The Regional Transportation Commission of Washoe County is welcoming community input as they begin to develop a transit service change that could be implemented this fall.
The RTC is asking for feedback at two upcoming open houses:
- Wednesday, May 29 from 3-6 p.m. at RTC CENTENNIAL PLAZA near Victorian Square in Sparks.
- Thursday, May 30 from 3-6 p.m. at RTC 4TH STREET STATION, north building, in downtown Reno at the intersection of 4th Street at Lake Street.
The RTC is proposing route and timing changes, including introducing more crosstown transit services to improve passenger travel times and allow for more connectivity with the RTC’s Virginia Line - RAPID and Lincoln Line - RAPID services.
The RTC is considering the following service changes:
· Route 6: Introduction of a revised Route 6 in Reno, joined with Route 19, serving the east side of Virginia Street along Plumas Street, Moana Lane, Lakeside Drive, and Brinkby Avenue and the west side of Virginia Street via Grove Street, Harvard Way, Vassar Street, Terminal Way, and looping through the Reno-Tahoe International Airport
· Route 9: Route 9 would terminate at Battle Born Way and Prater Way at the north end and terminate at the south end of Kietzke Lane at the last roundabout. Route 9 would connect to the Lincoln Line – RAPID at Kitezke Lane and Prater Way and to the Virginia Line – RAPID at Virginia Street and Peckham Lane.
· Route 19: Route 19 would join Route 6 at Plumb Lane, Virginia Street, and Grove Street, allowing connections with the Virginia Line - RAPID on Virginia Street between Plumb Lane and Grove Street.
· SIERRA SPIRIT: Extension of the SIERRA SPIRIT route to Plumb Lane and Virginia Street. SIERRA SPIRIT would no longer stop at RTC 4TH STREET STATION.
· Microtransit: Implementation of a new microtransit service pilot program in the Sparks area that allows passengers to request rides on their smartphones using an app, or by calling RTC directly. A microtransit van would pick a passenger up at the closest curbside location within the service area, and drop the passenger off at the closest curbside to his or her destination within the service area, and vice versa.
The RTC analyzes its transit operations to maximize resources and efficiency to provide quality customer service to riders. This involves tracking ridership data and allocating buses and other resources to more productive routes for efficiency, and operating within financial constraints.
The RTC will present the proposed transit service changes and the public input they receive to the RTC Board on July 19, 2019. The RTC Board will then give direction and potential approval.
