HomeMy WebLinkAboutResolution-1978-0556
INTRODUCED BY COUNCILPERSON
LEW11AN
RESOLUTION NO. 556
Series of 1978
TITLE: REGARDING SCHEDULED CHANGES IN RTD BUS SERVICE WITHIN WHEAT RIDGE
WHEREAS, the Wheat Ridge City Council has reviewed information
describing changes in the Regional Transportation District's bus system that
are scheduled to affect the City in September, 1978, and has discussed the
changes with the City's Transportation Committee; and
WHEREAS, the Council has a high degree of interest ln providing a
bus service that responds to the needs of the City;
NOW, BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED that the following position, described
below in the form of more specific requests and questions, be transmitted
by the Transportation Committee to the Regional Transportation District and
to other appropriate parties as the City's position, and that the Transpor-
tation Committee negotiate satisfactory resolutions to the outstanding issues
subject to approval of significant changes by this Council. The specific
requests, questions, and observations describing the City's position are:
1. The City of Wheat Ridge expresses its appreciation to the RTD
for bus serVlce provided in the past and fully supports well-planned efforts
to increase ridership. The City does remind the RTD that the City continues
to oppose the increase in peak hour fares and that this position was conveyed
to the RTD prior to institution of higher fares.
2. The City also reminds the RTD that communications with this City
regarding the bus system must continue to be improved to ensure timely
reviews by the City and to enable the bus service to function at its full
potential.
3. Certain changes in the bus routes and service proposed to be
instituted in Wheat Ridge in September, 1978, do not appear to be based on
full consideration of the needs of the people ln Wheat Ridge. Thus certain
of the scheduled changes should be amended as follows:
A, The City is opposed to deletion of a "Town Rider" type of
service within the City and feels that the lack of prior success
of the Town Rider Service is due more to its inadequacies (such
as routing and frequency of service) rather than lack of public
need. Thus RTD is asked to provide to the Transportation Committee,
at the earliest possible date, all pertinent ridership and planning
information that will enable the City to plan, propose (to RTD)
and implement an intracity bus service for in-City and near-Citj
activity centers such as the new City Hall, recreation facilities,
and service areas. The City will provide a recommendation to the
RTD for intra-city bus service soon after receiving these data
from RTD.
Resolution No. 556, Series of 1978
Page -2-
B. The RTD is asked to delay elimination of the present 72X express
service along W. 38th Ave. until it has adequately polled ridership
and demonstrated to the satisfaction of the City, through its Trans-
portation Committee, that adequate alternatives exist and that
equivalent or higher ridership will result from the deletion of this
service.
C. The RTD lS requested to maintain at least an equivalent service
(to that currently in effect) for riders of the 83X express bus and
to obtain adequate rider input and to demonstrate to the satisfaction
of the City, through its Transportation Committee, that equivalent
or better alternatives will exist in September.
D. The RTD is reminded that as service is eliminated from the Apple-
wood area (west of Youngfield) by deletion of the westernmost portions
of routes (current) 13A and 13B, the RTD service provided to that
area has never been adequate in terms of timing either for commuting
or for obtaining local services. While the area in which serVlce is
to be eliminated in September lS not within the City of Wheat Ridge,
the City does wish to express its concern that elimination of the
service instead of improvement of the service will also eliminate the
viable alternative to driving through Wheat Ridge via private (and
often single-passenger) automobiles. Thus, the City does not support
deletion of bus service from this area.
E. The RTD is requested to demonstrate that the removal of all local
bus service from 48th Avenue and placement of all service on 44th
is justified from the standpoint of transportation needs along 48th
Avenue between Wadsworth and Harlan.
F. While the City approves, in general, the concepts of the RTD
improved day-long and frequent service along 44th, 38th, 32nd, and
26th Avenues as well as along Kipling, Wadsworth, and Sheridan,
the City does withhold specific approval and final consent to imple-
mentation of these routes pending timely delivery to it, through its
Transportation Committee of detailed routes and route schedules.
This information must include times at principal time points, iden-
tification of block numbers, and route interconnects with procedures
to be instituted to facilitate transfers plus any other information
required to provide a thorough evaluation.
G. The RTD is requested to demonstrate the appropriateness of
initiating express service on routes 33X and 44X at Wadsworth rather
than at Sheridan as is presently the case. Such demonstration is
necessary prior to implementation.
Reso1ution No. 556, Series of 1978
Page -3-
4. The City expresses its concern that routin9s of express and local
buses outside of Wheat Ridge in congested areas such as 1-70, Speer Blvd.,
and downtown streets will cause unattractive and time-consuming delays for
riders unless preferential treatment is afforded such routes during periods
of potential congestion.
5. The RTD is reminded that many people have chosen their places of
work and residence to permit use of the bus. When routes that are presently
direct for these individuals are significantly changed in September by
creating the need for transfers, the riders will be confused and upset. The
RTD has the responsibility of assisting these riders through information as
readily available as are schedules and well in advance of the changes. The
number of people presently informed of even the potentia1 for major rerout-
lngs is quite small. The City urges the RTD to begin meaningful dissemina-
tion of information as soon as ~ossible.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Wheat Ridge City Council, on beha1f
of its citizens, and in the interest of gas conservation and reduction of
auto use and pollution, asks that RTD work with the City in arriving at
so1utions for the above mentioned items in order to better meet the needs
of the people, and, thereby encourage increased use of Mass Transit.
DONE AND RESOLVED by a vote of
day of January, A. D. 1978.
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ATTEST:
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CAROL F. HAMPF, CITY CL f