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HomeMy WebLinkAbout09 Preferred Alternative_20200901 - sentNelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates, Inc. | 9-1 9 PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE The Iowa City Area Transit Study (ICATS) Preferred Alternative was developed using public input, market conditions, and existing ridership data. Initially, three scenarios were developed that represent different principles of route planning and areas of emphasis . Following a public outreach and comment period on these three scenarios, a fiscally constrained Preferred Alternative was developed to address operational issues, future growth, industry-standard best practices for route design, and established project goals. OVERVIEW The ICATS project seeks to improve transit service to better serve existing and potential riders, new developments, and essential services in the community. Two rounds of public outreach were conducted as part of the ICATS process. After hearing from residents through public meetings, conversations about the system, and online and in-person surveys, the service planning team developed a Preferred Alternative to best meet the needs of the community. The Preferred Alternative is fiscally constrained and designed for implementation with existing resources. The service proposed in this Preferred Alternative is for academic schedule periods of the year. Summer and holiday service would likely see service reductions by CAMBUS and Iowa City Transit, in similar fashion to current practice. Numbers are added to route names in the Preferred Alternative, based on positive feedback from riders and non-riders during outreach, who confirmed that numbering routes would make them easier to understand. In the numbering system recommended for the Preferred Alternative, numbers 1 through 19 are reserved for Iowa City Transit, numbers 20 through 29 are reserved for Coralville Transit, and numbers 30 and above are reserved for CAMBUS.1 Key themes addressed by the Preferred Alternative include: ▪ Increasing frequency on core routes ▪ Simplifying routes ▪ Addressing on-time performance ▪ Providing more direct service to popular destinations Details for proposed service are described in the agency -specific sections of this report that follow. 1 If route numbering is coordinated with the 380 Express intercity bus, it is recommended that route be numbered 380 or 380X. Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates, Inc. | 9-2 CAMBUS Figure 1 CAMBUS Preferred Alternative System Map Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates, Inc. | 9-3 Figure 2 CAMBUS Preferred Alternative Service Summary Route Service Summary Frequency: Proposed Weekday Frequency: Proposed Night/Wknd. Service Span: Preferred Alternative 30 East Campus Shuttle No change from today. Serves the downtown Iowa City and campus area in a clockwise loop on Jefferson Street, Clinton Street, Prentiss Street, and Madison Street. 15 -- 6:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m. (M-F) 31 Hawk Lot/Hospital No change in alignment from today. Serves the Hawkeye Commuter Lot and the West Campus Transportation Center. This loop route would operate counter-clockwise in the a.m. and clockwise in the p.m. Span of service broadened and peak period frequency improved. 7/10/7 20 4:40 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. (M-F) 32 Hawkeye - Interdorm A night and weekends route connecting Mayflower Residence Hall, the Pentacrest Downtown Interchange, West Campus Transportation Center, Hawkeye Commuter Lot, and Aspire at West Campus. This route would include weekend late-night Interdorm Saferide service. -- 30-60 8:00 p.m. - 1:00 a.m. (M-F) 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 a.m. (Wknd) 34 Hawkeye Express No change in alignment from today. Connects Hawkeye Commuter Lot and Aspire at West Campus with Newton Road and Pentacrest Downtown Interchange. Span of service broadened and frequency improved. 20 -- 4:40 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. (M-F) 35 Hospital Finkbine/Arena No change in alignment from today. Connects Finkbine and Arena lots with West Campus Transportation Center. p.m. period frequency improved. 4/12/4/6 -- 4:45 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. (M-F) 37 Interdorm No change from today. Connects Mayflower Resident Hall with Pentacrest Downtown Interchange and Rienow/Slater hall area. 10/30/10/20 30 6:30 a.m. - 10:45 p.m. (M-F) 8:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m. (Wknd) 38 Hospital via Hancher No change from today. Connects Hancher Lot with Newton Road in a.m. period only. 15 6:30 a.m. - 8:30 a.m. (M-F) 39 North Hospital Shuttle No change in alignment from today. Connects Finkbine and Arena lots with Newton Road in early a.m. period only. 12 -- 4:30 a.m. - 6:45 a.m. (M-F) 40 Pentacrest Connects Pentacrest Downtown Interchange with Newton Road, Arena Lot, and Finkbine Lot. Nighttime deviation to West Campus Transportation Center would be eliminated. 15/20 15-30 6:30 a.m. - 12:15 a.m. (M-F) 41 Blue No change in alignment from today. A counter-clockwise loop route connecting East Campus, the Pentacrest Downtown Interchange, Rienow/Slater hall area, West Campus Transportation Center, Newton Road, and Hancher Lot. 12 36 6:30 a.m. - 12:30 a.m. (M-F) 11:00 a.m. - 12:30 a.m. (Wknd) 42 Red No change in alignment from today. A clockwise loop route connecting the Pentacrest Downtown Interchange, East Campus, Hancher Lot, Newton Road, West Campus Transportation Center, and Rienow/Slater hall area. 12 36 6:30 a.m. - 12:30 a.m. (M-F) 11:15 a.m. - 12:45 a.m. (Wknd) 43 Research Park Connects the Coralville Research Park area with Newton Road via 12th Avenue, Holiday Road, 1st Avenue, and 2nd Street/Highway 6. Deviates to serve the N Ridge Drive/Waterford Drive/Holiday Road residential community during peak hours. 30 -- 5:45 a.m. - 7:15 p.m. (M-F) Note: Frequencies are in minutes. A slash between frequency numbers indicates that frequency changes throughout the day, typically with on- and off-peak periods. For example, 30/60/30 indicates three periods of varying frequencies: one period of 30-minute frequency service, followed by a period of 60-minute frequency service, followed by a period of 30-minute frequency service. Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates, Inc. | 9-4 Key Themes for CAMBUS Recommendations CAMBUS’ current system is a blend of intra-campus circulation service, commuter parking shuttle service, and inter-campus shuttle service. The system operates productive core routes but also provides a number of routes that duplicate one another in purpose, operating span, and alignment. The recommended changes to CAMBUS service in the Preferred Alternative focus on three key areas: ▪ Better the serving Hawkeye Commuter Lot: The Hawkeye Commuter Lot is currently served by four routes that provide similar service and overlap on much of their alignment. This service is confusing for many riders and connections from the Hawkeye Commuter Lot to downtown Iowa City are significantly less frequent than those to the Hospital area. Recommendations in the Preferred Alternative focus on simplifying service to the Hawkeye Commuter Lot and increasing the frequency of service from the Hawkeye Commuter Lot to downtown Iowa City. ▪ Coordinating with Coralville Transit: Many University of Iowa students, faculty, and staff live in Coralville and use both Coralville Transit and CAMBUS. Also, a number of University of Iowa campus facilities are located in Coralville. The recommended Preferred Alternative considers CAMBUS and Coralville Transit resources holistically — instead of in silos—to better serve these markets. ▪ Right-sizing Mayflower service: Mayflower Residence Hall is currently served by four routes, at different times of the day and week. This duplication provides slightly more service than is necessary and the recommendations shift these resources to parts of the system where they can serve more riders. The Preferred Alternative will have some drawbacks that may affect certain