Northwest Arkansans confirm need for a robust transit system

SPRINGDALE, Ark. - The initial information for the Connect Northwest Arkansas transit development plan confirms residents of Northwest Arkansas want a more developed transit system.

Tim Simon of Alliance Transportation Group, the consulting firm commissioned by the Northwest Arkansas Regional Planning Commission to do the $280,000 study and plan, recently presented the first draft to stakeholders.

A transit plan for the region was last adopted in 2010. The new plan will focus on public education and establishing fixed bus routes throughout the region, the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported.

The plan will be developed specifically for the two public transit providers, Ozark Regional Transit and University of Arkansas Razorback Transit, to define their roles in a regional system.

The plan will be developed in phases, Simon said, with the initial draft including results of public engagement endeavors.

The study began in January with an extensive data collection effort, according to plan documents. Public education and engagement began in the spring with surveys, community events and stakeholder meetings.

Survey results note 69% of respondents wanted more frequent bus service, according to plan documents.

The project team received 1,299 surveys, more than Simon said the firm has ever received for such an endeavor.

"I'm really happy with that," he said, adding community support strengthens the ability to implement the plan. "It documents that the whole community is in support of this."

Findings show 40% of respondents use a private vehicle as their primary mode of transportation, versus 15% of those who ride the bus.

Respondents' greatest concerns about using public transit included challenges with planning around bus schedules, established routes that aren't close enough to desired destinations and the occasional long duration of bus rides.

Key findings for creating an effective transit system include ensuring buses can transport passengers where they want to go on time and in a reliable and timely manner, Simon said.

An effective system will give riders opportunities to spend more time with their families, the ability to work more but travel less and the freedom to safely and reliably travel where they need to go as part of their daily lives, according to plan documents.

"If we connect people and save them time, we give them freedom," Simon said. "You have to have transit that gives people freedom or it won't work."

Ridership varies by region, said Tim Conklin, a senior planner with the Northwest Arkansas Regional Planning Commission.

"When you do look at the ridership and city profiles, certain routes have really good numbers, but they also have really great transit markets," he said. "Where you have large concentrations of workers and students, and density, you're going to have that."

The plan will help create regional standards that will help ensure all areas have healthy transit markets, Simon said.

"It doesn't matter what community you're in, what service provider you're getting provided from - it's going to be that standard for the region," he said. Planners will then begin to look at individual community standards, as needed, he said.

"At the bare minimum, we will have regional standards all will be held to," he said.

Simon said his team is moving on to develop transit system alternatives based on the information collected.

"That's going to take the shape of route alignment recommendations, where the bus goes, levels of service, how often buses come, how late they run and development of key performance indicators or standards to be good stewards of tax payer dollars," he said.

Those alternatives will be reviewed before more community events and presentations in the fall, according to plan documents.

"We're going to make tough calls on where to provide transit and what that may look like," Simon said, adding the plan will develop even more as his team continues to move forward and gain additional information.

"This is the plan where we're at today," he said. "We're halfway, so you're going to see a lot more teeth and a lot more substance as we move forward."

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