StarPhoenix surveys businesses that front Broadway Avenue on rapid bus routes

Arno Oldach gave the bluntest answer among Broadway Avenue merchants about city hall’s plans for bus lanes through the business district: “Stupid.”

Oldach was among 13 business owners and operators who spoke to The StarPhoenix on Tuesday about the possibility of locating rapid bus lanes on Broadway. The StarPhoenix approached 32 businesses that front Broadway between 12th Street and Main Street.

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The city administration has produced five options for city council to consider on Monday, including moving the route to the Idylwyld Freeway. The administration prefers naming Broadway as the route and postponing a decision on whether to build dedicated bus lanes or to maintain mixed traffic flow with buses every eight minutes.

“If you have dedicated (bus) lanes, it’s absolutely insanity,” said Oldach, a co-owner of the Yard and Flagon Pub.

While few business operators expressed opinions as extreme as Oldach’s, most said they are opposed or seriously concerned about the prospect of rapid bus lanes.

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Many also expressed concern about the loss of parking. Building dedicated bus lanes is expected to eliminate 14 parking spots.

“The people who take the bus are not our shoppers,” said Jane Hutch, owner of Dharma Chakra Imports. “They’re not Broadway customers.”

“This is probably a good solution for 10 or 20 years in the future, but not now. We don’t want to be part of the experiment,” Hutch added.

Photo by Liam Richards / Saskatoon StarPhoenix

Adam Anton, who owns McQuarrie’s Tea & Coffee Merchants, said the nearby residents and merchants on Broadway have very clearly expressed their opposition to the bus lanes to city hall at engagement events.

“If they decide to put a bus lane through, it’ll be a betrayal,” Anton said. “The street is a fairly congested street most of the time. I just don’t think it’s right for Broadway.”

Many wondered what will happen with events like the Fringe Festival, which requires the closure of Broadway.

Merv Smith, who owns Western Fitness Equipment, said traffic was backed up all the way to the Broadway Bridge last weekend when part of the street was closed for the grand opening of the Prairie Records cannabis retailer.

“If it’s rapid transit, you want the (Idylwyld) freeway,” Smith said. “(Broadway’s) a main artery, man.”

Scott Barlett, owner of the Bulk Cheese Warehouse and a vocal opponent to the bus plan, also questioned how rapid a route through Broadway would be, since there are three blocks where the speed limit is 30 kilometres per hour through school zones.

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Bartlett added he has long supported transit — a feeling echoed by Lindsay Mann, co-owner of Spectrum Hair Studio.

“I do agree that we need to improve our transit system, but coming down Broadway doesn’t make a lot of sense,” Mann said.

Marj Oneschuk, whose son owns Museo Coffee, wondered about sufficient room for cyclists if vehicle traffic were reduced to one lane in each direction.

Gerry Yakimoski, manager of the Steep Hill Food Co-op, said she welcomes mixed traffic bus lanes, but not bus-only lanes.

Jeff Wickstrom, owner of Broadway Shoe Repair, said he supports rapid bus lanes, especially if more employees use it to travel to work and free up parking on the side streets.

“I don’t think it’s going to change anything,” Wickstrom said. “Hopefully, it brings by more traffic.”

Ben Quattrini, owner of The Shoe Boutique, said he shares some of the concerns of other merchants, but welcomes the bus routes.

“Overall, I think it’s a good thing,” Quattrini said. “It’s a growing city, so you have to make changes.”

Vivian Orr, co-ordinator of publications and communications for the Saskatchewan Arts Council, said the council is not opposed to rapid bus lanes.

“We are basically open to change,” said Orr, noting the council’s store has been located on Broadway for more than 25 years. “We’ve been here for the long run, so we have, perhaps, a longer vision.”