Majority of businesses favour First Avenue BRT route

A week before Saskatoon City Council settled on the routes for bus rapid transit (BRT), downtown businesses were asked what they preferred to see happen.

Brent Penner, executive director of the Downtown Business Improvement District, said 72 per cent of owners and people who work in the core supported the First Avenue route in a survey emailed to members.

“We had clear direction from the board on that,” said Penner.

The First Avenue corridor will involve bus-only lanes in the centre of the roadway, with a centre median bus station planned in front of Midtown Plaza and at 23rd Street.

Midtown Plaza general manager Janice Sander said businesses in the mall are “excited” to have the BRT outside the mall doors, saying it will be more convenient for shoppers.

“People need different options for transportation and this provides that,” she said. “Instead of bringing your vehicle, you can grab the BRT and be here in a very short period of time.”

Anthony Graham-Cutts, owner of Anthony’s Fashion, said there will be an initial headache when construction begins in 2022, but overall he feels the route was a wise choice.

“It’s the biggest street that you can take up some space with this bus route without impeding too much on traffic,” he said.

However, not everyone is convinced BRT should come down First Avenue.

Irene Rivard hears concerns daily about parking while working at the Canadian Automobile Association (CAA). She said adding bus lanes will only add to the congestion.

“I think it’s a bad thing,” she said. “Parking downtown is terrible, and I just think it’s going to make it worse.”

Paulette Schumacher, owner of Merle Norman Cosmetics located in the Scotia Centre, believes the buses could bring more foot traffic downtown, but is still skeptical.

“If it’s too congested, it may keep people away and it will affect our businesses,” she said.

Schumacher finds many people don’t like coming downtown already because they find parking difficult. The city’s BRT plan doesn’t call for the loss of parking stalls along First Avenue.

Schumacher said she would like to see the BRT route moved off First Avenue, away from retail.