People Mover to Hold Final Meetings for New Route Concepts

Mayor's Corner

12/5/2016

ANCHORAGE - People Mover will give the public additional opportunities to provide input on the two route concept maps that propose significant changes to the existing bus network. Six public comment meetings are scheduled throughout Anchorage and Eagle River between December 5 and December 17, 2016.  The public will have the opportunity to give their feedback to the Municipality of Anchorage’s Public Transportation Advisory Board (PTAB).

The Public Comment Meeting dates are listed below:

·         Monday, 12/5: 5:30pm - 7:30pm - Covenant House

·         Tuesday, 12/6: 5:30pm - 7:30pm - Eagle River Library, Room 170

·         Thursday, 12/8: 5:30pm - 7:30pm - City Hall, Room 155

·         Tuesday, 12/13: 5pm - 7pm - Muldoon Library

·         Thursday, 12/15: 6:30pm - 8pm - Ocean View Elementary

·         Saturday, 12/17: 2pm - 4pm - Mountain View Library

Public comments are also being accepted online or by email until December 31, 2016.

To submit a comment, learn more about the project, view the route concept maps, or see the entire project timeline, visit www.peoplemover.org/transittalks.

People Mover initiated the “Anchorage Talks Transit” project that encouraged the community to think about transit choices that require a balance of priorities and available resources.  

Between April and July, 2016, People Mover carried out a wide variety of public outreach events and activities that asked the public to give their opinion on certain trade-offs that arise in transit planning. The community broadly expressed their support for: (1) more service in the densely populated areas than overall geographic coverage; (2) an easy to understand network that may require transfers, but will result in a shorter travel time rather than “one-seat rides” requiring no transfers, but a longer travel time; (3) increased frequency (i.e. a bus arriving every 15-30 minutes) and expanding the hours of service during the evening and weekends; and (4) a network design that prioritizes shorter waits over shorter walks.  

Between August and October, 2016, two route concept maps were developed based on the public’s priorities received thus far. The 80% ridership concept would spend about 80% of People Mover’s budget pursuing high ridership, more frequent service, and expended hours of service and 20 % would be spent covering places where ridership is predictably low. The 100% ridership concept would spend about 100% of People Mover’s budget pursuing high ridership, more frequent service, and expended hours of service and reserve very few funds for service covering places where ridership is predictably low. 

In November 2016, People Mover held 7 Community Open Houses throughout Anchorage and Eagle River and met with various stakeholders and commissions. These meetings provided the public an opportunity to learn more about the route concept maps and have one-on-one discussions with People Mover staff.  

All public comments will be reviewed in January 2017 and possible implementation of the preferred route concept would occur in August 2017.  

For more information, please call Bart Rudolph at (907) 343-8490.  

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