Safety concerns have prompted an online petition calling for expanded transit service in Kelowna香蕉视频直播檚 Quail Ridge neighbourhood.
香蕉视频直播淧eople who reside in Quail Ridge have shared that they face safety issues in their transportation (especially to and from the University of British Columbia campus), as their area is limited to city transportation from 7:15-5:00 during the weekdays only,香蕉视频直播� the Change.org petition started by SOCI 480 UBCO reads.
Many UBCO students live in the Quail Ridge area due to its proximity to the university.
The petition claims that without a bus (outside normal operating hours) many students are forced to walk four kilometres along a high-traffic road, or through an unmaintained trail, in the dark during winter months.
Kelowna Transit Service Coordinator Mike Kittmer said solutions are being looked at, but there are other priorities the city has to consider.
香蕉视频直播淩ight now we香蕉视频直播檙e looking at what expansions there might be if we have budget,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淲hen a petition like this comes along we would consider it in the context of other priorities.香蕉视频直播�
Kittmer pointed out the expansions require city budget approval at the end of a year for the coming year, as well as approval from the province for its 50 per cent share.
香蕉视频直播淭hey香蕉视频直播檒l know in March if they have expansion dollars or not,香蕉视频直播� added Kittmer.
It would be then that the city would know if it could potentially provide service expansion for Quail Ridge riders, which would be deliverable in September 2023.
香蕉视频直播淲e are concerned there may not be provincial budget for expansion香蕉视频直播hat hasn香蕉视频直播檛 been confirmed,香蕉视频直播� explained Kittmer.
Another concern is that the city香蕉视频直播檚 transit centre is currently operating at capacity.
香蕉视频直播淎t this point were are unable to do any peak period expansion that results in us needing new buses,香蕉视频直播� said Kittmer.
The city is currently retrofitting the operations centre to accommodate more buses, and once completed the focus can be turned back to peak period expansion. Kittmer said another option, under the city香蕉视频直播檚 transportation master plan, is a project to pave and light the trail.
香蕉视频直播淭hat solution might be a good or better solution than more transit, or it might be that more transit is a good interim solution until we have a formalized pathway.香蕉视频直播�
However, the proposed timeline for the project is 2031 to 2035.
香蕉视频直播淎nother thing we香蕉视频直播檒l grapple with is, do we try to pursue that project sooner, and if so how do we fund it,香蕉视频直播� said Kittmer.
He added the city continues to make improvements to transit service.
香蕉视频直播淭he student body is an important ridership group for us. We香蕉视频直播檙e committed to continually making those improvements but working around the constraints we have.香蕉视频直播�
READ MORE: Central Okanagan transit strike to be halted by arbitrator
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