News Releases
Tuesday, July 20, 2010 News from the City of Lawrence
(Sent: 2010-07-20 09:12:26)NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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Tuesday, July 20, 2010 News from the City of Lawrence
1) Big changes for transit service effective August 2
2) Street maintenance project on Connecticut may affect traffic
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Contact: Robert Nugent, transit administrator, (785) 832-3464 or Derek Meier, transportation coordinator, kuonwheels@ku.edu, (785) 864-4644
1) Big changes for transit service effective August 2
(Lawrence, Kan.) – Change is in the air for the buses on the streets of Lawrence. Starting August 2, service changes will affect almost half of the existing transit routes.
The changes are intended to improve access to the city and university, increase service frequency, and make the best use of resources available.
Changes were based on the second round of recommendations issued in March by a team of nationally recognized transportation specialists hired to assist in coordinating the transit systems operated by the City of Lawrence and The University of Kansas. Those recommendations were then shared with the public and modified based on feedback received to become the changes that will be implemented August 2.
“These route changes are the culmination of a considerable planning process,” said Robert Nugent, transit administrator. “The highlights include better connections on the west side of town, more transfer opportunities, and a new style of service known as Flex on Route 3.”
The initial round of service changes began last fall and largely centered on the introduction of Route 11, the first route operated jointly by the city and university. Route 11 was created to serve as the spine of the coordinated transit system. It connects with nearly every other route in the city and university systems.
“Route 11 has become a tremendously successful route during the first year,” said Derek Meier, transportation coordinator. “Ridership is up, buses are full, feedback is positive, and expectations have been exceeded.”
The two transit systems have been working cooperatively over the last few years, maximizing the service that can be provided with available resources. Each year, service adjustments will be made in August to coincide with the start of the university’s school year.
An overview of this year's service changes is as follows:
• Route 1 and Route 2 will be merged into a single route, called Route 1. The route will serve East Lawrence from Downtown to 23rd Street and Haskell Indian Nations University.
• Route 2 will no longer exist.
• Route 3 will be modified to include peak and off-peak alignments, and an off-peak Flex zone. During off-peak periods, the fixed route will end at Lawrence Memorial Hospital and riders may call and schedule to be picked up at any address in the Flex service area.
• Route 5 will be split into two routes, called Route 5 and Route 9. Route 5 will travel from South Iowa to the East Hills Business Park. Route 9 will travel from South Iowa to 6th and Wakarusa.
• Route 6 will be split into two routes called Route 6 and Route 10. Route 6 will travel from Downtown to 6th and Wakarusa, via 6th Street. Route 10 will travel from Downtown to 6th and Wakarusa via 9th and 15th Streets, and will return via the KU campus.
• Route 7 will be modified to create more frequency. There will be no changes to the route alignment.
• Route 9 is a new route created by splitting Route 5 into two routes. It will travel from South Iowa to 6th and Wakarusa.
• Route 10 is a new route created by splitting Route 6 into two routes. It will travel from Downtown to 6th and Wakarusa via 9th and 15th Streets, and will return via the KU campus.
• Route 26 alignment will be modified to reduce overcrowding.
More details are available in the new Guide to Ride, which includes route and schedule information for both city and university bus routes. Guides are available on buses, at City Hall, grocery stores, and across the KU campus. To get help planning a route or for more information, call (785) 864-4644 or visit www.lawrencetransit.org.
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2) Street maintenance project on Connecticut may affect traffic
(Lawrence, Kan.) – On Wednesday, July 21, a contractor for the City of Lawrence will begin a patching, milling and overlay project on Connecticut Street from 7th to 15th Street. The project is expected to last approximately two weeks and will occur during the hours of 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. During construction, one block at a time will be closed to traffic. Access for residents and businesses in the area will be maintained.
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