Sarnia eyes $1.2M core transit terminal contract

A proposed $1.2-million transit terminal downtown should make transferring between buses easier for riders, Sarnia’s transit manager says.

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Currently, a handful of buses park at the curb along George and Vidal streets and passengers often rush to make it among those parked farthest away, said Michelle Carter.

“It’ll be a much smoother transition,” she said, once a six-space sawtooth-design terminal with concrete island goes in.

Similar to but smaller than one that opened outside Clearwater Arena this yearthe terminal upgrade, recommended since 2014 in the city’s transportation and transit master plan, would include landscaping, shelters, and more seating, Carter said.

“It’s really going to be a much more pleasant space,” she said.

Washrooms for drivers already are available at the nearby Lambton Shared Services building, she said.

Sarnia council was scheduled to consider awarding the project contract to DiCocco Contractors 2015 Inc. Monday. Nearly three-quarters of the cost would be covered by an Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP) grant.

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Hopes are to start construction this fall and finish most of the work before winter, “maybe with some landscaping finishing up in the spring,” Carter said.

“When it’s an outside project, weather always plays a factor in what sort of delays we could see.”

More area street upgrades may follow, she said, but “nothing is set in stone because we won’t know until we actually really get in there.”

Expect tweaks to downtown transit service with the project, she added.

There will be “lots of notice to the general public (about) where we will be lined up. . . to make those existing transfers,” once details are worked for, she said.

There’s room at the Clearwater terminal for potential bus charging infrastructure, as Sarnia considers switching to electric busesbut the footprint downtown isn’t big enough, Carter said.

“If we move forward with electrification, like on-route charging, that will be focused on Clearwater, or maybe other locations along routes,” she said.

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