DART Seeks Public Input on Transit Service Changes to NW Parts of DM Area

Officials at the Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authority sought public comment on the merger of two routes serving the northwestern part of the Des Moines area at a public meeting in Des Moines on April 23.
Under the proposed plan, the two affected routes include the #5, currently running from downtown to Keo Way, through the northern part of the Drake University community along Forest Avenue and then on Franklin Avenue and Hickman Road to Merle Hay Road, and the #51 route, which currently runs from downtown via Interstate-235 and 56th Street to University Avenue and Merle Hay Road to Merle Hay Mall.
Plans call for the replacement route to run from downtown, along Grand Avenue and Woodland Avenue to 31st Street. The route would then go up 31st Street to Clark Street and then west on Clark and Franklin Avenue to Merle Hay Road, where it would continue to Merle Hay Mall. Plans call for the proposed route would run on an hourly basis on weekdays from 6 a.m. to 6:45 p.m.
According to Jim Tishim, the DART planning director, the proposed route would connect more people to more places based on improved accessibility, ridership data and indicators, area demographics and traffic conditions. Ridership has been very low on both the #5 and #51 routes, Tishim explained. “They need a lot of improvement,” he said.
Some of the locations along the proposed route include Callanan Middle School at 31st Street, the Scottish Rite Park Senior Living Center on Woodland Avenue, ChildServe on Woodland Avenue and the western part of the Drake University campus.
The proposed route would allow for improved connections to other bus lines in the area. For example, there would be new connections with the Route 60 which loops around University and Ingersoll Avenues.
The April 23 meeting is one of several being held by DART to garner public feedback on the proposed route changes. Other meetings are scheduled for 4 p.m., April 23, at the DART Central Station, 620 Cherry Street in Des Moines, along with one at 5 p.m., April 24, at the Franklin Avenue Library, 5000 Franklin Avenue in Des Moines and at 7 p.m., April 24, at Callanan Middle School, Media Room, 3010 Center Street, Des Moines. If the proposed route is approved, informational meetings would be held in July and the new route would begin service in late August.

A presentation about the proposed route changes and an online survey about the proposed service changes can be viewed at http://www.ridedart.com/content/public-feedback-sought-proposed-routes-realignment.
Those who are unable to attend one of the meetings and would like to provide feedback, should call 515-283-8100, email dart@ridedart.com, or send mail to Attn: DART Forward 2035, DART Central Station, 620 Cherry Street, Des Moines, IA 50309.