Warmer, bigger bus shelters provide protection from winter weather in Mississauga
Published December 18, 2023 at 12:24 pm
People who ride the buses in Mississauga now have more protection on some busy routes from the freezing rain, heavy snow and cold temperatures while they wait roadside for their ride this winter.
More than 20 much larger and warmer MiWay bus shelters are expected to be in use by the end of this year on major corridors across the city as Mississauga’s public transit provider looks to build 92 such shelters over the next four years.
The enhanced bus shelters, the first three of which were installed back in the spring, are two and three times the size of current structures and offer other upgrades as well, such as heating, according to MiWay officials.
As of this past May, new and improved shelters were in place along MiWay express routes at:
- Erin Mills Parkway (west side) at Leanne Boulevard
- Dixie Road (east side), north of Dundas Street East
- Dixie Road (east side), south of Burnhamthorpe Road East
By the end of 2023, MiWay says, more enhanced bus shelters, the majority in the city’s east end, will be up and running at the following locations:
- Dixie Road at Rathburn Road (two shelters)
- Derry Road at McLaughlin Road (two shelters)
- Derry Road at Kennedy Road (two shelters)
- Derry Road at Mavis Road (two shelters)
- Derry Road at Dixie Road (two shelters, one just west of Dixie Road)
- Derry Road at Cardiff Road (one shelter)
- Derry Road at Columbus Road (one shelter)
- Eglinton Avenue at Commerce Boulevard (one shelter)
- Goreway Drive, north of Derry Road (one shelter)
- Goreway Drive at Derry Road (one shelter)
- Burnhamthorpe Road East at Cawthra Road (two shelters)
- Burnhamthorpe Road East at Tomken Road (two shelters)
- Burnhamthorpe Road East at Dixie Road (two shelters)
- Burnhamthorpe Road East at Central Parkway East (two shelters)
In total, the $38.4-million bus shelter makeover plan ($28.2 million in federal funding, $10.2 million from City of Mississauga coffers) will see 88 of the new structures dropped in place along Mississauga roadways to service express routes and four more at MiWay bus terminals/stations in the city by 2027.
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Wide-angle shot shows one of the new 12-metre enhanced bus shelters.
Bus terminals to see new shelters by 2026 are located at Laird Road at Vega Boulevard, Meadowvale Town Centre, Erin Mills Town Centre and Dixie Outlet Mall.
The enhanced shelters are much larger than the current structures (eight and 12 metres in length as opposed to the standard four metres) and offer considerably more seating and upgraded heating.
Clearer signage to better identify each stop and digital screens with bus schedule information are also part of the upgrades.
Many of the enhanced shelters will be installed at locations with higher service frequencies on Erin Mills Parkway, Southdown Road, Dixie Road, Derry Road, Goreway Drive and Burnhamthorpe Road, city officials say.
They’ll be completed and installed gradually, with all expected to be in place by October 2027.
“The process involves removing the existing bus shelter and constructing a new concrete pad at the bus stop before the larger shelter can be installed,” MiWay officials said in an earlier online project update. “To minimize the impact to customers, a temporary bus shelter will be provided after the concrete bus pad is constructed. The temporary shelter will be removed once the enhanced shelter is ready to be installed.”
Officials at MiWay note that where possible, four-foot standard shelters that are replaced by enhanced shelters will then be refurbished and used at other locations.
The enhanced bus shelter initiative is a key part of the city’s MiWay Infrastructure Growth Plan, adopted by council in March 2021 to direct funds to appropriate transit improvement undertakings.
New and improved heaters will keep MiWay riders warm as they wait for buses during winter. (Photos: City of Mississauga)