City councillor pushes for transportation hub in light of remote Greyhound terminal

[Daveography]

With Greyhound passengers now semi-stranded without even sidewalks to connect with transit, one councillor is saying it’s high time to plan a true transportation hub.

Coun. Andrew Knack started his lobby effort Wednesday, inspired by his first trip to Europe last year. He wants an intermodal transportation hub to mimic what’s done in many large cities — to give a better ‘Welcome to Edmonton’ for inter-city bus passengers, give tourist and festival information and connect with public transit.

Knack introduced a motion to study the issue Wednesday. It gets voted on in two weeks. Then city planners would study the issue and report back with options.

http://edmontonjournal.com/news/loc...ion-hub-in-light-of-remote-greyhound-terminal

 

[Daveography]

Editorial: Long march from bus depot a poor welcome
Let’s play Amazing Race: Edmonton Greyhound station.

You’re on a crowded motor coach arriving in town for the first time. After a wearying 21-hour trip from Chilliwack, it’s late at night when you step off the bus. Your relief at arriving is tempered by an icy blast of Arctic air and pelting snow.

You’ve been dropped off at Greyhound’s new depot, located in an industrial area near a defunct airport and a busy traffic artery. Your first task is to gather your luggage and get to where you’re spending the night.

http://edmontonjournal.com/opinion/editorials/editorial-long-march-from-bus-depot-a-poor-welcome

City councillor pushes for major transportation hub in Edmonton
Coun. Andrew Knack says it’s time Edmonton start planning a major transportation hub.

Think European transport stations where you can catch a train, LRT or bus — all in one.

Knack presented a motion Wednesday to see where such hub could be put and how it would work in Edmonton.

“The idea is creating a central location where we can bring everyone together, particularly those who are visiting our city,” Knack said.

“I had a chance to go to Paris last year and, when I came off the commuter rail from London, I was able to jump on public transit and all sorts of things.”

http://www.metronews.ca/news/edmont...es-for-major-transportation-hub-edmonton.html

 

[chrisvazquez7]

Demolish Remand Centre, put it there. Perfect opportunity for a new LRT station (the tunnel already allows for it). Put a bus depot where the Remand was for Greyhound, ETS, Strathcona County, StAT, Red Arrow, etc. Build new platforms for VIA Rail between 97 St and 95 St, and protect land for future expansion for HSR and commuter rail.

 

[Daveography]

@chrisvazquez7 I'd love to see that sketched up, along the lines of that Big YEGdea post I did a little while ago about Government Transit Centre: http://edmonton.skyrisecities.com/f...ea-reimagine-government-transit-centre.26631/

 

[Daveography]

Readers, Greyhound officials weigh in on Tuesday's transportation hub pitch
Councillor Andrew Knack will make his pitch for a new transportation hub at city council Tuesday, lobbying for a vision much more cheery than the sidewalk-less snowy trudge from the current Greyhound station.

When Knack notified his colleagues of the upcoming motion two weeks ago, he said the idea was inspired by a trip last year to Europe. He was amazed how easy it was to arrive in a city and instantly be connected with transit and tourist help.

Since then, many Edmonton residents have voiced support for at least looking into options.

http://edmontonjournal.com/business...weigh-in-on-tuesdays-transportation-hub-pitch

 

[Daveography]

Elise Stolte @estolte
Request to study a transportation hub passes. @doniveson adds request to involve the province. #yegcc

 

[Daveography]

Councillor wants welcoming hub for arrivals to Edmonton
It's not a particularly welcoming destination.

Passengers who travel to Edmonton on Greyhound buses find themselves arriving at a remote location just south of Yellowhead Trail, far from public transit connections, in an area without sidewalks.

The Greyhound station shares space with Edmonton's Via Rail station.

Greyhound moved its terminal out of the downtown last May when construction on the massive new Stantec Tower began.

Now one Edmonton city councillor wants visitors arriving in the city to have a more welcoming arrival that would help them connect to other modes of public transportation.

Coun. Andrew Knack would like to see the city set up an intermodal hub, where LRT, city buses, intercity buses and taxis can all connect in one location.

Knack envisions a central hub complete with visitor information about the city.

It would be more like the way visitors arrive in cities like Paris or London

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/public-transit-lrt-bus-transportation-1.3971316

Edmonton city councillor pushes for transportation hub to connect stranded passengers
Should Edmonton move ahead with building a centralized transportation hub? If so, who would pay for it? These are the types of questions Edmonton administration has been asked to look into.

The idea of an intermodal hub stems from the debate over Greyhound, after the company moved its operations from downtown Edmonton to an area north of the core to make way for Rogers Place and surrounding development.

http://globalnews.ca/news/3233251/e...portation-hub-to-connect-stranded-passengers/

 

[Daveography]

Edmonton to prepare strategy for potential mass transit hub
Edmonton is moving one step closer to seeing what a new massive transportation hub could look like in the city.

City councillors voted unanimously Wednesday at the urban planning committee to task administration with preparing a strategy that would outline potential locations of a hub and determine how it could be financed.

Planners will also engage with stakeholders, like the Alberta government, and the public to determine if there’s demand for a location.

“This work is important,” said Coun. Andrew Knack, who spearheaded the plans. “There may be opportunities for the province to take a lead.”

The hub could be much like transit stations in Europe, potentially bringing together buses, LRT, Greyhounds and even high speed rail.

Scott Wright, senior director of package express with Greyhound in Edmonton, told the committee Wednesday the company would be in support of a new hub.

http://www.metronews.ca/news/edmonton/2017/05/24/edmonton-mass-transit-hub-knack-ets-greyhound.html

 

[Daveography]

City partners with Greyhound to provide new connection for passengers
September 8, 2017

Good news for passengers travelling in the Edmonton region. Edmonton Transit Service (ETS) and Greyhound Canada have reached an arrangement that will allow Greyhound to provide passenger connection between their station at 12360 121 St. and the City of Edmonton Kingsway Transit Centre, starting September 17, 2017.

“The coach shuttle solution will now provide Greyhound passengers with a seamless connection to the ETS bus and LRT system, at no cost to the City,” said Eddie Robar, Branch Manager of Edmonton Transit Service. “More importantly, it ensures regional connectivity for passengers travelling locally, provincially and nationally.”

Greyhound Canada has signed a contract for exclusive use of a City bus bay in the Kingsway Transit Centre. “Greyhound is pleased to be working with ETS to arrive at a positive solution to manage the transfer of Greyhound passengers to and from the Via station location to the Kingsway transit hub.This allow passengers easy connection to all areas of the city and beyond,” said Peter Hamel, Greyhound Regional Vice President, Western Canada.

A Greyhound coach will shuttle Greyhound passengers between the bus station and the ETS transit centre 5-6 times per day, from 6:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. The shuttle service is free for passengers with a valid Greyhound bus ticket; however, ETS service will still require payment.

The Greyhound bus station is situated in an area that lacks the infrastructure to provide transit service. Regular ETS bus operations at Kingsway Transit Centre will not be impacted by this new sharing arrangement.

For more information:
https://www.edmonton.ca/ets/riding-ets.aspx

Media contact:
Tarra Kongsrude
Communications Advisor
780-496-5751

Lanesha Gipson
Greyhound, Corporate Media Relations
214-849-7846