marke ts’ mobility. Mayflower Residence Hall is recommended to be served by fewer routes and trips, which — although appropriate—will inconvenience some residents. Ridership at Mayflower Residence Hall is not likely to decrease, as it retains 10-minute service throughout much of the day. The recommended changes to the Research Park route extend its running time slightly, which may inconvenience some riders. Challenges with congestion on Newton Road and Hawkins Road are likely to persist, absent transit priority improvements. Most CAMBUS riders will see little change to their campus mobility and many are likely to experience an improvement. The major benefits to CAMBUS riders and the University community include improvements to system legibility and improved service from the Hawkeye Commuter Lot to downtown. The recommended 20-minute all-day service from the Hawkeye Commuter Lot to downtown on a single route will make parking at this location (the largest lot on campus) a more appealing scenario for University employees. This service will also increase mobility for the hundreds of Aspire at West Campus residents, providing them more frequent, direct service to main campus. Ridership at Aspire at West Campus will likely increase as their access to downtown is improved. Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates, Inc. | 9-5 Route-Level Recommendations Route 30: East Campus Shuttle This route is an East Campus circulator that also serves parking locations south of Burlington Street. No change is recommended for this route. Route 31: Hawk Lot/Hospital The Hawk Lot/Hospital route serves the Hawkeye Commuter Lot and West Campus Transportation Center. The current Hawk Lot/Hospital route operates only in peak periods, which means mid-day riders must learn the direction and alignment of another route to make a return trip. To simplify this and to accommodate the recommended elimination of the Hawkeye- Hospital route, Route 31 should offer mid-day service every 10 minutes and late evening service every 20 minutes. Route 31 should also increase the frequency of its peak-period service from every 10 to every seven minutes, to accommodate demand caused by the recommended elimination of the Hawkeye-Hospital route. Expanding service on Route 31 will simplify overall service to the Hawkeye Commuter Lot and provide a consistent, recognizable route option for people parking at this location and working at in the hospital area. Route 32: Hawkeye-Interdorm The current Hawkeye-Interdorm provides an important cross-campus connection but duplicates weekday service provided by the existing Interdorm, Red, Blue, and Hawk Lot routes. It also spends a significant amount of in-service time to serve the Mayflower Residence Hall, which is served by three other routes. Most of the resources used to operate this largely duplicative route are recommended to be reallocated to other services. To improve service legibility and reduce rider confusion, Route 32 should provide only weekday night and weekend service, connecting the Hawkeye Commuter Lot and Aspire at West Campus, which complements—without duplicating—the daytime service provided by other routes. It would perform the same late-night and weekend complementary service for the Interdorm, Red, and Blue routes. Route 32 should be re-aligned to operate bi-directionally on Melrose Avenue, instead of 1st Avenue, 2nd Street/Highway 6, and Hawkins Road. This will improve route legibility for riders and serve the Melrose Avenue corridor, which is just north of high -density student housing. The remainder of the route’s alignment would remain the same. Stopping on Melrose Avenue will likely increase ridership on this route and be popular with riders. Route 34: Hawkeye Express The current Hawkeye Express route provides a weekday express connection from Hawkeye Commuter Lot and Aspire at West Campus to Newton Road and downtown Iowa City, without a stop at West Campus Transportation Center. The alignment of this route serves its purpose well, so no change in alignment is recommended. In the a.m., this route would travel east on Newton Road and west on Highway 6. In the p.m., this route would travel west on Newton Road and east on Highway 6. Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates, Inc. | 9-6 The current Hawkeye Express route is not a high-frequency service: it operates every 40 minutes during peak periods. This frequency is recommended to be improved to every 20 minutes from 4:40 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on weekdays, providing a frequent connection to Newton Road and downtown Iowa City for Hawkeye Commuter Lot parkers and Aspire at West Campus residents. The increase in span of service and frequency on Route 34 will compensate for t he elimination of daytime Hawkeye-Interdorm service and provide significantly faster, more legible service for hundreds of commuters and Aspire residents. Ridership on this route will likely increase considerably and single-occupancy vehicle travel from Aspire to downtown Iowa City will likely also decrease, taking pressure off downtown and campus parking ramps. Route 35: Hospital Finkbine/Arena The current Hospital Finkbine/Arena route serves primarily as a weekday commuter shuttle service between the Finkbine and Arena lots and the West Campus Transportation Center. The route alignment is simple and serves its purpose well, so no change in alignment is recommended. Demand is slightly greater later in the evening, so Route 35 is recommended to operate weekd ays from 4:45 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., instead of 4:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. To accommodate slightly reduced frequency on Route 40, the route’s p.m. period frequency should increase from every four to 12 minutes to every four to six minutes. Route 37: Interdorm The current Interdorm route connects the Mayflower Residence Hall, downtown Iowa City and East Campus, and the Slater/Rienow hall area on West Campus. It is the highest -ridership and - productivity route in the CAMBUS system. No change is recommended. Route 38: Hospital via Hancher This route serves primarily as a weekday a.m. period commuter shuttle between the Hancher Lots and Newton Road. No change is recommended. Route 39: North Hospital Shuttle The current North Hospital Shuttle serves primarily as a weekday peak-period commuter shuttle between the Finkbine and Arena lots and Newton Road. Ridership is relatively low and is lower in the p.m. peak period than the a.m. peak period, and the route duplicates service provided by the Pentacrest route. To simplify service and reduce confusion, Route 39 is recommended to not operate simultaneously with Route 40 and only to operate from 4:30 a.m. to 6:45 a.m., before Route 40 service has begun. This will provide access for Newton Road area employees who arrive at Finkbine and Arena lots before Pentacrest is operating. The Route 39 alignment is simple and effective so no change in alignment is recommended. Route 40: Pentacrest The current Pentacrest route provides a frequent, direct weekday connection between the Pentacrest Downtown Interchange, Newton Road, and the Finkbine and Arena lots. This bi- directional alignment serves its purpose well so no change in alignment is recommended. Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates, Inc. | 9-7 To improve route legibility and reduce rider confusion, Route 40 is recommended to operate a consistent alignment, without a nighttime alternate alignment to the West Campus Transportation Center. Travel to the West Campus Transportation Center will be possible from the Pentacrest Downtown Interchange after 7:00 p.m. on weekdays via the 32 Hawkeye- Interdorm and 42 Red routes. Route 41: Blue The current Blue route operates in a counter-clockwise loop through east and west campus, serving Hancher Lot, Newton Road, West Campus Transportation Center, Slater/Rienow halls, and the Pentacrest Downtown Interchange. This route serves the Mayflower Residence Hall after 7:30 p.m. on weekdays. The Blue Route has the second-highest ridership in the CAMBUS system. Route 41 is recommended to operate an evening period of 18-minute frequency service as an intermediary step between p.m. peak 12-minute service and later evening 36-minute service, to accommodate some of the evening demand that was previously served by the Hawkeye-Interdorm route. Route 41 is recommended to begin operating a half-hour later on weekdays, at 6:30 a.m., as early a.m. ridership on the route is currently low. No change in alignment is recommended for this route. Route 42: Red The current Red route operates the same loop as the Blue route but clockwise. The Red route has the third-highest ridership in the CAMBUS system. Both the Red and Blue routes provide important intra-campus circulation service. Route 42 is recommended to operate an evening period of 18-minute frequency service as an intermediary step between p.m. peak 12-minute service and later evening 36-minute service, to accommodate some of the evening demand that was previously served by the Hawkeye-Interdorm route. No change in alignment is recommended for this route. Route 43: Research Park The current Research Park route connects the University of Iowa’s Research Park community with the Newton Road area via all-day weekday 30-minute service. As part of recommended Preferred Alternative coordination with Coralville Transit, Route 43 is recommended to deviate to serve N Ridge Drive, Westford Drive, and Holiday Road in the inbound direction in the morning and outbound direction in the afternoon. Providing CAMBUS service to this neighborhood, which is proposed to lose Coralville Transit service in the Preferred Alternative, is an efficient, collaborative recommendation that allows Coralville Transit to better use its resources for more productive service. This deviation will likely increase ridership on Route 43 by approximately 20 daily riders but will result in longer travel times for some riders. Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates, Inc. | 9-8 Eliminated Routes Hawkeye-Hospital One key goal of the CAMBUS Preferred Alternative was to streamline service to the Hawkeye Commuter Lot and make it easier to understand. To this end, the Hawkeye-Hospital route is recommended to be eliminated and replaced by other service. The Hawkeye-Hospital route currently serves largely as a commuter shuttle, connecting the Hawkeye Commuter Lot, Aspire at West Campus, West Campus Transportation Center, and Newton Road. The route duplicates service provided by other routes and has the second-lowest productivity in the CAMBUS system. Because of the route’s duplicative service and low productivity, it is recommended for elimination. Riders currently served by this route will be able to use the 31 Haw k Lot/Hospital and 34 Hawkeye Express to make their trips. Mayflower Shuttle Another key goal of the CAMBUS Preferred Alternative was to re-allocate resources away from Mayflower Residence Hall, which is currently over -served by four routes. To this end, the Mayflower Shuttle is recommended to be eliminated. The Mayflower Shuttle currently operates only during a.m. periods on weekdays, providing supplemental service between the Mayflower Residence Hall and the Pentacrest Downtown Interchange. This route duplicates service offered by the Interdorm route and has below-average productivity for a CAMBUS route. Because of its duplicative alignment, this route is recommended to be eliminated. This should reduce confusion for riders without negatively impacting mobility for Mayflower Residence Hall residents. Riders currently served by this route will be able to use Route 37 to make their trips. Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates, Inc. | 9-9 CORALVILLE TRANSIT Figure 3 Coralville Transit Preferred Alternative System Map Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates, Inc. | 9-10 Figure 4 Coralville Transit Preferred Alternative Service Summary Route Service Summary Frequency: Proposed Weekday Frequency: Proposed Night/Sat. Service Span: Preferred Alternative 20 Iowa River Landing Connects Iowa River Landing with downtown Iowa City via Newton Road in Iowa City. 60-minute mid-day service is added and the route is extended to downtown Iowa City. 30/60/30 -- 6:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m. (M-F) 21 5th Street Connects downtown Iowa City with the Walmart-anchored shopping center north of I-80, with stops at the Coral Ridge Mall, in Coralville’s residential communities, and on Newton Road in Iowa City. Operates bi-directionally instead of as a loop. 30/60/30 -- 6:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m. (M-F) 22 North Liberty No change from today. This route provides one trip in the a.m. and p.m. peak periods that connects North Liberty, Iowa River Landing, and downtown Iowa City via Front Street NE, 12th Avenue, Holiday Road, and 1st Avenue, and Newton Road in Iowa City. One trip -- Peak period only (M-F) 23 10th Street Connects downtown Iowa City with the Coral Ridge Mall, with stops in Coralville residential communities and on Newton Road in Iowa City. Operates bi-directionally instead of as a loop. 30/60/30 -- 6:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. (M-F) 24 Saturday & Night Weekday night and Saturday service covering Coralville residential communities in a loop, with stops at Iowa River Landing, on Newton Road in Iowa City, and in downtown Iowa City. -- 60 6:30 p.m. - 12:30 a.m. (M-F) 7:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. (Sat.) Note: Frequencies are in minutes. A slash between frequency numbers indicates that frequency changes throughout the day, typically with on- and off-peak periods. For example, 30/60/30 indicates three periods of varying frequencies: one period of 30-minute frequency service, followed by a period of 60-minute frequency service, followed by a period of 30-minute frequency service. Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates, Inc. | 9-11 Key Themes for Coralville Transit Recommendations Coralville Transit currently operates a coverage-based commuter system that connects most of Coralville’s residential communities to the Newton Road and downtown areas of Iowa City. The Preferred Alternative recommends improvements to this system that enhance its viability for non-commute trips and make the system easier to understand. The recommended changes to Coralville Transit service in the Preferred Alternative focus on three key areas: ▪ Better non-commute trip options: The Walmart-anchored mall district north of I-80 is currently not well served by Coralville Transit, and service in the Highway 6 commercial area is challenged by poor pedestrian infrastructure. The Preferred Alternative provides all -day bi-directional service to these shopping opportunities and strengthens connections to downtown Iowa City from Iowa River Landing by providing direct, all -day service. ▪ Improvements to Iowa River Landing service: Iowa River Landing is the fastest-growing part of Coralville but current Coralville Transit service has not yet caught up to its growth. The Preferred Alternative provides bi-directional all-day service to Iowa River Landing, strengthens the neighborhood’s connection to the University of Iowa campus and downtown Iowa City, and re -aligns routes to serve major residential developments. Iowa River Landing is likely to see Coralville Transit’s fastest-growing ridership under the Preferred Alternative. ▪ Improved system legibility: Coralville Transit routes currently operate primarily in large loops, which forces many riders to travel out -of-direction and take longer trips. These loops can also be confusing. The Preferred Alternative shifts Coralville Transit to bi-directional alignments, which are easier to understand, allow riders to take shorter trips, and use municipal resources more efficiently. This should increase ridership along bi-directional corridors. Shortcomings of the Preferred Alternative will largely be experienced by riders of the existing AM Express and Express routes in i n the neighborhood west of 12th Avenue. Approximately five riders will need to walk more than ¼-mile to access the proposed CAMBUS 43 Research Park route during peak periods, and approximately 21 riders will need to walk more than ¼-mile to access mid-day service on this route. The CAMBUS 43 Research Park, however, will operate every 30 minutes and is zero-fare. The benefit of more frequent, zero-fare service may outweigh the increased walking distance for some riders. Systemwide, ridership should increase, driven by improvements to route alignment, access to shopping destinations, all -day connections, and improved service to Iowa River Landing. Any partnership developed with large residential housing operators to fund service improvements will likely furthe r boost ridership and offset operating costs. Improvements to system legibility will also make the system more attractive to new, f irst-time riders. Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates, Inc. | 9-12 Route-Level Recommendations Route 20: Iowa River Landing The current Iowa River Landing route connects Iowa River Landing with Newton Road in Iowa City. The route suffers from on -time performance issues but is productive, and its trip times and destination are designed to accommodate hospital employees—not students. Latitude, a large student apartment complex, operates a free, Latitude resident-only bus service from Iowa River Landing to downtown Iowa City on a schedule tailored to stud ents. This service competes for riders with Coralville Transit. To better serve the student market and growing commercial development in Iowa River Landing, Route 20 is recommended to exten d from its current Newton Road terminus to the Pentacrest Downtown Interchange. Route 20 should also depart the Iowa River Landing area on E 7 th Street to provide better service to Latitude and avoid congestion on E 9th Street. Route 20 should replace the privately-operated Latitude service. Route 20 is recommended to operate every 60 minutes on weekdays between 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Morning peak service should begin at 6:30 a.m., instead of 5:30 a.m., due to low ridership on the first morning trip. In addition, afternoon 30 -minute peak service should be extended from 5:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. In downtown Iowa City, Route 20 would interline with the proposed Route 21 5 th Street. This means that every inbound Route 20 trip arriving at the Pentacrest would continue outbound as Route 21, and every inbound route 21 trip arriving at the Pentacrest would continue outbound as Route 20. Route 21: 5th Street The current Lantern Park route operates in a clockwise loop connecting Coralville residential neighborhoods with the University of Iowa, downtown Iowa City, and shopping on Highway 6. To make the route easier for existing and future riders to understand, it is recommended to operate bi -directionally between downtown Iowa City and Walmart-anchored mall district north of I-80, via the Coral Ridge Mall, Lantern Park Plaza, 5th Street, and Newton Road. Route 21 will improve service to and increase ridership at the Walmart commercial area north of I -80. Providing service to this area with Route 21, instead of two infrequent loops (as is current practice) will give Coralville residents more and better access to shopping destinations, as well as a one -seat ride to most of Coralville’s major destinations. Route 21 is recommended to begin operation at 6:30 a.m., instead of the current 6:00 a.m., due to resource constraints. The r oute is recommended to be re-named 21 5th Street to better describe its east-west alignment. In downtown Iowa City, Route 21 would interline with the proposed Route 20 Iowa River Landing. This means that every inbound Route 21 trip arriving at the Pentacrest would continue outbound as Route 20, and every inbound route 20 trip arriving at the Pentacrest would continue outbound as Route 21. The portion of the current route not covered by the recommended realignment will be served by the proposed 23 10th Street. Route 22: North Liberty This route is operated under contract with North Liberty. No change is recommended. Route 23: 10th Street The current 10th Street route operates in a counter-clockwise loop connecting the Coral Ridge Mall and Coralville neighborhoods with the Newton Road area and downtown Iowa City, serving as a directional counterpart to the current Lantern Park route. Having two separate routes that serve the same area in opposite Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates, Inc. | 9-13 directions is confusing for many riders, so it is recommended that Route 23 serve the northern portion of its current alignment to increase system legibility. Route 23 should operate bi-directionally between downtown Iowa City and the Coral Ridge Mall via 7th Street, 14th Avenue, and 10th Street. The portion of the current route not covered by the recommended realignment will be served by the proposed 21 5 th Street. Route 23 is recommended to operate on 14th Avenue between 7th Street and 8th Street, to reduce the number of turning movements and delay. Route 24: Saturday & Night The current Saturday & Night route provides evening and Saturday service to the neighborhoods covered by the existing Lantern Park and 10th Street routes by operating in a counter-clockwise loop from downtown Iowa City, with a stop at Iowa River Landing. No major changes are recommended for this route, as it provides essential weekend and evening service using a small amount of resources. Route 24 is recommended to follow the same alignments and use the same stops as the proposed 21 5 th Street and 23 10th Street in Coralville’s residential communities, and to maintain the Iowa River Landing deviation. At Iowa River Landing, the route is recommended to operate wes tbound on E 7th Street, instead of E 9th Street, to provide better access for the residents of the Latitude apartment complex. Eliminated Routes The AM Express and Express routes are recommended for elimination under the Preferred Alternative. These routes are large, di rectionally-paired loops that connect the Walmart-anchored shopping area, Holiday Road residential communities north of I-80, Iowa River Landing, Newton Road, downtown Iowa City, and Highway 6. The AM Express and Express suffer from poor on -time performance and low productivity, respectively. The size of the loops and their infrequent headway s make them of limited utility to most Coralville residents for shopping trips, so they are used primarily as commuter shuttles. Eli minating these routes will allow their resources to be used for more productive, all-day bi-directional service to the Walmart shopping area. Riders currently using these routes south of I-80 will have improved, all-day service via routes 20, 21, and 24. The approximately 21 riders currently using these routes north of I-80 on Holiday Road west of 12th Avenue, North Ridge Drive, and Lynncrest Drive will have peak period service via the CAMBUS 43 Research Park route, which is a zero-fare service that is recommended to operate with 30 -minute headways. During the mid-day period, these riders will have to walk over ¼- mile to access the 43 Research Park; this is a drawback to the Preferred Alternative. Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates, Inc. | 9-14 IOWA CITY TRANSIT Figure 5 Iowa City Transit Preferred Alternative System Map Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates, Inc. | 9-15 Figure 6 Iowa City Transit Preferred Alternative Service Summary Route Service Summary Frequency: Proposed Weekday Frequency: Proposed Night/Sat. Service Span: Preferred Alternative 1 South Iowa City Connects downtown Iowa City with the commercial area south of Highway 6, South Iowa City residential neighborhoods, and the Heinz Road industrial area. Consolidates service that is currently provided by the Lakeside, Cross Park, and Broadway routes into a single route that operates primarily on a bi-directional alignment. The combination of this route and the 13 South Iowa River provides frequent service on S Gilbert Street between Highway 6 and Kirkwood Avenue. 