WATERLOO REGION - Grand River Transit's new iXpress route will go into effect Sept. 2, linking west and east Waterloo and costing $4.2 million each year.

The 202 University iXpress will operate seven days each week with 15-minute peak and midday service. Off-peak service will run every 30 minutes.

Buses will travel between The Boardwalk, at Ira Needles Boulevard, and Conestoga Mall.

From west to east across Waterloo, the route traces Erb Street West, Westmount Road, University Avenue past RIM Park and BlackBerry's offices at Northfield Drive.

Tim Mollison of the Tri-Cities Transport Action group said the new iXpress is a bonus for those who currently use Route 7.

Route 7 has a main line along King Street and University Avenue and three southern, plus three northern branches.

Mollison said it's confusing for passengers.

"The 202 iXpress is a great example of how Grand River Transit is simplifying its network," Mollison said.

The new route was determined by the Grand River Transit business plan.

"It was sort of our first east to west kind of route and it will lend itself really well to integrating with rapid transit," said John Cicuttin, manager of transportation planning.

Mollison said he hopes Grand River Transit will further simplify Route 7 to make it easier for people to take the bus.

"Just saying 'the light rail transit will make everything better,' is just kicking the can down the road," Mollison said.

The Region of Waterloo is preparing for its light rail transit system scheduled to start running in 2017. Part of that is building transit ridership and creating connections for the future light rail system.

Officials envision an integrated system of buses and light rail and the 202 iXpress is a step toward that.

Cicuttin said 202 iXpress will also help with some of the Route 7 issues.

"It's a step forward to a grid pattern," he said. "We're pretty excited with the change."

Along with several small upgrades on local routes, the iXpress will add more than 48,000 hours of service and will require 15 new buses on the roads.

East and west Waterloo routes will be realigned to reduce duplication with the new iXpress. Some will provide more service and greater access to certain destinations.

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The current 201 iXpress, running from Forest Glen Plaza to Wilfrid Laurier University, will be extended to Conestoga Mall.

Other impacted routes are Route 29-Keats Way, Route 5-Erb West, Route 6-Bridgeport, Route 35-Eastbridge, Route 31-Lexington, Route 13-Laurelwood, Route 12-Conestoga Mall and Route 9-Lakeshore.

Grand River Transit undertook several public consultation sessions last fall to hear from riders on the proposed route and other service changes.