BC Transit has approved extending the bus route into the northwest portion of the city on a trial basis.
Last July, Brandi Geddes, who lives in the northwest area of the city, wanted to extend the bus route further into her area. Currently, the bus only went in a loop near 92nd Avenue and 19th Street.
After March 1, the route will go further north to service growing residential subdivisions in the area, according to a BC Transit press release.
Jeff Waters, who works for Peace Country Transit, the contractor that provides bus services for Dawson Creek to Transit B.C., said the new route will go further northbound.
After the 19th Street and 92nd Avenue, the bus route will stop at 19a Street and 90th Avenue. The bus will then stop at 89th Avenue and 18th Street, followed by a stop at 17th Street and 90th Avenue. The route will then go southbound onto 17th Street, following the existing route.
Waters said he was unsure at this time whether or not the new bus routes will be covered stops, or whether markers will be placed there as well.
This trial will then go until June 30. If BC Transit does not find operational issues with the new route, then a second trial will go from Sept. 2 to June 30.
BC Transit will also collect data from drivers and riders from feedback.
If BC Transit finds this route successful, then they would make this route extension permanent between the months of September and June.
Waters said that a certain amount of riders will be needed in order to make this route successful.
The bus route will not operate between July and August, because according to BC Transit that route enjoys "robust" ridership to Rotary Lake during that time.
City council approved a motion to change these routes last November.
"It'll ... hopefully alleviate some of the concerns that people have in that area but also people who want to use Rotary Lake in the summertime," said Dawson Creek Mayor Mike Bernier when council approved the motion. "Hopefully we'll get a lot of usage in that area."
Waters said that the price for bus service will not change because of this bus route extension.
