KTHV
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KTHV) - While drivers around Little Rock prepare for the Broadway Bridge to close on Wednesday, the bus system prepares for a big opportunity.
Rock Region Metro expects some new passengers when the bridge closure creates traffic problems on both sides on the Arkansas River.
“We’ve rolled out WiFi on every single bus, so now, instead of sitting in traffic, driving by yourself… the bus may still be in traffic, but you can connect to WiFi, and you can let a professional do the driving,” said Rock Region Metro Executive Director Jarod Varner
Rock Region Metro wants potential riders to know how comfortable its experience is. Selfishly, more riders means more money. But mass transit could also solve some of the problems that come after the Broadway Bridge closes on Wednesday.
“So we definitely want to get more folks onto the bus, out of their car, to alleviate traffic of folks trying to get from one side of the river to the other,” Varner stated.
While many drivers will adjust their commutes after the bridge is decommissioned, Rock Region metro made its adjustments in February 2013, changing its routes so that none of its busses crossed that bridge.
“Not only did we remove busses off of Broadway Bridge, put them on Main Street or I-30, we also added some time to the schedules,” Varner explained, “so that we can make sure we’re meeting on-time performance goals, so that customers can expect the bus to be on time.”
Putting more busses on the road would likely cut down on wait times at a time when drivers will spend more time waiting in traffic, giving people more incentive to hop on the bus. But Rock Region Metro could not afford to do that.
“We had hoped that we would,” Varner stated. “We actually provided a proposal to the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department way back in 2014 to see if as part of the project, we could fund enhanced bus services. But unfortunately, the funding wasn’t available to do that.”
The bus system invested heavily recently in new technology. It launched an app with real-time tracking information that tells riders when a bus will arrive at a given stop, and includes a route-planning feature. Customers without a smart phone can send a text message to a number associated with each specific bus stop, and receive an automated message with bus arrival information.
System leaders want first-time riders to feel confident ditching their cars and ditching the headache of traffic. A guide was posted to Rock Region Metro’s website with basic information for people who have never used mass transit before.
“There’s lots of tools people can use, to try transit,” he stated. “And there’s really never been a better time to try transit in Central Arkansas.
“We think we’re as prepared as we can be, and we’re happy that we’ve got so many tools now, that we can provide the people, as they ask questions about what’s gonna happen.”
The only real change will be with the streetcar. Varner said it will not run during rush-hour traffic, since it goes so much slower than the rest of the vehicles on the road. Instead, there will be a shuttle to take people back and forth from the Little Rock Regional Chamber stop on the south side of the Arkansas River to Verizon Arena on the north side.
KTHV