From today's Free Press:

City hall is planning to offer a steep discount to the Winnipeg Football Club for the fees charged for its charter bus service to events at the Investors Group Field stadium.

The discounted offer came after six months of negotiations when Blue Bombers team officials told the city they were not prepared to pay the full charter transit fees, which sources said cost the team $1.3 million in 2013.

Information provided to councillors at a private seminar earlier this week outlined the city’s offer to the Blue Bombers, which includes:

A discount of 42.3 per cent off of Winnipeg Transit’s charter rate in 2014, rising to 44.7 per cent in 2015.

The discount will cost the city $750,000 for 2014; and $950,000 in 2015.

The discount will only be offered if the province agrees to cover 50 per cent of the discount.

Wade Miller, football team president and CEO, said he spent the past six months negotiating the deal with city hall, adding the new rate is good for the team, its fans and the city.

Miller said he understood the deal will be presented to council at Wednesday meeting.

“We can’t sustain paying $1.1 million to $1.3 million (for transit services) every year,” Miller said. “So we negotiated an agreement with the City of Winnipeg.”

^{Just take the money out of snow-clearing, pot-hole repair and frozen pipe thawing. Nobody needs those services anyways. Pantywaists@@@}

I thought MPI was sponsoring the charters.

I thought MPI was sponsoring the charters.

Sponsoring doesn't mean paying 100% of the cost.

If they'd have finished that damned Transit lane way (Rapid Transit) when they had the opportunity, they wouldn't be having this discussion to begin with.

Short-sightedness by his Worship (Katz - not Nate) doesn't look too smart in hindsight.

If they'd have finished that damned Transit lane way (Rapid Transit) when they had the opportunity, they wouldn't be having this discussion to begin with.

Short-sightedness by his Worship (Katz - not Nate) doesn't look too smart in hindsight.

 

Meh, the transitway will only be useful for anyone coming through downtown or from the north (west of the river), probably far less than half of people taking transit to the game.

 

If they'd have finished that damned Transit lane way (Rapid Transit) when they had the opportunity, they wouldn't be having this discussion to begin with.

Short-sightedness by his Worship (Katz - not Nate) doesn't look too smart in hindsight.

 

Meh, the transitway will only be useful for anyone coming through downtown or from the north (west of the river), probably far less than half of people taking transit to the game.

 

 

Not necessarily.

Anyone could park anywhere along its path and have quicker egress from that quagmire around the U.

Remember - game day tickets allow fans a free ride.

 

In no time people would figure it out and the need for parking and spaces would diminish.

Also, most of those game day buses wouldn't be needed, leaving the roadway for cars only.

Less cars, less buses less hassle.

 

I know its true, I read it on a bus billboard when I was aboard and bored.

What aboot the water taxi option? Is it still around and is it actually worth the while?

 

 

If they'd have finished that damned Transit lane way (Rapid Transit) when they had the opportunity, they wouldn't be having this discussion to begin with.

Short-sightedness by his Worship (Katz - not Nate) doesn't look too smart in hindsight.

 

Meh, the transitway will only be useful for anyone coming through downtown or from the north (west of the river), probably far less than half of people taking transit to the game.

 

 

Not necessarily.

Anyone could park anywhere along its path and have quicker egress from that quagmire around the U.

Remember - game day tickets allow fans a free ride.

 

In no time people would figure it out and the need for parking and spaces would diminish.

Also, most of those game day buses wouldn't be needed, leaving the roadway for cars only.

Less cars, less buses less hassle.

 

I know its true, I read it on a bus billboard when I was aboard and bored.

 

 

Just crossing the river to park on the transitway for anyone from the east side of the city would double travel time.  Honestly, if I have to cross the river to access reasonable transit to the stadium, I'm driving the whole way, but we park for free about 2 KM's south of the stadium and walk.  And there's zero chance I'm wading into the mess that those buses are after the game.  I've been to some interesting places and I don't think I've seen anything quite as dangerous as the number of drunk people staggering down University Crescent combined with people whizzing by on bikes and confused bus drivers/riders trying to figure out where to go, all of this in the pitch black dark.

 

I'm surprised at the lack of private shuttles to the stadium.  I thought places like BP, Tavern etc would be all over that.

Funny question.. What kind of legal small shuttle options could be available in the future? Obvliously, i expect to see a bunch of man-powered taxis and bike type setups but would using raptor or gator type atvs from parking areas to expedite the foot traffic..

Funny question.. What kind of legal small shuttle options could be available in the future? Obvliously, i expect to see a bunch of man-powered taxis and bike type setups but would using raptor or gator type atvs from parking areas to expedite the foot traffic..

 

Probably none of those since they severely restrict traffic on-campus, and it wouldn't really be all that safe to have Gator's whizzing around people walking.

