The City of Saskatoon estimates a Bus Rapid Transit system would cost just over $150-million, but a mayoralty candidate suggests it would be much higher, and he doesn’t think BRT is a good idea.
Don Atchison expects it would more likely cost around $500-million, based on the tallies for similar projects in Mississauga and London.
He would prefer to see more frequent buses along the major corridors, enhancing what is already happening on 8th Street and 22nd Street, with buses arriving every 7-and-a-half minutes during peak hours.
Atchison doesn’t believe a BRT system can work until the railway tracks are moved out of the city, because the buses still have to stop at crossings, which can delay arrival times.
Atchison also promised, if elected he won’t vote for any increase in taxes for 2021.
He says COVID-19 has increased the financial burden on citizens and businesses, and now is not the time.
He suggests one way to cut expenses would be to delay work on a new landfill site, because even if we put it off a year, Atchison says, “it’s not going anywhere.”
He adds that discretionary spending can be reviewed to see where some savings could be made.