Calgary Transit budget boost to increase service in new communities

A last minute injection of moneyfor Calgary Transit meansnew communities in the city will get bus service or expanded service in 2015.

City council voted to earmark$1.5million in additional funds for transit as it finalized next year's budget Monday.

• Council votes for slightly reduced tax hike as budget debate wraps

The moneywill be used to start services in fournew communitiesand increase the frequency of buses on some busy routes elsewhere in the city.

Coun.Shane Keating says for some new communities in his southeast ward like Mahogany Bay it means buses will run through the community rather than just provide service to its boundary.

"The only way out of Mahogany, if you don't go on that one bus, is by car and we have to change that," he said.

"So this community will now get some expanded service,... And we also have to look at Mahogany.Eventually it'll be 30,000people, so we have to get transit in there."

Calgary Transit says it will also provide an additional 20,000hours of service next year with the extra money. The city estimates that2.8 million hours of service will have beenprovided in 2014.

Transit director Doug Morgan says some popular bus routes will see increased frequenciesstarting in the spring.

"Some mainline routes that use Centre Street will see that better peak capacity so the buses will come more often,thus making them less crowded," he said.

Transitgrowth also means more jobs, and the city expects 200new positions willbeadded in the next four years.