A plan to build a bus shelter on Hwy. 16, next to Process 4 circle arts Gallery in Burns Lake, has been scrapped after receiving negative feedback from the community.
Last year Wayne Brown, owner of Process 4 circle arts Gallery, said he was upset about the lack of consultation with local businesses owners, adding that the new shelter would make it harder for drivers to see his business sign.
Burns Lake councillors had also questioned the proposed location since the buses wouldn’t actually be able to stop directly in front of the shelter.
“Based on public feedback, it was decided to change the routing in Burns Lake which no longer included that as a stop,” explained Danielle Pope, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure.
Instead, the ministry has installed the bus shelter on Government Street, close to the Canada Post office. A crosswalk will connect the new shelter to the local train stop.
Last year the ministry also changed the location of a proposed bus stop near William Konkin Elementary (WKE) after receiving complaints from the public. The parent advisory council of WKE had asked the ministry to remove the proposed bus stop near the school saying it could present a threat to students.
The bus shelter and bus stops are part of the Hwy. 16 transportation action plan, which encompasses transit, community vehicles, First Nations driver education and webcams along the highway corridor.
The ministry also plans to install benches, signage and bike racks to support the new transit service, which started operating on June 19, 2017. A bench will be installed where the bus shelter was originally planned to be built on Hwy. 16.
There are currently nine bus stops in Burns Lake, including the bus shelter stop that was installed earlier this month. These stops are located at: westbound Hwy. 16 – welcome to Burns Lake pullout; Government and Giligan; Park Street shoulder by Grapevine Pub; northbound Hwy. 35 near Lakeview Mall; eastbound Third Ave; westbound Fifth Ave; Sus Ave near the Lake Babine Nation office; southbound Centre Street near the hospital; westbound McPhail Frontage Road.
The service operates three days per week. For more details on the maps and schedules, visit https://bctransit.com/bulkley-nechako/