Too bad the university won't allow the golf course to be developed into a parking lot beside the stadium. That would alleviate a lot of problems. 

Too bad the university won't allow the golf course to be developed into a parking lot beside the stadium. That would alleviate a lot of problems. 

 

The biggest problem is getting people on and off campus. with two good access/exit points and a third on residential roads to the south.  They could demolish UC and Frank Kennedy and have 100,000 parking spots on campus and it wouldn't help.

Funny question.. What kind of legal small shuttle options could be available in the future? Obvliously, i expect to see a bunch of man-powered taxis and bike type setups but would using raptor or gator type atvs from parking areas to expedite the foot traffic..

Probably none of those since they severely restrict traffic on-campus, and it wouldn't really be all that safe to have Gator's whizzing around people walking.

Obviously but there must be other walking or maintaince type paths that don't get used much if ever during a game to other non vehicular exits around campus, no?

When the rapid transit is completed to a transit station on the unused golf course, that will certainly help (as well the entry point will be a new roadway opposite the Shoppers/Giant Tiger area if I recall correctly which will alleviate traffic pressure off the current entry/exit points of University Cresent, Chancellor Matheson).

 

Personally, I went to two games and didnt have an issue either time (including the home opener).  I was able to easily drive down Pembina HWY, park at the corner of Markham & Pembina and walk.  Leaving was just as easy.  I was annoyed at the negative coverage at the time.  I realise it *was* an issue but it wasnt the disaster some people made it out.  A certain Free Press reporter had a field day with it.  He would re-tweet every negative tweet from people about trying to leave the game but ignored every positive tweet.  I asked him why he didnt give balanced coverage (because if many people had no issue then it would seem to indicate specific issues or impatient people not a full disaster like he tried to make it).  As expected, the "issue" dropped off the front page pretty quickly.

 

I actually notice heavier traffic during Jets games then Bombers games.  Now maybe its because the vast majority of people have figured out taking a transit shuttle is just easier (I know people that drive everywhere that zip around the perimetre and park at The Nob and jump on the shuttle and love it).

 

Im more concerned with what happens during The Grey Cup and NHL game when a lot less people are going to happy to walk from Pembina HWY when its -30.

 

 

Funny question.. What kind of legal small shuttle options could be available in the future? Obvliously, i expect to see a bunch of man-powered taxis and bike type setups but would using raptor or gator type atvs from parking areas to expedite the foot traffic..

Probably none of those since they severely restrict traffic on-campus, and it wouldn't really be all that safe to have Gator's whizzing around people walking.

Obviously but there must be other walking or maintaince type paths that don't get used much if ever during a game to other non vehicular exits around campus, no?

 

A pedestrian bridge from St Vital might help to a degree in that people in that area could park and walk.  I think the Bombers and City solved a lot of the issues which were pretty obvious to most of us.  I remember being pretty surprised that they didnt have certain streets prioritized as Transit only or one-way and have cops working the intersections.  But also, you have a vocal minority that if they cant immediately exit the stadium with 30,000 people and be cruising home at top speed, they whine.  Whenever I drove to or from the old Stadium, I EXPECTED (and always did) wait in long lines of traffic.  Leaving parkades around MTSC after concerts/games, same thing.  Just relax.

Too bad the university won't allow the golf course to be developed into a parking lot beside the stadium. That would alleviate a lot of problems. 

 

More parking lots is the opposite of good development practice

On the question of private shuttles, I'm not sure the need is there.  If I recall, you can park at places like BP on Pembina and leave your car there if you eat/drink there but as far as shuttle, Transit is outside multiple times on game day.  There's literally a ton of parking options on Pembina to the extent, as the season progressed there were many empty lots.  People have bought into taking Transit.  It makes the most sense.  And this seems like a good deal for all involved.  I noticed the amount it will *cost* the city was mentioned but what's break even for a Transit charter?  In other words, even with the discount, is this a profit for Transit or are they losing money, breaking even etc?

It has been a while since last season so my memory may be a bit fuzzy on this, but it seems to me that by the end of the year there more school buses being used then transit buses.  

 

Is this cost lumped in for all of the buses they use or just the transit?

It has been a while since last season so my memory may be a bit fuzzy on this, but it seems to me that by the end of the year there more school buses being used then transit buses.  

 

Is this cost lumped in for all of the buses they use or just the transit?

 

I don't think I ever got into anything but a school bus on the way to the game from the Taylor Park and Ride

I believe Transit just doesnt have enough city busses and contracted out for the school busses.  I *think* I remember reading it was all part of the same charter deal.

