September is always busy at ETS as summer service levels are increased to meet the needs of customers returning to work and school.  We’re also bringing in changes we’ve planned for regular service.

This fall, 102A Avenue, between 99 Street and 100 Street, will be closed permanently to all traffic. As a result, bus stop #1809 on the south side of City Hall will be closed and all routes using that stop will be detoured in the downtown area.  Check the individual route brochures for routes 1, 2, 14, 17, 40, 41, 42, 45, 47, 50, 66, 85, 86, 100, 109, 116, 140, 197 and 309 for the new downtown routings.

We’ve also added a new route 133 to provide weekday peak hour express service between West Edmonton Mall and South Campus transit centres..

Post Secondary Outreach Activities

ETS staff are back at the University of Alberta, MacEwan and NAIT to provide transit information to new and returning students.

Look for the ETS INFOBUS at University Transit Centre, from Monday, August 31 to Wednesday, September 2.  Our hours of operation are from 7am to approximately 4:30pm each day.

We’re also in the Butterdome, near the U-Pass sticker and photo ID area on Monday and Tuesday from 8am - 4pm.

We’ll be at MacEwan City Centre Campus on Thursday, September 3, from 8am - 1pm for the New Student Orientation Event as well as on Tuesday, September 8, from 9am - 3pm for first day of classes.

We’re at the NAIT Main Campus in the South Lobby from 9am to 3pm on Friday, September 4 and Wednesday, September 9.

Labour Day Service

All ETS routes will operate on their regular Sunday service schedules on the Labour Day Holiday, Monday, September 7.

Transit information is available by calling 311.  The ETS Customer Services Centre including Lost & Found will be closed. 

Monday, September 7 is also the last day for the Fort Edmonton/Valley Zoo summer shuttle service.

Check the ETS Trip Planner or call BusLink at 780-496-1600 for service information.

Check out the new route brochures in the racks for the fall service changes.

They not only have a different design on the cover, but the information is presented in a new, improved way.   The changes are based on customer comments and transportation industry best practices for designing printed transit information materials.  Our intention is to make these products easier for you to read, understand and use.

The maps are simplified, less cluttered and use two colours.

The way the schedules are presented has changed too.  The return trip information is divided by destination to make it easier to see which columns contain information pertinent to individual travel plans.  The timing point symbols on the schedule, map and bus stop list match.  Afternoon timing points are identified in bold text.

These changes have been carried over into the information boards posted at all transit centres.

 If you’d like to comment on the new design, please e-mail us at etransit@edmonton.ca.

Current traffic detours on the Quesnell Bridge are expected to continue until late this year.  And the effects on transit routes will continue as well.

Routes 4, 104, 105, 106 and 138 will have 10 minutes added to their travel time when traveling from University/South Campus to the West End.  Ten minutes have also been added into the Route 33 schedules.

Buses traveling from the West End to South Campus/University won’t have routing changes but will likely have some delays due to reduced speed and construction activities.

The parking lot on the east side of Belvedere LRT Station will reopen for LRT customers in early September. 

The parking lot upgrades have been completed.  The fenced paved lot has room for over 500 vehicles, with lighting, cameras and help phone for additional security.

Thanks for your patience. 

Safety around the LRT tracks and stations is top of mind for ETS as folks return to work and kids go back to school, especially along the surface line between Health Sciences and South Campus stations.

LRT trains are fast and quiet and can come from any direction on any track.  Stay safe by obeying all signs and signals.

The Edmonton Radial Railway Society (ERRS) opened its new Streetcar Museum this spring.

Located next to the south side terminus of the High Level Bridge Streetcar, at the north end of the Strathcona Farmers Market, the Museum is open to the public every Saturday from 10am - 2pm from Victoria Day to Thanksgiving.

The ERRS has successfully recreated streetcar riding experiences for visitors and Edmontonians at Fort Edmonton Park and on the High Level Bridge Streetcar for a number of years. In addition to the rides, one of their goals has been to preserve and share other aspects of the streetcar history in our city.

The Streetcar Museum is an opportunity to display information, pictures and artifacts about the history of streetcars, the Edmonton Streetcar System and the museum cars of the ERRS.  You can also see streetcar models, historic tickets, punches and uniforms.

Entry into the Museum is free.  Donations are welcome.