Metro*Plus service that directly connects the busy Montgomery Road corridor to Uptown, downtown and The Banks starts Aug. 19. Customers can ride the new route FREE during the first week of service, Aug. 19-23.
Metro*Plus will connect Kenwood, Xavier, Uptown, downtown, The Banks;
FREE rides on Metro*Plus during first week, Aug. 19-23
CINCINNATI – It’s going to be a real “Plus” for Montgomery Road commuters going to Uptown or The Banks.
For more than two years, local business, government and transportation leaders have been meeting to seek solutions to regional transit challenges. One of the options being explored is Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), a faster, limited-stop transit service that’s gaining in popularity nationally.
On Aug. 19, Metro is taking the first step in testing the rapid transit concept by introducing Metro*Plus, a pre-BRT demonstration project. Customers can ride the new route FREE during the first week of service, Aug. 19-23.
Metro*Plus will offer new, limited-stop service that directly connects the busy Montgomery Road corridor to Uptown, downtown and The Banks. Currently, customers have to transfer to get to Uptown or The Banks, adding to both trip time and inconvenience.
In addition to improving access to Uptown jobs and medical care, Metro*Plus also will serve as a college connector, linking the University of Cincinnati and Xavier University, with quick transfers to Cincinnati State Technical and Community College.
Ten new, bright-blue, specially branded BRT-style buses and Metro*Plus bus stop signs will make it easy to identify Metro*Plus service. The bus profile is sleek and contemporary, with padded seats for comfort and LED destination signs for improved visibility.
Metro*Plus will provide very frequent service every 15 minutes on weekdays between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. and every half-hour until 10 p.m. Metro*Plus will use the Riverfront Transit Center under Second Street on the riverfront as a secure location for bus operators to layover.
Metro*Plus: part of a bigger plan
Metro*Plus is just one component of Metro’s new go*FORWARD transit plan. In 2012, Metro conducted a comprehensive transit planning that included extensive research, public meetings, on-board and on-line surveys, focus groups, and community events that reached thousands of people.
The final plan was presented to the community this spring and will be implemented in August and December. All changes are being made within Metro’s 2013 operating budget.
In addition to Metro*Plus, improvements include:
“Metro turns 40 this month, and it’s time to go forward,” said Terry Garcia Crews, CEO & General Manager of Metro. “By introducing Metro*Plus and other service improvements this year, we’re working with the community to create a new Metro.”
Metro is a tax-supported public service of the Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority. Metro provides about 17 million rides per year in the City of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, with limited service to Butler, Clermont and Warren counties.
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