OC Transpo Route 96
Encyclopedia
Terry Fox Station (OC Transpo)
Terry Fox Transitway Station is a bus-stop on Ottawa, Ontario, Canada's transitway served by OC Transpo buses and named after cancer research activist Terry Fox...
and Hurdman Station
Hurdman Station (OC Transpo)
Hurdman Transitway Station is a station on Ottawa's transitway. Hurdman is one of the busier stations, perhaps the busiest, as it is the main hub of the transitway network east of downtown. Hurdman is where the main transitway route from downtown to west branches off in two directions: one to the...
via downtown Ottawa and the Transitway. Selected route 96 trips are also extended to serve Stittsville Station
Stittsville Station (OC Transpo)
Stittsville Transitway Station is a bus-stop on Ottawa, Ontario's transitway served by OC Transpo buses. It is located in the western transitway section in Stittsville, Ontario, in the centre of the community.It is the Western terminus of some Route 96 trips...
and/or Blair Station
Blair Station (OC Transpo)
Blair Station is a station on Ottawa's transitway located at Blair Road and Regional Road 174. It is the eastern terminal for most weekday peak morning trips of Route 101 , several weekday trips of route 96 and crosstown route 12...
. It is one of the busiest routes operated by OC Transpo
OC Transpo
OC Transpo is the urban transit service of the City of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. An integrated hub-and-spoke system of services is available consisting of: regular buses travelling on fixed routes in mixed traffic, typical of most urban transit systems; a bus rapid transit system — a high...
, and currently route 96 is the only rapid-transit route serving Kanata and Stittsville. It is also the most congested route in service.
The Old Route 96
Before the current 96 existed, there was an older version of Route 96. The route travelled from the Carlingwood MallCarlingwood Mall
Carlingwood Mall is a major mall located in the west end of the city of Ottawa, Ontario. It is operated by 20 Vic Management Incorporated. The mall opened in 1956 and was one of the city's first major shopping centres.-History:Simpsons-Sears department store was opened in 1955...
and ended at the Ottawa International Airport, following the current route 97
OC Transpo Route 97
OC Transpo Route 97 is a major transitway route that serves important areas across the City of Ottawa including the downtown core and the Ottawa International Airport. It starts at Bayshore Station near the Bayshore Shopping Centre and ends at either South Keys or the Airport. Several trips each...
that travels from Bayshore Shopping Centre
Bayshore Shopping Centre
Bayshore Shopping Centre is a major shopping mall located in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, more specifically in the former city of Nepean, Ontario. The mall is one of the busiest in the National Capital Region as it attracts about 7 million visitors per year from across the city and the surrounding...
to the Airport and before the Southeast Transitway was completed via most of Route 87's current routing between Billings Bridge and Hunt Road
Hunt Club Road (Ottawa)
Hunt Club Road also known as Ottawa Road #32, is a major east-west route in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Hunt Club originally ran from Albion Road to Riverside Drive, but was extended east to Hawthorne Road in the late 1980s. The section between Bank Street and Riverside Drive, originally only one lane...
while travelling through CFB Uplands (current route 147). Route 96 was the main route serving the Airport although Route 97 provided some evening and Sunday service as both routes were running every 30 minutes during the evenings and all day Sunday. http://web.archive.org/web/19970421204438/www.octranspo.com/octranspo/scheddir2/96map.html http://web.archive.org/web/19970420090441/www.octranspo.com/octranspo/schedsmaps.html It provided a quicker link for users that wanted to travel from Carlingwood towards the central transitway
Ottawa Rapid Transit
In Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, the public transit service operated by OC Transpo has two rapid transit systems: the Transitway, a bus rapid transit network, and the O-Train, a diesel-powered light rail transit service operated on one line.-Major routes:...
from Westboro
Westboro Station (OC Transpo)
Westboro Station is a stop on the transitway in Ottawa, Ontario. It is located in the Westboro neighbourhood, on Scott Street between Athlone and Tweedsmuir avenues.The transitway in the area is in a below-grade 'trench' parallelling Scott Street...
to Hurdman Station including downtown. However, it did not provide a link to Lincoln Fields
Lincoln Fields Station (OC Transpo)
Lincoln Fields Station is a station on Ottawa's transitway located at Carling Avenue and the Ottawa River Parkway. It is adjacent but not connected to nearby Lincoln Heights Galleria Shopping Centre. It is the main western hub of the transitway system and has a ticket sales and information office...
for transfers to Route 95
OC Transpo Route 95
OC Transpo Route 95 is the Ottawa transit network's busiest route, running on the Transitway across the city. The termination points are located at Marketplace, at Fallowfield Station and in Orléans, at Place d'Orleans. Weekday trips may be extended to Trim Station, a few minutes east of Place...
. While it was also serving Kanata at first before the introduction of Route 97, the route was retired during the late 1990s and the portions of Woodroffe Avenue
Woodroffe Avenue (Ottawa)
Woodroffe Avenue is the major north-south arterial road in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada's west end. It runs south from the Ottawa River Parkway through Baseline Road to Prince of Wales Drive towards the communities of Manotick and Barrhaven. The road runs through the heart of Nepean in Ottawa's west end...
that were served by the 96 were left unserved by any transit route for a few years. That portion is now served by crosstown Route 87 which travels from Greenboro Station
Greenboro Station (OC Transpo)
Greenboro Station in Ottawa, Ontario is a stop on the transitway, and is the current southern terminus of the O-Train. It was expected to extend towards the south by 2009 , and the proposed East-West Line would have intersected at this station...
and Hurdman to Carlingwood during shopping hours while it previous occasionnal terminus was at Lebreton
Lebreton Station (OC Transpo)
Lebreton Station is a stop on the transitway in Ottawa. It is located in the Lebreton Flats area, near the intersection of Wellington Street and Booth Street...
