A Transit Windsor bus is parked outside Zehrs on Tecumseh Rd. E in Windsor on June 7, 2018. Photo by Mark Brown/Blackburn News.A Transit Windsor bus is parked outside Zehrs on Tecumseh Rd. E in Windsor on June 7, 2018. Photo by Mark Brown/Blackburn News.
Windsor

Amherstburg moving forward with transit pilot project

The Town of Amherstburg is becoming part of the Windsor-Essex transit network.

Town councillors unanimously approved Tuesday a two-year pilot project to bring Transit Windsor service to Amherstburg.

The route will include Sandwich Street headed to and from Windsor, plus a loop including Texas Road, the Knightsbridge subdivision, Simcoe, Fryer and Alma Streets. The route will also include the new Amherstburg public secondary school.

Amherstburg Town Councillor Donald McArthur reported on his blog that the project offers residents more options when it comes to getting around.

"I’m excited to launch this pilot project and link our residents up to a regional transit system and all the opportunities it provides," wrote McArthur. "I don’t take the bus much anymore, but it was a lifeline in my younger years, allowing me to pursue advanced schooling and work opportunities and it will likewise open doors for Amherstburg residents, especially our youth."

The service is due to start in September. It will operate three times daily, year-round. The cost to ride the bus one-way will be $4.75.

Amherstburg had been looking at transit options for some time. The consultation had begun two years ago. A sum of $80,000 for the project was placed in the 2022 budget, with $225,000 set aside for 2023 and $175,000 for 2024.

McArthur said that he hoped the transit project would benefit residents in the long run.

"Public transportation contributes to both the economical and physical health of individuals," wrote McArthur. "Such a system brings financial benefits to communities, and is a key component of a healthy business ecosystem by increasing mobility options for both residents who are job commuters, students who are pursuing educational opportunities and customers who wish to visit Amherstburg for a day trip opportunity."

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