TRANSIT CENTERS: A MEANS OF IMPROVING TRANSIT SERVICES (ABRIDGMENT)

The role of transit centers in improving the overall effectiveness of an urban bus transit system is defined and assessed. Transit centers are defined as physical facilities that facilitate the movement of buses and, thus, of bus patrons. Transit centers are more than park-and-ride lots because they can be located in high-visibility locations, even in the downtown core, and thus can serve to increase the attractiveness of transit. They are major transfer points at which several types of routes can come together. Express and local routes, as well as pulse-scheduled circulators, can thus provide the bus user with many potential destinations and greatly reduce transfer time. Transit centers can be located in the central city, on freeways, or in suburban activity centers. Planning guidelines are developed to assist in the successful planning and implementation of transit centers. These guidelines address general locational considerations, bus berths, parking, accessibility, and potential joint-development opportunities. These planning guidelines are used to locate and conceptually design a potential transit center for the Salt Lake City area. It is concluded that the impact of current pioneer transit-center projects in the United States should be closely monitored. (Authors)