Syracuse, NY – Centro is looking to reshape its public transit systems and diversify transit options for its customers.
“The commuting habits within the communities we serve are rapidly evolving and we need to evaluate and respond accordingly,” Centro Chief Executive Officer Brian Schultz said. “Part of our assessment will be the most comprehensive review of our Syracuse route system in more than 20 years and the implementation of a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system.”
Centro recently received $3 million to help fund BRT as part of the 2023 Omnibus Appropriations Bill recently passed by Congress. We wish to thank the efforts of Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-NY) and Congressman John Katko (R-NY) for their support of the bill and of BRT in our community. This money will be used to fund buses and BRT stations as part of the overall $35 million capital costs for the BRT project.
Centro’s system retooling will begin with a series of public outreach sessions centered on the Syracuse bus system entitled Exploring Tomorrow’s Transit (ETT) – a cooperative effort between Centro and the Syracuse Metropolitan Transportation Council (SMTC), which will begin in January 2023.
Community members will initially be asked to fill out a survey on transit concepts. A series of public meetings will be held later in 2023 to gather more information.
“We will be reaching out to Centro customers, as well as those that don’t currently use our system, to see what types of services and bus routes might be attractive in the future,” Schultz said. “There is a lot to consider. We are seeing significant changes since the pandemic. More people are working remotely, but at the same time we are seeing a growing demand to reach employment centers in non-traditional locations. As we look into the future, we must also consider the I-81 plan and the addition of Micron to our community.”
Centro will also assess its bus routes in the other cities and communities it serves. In all locations, Centro will continue its commitment to transportation services within thriving downtown employment centers served by our transit hubs.
In addition to BRT, Centro will also explore on-demand transportation and bike / scooter share services. Centro has hired a transportation consultant, IBI Group, to assist with the design and implementation of BRT, system reshaping and new transportation options. IBI Group performed the SMTC Smart1 study that outlined the framework for a BRT network in Syracuse.
missing or outdated ad config
