

Among the promised improvements:

• An added morning trip on Route 277, beginning at Nepean Woods Station at 7:26 a.m. on Nov. 15.

• Up to six more afternoon trips on Route 95 to Cambrian Road, starting as soon as Nov. 15.

• "Preliminary investigations" for a new park-and-ride lot at Barrhaven Centre Station. (No target date has been set, as this would require direction from city council.)

• Potential changes to bus stop locations along Woodroffe Avenue. (Implementation plan coming in 2019.)

• Added articulated and double-decker buses serving Barrhaven once Stage 2 of the LRT system is complete.

Harder is also recommending a new Route 275, with four trips in the morning and seven in the afternoon. Some trips currently served by Route 95 would instead be served by the new route.

The new route could begin as soon as Dec. 27, Harder said.

Finally, Harder is proposing revisions to Route 278 to provide better service along Longfields Drive west of Woodroffe Avenue, and on Mountshannon Drive and Oriska Way between Longfields and the Transitway.

"We must remember that winter is only beginning and the challenges associated with miserable weather will remain as will congestion in the downtown core," Harder cautioned transit users.