TransLink's bus stop balancing program is removing a total of 58 stops from the system's Route 4 and Route 7, which serve Vancouver.
The program aims to reduce the number of stops along routes where there are too many close together to help travel time and congestion issues, states the Translink website. Along the two routes, 4 UBC/Powell and 7 Dunbar/Nanaimo, they're targeting places where two stops are only a short distance away, under 300 m.
Those changes will begin Jan. 17, 2022.
Along with the removals there will be some additions, with 14 new stops to balance where some removals are happening. And while the stops are being removed from the 4 and 7 routes, other bus routes that stop at those locations will continue doing so.
Some of the locations for removed and added stops are at places both used by routes 4 and 7.
Stops along the two routes will also see bus bulbs built, according to TransLink. These bulbs move the bus stop out of the parking lane and into one of the thru traffic lanes, reducing the time it takes busses to return to the flow of traffic, though it does mean vehicles will have to stop behind the bus. Construction will start in the spring.
TransLink says its busses spend around 700,000 hours waiting at bus stops every year and reducing the number of stops will reduce that. On the 4 they expect to save 4 minutes per round trip; on the 7 it'll be a savings of 6 minutes per round trip. In total that'll add up to 1,700 hours.
The program has reduced stops on routes on a regular basis recently, with three other routes already completed and dozens of stops removed.
A survey on the changes is open to the public up until Jan. 17.
Here's the map of the balancing on 4 and 7.
