2nd phase of Winnipeg's bus rapid transit plans get mixed reviews

An open house on the latest design for the second phase of Winnipeg's bus rapid transit attracted dozens of people Thursday evening. 

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The information session was held to answer residents' questions about the planned extension of the Southwest Transitway corridor.

The second leg will run from Jubilee Avenue to the University of Manitoba.  

The design includes active transportation paths for cyclists and pedestrians, and the widening of Pembina Highway through the Jubilee underpass.  

Opinions about the plan were mixed.

Ed Innes who lives in Elmwood but works near the route says the second leg will be a waste of money, just as the first was, when it cut him off from work, meaning he doesn't use the bus to go to work anymore. 

"We're suffering from the psychology of previous investment.  We've dumped all this money into something that's lacklustre, it's not garnering support from Winnipeg," he said. 

But Mark Cohoe, executive director of Bike Winnipeg, a cycling lobby group, said what he likes about the proposed expansion is that it includes a place for bikes. 

"I think they've done a good job of connectivity into various neighbourhoods," he said. "We're connecting into what we have currently."