Bus service expanded to Hospital Hill & Ryan Road School
September 08 ,2008
Grant expands PVTA bus coverage
By Daily Hampshire Gazette, Daily Hampshire Gazette
By Daily Hampshire Gazette, Daily Hampshire Gazette
NORTHAMPTON - Village Hill and R.K. Finn Ryan Road
School are now stops on PVTA's Red 44 route, also
known as the "red bus."
Thanks to a federal grant obtained by city officials and the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority, the route for R44 has changed to include stops on Village Hill, the business and residential development being created on the site of the former state hospital.
The short-term grant provides $100,000 over the course of a year, according to Ward 4 City Councilor David Narkewicz, who heads the city's Transportation and Parking Commission, which is spearheading the effort to extend bus coverage throughout the city.
Last Tuesday, the No. 44 bus extended its traditional route, which begins and ends at the Academy of Music and includes the Walter Salvo House on Conz Street. After it runs up King Street to Stop & Shop, then to Hampshire Plaza (Wal-Mart), to Florence Center and Florence Heights, back via Florence Center to King Street and the courthouse, the bus now goes up West Street to Village Hill and the Hampshire County House of Corrections before returning to the Academy.
The 7:58 bus will run from Florence Heights to Ryan Road School. It will also make a run to the school at other times during the day upon request of passengers.
Riders pay a fixed fare according to their age. Adults pay $1.25, seniors and the disabled 60 cents, children ages 6 to 12 75 cents, while children under 6 ride free.
According to Narkewicz, the new bus routes are designed to improve efficiency and provide greater access to public transportation for more city residents. Buses will leave once an hour, from 7:20 a.m. until 6:20 p.m., from the Academy of Music during the week. On Sundays the R44 bus will also serve the Veterans Hospital. Narkewicz said that the recommendations to the mayor were driven, in large part, by requests of residents living on Village Hill and by parents who had students at the Ryan Road School.
The Transportation and Parking Commission worked together with the Office of Planning and Development for Northampton and the PVTA to produce the recommendations given to the mayor. The new route is the result of six years of talks between the city and the PVTA on how to get service out to Village Hill, said city planner Wayne Feiden.
Yet officials were quick to point out that the service was contingent on the money received through the grant administered by the U.S. Department of Transportation's New Freedom program.
"It's a trial run," said Jill Holliday, director of marketing and public relations at the PVTA. Holliday said the PVTA would be watching to see if ridership to the jail and the Ryan Road School is high enough to continue the service after the grant money runs out.
Riders on the bus last Thursday offered their own assessment of the route changes. Joel Navarro and Johanna Sanchez, of Florence, enthusiastically spoke of using the bus each day since the new route was started.
Sanchez said the route changes were helpful to her, and Navarro added that the new buses on the route are more comfortable.
Narkewicz noted that with higher gas prices, people are more likely to try alternative modes of transportation, including the bus, carpooling, bicycling and walking.
"Ultimately, I think the demand in Village Hill and Florence will demonstrate that the extended route is a good use of PVTA's resources," Narkewicz said.
"I'm very happy with the way the PVTA has been able to work us," Mayor Clare Higgins said. "This route is very important to many residents in our city."
That importance seemed evident in the few empty seats on the bus as it bounced its way down Route 66. Pointing to the filled seats before him, Navarro said of the new route, "It seems well received to me."
Visit www.pvta.com [1] to view the map and schedule for the R44 bus route.
Thanks to a federal grant obtained by city officials and the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority, the route for R44 has changed to include stops on Village Hill, the business and residential development being created on the site of the former state hospital.
The short-term grant provides $100,000 over the course of a year, according to Ward 4 City Councilor David Narkewicz, who heads the city's Transportation and Parking Commission, which is spearheading the effort to extend bus coverage throughout the city.
Last Tuesday, the No. 44 bus extended its traditional route, which begins and ends at the Academy of Music and includes the Walter Salvo House on Conz Street. After it runs up King Street to Stop & Shop, then to Hampshire Plaza (Wal-Mart), to Florence Center and Florence Heights, back via Florence Center to King Street and the courthouse, the bus now goes up West Street to Village Hill and the Hampshire County House of Corrections before returning to the Academy.
The 7:58 bus will run from Florence Heights to Ryan Road School. It will also make a run to the school at other times during the day upon request of passengers.
Riders pay a fixed fare according to their age. Adults pay $1.25, seniors and the disabled 60 cents, children ages 6 to 12 75 cents, while children under 6 ride free.
According to Narkewicz, the new bus routes are designed to improve efficiency and provide greater access to public transportation for more city residents. Buses will leave once an hour, from 7:20 a.m. until 6:20 p.m., from the Academy of Music during the week. On Sundays the R44 bus will also serve the Veterans Hospital. Narkewicz said that the recommendations to the mayor were driven, in large part, by requests of residents living on Village Hill and by parents who had students at the Ryan Road School.
The Transportation and Parking Commission worked together with the Office of Planning and Development for Northampton and the PVTA to produce the recommendations given to the mayor. The new route is the result of six years of talks between the city and the PVTA on how to get service out to Village Hill, said city planner Wayne Feiden.
Yet officials were quick to point out that the service was contingent on the money received through the grant administered by the U.S. Department of Transportation's New Freedom program.
"It's a trial run," said Jill Holliday, director of marketing and public relations at the PVTA. Holliday said the PVTA would be watching to see if ridership to the jail and the Ryan Road School is high enough to continue the service after the grant money runs out.
Riders on the bus last Thursday offered their own assessment of the route changes. Joel Navarro and Johanna Sanchez, of Florence, enthusiastically spoke of using the bus each day since the new route was started.
Sanchez said the route changes were helpful to her, and Navarro added that the new buses on the route are more comfortable.
Narkewicz noted that with higher gas prices, people are more likely to try alternative modes of transportation, including the bus, carpooling, bicycling and walking.
"Ultimately, I think the demand in Village Hill and Florence will demonstrate that the extended route is a good use of PVTA's resources," Narkewicz said.
"I'm very happy with the way the PVTA has been able to work us," Mayor Clare Higgins said. "This route is very important to many residents in our city."
That importance seemed evident in the few empty seats on the bus as it bounced its way down Route 66. Pointing to the filled seats before him, Navarro said of the new route, "It seems well received to me."
Visit www.pvta.com [1] to view the map and schedule for the R44 bus route.