. http://web.archive.org/web/19970421204231/www.octranspo.com/octranspo/scheddir2/87map.html The portion between Westboro
Westboro
Westboro is a neighbourhood of Ottawa, Canada, often referred to as Westboro Village. Located along the Ottawa River, the neighbourhood is bordered on the east by Island Park Drive, and on the west by Woodroffe Avenue. The Southern border can be stretched up to Carling Avenue...
and the Airport was served afterwards by only the 97 although Route 95 provided extra service until Hurdman as it was serving eastern areas of the city. The early morning trips in which the 97 is currently serving through the former Uplands air force base northeast of the airport was also previously served by the 96.
Creation of the new 96
In 2003 and 2004, the City of OttawaOttawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
had proceeded through a series of massive bus cuts that had significantly reduced bus services for many local bus routes. However, starting in fall 2004, OC Transpo implemented an unexpected transit change which was not included in the Transplan 2004 public consultations. The transit company divided route 97 into two distinct routes, one of which is the new route 96. The 96 travels from Hurdman to Stittsville. The 97 which was traveling from Stittsville to Kanata at the time lost the Kanata portion of the route as well as the early morning service to OC Transpo's Pinecrest Garage just off Pinecrest Road and Highway 417
Highway 417 (Ontario)
King's Highway 417, also known as Highway 417 and the Queensway through Ottawa is a 400-series highways in the Canadian province of Ontario which connects Montreal with Ottawa. It is the backbone of the transportation system in the Ottawa region, where it forms part of the Queensway along with...
.
The 96 travels on the 417 between Bayshore Station
Bayshore Station (OC Transpo)
Bayshore Transitway Station is a transit station on Ottawa, Ontario, Canada's transitway served by OC Transpo buses. It is located in the western transitway section at the Bayshore Shopping Centre...
and Queensway Station
Queensway Station (OC Transpo)
Queensway Transitway Station is located around and under the Queensway along the southwest transitway leg. The upper platforms provide access to the crosstown Route 101 while the lower platforms are for transitway routes such as the 95 and eastbound trips of Route 96.Despite its seemingly isolated...
before joining the 97 at Lincoln Fields. The 96 is currently serving Pinecrest Garage during the early mornings on weekdays. The combination of the two have provided a much frequent service to Bayshore and between Lincoln Fields and Hurdman Station
Hurdman Station (OC Transpo)
Hurdman Transitway Station is a station on Ottawa's transitway. Hurdman is one of the busier stations, perhaps the busiest, as it is the main hub of the transitway network east of downtown. Hurdman is where the main transitway route from downtown to west branches off in two directions: one to the...
which is also served by Route 95
OC Transpo Route 95
OC Transpo Route 95 is the Ottawa transit network's busiest route, running on the Transitway across the city. The termination points are located at Marketplace, at Fallowfield Station and in Orléans, at Place d'Orleans. Weekday trips may be extended to Trim Station, a few minutes east of Place...
and for significant portions of it by routes 8, 85, 86 and 87. Residents of Kanata have a faster trip to downtown
Downtown Ottawa
Downtown Ottawa is the central area of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Like other downtowns it is the commercial and economic centre of the city. It is sometimes referred to as the Central Business District and contains Ottawa's financial district. It is bordered by the Ottawa River to the north, the...
from Kanata then the 97 that travels via Richmond Road
Richmond Road (Ottawa)
Richmond Road is a major road in Eastern Ontario, Canada.Richmond Road begins as a western continuation of Wellington Street West in Ottawa, beyond the intersection at Island Park Drive, a division point moved west a few blocks from Western Avenue, the historical township boundary, in 2005. It...
and Carling Avenue. However, on some occasions due to long traffic lights at Pinecrest, the 97 can be faster than the 96. In addition, the 96 is also susceptible to traffic congestion or road closures on the 417. However, it is expected in the coming years that a new transit roadway wiil be built between Bayshore and the southwest transitway, thus avoiding possible traffic problems from the Queensway.
Service improvements
Despite these changes, service declined in some portions once served by the 97 in Kanata and during the weekends. To deal with this, in the following two years, OC TranspoOC Transpo
OC Transpo is the urban transit service of the City of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. An integrated hub-and-spoke system of services is available consisting of: regular buses travelling on fixed routes in mixed traffic, typical of most urban transit systems; a bus rapid transit system — a high...
increased frequency on the 96 on all 7 days except during the early morning and the route was extended to Terry Fox Station in 2005 when the station was opened. Previously, before the city built the Castlefrank Road overpass (now called Valour Bridge) that crossed above the 417 towards the Kanata Centrum, the 96 (and the 97 before) ended at Kanata Town Centre
Kanata Town Centre
The Kanata Town Center is a shopping mall and office complex located at 150 Katimavik Road, in the Katimavik-Hazeldean neighbourdhood of Kanata.-History:...
and the shopping centre had limited service from Monday to Saturday by the 97.
In 2006, there were additional changes made by Transplan 2006. The route was slightly modified in Stittsville to increase the service coverage in the area. In the meantime, service on Terry Fox Drive was removed and the bus travels on Castlefrank Road, which is much closer to Kanata's second shopping centre, the Hazeldean Mall
Hazeldean Mall
Hazeldean Mall is a shopping centre located in Ottawa, Canada at the intersection of Eagleson Road and Hazeldean Road, where Hazeldean Road changes turns into Robertson Road....
just a few blocks to the east. Service to Stittsville was increased also with half-hour service from Monday to Saturday and hourly service on Sunday. Stittsville had no Sunday service before this. Sunday service to/from Stittsville has been increased to every 30 minutes as Stittsville is now a part of the Urban Transit Area. Previously, Stittsville was part of the Town Transit Area, meaning rural express fares were required on all routes, with the exception of route 96.
