Albany Route Restructuring Final Plan -

ALBANY COUNTY ROUTE RESTRUCTURING - AN OVERVIEW

TRUNK SERVICE IMPROVEMENTS

Route #6 (Second/Whitehall) – This route will be split into two separate routes (#6 & #116). Route #6 will operate on South Pearl Street, Second Avenue, and Whitehall Road every 20 minutes during the day, evening service will be extended until 1:00am, and Sunday service will be added. (Please see new Neighborhood Route #116). 

Route #7 (Glenmont) – The frequency will be increased to every 25 minutes, service will be increased on Sundays and additional early morning and late night trips will be provided. This will increase the level of service between Albany and the Glenmont shopping centers.  

Route #12 (Washington Avenue) – This route serves CDTA’s three largest destinations (Crossgates Mall, the University at Albany and Downtown Albany). Service will now operate every 15 minutes during peak and mid-day hours. The route will now also serve the Wal-Mart at Crossgates Commons while trips into the Harriman State Campus will be eliminated. (Please see new Commuter Route #712 for Harriman Trips). 

Route #18 (Delaware Avenue) – New Sunday service will be added, mid-day frequency will increase to every 30 minutes, service to the Slingerlands Price Chopper will be provided, while weekday and Saturday night service will be extended until 11:00pm.  

NEW NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICE

Route #100 (Mid-City Belt) – This new route will provide service on Morton Avenue, Holland Avenue, Quail Street, Livingston Avenue, and Pearl Street. It will offer direct connections between the South End, Arbor Hill and Albany Medical Center as well as the Stratton VA Medical Center. The route will provide better access to BusPlus and other major transit corridors. Route #100 replaces portions of Route #3, #8, and #9. 

Route #114 (Madison/Washington) – This new route will provide direct connections between Madison Avenue neighborhoods (via Washington Avenue) to Crossgates Mall, the University at Albany, the College of St. Rose and CDTA’s Rensselaer Rail Station. Route #114 replaces portions of Route #3 and #4. 

Route #116 (Albany/Menands) – This new route will provide service from Riverview Center to 700 South Pearl Street and serve North Albany locations including Memorial Hospital, Downtown Albany and Menands (via Wards Lane, Van Rensselaer Boulevard, Broadway, South Pearl Street, Green Street and Mount Hope). Route #116 replaces portion of Route #6 between Downtown Albany and Riverview Center while replacing Route #8 between Downtown Albany and 700 South Pearl Street. 

Route #125 (Clinton/Sand Creek) – This new route will provide direct connections between Clinton Avenue and Colonie Center/Wolf Road (via Sand Creek Road) while improving access to BusPlus and Route 5 destinations. Route #125 replaces portions of Route #2 & #3. 

Route #138 (Livingston/Allen) – This new route will provide cross-town service on Allen Street and Livingston Avenue, offering direct connections between St. Peter’s Hospital, Livingston Avenue and Lark Drive. The route will improve access to BusPlus and other major transit corridors. Route #138 replaces portions of Route #2, #8 & #30.

 NEW COMMUTER ROUTES

Route #712 (Patroon Creek/Harriman) – This new route will provide direct connections, during peak time periods, from Downtown Albany to the Harriman Campus and Patroon Creek Boulevard from Downtown Albany (via Central and Colvin Avenues) with final destinations of Crossgates Mall and Wal-Mart at Crossgates Commons. Route #712 replaces Route #12 trips that previously served the Harriman Campus.                                       

Route #734 (Hackett/Buckingham Pond) – This new route will operate primarily during peak time periods between Downtown Albany, Hackett Boulevard, the Buckingham Pond neighborhood, Stonehenge Gardens and Ohav Shalom apartment complexes. Route #734 replaces portions of Route #4 and #30. 

Route #737 (Airport/Corporate Woods) – This new route will operate primarily during peak time periods between Downtown Albany, Corporate Woods, Palisades Drive, Albany International Airport & British American Boulevard with an additional 8:15pm trip from Corporate Woods (via Northern Boulevard, Shaker and Everett Roads). Route #737 replaces portions of Route #27 & #31. 

