R2008-220 APPROVING CHANGES IN BUS ROUTES AND SCHEDULES

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PROPOSALS TO CHANGE BUS AND TROLLEY ROUTES II� SERVING THE SOUTHWEST QUADRANT OF THE CITY ' Enterprise — Tavlor Road Route First, the schedule for the Enterprise —Taylor Road bus route would be improved to hourly service, 13 trips per day. Currently, one bus serves this area only every two hours, six trips per day. The route would not need to be changed; only the schedule. This route passes the new Decatur Township office and the new, 80 unit, senior citizen assisted living facility, which opened earlier this year. A secondary benefit of this change would be the improved bus service to the South Shores Shopping Center area, to the businesses along South Side Dr. and S. Taylorville Road, and to homes in the Enterprise School area. West Main —Wvckles Road Route & Millikin Area Trollev Route Second, the West Main —Wyckles Road route and the Millikin Area Trolley route would be merged into one route providing hourly service to all of W. Main Street and to the Decatur Conference Center and Hotel. Currently, one bus provides hourly service on W. Main Street just to the 3,000 block (at Dipper Lane), but continues to the Conference Center only every two hours, six times per day. The Millikin Area Trolley route now provides 30 minute service along W. Main Street only to the campus area. Under the proposed changes, thirty minute service on W. Main Street from downtown to Oakland Avenue would be shifted from the Millikin Area Trolley route to the Oakland Route. (See below.) These changes would also bring improved, hourly service to homes along W. Main Street, from Dipper Lane to Wyckles Road, and to the businesses in the area of the Conference Center. Staff proposes that the Millikin Area Trolley would be used on the new route. The trolley would follow the existing West Main —Wyckles Road route from downtown, through the middle of Millikin University, to the Conference Center. The trolley's current loop around the university campus would be abandoned. While a bus could be used on the new route, staff proposes using a trolley to help to promote the Conference Center, as well as to continue to promote the Millikin University area. This change would immediately increase ridership on the Trolley from 13,000 rides per year to 28,250 rides per year. Oakland Route The Oakland route is the Transit System's second busiest route with 155,000 riders per year. As ridership has increased on this route, it has become increasingly difficult for the drivers to complete the route in 30 minutes. Staff proposes to solve the problem by splitting the Oakland route into two segments. (See attached maps.) The new Decatur- Fairview route would continue to provide 30 minute service on Decatur Street and S. Oakland Avenue, and on to Fairview Plaza. It would also continue to serve the Decatur Indoor Sports Complex (DISC) every 30 minutes, which is now provided by the Trolley. The new Oakland route would provide 30 minute service on W. Main Street, currently provided by the Trolley route, but only hourly service on N. Oakland Avenue and to Fairview Plaza. While residents in the area north of Eldorado Street would have longer