Starting in September 2006, OC Transpo added trips that by-pass Bayshore Station in order to speed up the service to/from downtown. The AM rush hour special trips started at Eagleson Station
Eagleson Station (OC Transpo)
Eagleson "Eva James" Transitway Station is a station on Ottawa, Ontario, Canada's transitway served by OC Transpo buses. It is located in the western transitway section at Eagleson Road and Highway 417...
and the PM trips ended at Terry Fox Station
Terry Fox Station (OC Transpo)
Terry Fox Transitway Station is a bus-stop on Ottawa, Ontario, Canada's transitway served by OC Transpo buses and named after cancer research activist Terry Fox...
. However, due to congestion on Highway 417 starting often before Bayshore Station
Bayshore Station (OC Transpo)
Bayshore Transitway Station is a transit station on Ottawa, Ontario, Canada's transitway served by OC Transpo buses. It is located in the western transitway section at the Bayshore Shopping Centre...
, some of the special 96's (and West end express routes) were using the same route as regular 96's to avoid being caught in the gridlock. Since April 2007, the special trips start at Terry Fox Station and access Highway 417 directly via Castlefrank Road without travelling on Katimavik Road as Eagleson Station is directly accessible from the offramp at Eagleson Road.
In 2009, with the inauguration of a new Transitway corrdior between Bayshore and Pinecrest Stations, all D96 trips travel along the new section, and thus all trips serve Bayshore Station and the shopping centre, as well as all Kanata and Stittsville express buses. D96 trips in the morning still bypass Katimavik Road and Eagleson Road.
Purpose
The 96 is currently a key commuter route that serves the center of Kanata, especially its two park and ridePark and ride
Park and ride facilities are car parks with connections to public transport that allow commuters and other people wishing to travel into city centres to leave their vehicles and transfer to a bus, rail system , or carpool for the rest of their trip...
facilities at Terry Fox and Eagleson Stations. However, it is much slower than all express routes that serves the suburb as the 96 serves Moodie Drive, Pinecrest Road and Bayshore Shopping Centre which extends the trip by several minutes. In addition, most express routes only drop passengers out after exiting the Queensway
Queensway (Ottawa)
The Queensway is a major controlled-access freeway running through Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, from Kanata in the west to Orleans in the east. It is the primary east-west transportation artery in the Ottawa-Gatineau area....
. However, the D96 Special trip are faster than the regular 96 trips by several minutes as it avoids the detours at Bayshore while it also avoids Katimavik Road during the mornings as unlike the afternoon westbound trips it does serves park and ride facility without travelling further south via Katimavik and Castlefrank.
The route, like route 95 and route 97 travels through the heart of the touristic district of the downtown
Downtown
Downtown is a term primarily used in North America by English speakers to refer to a city's core or central business district ....
core. The Rideau Canal
Rideau Canal
The Rideau Canal , also known as the Rideau Waterway, connects the city of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada on the Ottawa River to the city of Kingston, Ontario on Lake Ontario. The canal was opened in 1832 as a precaution in case of war with the United States and is still in use today, with most of its...
, the Byward Market
Byward Market
ByWard Market is a district in Lower Town located east of the government & business district, surrounding the market buildings and open-air market on George, York, ByWard and William Streets.The district is bordered on the west by Sussex Drive, on the...
, the National Arts Centre
National Arts Centre
The National Arts Centre is a centre for the performing arts located in Ottawa, Ontario, between Elgin Street and the Rideau Canal...
and Parliament Hill
Parliament Hill
Parliament Hill , colloquially known as The Hill, is an area of Crown land on the southern banks of the Ottawa River in downtown Ottawa, Ontario. Its Gothic revival suite of buildingsthe parliament buildings serves as the home of the Parliament of Canada and contains a number of architectural...
are all located within a few blocks from the transitway.
This is another route for shoppers, as many shopping centers are located alongside several stations which includes the Kanata Centrum
Kanata Centrum
Kanata Centrum is a shopping area in Kanata region of Ottawa. OC Transpo bus routes that pass near this area are the 96 and the 118. It is located at 300 Earl Grey Drive.-Stores:Home OutfittersFitness DepotAMC TheatresBest BuySport Chek...
at Terry Fox, Bayshore Shopping Centre
Bayshore Shopping Centre
Bayshore Shopping Centre is a major shopping mall located in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, more specifically in the former city of Nepean, Ontario. The mall is one of the busiest in the National Capital Region as it attracts about 7 million visitors per year from across the city and the surrounding...
, Pinecrest Shopping Centre just off Greenbank Road
Greenbank Road (Ottawa)
Greenbank Road is a major north-south road in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada that serves central Nepean and Barrhaven. From its northern terminus at the Queensway until its intersection with Jockvale Road, it is designated Ottawa Road #13....
and Highway 417
Highway 417 (Ontario)
King's Highway 417, also known as Highway 417 and the Queensway through Ottawa is a 400-series highways in the Canadian province of Ontario which connects Montreal with Ottawa. It is the backbone of the transportation system in the Ottawa region, where it forms part of the Queensway along with...
, Lincoln Fields Shopping Centre, the Sparks Street Mall, the Bank Street
Bank Street (Ottawa)
Bank Street is the major north-south road in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. It runs south from Wellington Street in downtown Ottawa, south through the neighbourhoods of Centretown, The Glebe, Old Ottawa South, Alta Vista, Hunt Club, and then through the villages of Blossom Park, Leitrim, South...
Promenade and the Rideau Centre
Rideau Centre
Rideau Centre is a three-level shopping centre on Rideau Street in Downtown Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. It borders on Rideau Street , the Rideau Canal, the Mackenzie King Bridge, and Nicholas Street....
.
The University of Ottawa
University of Ottawa
The University of Ottawa is a bilingual, research-intensive, non-denominational, international university in Ottawa, Ontario. It is one of the oldest universities in Canada. It was originally established as the College of Bytown in 1848 by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate...
is also a major destination and many students use Campus Station
Campus Station (OC Transpo)
Campus Transitway Station is a station on Ottawa's transitway. The stop number is 3021, located just east of the Rideau Canal at the western terminus of Somerset Street East, the station services the University of Ottawa's southern section and the Sandy Hill neighbourhood...
located on the western edge of the complex.