ROUTE REDUCTIONS & CONSOLIDATIONS

Route #13 (New Scotland Avenue) – The frequency on this route will be reduced to 15 minutes during peak periods. Route #13 will maintain routing on Holland and Delaware Avenues. Albany Medical Center and St. Peter’s Hospital will have increased service on Routes #100 & #138.  

Route #610 (Wolf Road) – The route will operate every 25 minutes in peak periods, every 35 minutes during mid-day periods, and 45 minutes on the weekend. The route will terminate at Albany International Airport and Albany Nursing Home on weekends, and after 7:00pm on weekdays. New Commuter Route #737 will provide regular route service to Albany International Airport and British American Boulevard. 

Routes #611 & #612 (20 Mall & Route 5) – These flexible service routes will have a peak frequency of every 60 minutes with a combined frequency of 30 minutes between the two routes. Route #611 will operate from 6:30am – 8:15pm on weekdays, while Route #612 will operate 6:00am to 11:30pm on weekdays and Saturdays. These routes will no longer service Crossgates Commons. Route #12 and #712 will now serve Crossgates Commons.

SERVICE ELIMINATIONS

Exchange Street in West Albany was previously served by Route #2 and many of the stops will be within walking distance of Route #125 & #737. 

Kenwood and Elsmere Avenues in Delmar were previously served by Route #18 and many of the stops are within walking distance of an improved Route #18 that remains on Cherry and Delaware Avenues.

The Albany County Route Restructuring has two phases. Nearly 80% of the service changes will happen in Phase One, beginning November 13, 2011, affecting routes in the city of Albany and surrounding suburbs of Bethlehem, Guilderland, Menands, and southern Colonie. Phase Two, planned for 2012, will restructure areas including Altamont, Cohoes, Green Island, Latham, Voorheesville and Watervliet.

 How do these changes make using CDTA easier?

Fewer trunk route deviations and easily-identifiable route names make our route network simpler to understand and use. New trunk and neighborhood service provides direct access to more landmark destinations, better connections and shorter wait times for customers.

Trunk Route Improvements

 Trunk routes operate 7 days a week from early morning to late night with frequent service during peak commute times

Commuter routes operate during peak commuting hours (Monday -Friday, 6 a.m.-9 a.m. and 3 p.m.-6 p.m.)

Discontinued Routes

Route Reductions and Consolidations

Will all the routes in Albany County be affected?

No. Trunk routes #1, #11, and #22 will see no service change. Express routes and routes traveling primarily in other counties will not be affected.  

Will the cost to ride CDTA services change?

No. CDTA’s base fare will continue to be $1.50. Customers who use SWIPER cards or other pre-paid bus passes will continue to see discounted pricing for all CDTA services except the Northway Express and STAR, which have their own fare structures.  

Does this change my STAR paratransit options?

As fixed routes change, there may be some changes to CDTA’s STAR service, which offers transportation alternatives to people with a disability or impairment who cannot use, or have substantial difficulty using, our fixed-route bus system. STAR customers must reside or schedule to be picked up at locations that are within a 3/4 mile of current CDTA fixed route service, and are also affected by the hours the accompanying fixed route service route operates.   

What determines whether a new route will continue to provide service?

CDTA regular route services are tracked using the criteria of total riders and riders per revenue hour. Routes that fall below one or both of the acceptable thresholds will be analyzed along for route and schedule adjustments to increase ridership. CDTA takes these steps prior to any potential reductions or eliminations because it is possible that a route may perform well in one criterion but not another.  

How do I get additional information?  

·         Call us at 482-8822

·         Visit www.cdta.org/albanyservice

·         Pick up a brochure or route schedules on the bus or at any CDTA sales outlet. 

·         Schedule a travel training session with a CDTA travel Trainer

·         Use the CDTA Trip planner or the CDTA Iride app to find out about new connections