There will be 109 per cent more cars travelling on Metro Winnipeg streets in 1999, according to Metro's Area Transportation Study.

Generalized details of the comprehensive study were revealed by Metro officials at the Canadian Planning Association's transportation conference in the Hotel Fort Garry Thursday afternoon.

Transit Director D. I. MacDonald told the delegates that the study took in all aspects of community life, including work routes, living areas and income.

He said that in 1966, the total cost of owning and operating all automobiles in the Metro area was $149,000,000. By 1991, this will increase to $312,000,000.

If implemented, the study would create a transit system covering 98 square miles, compared to the existing 56 square miles.

Unofficially, Metro officials were reported to have put the total tab for the whole scheme at $750,000,000.

The 25-year projections forecast that in the Metro area, the population will be 780,000 in 1991 — a 53 per cent increase over the 1966 total of 504,000 — the Manitoba population in 1966 was 963,000. The Metro study predicts it will be 1,264,000 in 1991.

In 1966, about 206,000 persons were employed in the Metro area. The study predicts that, within 25 years, there will be a 55 per cent increase, making a total of 319,000 persons in the Metro area. People employed in downtown Winnipeg in 1966 formed 40 per cent of the Metropolitan population and, by 1991, it is expected that this total will decrease to 29.6 per cent.

The University of Manitoba proved to be the largest traffic attractor outside the downtown Winnipeg area, according to Metro studies.

The study proposes a connecting road east of Pembina Hwy. from the university area, across the Red River to St. Mary's Rd. in St. Vital.

In addition to the proposed 15 subway trains, there would be 650 buses and 95 feeder buses.