When the rapid transit is completed to a transit station on the unused golf course, that will certainly help (as well the entry point will be a new roadway opposite the Shoppers/Giant Tiger area if I recall correctly which will alleviate traffic pressure off the current entry/exit points of University Cresent, Chancellor Matheson).

 

Personally, I went to two games and didnt have an issue either time (including the home opener).  I was able to easily drive down Pembina HWY, park at the corner of Markham & Pembina and walk.  Leaving was just as easy.  I was annoyed at the negative coverage at the time.  I realise it *was* an issue but it wasnt the disaster some people made it out.  A certain Free Press reporter had a field day with it.  He would re-tweet every negative tweet from people about trying to leave the game but ignored every positive tweet.  I asked him why he didnt give balanced coverage (because if many people had no issue then it would seem to indicate specific issues or impatient people not a full disaster like he tried to make it).  As expected, the "issue" dropped off the front page pretty quickly.

 

I actually notice heavier traffic during Jets games then Bombers games.  Now maybe its because the vast majority of people have figured out taking a transit shuttle is just easier (I know people that drive everywhere that zip around the perimetre and park at The Nob and jump on the shuttle and love it).

 

Im more concerned with what happens during The Grey Cup and NHL game when a lot less people are going to happy to walk from Pembina HWY when its -30.

 

After 3 seasons of attending half of the Jets home games, all by car, I've seen exactly one bottleneck in my travels to or from, and that was once when we were attempting to get to South Osborne, Osborne through the Village was the bottleneck.  The downtown can handle that amount of traffic easily.

 

I've been in a bottleneck either trying to get to Pembina or the Perimeter from the Richmond neighbourhood south of the stadium at every Bomber game I've attended at IGF, easily 45 minutes per game, even after staying until 0:00 and a 20 minute walk to the vehicle.  That's not even starting from on campus.

 

It's just not a good location to move 30,000 people to and from at once, and there's not a whole lot they can do to change that, it will be something they will always have to contend with when selling tickets.

went to a few jets games, and yes i live closer to downtown then i do U of M but... it seemed liked a few times, it took just as long to get home from mts as it did from u of m.

 

Maybe its because, generally with bomber games, we dont park on campus or we dont take the "main routes" like pembina but instead take the perimeter hwy so maybe its quicker but there were a few jets games where it took forever to get home from too.

 

I think regardless if its 15000 or 30,000 or 100,000 you are gonna have some traffic problems, just based on the amount of cars on the road at that time.

 

i guess i compare it to rush hour traffic in the mornings or coming home around 430 5 ish, lots of cars on the road, gonna take some time.

 

It is what it is. The roads can only handle so much traffic, dont think they are meant for handling that many cars all at once. 

 

I see it every morning and every weekday "evening" i come home, thousands upon thousands of cars... it takes longer and i expect it too.

 

Seriously for the maybe 10 jets games and maybe 5 or 6 bomber games i go to per year, i dont have a problem with it.

 

Its not my biggest worry thats for sure.

 

Honestly, i think if the cfl had games only on saturdays and sundays, perhaps it would be less of an issue. The problem with bomber games and jets games for that matter seem to be the start times of the games, 7 730 start times generally, well... thats rush rush rush, rush to get home, rush to get going. Dont know if it would be a huge problem if games were on the weekends all the time in the afternoon.

Im not calling anyone a liar because I am sure you experiences are true.  I live in South Winnipeg.  I've driven around during and after Bombers games.  Is it busy?  Yes.  Is it mind-blowing bad?  No.

 

Also, I never found the Jets game traffic terrible either.  I just noticed heavy traffic on North Bound Pembina when the Jets play. 

 

One problem with the U of M location was removing one of the three points of entry/exit.  I understand why they dont want traffic using Kings Dr but still...

 

They widened the area around Chancellor Matheson & Pembina but not to the extent they could have or should have.

 

Still, after the first couple of games, the Bombera and fans figured it out (True North lent a hand too).

It's all about expectations.  If you expect 30,000 people to move fast within 5 minutes, your life must suck.

Im not calling anyone a liar because I am sure you experiences are true.  I live in South Winnipeg.  I've driven around during and after Bombers games.  Is it busy?  Yes.  Is it mind-blowing bad?  No.

 

Also, I never found the Jets game traffic terrible either.  I just noticed heavy traffic on North Bound Pembina when the Jets play. 

 

One problem with the U of M location was removing one of the three points of entry/exit.  I understand why they dont want traffic using Kings Dr but still...

 

They widened the area around Chancellor Matheson & Pembina but not to the extent they could have or should have.

 

Still, after the first couple of games, the Bombera and fans figured it out (True North lent a hand too).

yeah not allowing people to enter or leave throught kings drive is a huge problem, i understand the reasoning also but... i think if they allowed people to do that, it would definitely help the "traffic problem".