The Corridor Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) is responsible for long range transportation planning within the Corridor MPO planning boundary, which includes the Cedar Rapids, Iowa metropolitan area, as shown below. The Corridor MPO will be performing a comprehensive analysis of the transit system in the region. This study will assess the current transit system (which includes all transit providers in the area) and will analyze and determine what is needed to better serve the current and future needs within the Corridor MPO’s planning boundary. The assessment of the current system will need to ensure high quality services for transit-dependent populations as well as identify ways to increase ridership. On November 19th of 2015, Parsons Brinkerhoff was selected to assist the Corridor MPO with this study.
The 2016 Corridor MPO Transit Study aimed to examine all of the components of transit service in the MPO region which included fixed-route, paratransit, and specialized demand response, identify new markets and areas for transit service, and study the various paths CR Transit can take as an entity in the future. The overall objective of the study is to develop a number of alternatives and scenarios that would create the most effective and efficient public transit system for the region that adequately meets the needs of the existing users, residents, and visitors. The goals of the study include the following: take a “fresh look” at the various components of the transit system, develop strategies to improve service on the most popular routes, improve passenger amenities and experience, identify ways to expand the reach of the system, gather public and stakeholder input to guide future of transit service in region, study the creation of a regional transit authority, and develop roadmap to expansion for proposed alternatives and scenarios. Click here to view the 2016 Transit Study.