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Information on proposed bus route changes
Due to State and local budgetary issues, Scottsdale is considering several changes to local bus routes, the Neighborhood and Downtown Trolley routes and paratransit service.
The following key criteria will be used to evaluate each potential service change:
- Impact the least number of riders possible
- Improve efficiency and effectiveness by eliminating overlapping and/or unproductive service first
- Improve equity between the level of service for various routes
- Balance the transit budget
At the Monday, May 10 Transportation Commission meeting, the Commission voted to forward the following recommendations to City Council on the transit issue:
- Limit the Fiscal Year 2011 transit contract reductions to $1.4 million by increasing the split in the 0.2% transportation privilege tax from 50 to 60 percent for operations, and from 50 to 40 percent for capital.
Target reductions as follows:
- Change peak hour frequencies for Route 72 (Scottsdale Rd.) and 81 (Hayden Rd.) from 15 to 20 minutes
- Eliminate the Route 66 (68th Street)
- Utilize Scottsdale's trolley contractor to operate the Route 76 (Miller Road), with no fare collections until an analysis of fare collection options for all circulator routes is completed
- Based on a routing issue raised during the public input process, the Commission also recommended continuing to operate Route 76 (Miller Road) along 78th Street between Jackrabbit Road and McDonald Drive (including the section on Miller Road between McDowell and McKellips roads)
Upcoming Meetings
- May 18th - City Council - 5 p.m., Kiva - First Budget Hearing
- June 8th - City Council - 5 p.m., Kiva - Second Budget Hearing
Thank you to everyone who came to one (or both) of our public hearings and provided your input on April 21 and 26. You can also view handouts of the maps provided at both public hearings.
Routes 66 & 76
Routes 81 & 170
Neighborhood Trolley
Downtown and Neighborhood Trolleys
Scottsdale's Transit System
The Transportation Commission reviewed these potential service changes at their Monday, April 12, meeting. (Commission Meeting Minutes)
The Budget Review Commission also received an overview of these proposed changes at their Thursday, April 15 meeting. (Commission Meeting Minutes)
Proposed Route Changes
At the beginning of this process in April 2010, the proposed changes included modifying service hours, the frequency or days of service and/or potential elimination of bus routes. The routes affected include all Valley Metro fixed routes into Scottsdale, Routes 66 (68th Street), 76 (Miller Road), 81 (Hayden Road), Route 170 (Bell Road) and both the Neighborhood and Downtown trolley service. (Download a chart of proposed changes.)
Details of each route include:
- Valley Metro routes could see a reduction in service on weekends and/or the elimination of Sunday service (except route 72 - Scottsdale Road, which is being considered for a reduction to 20-minute peak hour service.)
- Route 66 (68th Street) could be eliminated and replaced with service in Scottsdale only by the Neighborhood Trolley.
- Route 76 (Miller Road) could see cost savings by changing operator contracts, creating a new route that combines both routes 66 and 76 or eliminating the route.
- Route 81 (Hayden Road) could have service north of Shea Boulevard eliminated, shorten service north of Shea to 20 minutes or eliminate off-peak hours.
- Route 170 (Bell Road) could eliminate off-peak service hours or terminate the route at Scottsdale Road.
- Downtown Trolley service could have the number of operating days reduced and/or service during the summer months eliminated.
- Neighborhood Trolley could see a reduction in service hours and/or frequency.
Other proposals being considered are the closing of the Loloma Transportation Station and eliminating non ADA-compliant trips on East Valley Dial-A-Ride and Cab Connection.