Future Expansions
There are no current expansion plans for the route in the West end in upcoming years as there are no further developments South or West of StittsvilleStittsville, Ontario
Stittsville is a suburban community in the western part of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. A part of the National Capital Region, Stittsville is located immediately to the south-west of Kanata, and about from downtown Ottawa.-History:...
. However, route 96 has been extended in the East from Hurdman Station
Hurdman Station (OC Transpo)
Hurdman Transitway Station is a station on Ottawa's transitway. Hurdman is one of the busier stations, perhaps the busiest, as it is the main hub of the transitway network east of downtown. Hurdman is where the main transitway route from downtown to west branches off in two directions: one to the...
to Blair Station
Blair Station (OC Transpo)
Blair Station is a station on Ottawa's transitway located at Blair Road and Regional Road 174. It is the eastern terminal for most weekday peak morning trips of Route 101 , several weekday trips of route 96 and crosstown route 12...
on June 28, 2010 for selected weekday peak and all weekday midday trips in both directions. Route 96 still terminates at Hurdman Station
Hurdman Station (OC Transpo)
Hurdman Transitway Station is a station on Ottawa's transitway. Hurdman is one of the busier stations, perhaps the busiest, as it is the main hub of the transitway network east of downtown. Hurdman is where the main transitway route from downtown to west branches off in two directions: one to the...
for all weekend trips, as well as early morning and late evening weekday trips. This extension in the East is to ease full express buses serving Orleans of riders who do not need to travel beyond Blair Station
Blair Station (OC Transpo)
Blair Station is a station on Ottawa's transitway located at Blair Road and Regional Road 174. It is the eastern terminal for most weekday peak morning trips of Route 101 , several weekday trips of route 96 and crosstown route 12...
during peak hours, as well as providing more options for OC Transpo customers.
Buses
During its first year, the new route 96 was served by mostly D60LF New FlyerNew Flyer Industries
New Flyer Industries Inc. is a bus manufacturer in North America, headquartered in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. It also has factories in Crookston and St. Cloud, Minnesota, USA.-History:...
articulated buses. However, in 2005, OC Transpo had switched to the new Invero buses. The seating capacity
Seating capacity
Seating capacity refers to the number of people who can be seated in a specific space, both in terms of the physical space available, and in terms of limitations set by law. Seating capacity can be used in the description of anything ranging from an automobile that seats two to a stadium that seats...
of those buses are much lower than the articulated buses which increases the risk of buses being full. The frequency of the route was increased due to the lower capacity buses.
In the summer of 2006 and the winter of 2007, OC Transpo tested a double decker bus, the Alexander Dennis Enviro500 on this route as well as some express routes. The testing was made in order to determine whether double decker buses will be possible to operate within the Ottawa system as it contains a higher seating capacity
Seating capacity
Seating capacity refers to the number of people who can be seated in a specific space, both in terms of the physical space available, and in terms of limitations set by law. Seating capacity can be used in the description of anything ranging from an automobile that seats two to a stadium that seats...
than the articulated buses although with lower total capacity (including standing room only) than the latter due to the height restriction of the upper floor of the bus. http://www.cbc.ca/canada/ottawa/story/2007/02/06/double-decker.html. Double decker buses were re-used on the route during the summer of 2009.
Due to the increased ridership on the 96 since the 2008 winter bus strike, the frequency of the route has not changed much, but OC Transpo is using more New Flyer D60LF articulated buses on the route along with the Alexander Dennis Enviro500 double decker bus to cope with the extra passengers using the route. Currently, half the trips are serviced with articulated buses, with the other half served by a regular bus.
Westbound
There are a few different destination signs used for Westbound 96 buses. They include:- 96 STITTSVILLEStittsville Station (OC Transpo)Stittsville Transitway Station is a bus-stop on Ottawa, Ontario's transitway served by OC Transpo buses. It is located in the western transitway section in Stittsville, Ontario, in the centre of the community.It is the Western terminus of some Route 96 trips...
VIA TERRY FOXTerry Fox Station (OC Transpo)Terry Fox Transitway Station is a bus-stop on Ottawa, Ontario, Canada's transitway served by OC Transpo buses and named after cancer research activist Terry Fox...
: For trips that travel to StittsvilleStittsville, OntarioStittsville is a suburban community in the western part of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. A part of the National Capital Region, Stittsville is located immediately to the south-west of Kanata, and about from downtown Ottawa.-History:...
via Terry Fox Station, Bayshore StationBayshore Station (OC Transpo)Bayshore Transitway Station is a transit station on Ottawa, Ontario, Canada's transitway served by OC Transpo buses. It is located in the western transitway section at the Bayshore Shopping Centre...
, and Eagleson Park-N-RideEagleson Station (OC Transpo)Eagleson "Eva James" Transitway Station is a station on Ottawa, Ontario, Canada's transitway served by OC Transpo buses. It is located in the western transitway section at Eagleson Road and Highway 417...
. These trips run every day of the week, including Sundays, usually at 30 minute intervals (60 minute intervals Saturday and Sunday evenings).
- 96 KANATAKanata, OntarioSituated in the Ottawa Valley, Kanata is located about west-southwest of Downtown Ottawa along Highway 417 at a latitude of 45°18' North and a longitude of 75°55' West, with an area of . Its northern end is just to the west of the Ottawa River....
/TERRY FOXTerry Fox Station (OC Transpo)Terry Fox Transitway Station is a bus-stop on Ottawa, Ontario, Canada's transitway served by OC Transpo buses and named after cancer research activist Terry Fox...
: These are the regular 96 trips. They end at Terry Fox Station, also serving Eagleson Park-N-RideEagleson Station (OC Transpo)Eagleson "Eva James" Transitway Station is a station on Ottawa, Ontario, Canada's transitway served by OC Transpo buses. It is located in the western transitway section at Eagleson Road and Highway 417...
