New Express Service to SouthWood Proposed
Would Offer Greater Convenience to Commuters
October 14, 2013
Residents in SouthWood may soon have a quicker and more direct way to travel between home and downtown via StarMetro. Today, the transit agency announced plans to combine portions of two of its existing routes serving the SouthWood area into one direct route called the Red Hills Express. The proposed service change, which goes before the City Commission on Oct. 23, would allow customers to travel between the two major destinations in as little as 30 minutes with no transfer.
In order to gain feedback from area residents and commuters on the proposed express service, StarMetro planners will hold a public meeting on Thursday, Oct. 17, from 12 to 3 p.m. at Shuster’s Café, located at 4055 Esplanade Way.
If approved by the City Commission, the new Red Hills Express, which includes a stop on Magnolia Dr. near Governor’s Square Mall, would begin on Monday, Nov. 4.
“By combining the SouthWood portions of the Red Hills and Tall Timbers routes that overlap, we can distribute our resources more efficiently,” said Ivan Maldonado, director of StarMetro. “As a result, we can provide a direct, express route from SouthWood to downtown – giving residents and commuters a faster and more convenient service.”
The Red Hills Express would offer a high level of service during the typical travel times of commuters. The service would provide eight trips during the day – four trips during the morning and four trips during afternoon peak travel times.
With the proposed express service serving the SouthWood area, the existing Red Hills and Tall Timbers routes would be combined into a single Tall Timbers route. Proposed changes are available for viewing on the proposed system map (PDF).
For more information about StarMetro services, please call 891-5200 or visit Talgov.com/starmetro. Other ways to view information include liking StarMetro’s official Facebook page at Facebook.com/starmetrotransit or following the organization on Twitter at Twitter.com/ridestarmetro.
Contact Information
Brian Waterman, StarMetro Planning, 891-5564; Sandra Manning, Utility Marketing, 891-6175; or Heather Teter, Department of Communications, 891-8533