Dear Lubbock Residents,
The City of Lubbock/Citibus is currently underway on an important project called the Comprehensive Operational Analysis (COA), which is focused on how to improve Citibus’ local fixed-route bus services within Lubbock (non-TTU routes), complementary paratransit services, and demand response services. This analysis will lead to recommendations for program and service design improvements for overall system efficiency and operational effectiveness.
This survey evaluates the Preliminary Preferred Alternative which consists of two phases of service. Full details of the Preliminary Preferred Alternative can be found in Working Paper #2.
Phase 1 Service
Phase 1 of the Preliminary Preferred Alternative focuses on more direct and simpler routing which leads to faster travel times and a more user-friendly system. The system is built from the foundation of a stronger fixed-route system with layers of new service types. Phase 1 of the Preliminary Preferred Alternative remains cost-neutral due to streamlining all of the routes, combining Routes 2 and 14, and reducing service on some routes to 60-minute headways. In addition, Phase 1 of the Preliminary Preferred Alternative:
- Brings service to new areas with the introduction of microtransit in northeast and southwest Lubbock
- Two new route segments serving the West End Center
- A new crosstown route connecting north Lubbock, Texas Tech University and the South Plains Mall
- Service to southeast Lubbock
- The new Marsha Sharp Express route from downtown and Texas Tech University to the Milwaukee corridor and South Plains Mall.
Please rate your impression of Phase 1 of the preliminary preferred alternative on a scale of 1-to-5, with 1 being "Very Poor" and 5 being "Very Good."
Phase 2 Service
The implementation of Phase 2 includes additional resources. The system is built on phasing in new key microtransit zones including service in northwest and southeast Lubbock and introducing a fixed-route service in the high growth area along the Milwaukee and 98th Street corridors. The final buildout of the system introduces three new routes in the southwest, improved connections in the northeast, expansion of coverage in the northwest and southeast, and faster crosstown travel times with the Route 5 (Boston Avenue) and the Marsha Sharp Express.
Please rate your impression of Phase 2 of the preliminary preferred alternative on a scale of 1-to-5, with 1 being "Very Poor" and 5 being "Very Good."
The following questions will ask you to rate your impression of the changes made to individual routes or new services on a scale of 1-to-5, with 1 being "Very Poor" and 5 being "Very Good."
Route 1
Route 1 streamlines the routing to east Lubbock and adds new direct service to Texas Tech University with the Downtown Plaza in between the two segments. Route 1 provides a direct one-seat ride from east Lubbock to Texas Tech University. The route operates with 60-minute headways all day long. It operates from 5:45 a.m. to 6:45 p.m. on weekdays, and from 7:45 a.m. to 6:45 p.m. on Saturdays.
Route 2/14
Route 2/14 combines segments of Routes 2 and 14 in east Lubbock and Route 12 in the north with the Downtown Plaza in the middle of the route. The route provides a one seat ride from east Lubbock to Walmart and the neighborhood to the north of Marsha Sharp. The route will maintain the existing 30-minute headways of the current Route 2 and Route 14 on weekdays, and will operate with 60-minute headways on Saturdays. The span of service for the route is from 5:45 a.m. to 6:45 p.m. on weekdays, and from 6:45 a.m. to 6:45 p.m. on Saturdays.
Route 5
Route 5 is a new north-south crosstown route providing direct service between two major transit generators - Texas Tech University and the South Plains Mall. The route will operate from the neighborhoods in the north near Erskine Road (currently served by Route 12) to the Texas Tech University campus, to the mall using the Boston Avenue and University Avenue corridors south to 82nd Street. The route continues west on 82nd Street, north on Quaker Avenue, west on 50th Street, and south on Slide Road to the mall. At the mall the route connects with Route 9, Route 34, and the Marsha Sharp Express. The route will also serve the Quaker Avenue Walmart. This will be the only route in the proposed system without a direct connection to the Downtown Plaza. The route will operate with 30-minute weekday peak headways and 60-minute weekday, midday and Saturday headways. The span of service is from 5:35 a.m. to 6:15 p.m. on weekdays, and from 7:35 a.m. – 6:15 p.m. on Saturdays.
Route 6
Route 6 continues to provide direct service on 50th Street to the South Plains Mall, however the route replaces the circuitous routing along Buddy Holly Avenue and the I-27 frontage roads with service on Avenue A. The simplified direct routing introduces new service in east Lubbock on Avenue A between 19th Street and 50th Street. At the South Plains Mall Transfer Center, the route connects with Route 5, Route 34, and the Marsha Sharp Express. The route operates with 30-minute weekday peak headways and 60-minute weekday midday and Saturday headways. The service operates from 5:45 a.m. to 6:15 p.m. on weekdays and from 7:05 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. on Saturdays.