, and Bayshore StationBayshore Station (OC Transpo)Bayshore Transitway Station is a transit station on Ottawa, Ontario, Canada's transitway served by OC Transpo buses. It is located in the western transitway section at the Bayshore Shopping Centre...
. They do not serve StittsvilleStittsville, OntarioStittsville is a suburban community in the western part of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. A part of the National Capital Region, Stittsville is located immediately to the south-west of Kanata, and about from downtown Ottawa.-History:...
.
- C96 STITTSVILLE VIA KANATA: These trips operate during PM peak and bypass Terry Fox Station by turning from Katimavik onto Castlefrank towards Stittsville. These trips still serve Eagleson Park N Ride.
- C96 CASTLEFRANK: These trips also operate during PM peak. After serving Eagleson Park N Ride and Katimavik, they travel via Castlefrank and end at the corner of Castlefrank/Hazeldean. They do not serve Terry Fox Station.
- There are no special signs for trips that serve Pinecrest Garage in the morning (same thing for eastbound trips) as well as the Sunday morning detour due to the AlcatelAlcatelAlcatel Mobile Phones is a brand of mobile handsets. It was established in 2004 as a joint venture between Alcatel-Lucent of France and TCL Communication of China....
Bikedays on the Ottawa River ParkwayOttawa River ParkwayThe Ottawa River Parkway is a four-lane scenic parkway along the Ottawa River in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. It runs from Carling Avenue near Connaught Avenue, to Booth Street at the Canadian War Museum. It is maintained by the National Capital Commission. The speed limit is , enforced by the Royal...
Please note that all 96 buses do not serve Queensway Station
Queensway Station (OC Transpo)
Queensway Transitway Station is located around and under the Queensway along the southwest transitway leg. The upper platforms provide access to the crosstown Route 101 while the lower platforms are for transitway routes such as the 95 and eastbound trips of Route 96.Despite its seemingly isolated...
when travelling westbound towards Kanata
Kanata, Ontario
Situated in the Ottawa Valley, Kanata is located about west-southwest of Downtown Ottawa along Highway 417 at a latitude of 45°18' North and a longitude of 75°55' West, with an area of . Its northern end is just to the west of the Ottawa River....
/Terry Fox
Terry Fox Station (OC Transpo)
Terry Fox Transitway Station is a bus-stop on Ottawa, Ontario, Canada's transitway served by OC Transpo buses and named after cancer research activist Terry Fox...
and Stittsville
Stittsville Station (OC Transpo)
Stittsville Transitway Station is a bus-stop on Ottawa, Ontario's transitway served by OC Transpo buses. It is located in the western transitway section in Stittsville, Ontario, in the centre of the community.It is the Western terminus of some Route 96 trips...
. As well, the D96 Special Kanata no longer exits. As a result, all 96 trips traveling Westbound towards Kanata
Kanata, Ontario
Situated in the Ottawa Valley, Kanata is located about west-southwest of Downtown Ottawa along Highway 417 at a latitude of 45°18' North and a longitude of 75°55' West, with an area of . Its northern end is just to the west of the Ottawa River....
and Stittsville
Stittsville Station (OC Transpo)
Stittsville Transitway Station is a bus-stop on Ottawa, Ontario's transitway served by OC Transpo buses. It is located in the western transitway section in Stittsville, Ontario, in the centre of the community.It is the Western terminus of some Route 96 trips...
travel via Katimavik Road.
Eastbound
There are currently seven different signs for 96 buses travelling East:- 96 HURDMANHurdman Station (OC Transpo)Hurdman Transitway Station is a station on Ottawa's transitway. Hurdman is one of the busier stations, perhaps the busiest, as it is the main hub of the transitway network east of downtown. Hurdman is where the main transitway route from downtown to west branches off in two directions: one to the...
: Most trips end at Hurdman StationHurdman Station (OC Transpo)Hurdman Transitway Station is a station on Ottawa's transitway. Hurdman is one of the busier stations, perhaps the busiest, as it is the main hub of the transitway network east of downtown. Hurdman is where the main transitway route from downtown to west branches off in two directions: one to the...
. These trips run all day, every day from Terry Fox StationTerry Fox Station (OC Transpo)Terry Fox Transitway Station is a bus-stop on Ottawa, Ontario, Canada's transitway served by OC Transpo buses and named after cancer research activist Terry Fox...
in KanataKanata, OntarioSituated in the Ottawa Valley, Kanata is located about west-southwest of Downtown Ottawa along Highway 417 at a latitude of 45°18' North and a longitude of 75°55' West, with an area of . Its northern end is just to the west of the Ottawa River....
, and occasionally from Stittsville StationStittsville Station (OC Transpo)Stittsville Transitway Station is a bus-stop on Ottawa, Ontario's transitway served by OC Transpo buses. It is located in the western transitway section in Stittsville, Ontario, in the centre of the community.It is the Western terminus of some Route 96 trips...
. They serve Katimavik between Castlefrank and Eagleson in KanataKanata, OntarioSituated in the Ottawa Valley, Kanata is located about west-southwest of Downtown Ottawa along Highway 417 at a latitude of 45°18' North and a longitude of 75°55' West, with an area of . Its northern end is just to the west of the Ottawa River....
.
- 96 BLAIRBlair Station (OC Transpo)Blair Station is a station on Ottawa's transitway located at Blair Road and Regional Road 174. It is the eastern terminal for most weekday peak morning trips of Route 101 , several weekday trips of route 96 and crosstown route 12...
: Some weekday peak period (AM and PM) and all weekday mid-day trips are extended from Hurdman StationHurdman Station (OC Transpo)Hurdman Transitway Station is a station on Ottawa's transitway. Hurdman is one of the busier stations, perhaps the busiest, as it is the main hub of the transitway network east of downtown. Hurdman is where the main transitway route from downtown to west branches off in two directions: one to the...
to Blair Station via the Transitway. The routing is otherwise identical to 96 HURDMAN trips.
