T3 Transit is adding routes to help ease delays during intersection closure
Cody MacKay | CBC News | Posted: September 17, 2017 8:05 PM | Last Updated: September 17, 2017
T3 adds 7:15 a.m. bus from West Royalty to downtown and 3:15 p.m. bus from downtown to West Royalty
T3 Transit is adding extra route times and drivers starting Monday in anticipation of heavy traffic around the North River Road and Capital Drive intersection.
The new route times, according to Mike Cassidy, owner of T3 Transit, will "try and help alleviate some of the frustration of our customers" while the city of Charlottetown replaces the storm culvert that runs under the major intersection.
T3 Transit buses go through the major intersection approximately 30 times per day, said Cassidy.
"We are told it can't be done differently, therefore you have to plan," said Cassidy.
"We're very, very pleased that we have extra drivers, extra buses, extra routes and we are going to run with our plan on Monday."
Extra routes for West Royalty
For people living in the West Royalty area there will be two extra route times for commuters to get to and from the downtown area, Cassidy said.
There will now be a 7:15 a.m. bus travelling from West Royalty to the downtown area.
There will also be a 3:15 p.m bus leaving downtown Charlottetown for West Royalty.
Earlier start for students
In case there's heavy traffic, Cassidy said T3 is prepared to send "rescue buses" to fill in on the routes.
"Depending on the time of day, it could be bumper-to-bumper and you could be expecting more than 30 minute delays," he said.
"If buses are delayed by 10 or 15 minutes, we have rescue buses that will be able to take over the balance of the route."
Students living in the West Royalty area may have to catch an earlier school bus too.
The Public Schools Branch said parents should expect some different pickup times in the mornings as a result of the construction.
Some pickups may be slightly earlier than normal to make up for traffic delays.
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