Route 9
Route 9 takes over portions of the existing Routes 5 and 9 with service from downtown Lubbock to the Walmart on Quaker Avenue. The revised Route 9 introduces new service to southeast Lubbock on MLK Jr. Boulevard. The route is designed to continue to provide service along the Avenue Q corridor and the neighborhoods in the south between University Avenue and Quaker Avenue, but with key lifeline services further to the southeast. Southeast Lubbock was identified as an important transit market through the public and stakeholder outreach effort. Route 9 operates with 30-minute headways during the weekday peak and 60-minute headways during the weekday off peak and on Saturdays, as shown in Table II-9. The route’s span of service is from 5:45 a.m. to 6:45 p.m. on weekdays, and from 7:15 a.m. to 6:15 p.m. on Saturdays.
Route 12
Route 12 is designed to provide faster service from the Downtown Plaza to the UMC Hospital and west Lubbock via 4th Street and Frankford Avenue. The route reduces the travel time from downtown to Workforce Solutions from 60 minutes to 30 minutes. The route takes over the western portion of the current Route 12 with key destinations including UMC, Walmart, Social Security, Workforce Solutions, and the West End Center. The western terminus is a loop on Iola Avenue, 26th Street, Milwaukee Avenue, and 19th Street, and provides service to new areas including the residential areas on Iola Avenue and 26th Street, as well as the West End Center. Route 12 operates on 60-minute headways all day from 5:25 a.m. to 6:45 p.m. on weekdays, and from 7:15 a.m. to 6:15 p.m. on Saturdays.
Route 19
Route 19 operates a similar service as the existing Route 19, however the western portion of the route has been redesigned to provide less circuitous routing and more direct service to key activity areas. Route 19 will no longer serve the South Plains Mall and instead will serve Workforce Solutions, retail at West End Center, the Milwaukee corridor, and new continuous service along Frankford Avenue from 19th Street to Marsha Sharp Freeway. The route operates on 30-minute headways during the peak period on weekdays and on 60-minute headways during the weekday, midday and on Saturdays. The span of service is from 6:15 a.m. to 6:15 p.m. on weekdays, and from 8:15 a.m. to 6:15 p.m. on Saturdays.
Route 34
Route 34 will operate a similar routing as the existing Route 34 along Avenue K, 34th Street and Slide Road to the South Plains Mall. The only change to the route will be new service to the MHMR at Texas Avenue and 38th Street currently served by Route 6. At the South Plains Mall, the route will connect with Routes 5 and 6, as well as the Marsha Sharp Express. The service will improve to 30-minute headways all day on weekdays and 60-minute headways on Saturdays. Currently Route 34 has 30-minute peak and 60-minute off peak headways.
New Marsha Sharp Express Route
The Marsha Sharp Express is a new service with direct express service from the Downtown Plaza, Texas Tech University, and the South Plains Mall via Marsha Sharp Freeway. The service was designed to provide faster service from downtown to the southwest area of Lubbock, addressing one of the most frequent comments received from stakeholders and the public. In addition to faster travel times between the two transit centers (Downtown Plaza and South Plains Mall), the route will also introduce new service along the Milwaukee Avenue and 82nd Street corridors where there has been rapid growth and new development. The route will operate on 15-minute peak and 30-minute off peak headways on weekdays from 6:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. The peak period will be longer with the transition to Phase 2.
New Route 98
Route 98 is a new Phase 2 service that will operate from the South Plains Mall to 98th Street and University Avenue via Milwaukee Avenue. The route introduces new local service in southwest Lubbock on the Milwaukee corridor further south to the 98th Street corridor, with service to numerous retail businesses including Market Street and Walmart. The route will continue to build on the fixed-route service in the area after the introduction of the Marsha Sharp Express in Phase 1. At the South Plains Mall, the route connects to Routes 5, 6, and 34, as well as the Marsha Sharp Express. Route 98 will begin service in Phase 2 and will operate at 60-minute headways all day on weekdays and on Saturdays.
New Microtransit Service
The preliminary preferred alternative contains an emerging form of public transportation called microtransit, which is a form of demand response transit that leverages smartphone technology using an app to match trip requests in real-time to dynamic/flexible routes in a defined service area. It typically operates with smaller vehicles, such as cars or vans. New microtransit zones will be introduced to provide service to lower density areas focused on workforce trips and lifeline service. In Phase 1, two microtransit zones will be incorporated into the system plan. The northeast zone will replace portions of the existing Route 14 and provide greater coverage north to Estacado High School, DPS, and the Lubbock Business Park. This will expand the reach of transit to the residential areas in northeast Lubbock and provide connections to key areas that have limited transit access in the current system. Phase 1 will also include a southwest linear microtransit zone between Milwaukee Avenue to the west, Avenue P to east, 82nd Street to the north, and 98th Street to the south. The route is designed to provide service to the high growth area in the southwest for workforce and shopping trips. Two more microtransit zones will be introduced in Phase 2 with service in southeast and northwest Lubbock. Both zones will provide service to new areas including retail and residential. All microtransit routes will operate from 6:15 a.m. to 6:15 p.m. on weekdays, and from 7:45 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. on Saturdays.
Please provide any other comments you may have about the preliminary preferred alternative.
In the next month or two, how likely would it be for you to attend an in-person public meeting or open house to learn more about and provide feedback on the Citibus Comprehensive Operational Analysis?
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