Do you want this view of the historic Santa Fe depot?

The black squares in front of the depot represent buses.

Eric Kirkendall May 7, 2012

Top ten reasons the bus transfer hub should not be moved from Downtown to East Lawrence
1. Unfair. One of the two reasons the city is considering moving the bus transfer hub from downtown Lawrence to East Lawrence is that owners of property on New Hampshire Street want it moved.

2. Not the best use. There are better uses for the Santa Fe Depot, including using it for city offices. The city considered moving the transit office there. . 3. Imposes environmental, health, and economic burden on East Lawrence. Routing all bus routes to the train depot would subject East Lawrence residents on the bus routes and near the train depot to increased noise, dangerous diesel exhaust air pollution, and traffic congestion. It is likely to reduce the values of homes closest to the facility. 4. Destroys the beauty of the historic Santa Fe Depot. Putting the bus transfer hub on the street in front of the Santa Fe Depot would hide its beauty behind a row of buses, transforming a beautiful view into an eyesore. 5. Poor Design. Putting the transfer hub at this isolated location would violate fundamental design principlesd for transit stops, including the following: Transit stops should be active and attractive public spaces that attract people on a regular basis, at various times of day, and all days of the week.

 Transit stops function as community destinations. The largest stops and stations should be designed to facilitate programming for a range of community activities and events. 6. Contrary to bus riders wishes and city plans. Moving the bus transfer hub mile from its current central location and 3 blocks from the edge of downtown to an onstreet location in East Lawrence would be contrary to wishes of bus riders and city plans to have a Central transit hub in downtown Lawrence a, or Downtown Transfer Center b, and Establish an off-street location for a regional transit hub.
b,c

7. Dangerous and Inconvenient for bus riders. Dangerous. Asking bus riders to wait to transfer buses just a few hundred feet from a virtually unpoliced homeless camp with 20-50 occupants would put bus riders, including Lawrence youth, at risk. Inconvenient. Extending bus routes to the train depot would inevitably increase trip lengths and travel times, imposing significant inconvenience on transit riders. Passengers interviewed by the LTA consultants specifically said they Want routes that wouldnt always bring people to out of the way transfers.

8. Has nothing to do with train service. Since the train arrives at the depot during hours the buses are not running, the buses will not serve train riders, or vice versa 9. Would squander an economic development and transit improvement opportunity. As the former Lawrence transit administrator wrote, Topekas downtown Quincy Station, transfer hub built with 80 percent Federal funds in 2002, has helped bring about much economic development in downtown Topeka. Proposals to build a Topeka Streetcar system are centered on the station, in order to increase cultural tourism and further economic development. In 2003, the Lawrence Transit System received a Federal earmark of $500,000 to build a downtown transfer station, but did not build it.

10. Has already been considered and rejected. This idea was proposed and analyzed in 2002, and rejected by the city after an analysis found it not convenient for bus riders because it was too far from downtown. (See attached LJW story).

The East Lawrence Homeless Camp

Question It is moral and just for we citizens of the City of Lawrence to force the homeless, many mentally ill, to live in circumstances that are dangerous and unhealthy for them and the surrounding neighborhood? These photos were taken within a few hundred yards of the Santa Fe depot. There is no running water and no toilets here, and virtually no law enforcement. By vigorously enforcing the outdoor sleeping ban and numerous other laws downtown and in other neighborhoods, and refusing to establish a safe camping area for homeless people, we have virtually forced the homeless to live in this lawless, unsanitary, dangerous area, on the edge of our neighborhood.

The Santa Fe Depot has been considered and rejected as a bus transfer hub
Summer 2003 from Reviving the Santa Fe Depot

Request to the ELNA

As a homeowner in East Lawrence, member of the East Lawrence Neighborhood Association, and bus rider, I ask that the ELNA formally reject plans to move the bus transfer hub to the Sante Fe depot, and request that the City hire a consultant to develop and evaluate alternatives incorporating a downtown transfer station, transit-oriented development, and if feasible, a streetcar line. Eric Kirkendall

References a. T2030 Stakeholder Interviews, Summary, http://lawrenceks.org/pds/tr-T2030stake b. Lawrence Route and Schedule Design for Coordinated Transportation, Final Report 2010, http://www.lawrenceks.org/transit/pdf/2010_Olsson_Report.pdf c. Lawrence-Douglas County MPO Transportation 2030: Long-Range Transportation Plan, March 2008, http://lawrenceks.org/pds/t2030 d. Model Design Manual for Living Streets, Funded by U.S. DHS, http://www.completestreets.org/resources/modeldesign-manual-will-help-turn-your-policy-into-practice/

Historical Snapshots of the Downtown Bus Transfer Hub

June 26, 2001 City Commission Minutes Karin Rexroad, Public Transit Administrator, presented the staff report concerning the relocation of the Citys downtown transit transfer point. Rexroad said by using the 11th and Vermont location, the routes needed total reconfiguration and would bypass the downtown area to get to that location. It would be extremely difficult to run an efficient

system that puts transportation where the public could utilize it. There were safety issues for buses, passenger and kids. Rundle suggested discussing the other proposed routes which seemed more viable. In order to meet Weavers needs, the Public Transit Advisory Committee suggested the East side of Massachusetts adjacent to FirStar Bank. PTAC saw this as a good location and was willing to work hard to be a good partner with Downtown. Dunfield said concerning the 9th Street between New Hampshire and Rhode Island location staff report listed several negative options. He asked Rexroad if he was correct in interpreting this locations biggest disadvantage was the route configuration. Rexroad said yes, route configuration and timing were two of the biggest issues. The route depended on what direction the buses were able to leave and arrive at the transfer station. When moving the transfer station a block or two, it could put anywhere from two to five minutes on the timing. If New Hampshire Street were open, it would allow more opportunities to use this street rather than residential streets. Dunfield said it looked like there would be buses that would be forced to come in facing east when they really wanted to be headed west therefore needing to go around a block in order to get back on the route. Rundle said route configuration was the most pressing concern other than the infrastructure. Rexroad said the infrastructure could be dealt with, but would take time. The issue of route configuration and infrastructure was related to the routes being designed for the 9th and Massachusetts location. Henry asked if the recommended solution, moving the bus stop across the street to the northeast side, would adversely affect any of the routes. Rexroad said no. They would be moved a half block and it would not affect timing. Marian Hukle, a regular rider of the transit system, said she was pleased PTAC had a negative response to the 11th and Vermont Street option. Hukel said she has lived across the street from Southwest Jr. High School for approximately 5 years and for the first five years, she did not drive downtown to shop because it was more convenient to drive to South Iowa. Now with the bus system, downtown became a weekly destination. When you think about a transfer point for the bus system, it was a way to get people to the hub of the City. Hukle said while waiting for the bus, she window shopped and purchased items downtown because of the location of the bus stop. Jeremy Douglas, Director, Downtown Lawrence Inc., said PTAC has talked with members of Downtown Lawrence Inc., concerning the relocation of the bus stop transfer. Downtown Lawrence Inc. enjoyed having the transfer station downtown and felt it was a vital part of Downtown. The location in front of FirStar Bank drew concerns about safety issues from members of Downtown Lawrence Inc. Moved by Rundle, seconded by Henry, to move the south side of the transfer location from Weavers corner to the East side of Massachusetts adjacent to the bank. Motion carried unanimously.

Lawrence Daily Journal World, November 19, 2002