- 96 BLAIR VIA TERRY FOX : These are weekday midday trips from Stittsville that serve Terry Fox Station and Katimavik on their way towards downtown, Hurdman Station, and Blair Station.
- D96 HURDMANHurdman Station (OC Transpo)Hurdman Transitway Station is a station on Ottawa's transitway. Hurdman is one of the busier stations, perhaps the busiest, as it is the main hub of the transitway network east of downtown. Hurdman is where the main transitway route from downtown to west branches off in two directions: one to the...
VIA 417 : All these trips start at Terry Fox StationTerry Fox Station (OC Transpo)Terry Fox Transitway Station is a bus-stop on Ottawa, Ontario, Canada's transitway served by OC Transpo buses and named after cancer research activist Terry Fox...
. They still serve Bayshore StationBayshore Station (OC Transpo)Bayshore Transitway Station is a transit station on Ottawa, Ontario, Canada's transitway served by OC Transpo buses. It is located in the western transitway section at the Bayshore Shopping Centre...
and Eagleson Park-N-RideEagleson Station (OC Transpo)Eagleson "Eva James" Transitway Station is a station on Ottawa, Ontario, Canada's transitway served by OC Transpo buses. It is located in the western transitway section at Eagleson Road and Highway 417...
, but they do not serve Katimavik, using Highway 417 instead. These trips are AM peak only (between 6 am and 9 am Monday to Friday). Some of these trips are extended to Blair StationBlair Station (OC Transpo)Blair Station is a station on Ottawa's transitway located at Blair Road and Regional Road 174. It is the eastern terminal for most weekday peak morning trips of Route 101 , several weekday trips of route 96 and crosstown route 12...
and are signed D96 BLAIR VIA 417.
- C96 HURDMANHurdman Station (OC Transpo)Hurdman Transitway Station is a station on Ottawa's transitway. Hurdman is one of the busier stations, perhaps the busiest, as it is the main hub of the transitway network east of downtown. Hurdman is where the main transitway route from downtown to west branches off in two directions: one to the...
VIA 417 : These are peak period trips to/from Stittsville and the corner of Castlefrank/Hazeldean that bypass Terry Fox Station and Katimavik by taking Highway 417 to Eagleson Park-N-Ride. They are otherwise identical to other 96 trips. Some of these trips are extended to Blair Station and are signed C96 BLAIR VIA 417.
All 96 buses travelling East towards Blair
Blair Station (OC Transpo)
Blair Station is a station on Ottawa's transitway located at Blair Road and Regional Road 174. It is the eastern terminal for most weekday peak morning trips of Route 101 , several weekday trips of route 96 and crosstown route 12...
, Hurdman
Hurdman Station (OC Transpo)
Hurdman Transitway Station is a station on Ottawa's transitway. Hurdman is one of the busier stations, perhaps the busiest, as it is the main hub of the transitway network east of downtown. Hurdman is where the main transitway route from downtown to west branches off in two directions: one to the...
and Downtown serve Queensway Station
Queensway Station (OC Transpo)
Queensway Transitway Station is located around and under the Queensway along the southwest transitway leg. The upper platforms provide access to the crosstown Route 101 while the lower platforms are for transitway routes such as the 95 and eastbound trips of Route 96.Despite its seemingly isolated...
. As well, during morning peak hours Monday to Friday, some 96 trips start at Lincoln Fields
Lincoln Fields Station (OC Transpo)
Lincoln Fields Station is a station on Ottawa's transitway located at Carling Avenue and the Ottawa River Parkway. It is adjacent but not connected to nearby Lincoln Heights Galleria Shopping Centre. It is the main western hub of the transitway system and has a ticket sales and information office...
or Bayshore
Bayshore Station (OC Transpo)
Bayshore Transitway Station is a transit station on Ottawa, Ontario, Canada's transitway served by OC Transpo buses. It is located in the western transitway section at the Bayshore Shopping Centre...
instead of Terry Fox
Terry Fox Station (OC Transpo)
Terry Fox Transitway Station is a bus-stop on Ottawa, Ontario, Canada's transitway served by OC Transpo buses and named after cancer research activist Terry Fox...
to deal with the removal of express route 59.
Frequencies
Since its initial service frequencies, the service on the 96 has been augmented significantly. During weekdays, the 96 travels every 3–7 minutes during rush hours towards downtown and HurdmanHurdman Station (OC Transpo)
Hurdman Transitway Station is a station on Ottawa's transitway. Hurdman is one of the busier stations, perhaps the busiest, as it is the main hub of the transitway network east of downtown. Hurdman is where the main transitway route from downtown to west branches off in two directions: one to the...
(and sometimes Blair
Blair Station (OC Transpo)
Blair Station is a station on Ottawa's transitway located at Blair Road and Regional Road 174. It is the eastern terminal for most weekday peak morning trips of Route 101 , several weekday trips of route 96 and crosstown route 12...
) in the morning (if the special D96 trips are included), and towards Terry Fox
Terry Fox Station (OC Transpo)
Terry Fox Transitway Station is a bus-stop on Ottawa, Ontario, Canada's transitway served by OC Transpo buses and named after cancer research activist Terry Fox...
and Stittsville
Stittsville Station (OC Transpo)
Stittsville Transitway Station is a bus-stop on Ottawa, Ontario's transitway served by OC Transpo buses. It is located in the western transitway section in Stittsville, Ontario, in the centre of the community.It is the Western terminus of some Route 96 trips...
in the afternoon. Rush hour service is every 15 minutes to Terry Fox
Terry Fox Station (OC Transpo)
Terry Fox Transitway Station is a bus-stop on Ottawa, Ontario, Canada's transitway served by OC Transpo buses and named after cancer research activist Terry Fox...
in the morning and to Hurdman
Hurdman Station (OC Transpo)
Hurdman Transitway Station is a station on Ottawa's transitway. Hurdman is one of the busier stations, perhaps the busiest, as it is the main hub of the transitway network east of downtown. Hurdman is where the main transitway route from downtown to west branches off in two directions: one to the...
