BANFF – A potential transit express lane and multi-use trail on Mountain Avenue between Middle Springs Drive and Spray Avenue intersection will head to Banff town council for a final decision.
While the Spray Avenue transit express lane has been deferred to a yet-to-be determined year, the governance and finance committee recommended council approve a northbound transit lane and the multi-use trail, with the $185,000 design to take place in 2023 and $1.55 million construction beginning in 2024. Only Couns. Hugh Pettigrew and Ted Christensen were in opposition.
If approved, the Town of Banff will be on the hook for $930,000, with a potential grant making up the remaining $620,000. However, the municipal portion would be covered through taxes, general capital reserves and visitor pay parking revenues.
“We heard from residents when we did the survey from Spray Avenue that this was preferred, this was the bottleneck, this was more of what we should be looking into and we’re listening and this is what we’re doing,” said Coun. Kaylee Ram. “We’re hopefully getting some funding from a grant. We’ve heard from companies throughout the year that they’re really investing in transit and that they’ll get to benefit from. This is a huge win.”
The aim of the project is to better move bus traffic to the Sulphur Mountain gondola, the Rimrock Resort Hotel and the upper hot springs, which attract significant tourist visitation and often lead to full parking lots.
If approved, the project would further push people towards a mode shift and give an extra option outside of using personal vehicles.
A report to the committee noted transit lanes aim to help reduce transit travel time, which helps service. The lane, if approved, would be for public and private buses while the multi-use trail would be a pedestrian and cycling path.
Administrative officials say the separated multi-use trail would increase safety, noting many e-bike riders live in the area of Middle Springs. They also noted Roam buses were idling on Mountain Avenue during the summer for a total of 83 hours due to vehicle traffic, at a cost of $200 an hour.
“This is what rolls out the red carpet for transit. We heard transit saved our summer and we do not need a crystal ball for what future summers will look like if we don’t continue to invest heavily in transit. … This is about putting transit first,” said Mayor Corrie DiManno.
“We have a finite road system and we want to make it as sustainable as possible. When you build for cars and traffic, you’re going to get cars and traffic. If you build for transit and active modes, you’re going to get more transit and active modes.”
Discussion on potentially having fare-free transit for Banff residents on Roam's Route 8x between Lake Louise and Banff as well as Route 3 between Canmore and Banff – to be funded through visitor paid parking – was postponed until 2024 service review.
At a Bow Valley Regional Transit Services Commission (BVRTSC) in November, representatives from Lake Louise and Canmore indicated the two municipalities weren’t ready to make a similar move, preferring to focus on local transit and improve logistical challenges faced with a shortage of drivers and mechanics.
The Banff-Canmore regional service, however, could see expanded service start in February. If approved by Banff and Canmore councils, an extra 4.5 service hours will be added each weekend day to match the weekday service. The last bus will also be pushed back by one hour to leave Banff at 11:15 p.m. and Canmore at 11:45 p.m. The commission previously approved the change during its budget discussions in the fall. Canmore will vote on its budget Dec. 20.
The governance and finance committee also recommended council approve the purchase of two electric buses – which had been approved by the commission – to help service frequency from 20 to 15 minutes on Route 1.
If approved, it will bring the number of electric buses in Roam’s fleet to 10, or about one-third of its buses. The budgeted cost combined is $3 million, but it is expected federal grant funding will cover 50 per cent of the purchase. The buses are expected in early 2025. The committee recommended funds come from visitor pay parking and general capital reserve.
It would see extra operating costs of $188,000 in 2025 and $191,750 in 2026, with an increased transfer of $130,000 in 2026 to capital reserves.
“This is the future. We know the future is not 4.2 million visitors coming into Banff and Banff National Park and taking private vehicles whenever and wherever they want,” DiManno said. “We know the future is buses and we need more of them.”
Town staff will return in 2023 with information on the potential creation of a Roam capital reserve with transfers coming from visitor pay parking reserve to assist with bus purchases.
The approved budget would require the Town to pay BVRTSC $2.72 million in 2023, but after revenues and transfers from visitor pay parking are factored it would leave $1.62 million to come from taxes. The proposed changes could see the Town’s requirements rise to $2.81 million, with $1.68 million coming from tax funding. It would, however, stay at $1.62 million if it comes from visitor pay parking.
In 2024, that could jump to $2.85 million – or $1.71 million from taxes – and $2.95 million in 2025, with $1.78 million potentially from taxes in 2025.
Coun. Chip Olver noted public transit has become essential for both quality of life of residents and easing road congestion.
She highlighted Town staff foresee the Banff local service will likely surpass one million riders by the end of the year, which staff estimated kept 400,000 vehicles out of the townsite.
“I can’t imagine what our town would be like if we didn’t have transit,” she said.
