Winnipeg to Get Bus Rapid Transit

"[City of Winnipeg] Mayor Sam Katz and [Manitoba] Premier Gary Doer ended months of speculation by announcing they plan to build a dedicated busway that will eventually connect downtown to the University of Manitoba.

The city and province each plan to spend $55 million toward the first leg of the corridor, and Ottawa will contribute $28 million.

The new busway has been designed to accommodate a future upgrade to light rail transit by making allowances for clearances, grades and turning angles required for railcars, Winnipeg Transit director Dave Wardrop said.

City property director Phil Sheegl said the city hopes to see 700 new apartment or condo units eventually rise alongside each of 12 new busway stations on the entire corridor. Based on $1,000 of taxes per unit, that could generate $8.4 million a year for the city, he said."