Algoma U wants voters to demand Sault College bus route

Algoma University College is asking voters to lobby City Council candidates for a new bus route between its campus and Sault College.

The proposed route, developed by a transit staff committee, would also stop at the two forestry institutes on Queen Street and would go to the front door of the John Rhodes Centre.

To see a rough map of the route, please click here. (EDITOR'S NOTE: This is an oversized image. You'll need to use your browser's scroll buttons to view the entire route.)

Sault Transit wants to add the north-south collector route, eventually.

But it would cost $150,000 that's not expected to be in this year's deep-slash City budget.

"When the timing is right, we'll taking it to Council," Don Scott, the City's transit manager, tells SooToday.com.

"It's a concept right now," Scott says. "If times were better as far as the budget is concerned we'd go sooner."

Scott says the proposed route would improve service to some underserviced parts of the Sault, including Trunk Road between Lake and Shannon, Shannon Road itself, and the Rhodes Centre.

Churchill Plaza, WalMart

Churchill Plaza and WalMart are also proposed stops.

Meanwhile, Algoma University College doesn't want to wait.

In a news release issued today, the university is asking voters to contact their City Council candidates to make sure the money is found for the new route.

"With the ongoing co-operation and program sharing anticipated with Sault College, this would prove to be a very welcome addition," the release says.

"Algoma U and Sault College encourage the citizens of Sault Ste. Marie to contact those running for City Council and lobby for this new route."

Changes this weekend to campus bus stops

In other transit-related news, the university news release advises of changes to the campus bus stops.

"Beginning Sunday, November 9, 2003, the westbound bus will be turning into the Algoma U driveway and circling the loop to pick up passengers at the new Algoma U bus shelter. "New sidewalks have been built that connect the new shelter to Algoma U's existing sidewalks from the parking lot.

"The SSM Transit Authority will move the existing bus shelter from the north side of Queen to the south side for people waiting to catch the eastbound bus."