(and sometimes Blair
Blair Station (OC Transpo)
Blair Station is a station on Ottawa's transitway located at Blair Road and Regional Road 174. It is the eastern terminal for most weekday peak morning trips of Route 101 , several weekday trips of route 96 and crosstown route 12...
) in the afternoon. Midday service in both directions is every 12 minutes between Terry Fox
Terry Fox Station (OC Transpo)
Terry Fox Transitway Station is a bus-stop on Ottawa, Ontario, Canada's transitway served by OC Transpo buses and named after cancer research activist Terry Fox...
and Blair
Blair Station (OC Transpo)
Blair Station is a station on Ottawa's transitway located at Blair Road and Regional Road 174. It is the eastern terminal for most weekday peak morning trips of Route 101 , several weekday trips of route 96 and crosstown route 12...
, and every 24 or 36 minutes to/from Stittsville
Stittsville Station (OC Transpo)
Stittsville Transitway Station is a bus-stop on Ottawa, Ontario's transitway served by OC Transpo buses. It is located in the western transitway section in Stittsville, Ontario, in the centre of the community.It is the Western terminus of some Route 96 trips...
. Weekdays between 6 pm and 8 pm, Westbound trips are every 9-10 minutes to Terry Fox
Terry Fox Station (OC Transpo)
Terry Fox Transitway Station is a bus-stop on Ottawa, Ontario, Canada's transitway served by OC Transpo buses and named after cancer research activist Terry Fox...
; Eastbound trips are every 15 minutes from Terry Fox
Terry Fox Station (OC Transpo)
Terry Fox Transitway Station is a bus-stop on Ottawa, Ontario, Canada's transitway served by OC Transpo buses and named after cancer research activist Terry Fox...
. Between 8 pm and 12:30 am, service is every 15 minutes in both directions between Hurdman
Hurdman Station (OC Transpo)
Hurdman Transitway Station is a station on Ottawa's transitway. Hurdman is one of the busier stations, perhaps the busiest, as it is the main hub of the transitway network east of downtown. Hurdman is where the main transitway route from downtown to west branches off in two directions: one to the...
and Terry Fox
Terry Fox Station (OC Transpo)
Terry Fox Transitway Station is a bus-stop on Ottawa, Ontario, Canada's transitway served by OC Transpo buses and named after cancer research activist Terry Fox...
. Service to/from Stittsville
Stittsville Station (OC Transpo)
Stittsville Transitway Station is a bus-stop on Ottawa, Ontario's transitway served by OC Transpo buses. It is located in the western transitway section in Stittsville, Ontario, in the centre of the community.It is the Western terminus of some Route 96 trips...
is every 30 minutes until around 11:30 pm in both directions.
Saturday service is every 10 minutes through most of the day (between 9 am and 7 pm) between Terry Fox
Terry Fox Station (OC Transpo)
Terry Fox Transitway Station is a bus-stop on Ottawa, Ontario, Canada's transitway served by OC Transpo buses and named after cancer research activist Terry Fox...
and Hurdman
Hurdman Station (OC Transpo)
Hurdman Transitway Station is a station on Ottawa's transitway. Hurdman is one of the busier stations, perhaps the busiest, as it is the main hub of the transitway network east of downtown. Hurdman is where the main transitway route from downtown to west branches off in two directions: one to the...
, while Sunday service is generally every 15 minutes in both directions (between 8:30 am and 6 pm). Weekend early morning trips are every 30 minutes. Service to Stittsville
Stittsville Station (OC Transpo)
Stittsville Transitway Station is a bus-stop on Ottawa, Ontario's transitway served by OC Transpo buses. It is located in the western transitway section in Stittsville, Ontario, in the centre of the community.It is the Western terminus of some Route 96 trips...
is every 30 minutes all weekend, including evenings, until 6:30 pm on Saturdays and 5:30 pm on Sundays. There is Stittsville service terminating at the corner of Abbott and Stittsville Main on both Saturday and Sunday (Saturday until midnight and Sundays until 10 pm) at 30 minute intervals until 9 pm Saturdays and 8 pm Sundays (then service is roughly every hour). Service is only between Terry Fox
Terry Fox Station (OC Transpo)
Terry Fox Transitway Station is a bus-stop on Ottawa, Ontario, Canada's transitway served by OC Transpo buses and named after cancer research activist Terry Fox...
and Hurdman
Hurdman Station (OC Transpo)
Hurdman Transitway Station is a station on Ottawa's transitway. Hurdman is one of the busier stations, perhaps the busiest, as it is the main hub of the transitway network east of downtown. Hurdman is where the main transitway route from downtown to west branches off in two directions: one to the...
after this time.
Morning weekday peak-period trips starting at Bayshore
Bayshore Station (OC Transpo)
Bayshore Transitway Station is a transit station on Ottawa, Ontario, Canada's transitway served by OC Transpo buses. It is located in the western transitway section at the Bayshore Shopping Centre...
and Lincoln Fields
Lincoln Fields Station (OC Transpo)
Lincoln Fields Station is a station on Ottawa's transitway located at Carling Avenue and the Ottawa River Parkway. It is adjacent but not connected to nearby Lincoln Heights Galleria Shopping Centre. It is the main western hub of the transitway system and has a ticket sales and information office...
were added in 2009 in order to handle extra passengers due to removal of direct-to-downtown routes from the west end in order of improved traffic conditions in the downtown core.
Communities Served
- Jackson Trails (Stittsville)
- Fernbank (Stittsville)
- Katimavik (Kanata)
- Glen Cairn (corner of Castlefrank and Hazeldean)
- Bayshore
- Lincoln HeightsLincoln Heights (Ottawa)Lincoln Heights is a neighbourhood in western Ottawa, bounded to the south by Carling Avenue, to the north by the Ottawa River, to the west by Pinecrest Avenue, and to the east by Woodroffe Avenue....