30/30/30 60 6:30 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. (M-F) 7:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. (Sat.) 2 Court Street Connects downtown Iowa City with E Court Street neighborhoods, with a new terminal loop to Frauenholtz-Miller Park. This route covers some neighborhoods currently served by the Eastside Express and operates bi-directionally on E Court Street. 30/30/30 60 6:00 a.m. – 9:15 p.m. (M-F) 7:00 a.m. – 6:45 p.m. (Sat.) 3 Eastside Loop No change from today. This route provides one trip in the a.m. and p.m. peak periods that connects educational destinations in east Iowa City. The p.m. schedule varies on Thursdays. One trip -- Weekday peak trips only 4 Downtown Shuttle Northside trips are eliminated and the Southside alignment operates more frequently, at 15-minute headways all day. Operates as a zero-fare downtown loop connecting high-density residential neighborhoods to downtown Iowa City. 15/15/15 -- 7:30 a.m. – 6:30 p.m. 5 Lower Muscatine / Kirkwood Connects downtown Iowa City to the Lower Muscatine Road corridor and residential neighborhoods in southeast Iowa City. This route no longer operates a terminal loop in the Heinz Road industrial area or deviates from Lower Muscatine Road to serve off- street stops. The route now turns around at the Bon-Aire Mobile Home Lodge. 20/20/20 40 6:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m. (M-F) 7:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. (Sat.) 6 Peninsula Connects the Peninsula neighborhood and Forest View mobile home community directly to downtown Iowa City, with transfer opportunities to the University of Iowa hospitals. This route no longer serves the Manville Heights neighborhood. 30/60/30 60 6:30 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. (M-F) 7:00 a.m. – 6:30 p.m. (Sat.) 7 North Dodge Connects major employers on Highway 1 with the N Dodge Street and E Market Street corridors and downtown Iowa City. This route no longer deviates to serve Prairie du Chien Road and serves major employers off N Dodge Street on alternating trips. 30/60/30 60 7:00 a.m. – 8:30 p.m. (M-F) 7:30 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. (Sat.) 8 Oakcrest No change in alignment from today but operates more frequently during peak hours, at 15-minute headways. Connects residential neighborhoods in University Heights and Iowa City with the University of Iowa and downtown Iowa City. 15/30/15 60 6:30 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. (M-F) 7:30 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. (Sat.) 9 Towncrest No change in alignment from today. This route connects residential neighborhoods in east Iowa City with the Muscatine Avenue and E Burlington Street corridors and downtown Iowa City. 30/30/30 60 6:30 a.m. – 9:30 p.m. (M-F) 7:00 a.m. – 6:30 p.m. (Sat.) 10 West Iowa City Connects residential neighborhoods in west Iowa City with the University of Iowa and downtown Iowa City. This route covers west Iowa City residential areas currently served by Melrose Express, Plaen View, Westwinds, and Westside Hospital. The route’s two tails are served on alternating trips: one serves Rohret Road and one serves Westside Drive. 30/30/30 60 6:45 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. (M-F) 7:45 a.m. – 7:30 p.m. (Sat.) 11 Rochester Connects residential neighborhoods in northeast Iowa City with downtown Iowa City. This route alignment is slightly altered from the existing Rochester route by serving N Scott Boulevard instead of Amhurst Street. 30/60/30 60 6:30 a.m. – 6:30 p.m. (M-F) 7:00 a.m. – 6:30 p.m. (Sat.) 12 Highway 1 Connects residential neighborhoods in west Iowa City with the Walmart-anchored commercial district south of Highway 6 and downtown Iowa City. This route serves areas currently served by the Plaen View, Westwinds, and Westport Plaza routes. 30/60/30 60 6:30 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. (M-F) 7:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. (Sat.) 13 South Gilbert Connects Cole’s mobile homes, Terry Trueblood Recreation Area, commercial destinations near Highway 6/S Gilbert Street, and S Capitol Street with downtown Iowa City. This route serves areas currently served by the Westport Plaza and Cross Park routes. This route and the 1 South Iowa City combined provide frequent service on S Gilbert Street from Highway 6 to Kirkwood Avenue. 30/60/30 60 7:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. (M-F) 7:30 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. (Sat.) Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates, Inc. | 9-16 Note: Frequencies are in minutes. A slash between frequency numbers indicates that frequency changes throughout the day, typically with on- and off-peak periods. For example, 30/60/30 indicates three periods of varying frequencies: one period of 30-minute frequency service, followed by a period of 60-minute frequency service, followed by a period of 30-minute frequency service. Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates, Inc. | 9-17 Key Themes for Iowa City Transit Recommendations Iowa City Transit currently connects residential neighborhoods throughout Iowa City to two primary destinations: the University of Iowa hospitals and downtown Iowa City. The Preferred Alternative recommends improvements to this system that improve frequency and reliability on routes that serve the most people. The Preferred Alternative also eliminates confusing ‘nights and Saturday’ alignments by operating a consistent network at all times. New routes proposed in the Preferred Alter native will allow many residents greater access to commercial destinations for work and shopping, without needing to transfer at the Pentacrest Downtown Interchange. The recommended changes to Iowa City Transit service in the Preferred Alternative focus on three key areas: ▪ Faster, more frequent, and more reliable service: The Preferred Alternative streamlines existing service by operating most service bi-directionally on major arterials and eliminating loops that require riders to travel out-of-direction. These changes will reduce trip times for many riders and improve on-time performance. The Preferred Alternative increases the frequency on key routes; 8 Oakcrest buses will arrive every 15 minutes and 5 Mall buses will arrive every 20 minutes. ▪ Enhancing non-commute mobility: The Preferred Alternative increases access to commercial destinations without the need for a transfer at the Pentacrest Downtown Interchange , particularly for low-income communities of color in the Pheasant Ridge neighborhood. The Preferred Alternative also increases frequency during non-commute hours for the 4 Downtown Shuttle service to every 15 minutes and on the 5 Mall route to every 40 minutes. ▪ Improved system legibility: Iowa City Transit currently operates two different sets of alignments: daytime routes and ‘nights and Saturday’ routes. This route structure is confusing for existing riders and intimidating for potential future riders. The Preferred Alternative recommends changing the dual alignment to a single, consistent set of alignments, as well as operating fewer loops and route deviations. The Preferred Alternative also recommends shifting bus routes off neighborhood streets and onto arterials. Together, these changes make the system easier for riders to use, in addition to reducing rider trip times and improving on-time performance. Shortcomings of the Preferred Alternative will generally be experienced by riders that will have to walk further to the nearest bus stop, albeit for faster, more frequent, and more reliable service. Proposed re- alignments in the Preferred Alternative improve the transit system and make operations more efficient by removing buses from certain small, neighborhood streets, such as Amhurst Street, Kimball Road, Friendship Street, Huntington Drive, and Hollywood Boulevard. A small amount of riders will also see service removed from their neighborhood altogether, as is the case of the approximately 10 riders currently boarding the Manville Heights route in the Manville Heights neighborhood (some of these riders will still have easy access to zero-fare CAMBUS service). Service is recommended to be removed from these low-ridership corridors to be allocated to areas of greater need and demand. Systemwide, ridership should increase, driven by improvements to ro ute alignment, frequency, access to shopping destinations, and trip times. Any partnership developed with large residential housing operators to fund service improvements will likely further boost ridership and offset operating costs. Improvements to system legibility will also make the system more attractive to new, first -time riders. Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates, Inc. | 9-18 Route-Level Recommendations Route 1: South Iowa City Route 1 South Iowa City is recommended to replace the current Lakeside route. The existing Lakeside route connects south Iowa City neighborhoods and commercial areas with downtown Iowa City via the S Gilbert Street corridor and is relatively productive but suffers from poor on-time performance. The route serves the same areas as the existing Cross Park and Broadway routes, which are recommended to be eliminated in the Preferred Alternative. To provide a simpler, more efficient service in the south Iowa City area, Route 1 is recommended to cover this neighborhood, as well as the Heinz Road industrial area (this is currently served by the Mall route). Route 1 is recommended to operate bi-directionally throughout south Iowa City, instead of on different inbound and outbound corridors, as the Lakeside route currently does. The route is recommended to continue serving S Gilbert Street, given the high-density development occurring on that corridor. Route 1 is recommended to serve Highland Avenue on inbound trips, which will provide service to some riders that currently use the Broadway route, which is recommended to be eliminated. Route 1 is recommended to operate with weekday 30-minute all-day and 60-minute nighttime service, from 6:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. The 30-minute mid-day service is an improvement over the hourly mid-day service currently operated on the Lakeside route, although the span of service is approximately one hour fewer than the Lakeside route. Route 1 will operate from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Saturdays, which is approximately 1.5 hours fewer than the current Lakeside route, due to resource constraints. The proposed Route 1 will also offer riders transfer opportunities to the proposed Route 5 Mall, which will serve The Quarters apartments and Bon-Aire Mobile Home Lodge. The route is recommended to be called South Iowa City to better describe its service area. Route 2: Court Street The current Court Hill route operates from downtown Iowa City to neighborhoods east of downtown, turning around on Friendship Street. The route has 344 average weekday boardings but suffers from poor on-time performance. The route duplicates some of the alignment of the existing Eastside Express. To more efficiently allocate resources and reduce duplicative service, Route 2 is proposed to operate further east and serve neighborhoods that are currently served by the Eastside Express route, which is recommended to be eliminated. Route 2 is proposed to turn around north of E Court Street, on Ashford Place, York Place, and Kenneth Drive (which is planned to be extended). Route 2 is proposed to not operate on Friendship Street, which is a smaller, neighborhood-type street that reduces the route’s on- time performance, increases trip times for some riders, and reduces the route’s legibility to new and future riders. Route 2 is recommended to operate with weekday 30-minute all-day and 60-minute night headways. This is an improvement over the existing Court Hill service, which operates at 60-minute headways during the mid-day. Route 2 is recommended to interline with the Route 10 West Iowa City at the Pentacrest Downtown Interchange, providing some riders with a one-seat ride to and from points west of downtown. Route 2 is recommended to be named Court Street to better describe its service corridor. Route 3: Eastside Loop No change is recommended. Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates, Inc. | 9-19 Route 4: Downtown Shuttle The current zero-fare Downtown Shuttle route is split into two alignments: the Northside Shuttle and the Southside Shuttle. One vehicle operates both alignments by repeating two consecutive Southside Shuttle trips and then one Northside Shuttle trip. The Northside Shuttle currently has low ridership (an average of 22 weekday boardings) and low productivity (an average of 12 boardings per service hour) and serves a neighborhood that is close to downtown and has good pedestrian infrastructure. Route 4 is recommended to operate only the Southside Shuttle and to eliminate the Northside Shuttle alignment, so resources can be concentrated on the Southside Shuttle, which sees much higher demand. The Southside Shuttle also suffers from occasional capacity issues, which will be alleviated by shifting resources from the Northside Shuttle. Riders that currently use the Northside Shuttle will still have access to transit via the proposed Preferred Alternative routes 6 Peninsula, 7 North Dodge, and 11 Rochester. No change to the Route 4 span of service is recommended and the route is recommended to be operated every 15 minutes, all day, on weekdays only. Route 5: Lower Muscatine / Kirkwood The current Mall route connects downtown Iowa City with the Kirkwood Avenue and Lower Muscatine Road corridors, as well as with the Heinz Road industrial area. Kirkwood Community College is a major destination on the route. The current route makes two parking lot deviations on Lower Muscatine Road. The route has 353 average weekday boardings but on-time performance is below 70%. The proposed Route 5 Lower Muscatin / Kirkwood is recommended to terminate at the Bon-Aire Mobile Home Lodge, instead of on Heinz Road, and to serve The Quarters apartments, both of which are high- density residential communities. The route is also recommended to no longer deviate off Lower Muscatine Road to serve parking lot stops, which will improve speed and reliability and reduce trip times for many riders. Although the proposed Route 5 will no longer serve the Heinz Road industrial area, that area will be served by the proposed Route 1 South Iowa City. Route 5 is recommended to operate on weekdays at 20 -minute all-day and 40-minute night headways. This is a significant improvement over the current Mall route, which operates at 30 - and 60-minute weekday headways during peak periods and mid-day, respectively. The route is recommended to operate from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. on weekdays, which is earlier than the current Mall route but not later than the current Broadway Night route, which covers Lower Muscatine Road. The proposed Route 5 is also recommended to operate from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., which is approximately 45 minutes fewer than the current Broadway Saturday route, which covers some of the proposed Route 5’s service area. The proposed Route 5 will also offer riders transfer opportunities to the proposed Route 1 South Iowa City, which will stop near The Quarters a partments and Bon-Aire Mobile Home Lodge. Route 6: Peninsula The current Manville Heights route connects downtown Iowa City, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, the Manville Heights neighborhood, and Peninsula communities. For some riders, the route travels far out of direction into the Manville Heights neighborhood, where very few riders board (this section has an average of approximately 10 weekday boardings). On-time performance on this route is low, at under 70% of all timepoints stops occurring on-time. The recommended Route 6 alignment does not serve the Manville Heights neighborhood and the University of Iowa hospitals, due to low ridership on the Manville Heights segment and unsafe operating conditions in winter. Some riders currently using the bus in Manville Heights will have access to zero-fare CAMBUS service on N Riverside