Metro, the provider of more than 17 million bus rides annually, last updated its regional transit plan in 2008. The addition of new technologies, ever-shifting demographics and the development of new destinations and employment centers has led the agency to revisit how it can best serve the community's transportation needs.
The result is Way to Go, a series of short-term solutions and long-term recommendations developed through market research, surveys, and extensive public feedback performed by Metro since March.
Short-term solutions identified in the draft plan, which can be implemented using existing funding, include changes to 17 existing bus routes and the addition of a Metro*Plus bus rapid transit (BRT) demonstration project that would connect Downtown and Kenwood via Montgomery Road, announced late last month.
Long-term recommendations include full BRT service, additional crosstown routes, neighborhood circulators, more express buses and park-and-ride locations, call-and-ride zones, transit centers and upgraded stops, and additional shelters. Changes also would be made to eight high-ridership routes, improving bus frequency and capacity.
The public open houses will be held:
- Today from 10 A.M.-11 A.M. at Clovernook Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired, 7000 Hamilton Avenue;
- Today from 2 P.M.-3 P.M. at the Cincinnati-Hamilton County Community Action Agency, Room 210, 1740 Langdon Farm Road;
- Tomorrow from 10 A.M.-11 A.M. at the University of Cincinnati Blue Ash Science and Allied Health Building, 9555 Plainfield Road;
- Tomorrow from 7 P.M.-8 P.M. at Westwood Town Hall, 3017 Harrison Avenue;
- November 15 from 10 A.M.-11 A.M. at Metro's offices, 602 Main Street, 12th floor;
- November 15 from 2 P.M.-3 P.M. at Cincinnati State Technical and Community College, The Point Room, 3520 Central Parkway; and
- November 16 from 10 A.M.-11 A.M. at Madisonville Recreation Center, 5320 Stewart Road.
Metro anticipates presenting the completed plan to the community next spring.
Previous reading on BC:
Montgomery Road Metro*Plus service to be precursor to bus rapid transit (10/31/12)
Metro announces plans for $6.9M Uptown Transit District (10/23/12)
$2.5M FTA grant to provide Metro with six more 'mini-hybrid' buses (7/25/12)
Cincinnati group attends intensive bus rapid transit workshop (3/29/12)
Metro to update regional transit plan, study Uptown service (3/15/12)