- Westboro
- MechanicsvlileMechanicsville (Ottawa)Mechanicsville is a neighbourhood of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. It is located to the west of downtown and bordered by the Ottawa River to the north, the transitway railway to the east, Scott Street to the south, and Parkdale Avenue to the west...
- Sandy Hill
Major Attractions/Locations along the route
- Goulburn Recreational Centre (Stittsville)
- Kanata Centrum (located adjacent Terry FoxTerry Fox Station (OC Transpo)Terry Fox Transitway Station is a bus-stop on Ottawa, Ontario, Canada's transitway served by OC Transpo buses and named after cancer research activist Terry Fox...
)
- Hazeldean Mall (service at the corner of Hazeldean and Castlefrank)
- Nortel Networks headquarters (service on Highway 417 off-ramp at Moodie Drive)
- Bayshore Shopping CentreBayshore Shopping CentreBayshore Shopping Centre is a major shopping mall located in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, more specifically in the former city of Nepean, Ontario. The mall is one of the busiest in the National Capital Region as it attracts about 7 million visitors per year from across the city and the surrounding...
- Pinecrest Shopping Centre
- Lincoln Fields Shopping Centre
- Deschenes Rapids/Westboro Beach
- Westboro Village
- Tunney's PastureTunney's PastureTunney's Pasture is an area within the City of Ottawa, Ontario, that is exclusively developed for Canada's federal government buildings. It is bordered by Scott Street to the south, Parkdale Avenue to the east, the Ottawa River Parkway to the north and Northwestern Avenue to the west...
government complex
- Canadian War MuseumCanadian War MuseumThe Canadian War Museum is Canada’s national museum of military history. Located in Ottawa, Ontario, the museum covers all facets of Canada’s military past, from the first recorded instances of death by armed violence in Canadian history several thousand years ago to the country’s most recent...
(north of Lebreton Station)
- National LibraryNational libraryA national library is a library specifically established by the government of a country to serve as the preeminent repository of information for that country. Unlike public libraries, these rarely allow citizens to borrow books...
- Bank StreetBank Street (Ottawa)Bank Street is the major north-south road in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. It runs south from Wellington Street in downtown Ottawa, south through the neighbourhoods of Centretown, The Glebe, Old Ottawa South, Alta Vista, Hunt Club, and then through the villages of Blossom Park, Leitrim, South...
Promenade
- Sparks Street Mall
- World Exchange PlazaWorld Exchange PlazaThe World Exchange Plaza is a building in downtown Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. The first phase of the project was completed in 1991. It covers an entire city block between Metcalfe and O'Connor south of Queen Street. The twenty-storey building was unusual in Ottawa for its visual flair. The eastern...
- Parliament HillParliament HillParliament Hill , colloquially known as The Hill, is an area of Crown land on the southern banks of the Ottawa River in downtown Ottawa, Ontario. Its Gothic revival suite of buildingsthe parliament buildings serves as the home of the Parliament of Canada and contains a number of architectural...
(north of Metcalfe StationMetcalfe Station (OC Transpo)Metcalfe Station is a bus station on OC Transpo's Central Transitway. There are two parts of the station, as the Transitway runs on two parallel streets. The north station serves westbound traffic, and is found on Albert Street, and the south station serves eastbound traffic, and is found on...
)
- Chateau LaurierChâteau LaurierThe Fairmont Château Laurier is a landmark hotel in Downtown Ottawa, Ontario located near the intersection of Rideau Street and Sussex Drive designed in the Châteauesque style.-History:...
- National Arts CentreNational Arts CentreThe National Arts Centre is a centre for the performing arts located in Ottawa, Ontario, between Elgin Street and the Rideau Canal...
- Major's Hill ParkMajor's Hill ParkMajor's Hill Park is one of the most notable parks in downtown Ottawa. The park stands above the Rideau Canal at the point where it enters the Ottawa River. Across the canal to the west are the parliament buildings, to the north of the park is the National Gallery of Canada, and to the east are...
- United States Embassy
- National Gallery of CanadaNational Gallery of CanadaThe National Gallery of Canada , located in the capital city Ottawa, Ontario, is one of Canada's premier art galleries.The Gallery is now housed in a glass and granite building on Sussex Drive with a notable view of the Canadian Parliament buildings on Parliament Hill. The acclaimed structure was...
(a short 5 minute walk from Metcalfe Station)
- Rideau CentreRideau CentreRideau Centre is a three-level shopping centre on Rideau Street in Downtown Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. It borders on Rideau Street , the Rideau Canal, the Mackenzie King Bridge, and Nicholas Street....
/Byward MarketByward MarketByWard Market is a district in Lower Town located east of the government & business district, surrounding the market buildings and open-air market on George, York, ByWard and William Streets.The district is bordered on the west by Sussex Drive, on the...
- Rideau CanalRideau CanalThe Rideau Canal , also known as the Rideau Waterway, connects the city of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada on the Ottawa River to the city of Kingston, Ontario on Lake Ontario. The canal was opened in 1832 as a precaution in case of war with the United States and is still in use today, with most of its...
& Rideau Canal Locks
- University of OttawaUniversity of OttawaThe University of Ottawa is a bilingual, research-intensive, non-denominational, international university in Ottawa, Ontario. It is one of the oldest universities in Canada. It was originally established as the College of Bytown in 1848 by the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate...
See also
- OC Transpo RoutesOC Transpo routesOC Transpo is a public transit authority that operates about 139 bus routes in the Ottawa-Gatineau region of Canada. It also operates the O-Train.-Route Colours:...
- Ottawa Rapid TransitOttawa Rapid TransitIn Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, the public transit service operated by OC Transpo has two rapid transit systems: the Transitway, a bus rapid transit network, and the O-Train, a diesel-powered light rail transit service operated on one line.-Major routes:...
- 96 Stittsville Facbook Group
96 Stittsville Facebook Group: link title