Transport panel OKs 24 bus pullouts
by Garry Duffy on Aug. 24, 2007, under LocalThose irritating waits behind buses discharging passengers in the right-hand lane will be eased somewhat after the Regional Transportation Authority’s board of directors approved 24 new bus pullouts in the metropolitan area.
The $2.38 million cost of the project will be borne by the RTA and the half-cent sales tax approved by voters in May 2006.
The city will oversee construction of 15 of the new pullouts, which help ease traffic congestion by allowing buses to pull out of traffic lanes when passengers get on or off.
Construction of another nine pullouts will be overseen by Pima County.
Most of the new pullouts will be located at major intersections.
City oversight:
• Broadway at Alvernon for westbound buses
• Two at Irvington at Campbell for westbound and southbound buses.
• Glenn Street at Oracle Road for northbound buses
• Grant at Alvernon for northbound buses
• Two at Country Club at Kleindale for northbound and southbound buses
• Grant at Oracle: southbound
• Speedway at Sixth Avenue: eastbound
• Ajo Way at Park: eastbound
• Stone at Yavapai: southbound
• Broadway at Country Club: northbound
• Irvington at Park: westbound
• Fort Lowell Road at Dodge: eastbound
• Los Reales at Nogales Highway: westbound
Pima County will oversee construction of nine bus pullouts on Valencia Road between Camino de la Tierra and Mark Road.
The RTA board also approved a $2 million extension of bus service between Tucson and the town of Ajo from three days a week to five days a week. The funds include the cost of two buses to extend the service.
A $980,000 bus service between Ajo and Gila Bend also was approved. The RTA funding will be used in conjunction with Federal Highway Administration grant money to run the service.
Also, the RTA board signed off on two $175,000 pedestrian-activated crosswalk signals, at Sixth Avenue and 14th Street on the South Side and Stone Avenue and Cushing Street downtown.
