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Officials take look at area transportation

November 9, 2010

Students and residents using public transportation might see some changes in the near future if a plan to restructure the Michigan/Grand River Avenue corridor is put into action.

The Capital Area Transportation Authority, or CATA, is working with local governments, businesses and community groups to conduct the Michigan/Grand River Avenue Corridor Transportation Study, which explores possible options to replace or enhance the current transportation systems in the area. The study is being conducted because officials want to unite the corridor between Lansing, Lansing Township and East Lansing.

The project has been in the works for more than a year.

The study, which focuses on the revitalization of Michigan and Grand River avenues, was presented Tuesday in an open house format at the International Center.

One of the proposed changes to the current corridor is a modified Bus Rapid Transit, or BRT, a bus service that would replace CATA route 1 and incorporate designated bus lanes, updated bus designs and new bus stops into a plan that would have 28 stations along a route and cut travel time by about 10 minutes.

Route 1 of CATA’s bus service, which is part of the seven-mile transportation corridor, is the most used bus route in the CATA transportation system, serving about 1.4 million riders a year in the Lansing and East Lansing areas, according to the study.

Debbie Alexander, assistant executive director of CATA, said the study found the BRT option to be the most feasible for the Michigan/Grand River Avenue corridor.

The BRT is the cheapest alternative transportation method looked at, and also makes the most sense for the area.

“In addition to (the cost), it also carries the most passengers,” Alexander said.

Alexander also said she thought MSU students would benefit greatly from the changes proposed in the study. She said students should be involved in the planning process because it affects the student population directly.

“I strongly encourage the student population to think about how they want the future of transportation in East Lansing to look,” Alexander said.

Urban planning and landscape senior Ann Sojka said she approves of the proposed changes and thinks the BRT plan would be applicable on the Michigan/Grand River Avenue corridor.

“(I’ve heard) about other cities that have implemented BRT, and it’s worked really well for economic revitalization,” Sojka said.

Lori Mullins, community and economic development administrator for East Lansing, said city officials have been sharing information with the community and collecting input from residents about the study.

She said there has been some support for the project, but residents have many questions about details of the design that can’t necessarily be answered at this stage of development.

“It’s important to point out that this is the first phase in a much larger project,” Mullins said.

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