MiWay 5 will Shift City Transit to a Grid Network

This week, MiWay 5 – a plan that will move Mississauga’s transit system from a design that radiates from the city centre to a grid network that will allow for more frequent buses along main corridors was presented to General Committee of City Council.

“MiWay 5 is about building a better MiWay together,” said Mary-Lou Johnston, manager of business development for transit. “We heard the message loud and clear at the City’s recent transportation summit – Mississauga Moves 2015 – that transit systems and active modes of transportation need to be expanded. MiWay 5 will help us achieve this.”

MiWay 5 is a five year transit plan from 2016-2020 that was developed after an 18 month review based on public engagement and a technical review. Information sessions were held in the spring of this year to allow the public to learn more about MiWay 5 and voice their opinions on the draft plan. Engagement also occurred through focus groups and a web-based survey.

“During public and stakeholder engagement there was a strong preference of moving MiWay to a grid network with improved frequencies and getting people to their destinations faster,” added Johnston.

Overall, the public and stakeholders who offered feedback wanted:
• More frequent Sunday and early morning service
• Improve transit service in the west part of Mississauga
• Improve on-time performance and reliability
• Faster travel times with more direct routes
• Improve connections to GO services particularly rail services
• More express routes; and
• Improve service to neighbouring municipalities (ie. Brampton and Oakville)

MiWay 5 Highlights:
• Build on existing system strengths
• Realign routes to improve travel time for riders
• Optimize the use of the Mississauga Transitway
• More express services
• Increase early morning and Sunday services
• Establish more transit hubs with less reliance on the City Centre Transit Terminal
• Improve connections with GO Transit
• Improve connections to neighbouring municipalities (ie. Toronto, Brampton)

MiWay expects about 37.3 revenue rides and 53 million boardings by the end of 2015. MiWay 5 is a five-year journey and MiWay welcomes feedback throughout the process, explained Johnston.

The plan will go before City Council for approval, and changes are expected to begin on Jan. 4, 2016 and will be posted at miway.ca

For more information see Corporate Report.