Consultant Leading Workshop Leading To Possible CARTA Makeover

  • Wednesday, January 23, 2019

Transit consultant Jarrett Walker is in town to lead a three-day workshop that is part of a study that may lead to a CARTA makeover.

Officials said Mr. Walker will be meeting this week with 30 key stakeholders to discuss their needs and input.

He said 3-4 different plans will come out of the workshop, and those will be taken to the community. There will be a public meeting to get ideas.

Mr. Walker said the plan will eventually come to the City Council for its members to make decisions.

He said a primary decision will be whether to have main-line routes that serve the most customers, or to have a number of branch offs that serve certain niche areas.

Mr. Walker said that at the pace of growth downtown that cars will not be able to handle all the transit load and that public transit will have to be a key part.

Asked about the effect of such services as Uber and Lyft, he said those are very active, "but they are not replacing what transit does." He said they only move a few people at a time whereas transit moves large numbers.

However, he noted that CARTA has not seen rider growth in six years.

A first report of his recommendations should be ready in March. Then it will be vetted with the public and finally with the City Council, which provides the major funding for CARTA.

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