October 01, 2015
Station Build Out Will Support Upcoming BRT Service
ALBANY, NY (September 30, 2015) The Capital District Transportation Authority (CDTA) Board of Directors approved a construction contract that will result in a BusPlus station at Crossgates Commons at its monthly meeting Wednesday.
The work consists of expanding the sidewalk areas at the entrance of Crossgates Commons, installing all the electric and communications and concrete bus pads to accommodate BRT shelters and pylons. Until the implementation of BRT service on the corridor, standard shelters will be used for customer use.
The Board also approved a new agreement with Upstate Transit to continue operating CDTA’s commuter service, the Northway Xpress (NX), which runs from Saratoga County into downtown Albany. The NX has been operated by Upstate Transit for the past 10 years using CDTA-owned and branded buses. The service was redesigned in 2012 and accounted for 200,000 rides during the last fiscal year.
In other news:
- CDTA system ridership totaled 1.385 million boardings in August, which is level with the previous year. Ridership increased as college students returned to the region but it may be challenging to match last year’s record levels.
- CDTA expects the first of its new articulated buses to arrive in the next week. The accordion style buses can carry more than 100 customers, providing relief on the region’s busiest corridors. CDTA will install equipment and review operating and maintenance requirements before the vehicles hit the road.
- CDTA will hold a joint press conference with the American Cancer Society to highlight the fight against breast cancer. Each BusPlus vehicle will have one pink seat as a way to bring attention to the disease. CDTA will also provide transportation services for the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk on October 18th in Albany’s Washington Park.
ABOUT CDTA: The Capital District Transportation Authority (CDTA) was created in 1970 by the New York State Legislature as a public benefit corporation to provide regional transportation services by rail, bus, water and air. CDTA is the premier mobility provider in the Capital Region, providing local, express, commuter and bus rapid transit services. CDTA owns and operates the Rensselaer Rail and Saratoga Springs Train Stations. Today, nearly 650 people work to deliver a transit system that transports 60,000 customers each weekday.