Drive, while others will no longer have transit access close to their Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates, Inc. | 9-20 residences. Riders that currently use the route to travel from Peninsula communities to the Universit y of Iowa hospitals will now transfer at the Pentacrest Downtown Interchange to complete their trip. The frequency and service span of Route 6 is not recommended to change significantly. Route 6 is recommended to interline with the Route 7 North Dodge at t he Pentacrest Downtown Interchange. As this route is no longer recommended to serve the Manville Heights neighborhood, it is recommended to be re-named Peninsula to better describe the service area. Route 7: North Dodge The current North Dodge route serves large employers on Highway 1, connecting them with downtown Iowa City via the North Dodge corridor and the E Market Street corridor. The route operates on a couplet on these corridors and bi-directionally on Highway 1, with deviations to Pearson and ACT parking lots, as well as a small residential neighborhood off Prairie du Chien Road. The route chronically poor on-time performance, with 60% of all timepoint stops either late or early. The recommended Route 7 will operate the same alignment but without se rving the Prairie du Chien road deviation. Eliminating this deviation will decrease trip times for many riders and improve on -time performance. Some current North Dodge riders living off Prairie du Chien road will be able to walk to Highway 1 to access the proposed Route 7 but some will need to walk more than ¼ of a mile. To further improve on-time performance, this route is recommended to serve ACT only every other trip during the peak period. Service during weekday peaks hours and midday will serve Pears on once an hour. ACT will be served hourly during weekday peak times only. No changes to route frequency are recommended and the proposed Route 7 is recommended to operate from 7:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. on weekdays. The proposed Route 7 will operate the same alignment at night and on Saturday, as opposed to using the current ‘nights and Saturday’ alignment, which is currently the second-lowest ridership weekday alignment in the Iowa City Transit system. Route 7 is recommended to interline with the Route 6 Peninsula at the Pentacrest Downtown Interchange. Route 8: Oakcrest The current Oakcrest route connects high-density residential communities in University Heights and Iowa City to the University of Iowa and downtown Iowa City via Melrose Avenue. This route is the highest- ridership and second-highest productivity route in the Iowa City Transit system. No alignment changes are recommended for the proposed Route 8 but it is recommended to operate every 15 minutes in the peak period, which is a significant improvement over the current 30-minute peak period service and will help address vehicle crowding issues that currently occur in the peak period. No significant changes are recommended for the Route 8 weekday operating span but it is proposed to operate one fewer hour on Saturdays, due to resource constraints. Route 8 is recommended to operate the same alignment at night and on Saturdays, to improve system legibility. Some riders that currently use the Oakcrest Night and Saturday alignments to access Walmart will still have access via the proposed 12 Highway 1 while others will need to walk further to access the proposed Route 12 or use Route 8 and transfer downtown to Route 12. Route 8 is recommended to interline with the proposed Route 9 Towncrest in the evening and on weekends, at the Pentacrest Downtown Interchange, providing some riders a one-seat ride cross-town connection. Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates, Inc. | 9-21 Route 9: Towncrest The current Towncrest route connects neighborhoods in east Iowa City to downtown Iowa City via Muscatine Avenue and E Burlington Street. This route is the fifth-highest ridership route in the Iowa City Transit system. No alignment changes are recommended for the proposed Route 9 but it is proposed to operate the same alignment at nights and on Saturdays, for improved system legibility. Many riders currently boarding the Towncrest on stops from its ‘night and Saturday’ alignment will still be able to walk to Route 9 stops but the approximately eight weekday riders that alight on Sheridan Avenue will need to walk more than ¼ of a mile. Route 9 is recommended to operate for one fewer hour on Saturdays and approximately 45 minutes fewer on weekdays, due to resource constraints. Route 9 is recommended to interline with the proposed Route 8 Oakcrest in the evening and on weekends, at the Pentacrest Downtown Interchange, providing some riders a one-seat ride cross-town connection. Route 10: West Iowa City Route 10 is recommended to replace the current Plaen View and Westwide Hospital routes that connect west Iowa City neighborhoods to University of Iowa hospitals and downtown Iowa City. The proposed Route 10 will connect downtown Iowa City to University of Iowa hospitals via Newton Road, and west Iowa City destinations to these locations via Melrose Avenue, Mormon Trek Boulevard, and two ‘tails’ that will be served on alternating trips. One tail will serve the Westside Drive loop currently served by the Plaen View route and the other tail will serve the Rohret Road communities currently served by the Westside Hospital route. The Rohret Road tail is proposed to end in a slightly smaller terminal loop that will improve route speed and reliability but will force five-to-ten riders to walk further to access the route. Riders living in the Irving Avenue neighborhood, including residents of the Concord Terrace and Lexington Place apartments, will be served on mid-day trips only. Riders currently living in the western portion of the Pheasant Ridge neighborhood and on Sunset Street that are currently served by the Westside Hospital route will be served by the proposed Route 12 Highway 1. Route 12 is proposed to operate every 30 minutes during weekday peak periods and every 60 minutes during weekday off-peak periods and Saturdays. The route is proposed to operate from 6:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. on weekdays and 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Saturdays. Route 11: Rochester The current Rochester route connects downtown Iowa City with neighborhoods in northeast Iowa City and operates a large terminal loop on Amhurst Street, E Washington Street, and S 1st Avenue. Currently 25% of weekday timepoint stops are not on-time. The proposed Route 11 includes only one minor alignment change of moving the eastern corridor of the route from Amhurst Street to N Scott Boulevard, which is an arterial and has some higher-density uses that will allow more people to use the route. Pedestrian improvements may be necessary to facilitate safe crossings of N Scott Boulevard for riders. Route 11 is proposed to operate from 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., which will eliminate late-night service for approximately five riders that currently use the North Dodge Night route, although most of these riders will be able to walk to access the proposed Route 2 Court Street. Route 11 is proposed to operate from 7:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Saturdays, which is one fewer hour than is currently operated on the North Dodge Saturday route that serves a portion of the proposed Route 11 alignment. No changes to route frequency are recommended. Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates, Inc. | 9-22 Route 11 is proposed to interline with the proposed Route 13 South Iowa River at the Pentacrest Downtown Interchange. Route 12: Highway 1 The proposed Route 12 Highway 1 route is an altered version of the current Westwinds route. The current Westwinds route connects residential areas in the Pheasant Ridge neighborhood and along Melrose Avenue, Westwinds Drive, Mormon Trek Boulevard, E Benton Street, Sunset Street, and Westgate Street to the University of Iowa hospitals and downtown Iowa City. The proposed Route 12 serves the Pheasant Ridge neighborhoods along E Benston Street and Sunset Street but connects them to downtown via the Walmart-anchored commercial district south of Highway 6, instead of via the University of Iowa. This connection provides better non -commute transit mobility for residential communities served by this route, and also a better connection to the Walmart area for riders transferring at the Pentacrest Downtown Interchange. The previous route serving the Walmart area from the downtown interchange forced riders to make long, out-of-direction trips to access commercial destinations. For Westwinds riders that currently use the route to access the University of Iowa hospitals, the proposed Route 10 West Iowa City and Route 8 Oakcrest will serve these trips. Although some riders on Westgate Street will no longer have front-door service via the Westwinds route, they will still be able to access transit within a ¼-mile walk. Fewer than 10 riders that use the Westwinds route on Denbigh Drive will need to walk slightly more than ¼-mile to access the route. Route 12 is proposed to operate on weekdays from 6:30 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. and on Saturdays from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Route 13: South Iowa River Route 13 is proposed as an altered version of the Westport Plaza route, which currently serves communities in south Iowa City along the Iowa River. The existing Westport Plaza route is the lowest - productivity route in the Iowa City Transit system and connects downtown Iowa City with the S Riverside Drive corridor, mobile home communities south of the Iowa City Airport, and shopping destinations anchored by Walmart. The proposed Route 13 continues to serve mobile home communities south of Iowa City Airport, although the approximately four riders that board at the Lake Ridge mobile home community will need to walk further to access the route. Cole’s Mobile Home Community will retain an adjacent stop, although it would be moved to the opposite side of the street. The proposed Route 13 would also provide new service to Terry Trueblood Park and S Gilbert Street south of Southgate Avenue. The route would provide riders with access to Hy-Vee, although pedestrian improvements on Stevens Drive may be necessary for this connection to be comfortable for all travelers. Riders that currently use the Westport Plaza route to acc ess the commercial area south of Highway 6 will be able to make that trip with the proposed Route 12 Highway 1, which will reduce trip times between downtown and these commercial destinations significantly over the current Westport Plaza route. Riders that currently use the Westport Plaza route to access the S Riverside Drive corridor will be able to make these trips using the proposed Route 12 Highway 1. Route 13 is proposed to operate 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on weekdays and hourly from 7:30 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Saturdays, which represents an improvement over existing Westport Plaza span of service, which does not include Saturdays. Weekday service will operate every half-hour at peak periods and every hour during off-peak periods. Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates, Inc. | 9-23 Route 13 is proposed to interline with the proposed Route 11 Rochester at the Pentacrest Downtown Interchange. Eliminated Routes Night and Saturday Routes One of the primary goals of the Iowa City Transit Preferred Alternative is to improve system legibility for existing and new riders. To achieve this, all ‘nights and Saturday’ routes are recommended to be eliminated in the Preferred Alternative. Most of the areas that the existing ‘nights and Saturday’ routes serve will continue to be covered in the Preferred Alternative by the new, all-day alignments. The Scott Boulevard/N 1st Avenue alignment of the North Dodge Night route, which currently has one average weekday boarding, will no longer be served at any time of day. 7th Avenue The 7th Avenue route is the lowest-ridership route in the Iowa City Transit system, carrying an average of 57 average weekday passengers. The route also suffers from on-time performance issues; only 66% of weekday timepoint stops are on-time. The route operates largely as a loop, which forces many riders to travel out of direction and increases their trip times. This route is recommended to be eliminated in the Preferred Alternative to allocate resources to places with greater need and demand. Riders using the 7th Avenue route will continue to have transit access via the Preferred Alternative 9 Towncrest and 5 Mall routes, which will operate every 30 and 20 minutes during peak hours, respectively. Some riders that currently board on Sheridan Avenue will have to wal k further than ¼ of a mile to access transit service. Broadway The current Broadway route serves many of the same areas as the Lakeside, Mall, and Cross Park routes and suffers from on-time performance problems (only 64% of timepoint stops are on -time). To improve service legibility and more efficiently allocate resources, the Broadway route is recommended to be eliminated. Most riders that use this route will be served by the proposed 1 South Iowa City and 5 Mall routes, which will operate with 30- and 20-minute peak period headways, respectively. Approximately 22 riders living on Highland Avenue would need to walk more than ¼-mile to access transit service. Eastside Express The Eastside Express currently operates as an hourly express service, although it serves small neighborhood streets for part of its alignment, which makes it slower than typical express service. The route duplicates service provided by existing Court Hill and Rochester routes. To reduce this duplication and better allocate resources elsewhere in the Iowa City Transit network, the Preferred Alternative recommends eliminating this route. Most riders living on the alignment will still have access to service on the proposed 2 Court Street and 11 Rochester routes, although some will need to walk more than ¼ of a mile to transit, including the approximately seven average daily riders currently boarding on Huntington Drive. Cross Park The Cross Park route currently operates as a mid-day only route connecting downtown Iowa City with the Hy-Vee-anchored commercial area south of Highway 6. This route serves similar markets as the existing Lakeside and Broadway routes. The northern portion of the route duplicates service provided by the frequent and zero-fare CAMBUS East Campus Shuttle. Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates, Inc. | 9-24 To improve service legibility and better allocate resources, it is recommended that this route be eliminated. Operating a mid-day only route, in addition to daytime alignments and ‘nights and Saturday’ alignments—all to the same area—is confusing for riders. The neighborhoods served by this route will continue to be served by the proposed 1 South Iowa City and 13 South Gilbert. Melrose Express The Melrose Express is a local route (despite being called an “express” route) serving the Melrose Avenue corridor, University of Iowa hospitals, and downtown Iowa City. The route duplicates service provided by CAMBUS, as well as the Iowa City Transit Plaen View, Westwinds, and Westside Hospital routes. The portion of the Melrose Express’ service area that is served only by this route generates approximately 18 boardings per day. The route suffers from chronic on-time performance issues, with only 28% of timepoint stops on time. To shift resources to places with a higher level of transit demand and reduce service duplication, this route is recommended to be eliminated. Most riders will continue to be served by the proposed Preferred Alternative 10 West Iowa City, 12 Highway 1, and 8 Oakcrest routes. Zero-fare CAMBUS service would also operate on Melrose Avenue east of Mormon Trek Boulevard. Because of this elimination, approximately 18 riders will no longer have access to fixed-route transit, although some will be able to walk to service in the Pheasant Ridge neighborhood.