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RTA wants input on improving bus service in valley

Allyn Harvey

The Rural Transportation Authority will hold five open houses next week to take suggestions for improving transit service over the next two years.”We’re looking for comments on how to improve existing bus stops, buses, routes, schedules and fares,” said Mike Davis, planning director at the Roaring Fork Transit Agency. “We’d also like to hear suggestions for future transit services.”During the next two months, the authority will be updating the region’s Transit Development Plan, which will provide a detailed business plan for the authority’s first two years of operation. The plan will be based on the service goals presented to voters through the valley last November when they were asked to authorize the RTA.Those goals include 15-minute bus service at peak times between El Jebel and Aspen, 30-minute bus service throughout the Roaring Fork Valley from Aspen to Glenwood Springs and hourly service between Glenwood and towns lying west along Interstate 70 to Rifle. They will be phased in over 18 months as new buses, facilities and staff are put in place.However, in order to fully implement the authority’s service improvement goals, planners like Davis need to hear more from people who use the service and those who are considering it.Now is also the time for people to make a case for services that aren’t included in the goals listed above. “Implementing new services requires a great deal of advance planning and determining the financial possibilities for funding,” Davis said.”If people feel strongly that new service in their neighborhoods would be used, it’s essential that they participate in this planning effort so we can begin now to explore how to make those improvements,” he continued.The open houses will begin in Rifle March 6 by gathering ideas for the new I-70 service. Four other open houses will be held in the Roaring Fork Valley. The schedule is as follows:-Rifle, 6 p.m., Tuesday, March 6, Rifle City Hall (Chambers Room), 202 Railroad Ave.;-Glenwood Springs, 8:15 p.m., Tuesday, March 6, Glenwood Springs City Hall, 806 Cooper Ave.;-Aspen, 6 p.m., Wednesday, March 7, Aspen City Hall (Sister Cities Room), 130 South Galena St.;-Basalt, 8 p.m., Wednesday, March 7, Basalt Town Hall, 101 Midland Ave.;-Carbondale, 6:30 p.m., Thursday, March 8, Carbondale Town Hall, 511 Colorado Ave.The open houses are open to anyone, no matter where they live. Call Mike Davis at 920-1905, extension 228, for more information.Return to The Aspen Times or AspenAlive.com Comments about this article? Send them to mail@aspentimes.comLooking for a particular article? Search our Daily ArchivesPosted: Thursday, March 1, 2001