Rock Hill adjusts proposed bus route to include more homes, stores

The people have spoken, says Mayor Doug Echols.

Their message: Extend access to a proposed bus transit system closer to residential homes and local stores along the Heckle Boulevard corridor.

City officials Tuesday revealed an updated map of proposed bus transportation routes, which they say would better serve more Rock Hill residents need a way to reach their local grocery stores or places of work.

Close to 100 residents who attended the city’s informational meeting last week at the Kenneth Monroe Transformation Center said the plan was well-intentioned, but needed more stops closer to their area.

The major change comes on the westernmost route, which already stretches from Piedmont Medical Center, down Constitution Boulevard and through downtown Rock Hill before passing through Fountain Park and servicing Saluda Street.

The proposed new route would keep those streets in play, while adding stops along S.C. 901, or Heckle Boulevard. It would serve as a connecter between Herlong Avenue and Saluda Street.

The new route would be helpful to those wanting to reach York County Family Court, the county’s Social Services Department office and the Clinton College campus, according to Jeremy Winkler, the city’s intergovernmental manager.

“We’re trying to be responsive to what people have said, and it gives us an opportunity to serve more people,” Echols said. “And, golly, that’s what you want the system to do.”

The Rock Hill City Council discussed the changes during a daylong retreat Tuesday at Winthrop University.

A 2015 transportation study found that many of those living between Dave Lyle Boulevard, Saluda Street and Heckle Boulevard were without a vehicle.

The council will discuss whether to officially approve the bus transit plan during its regular meeting at the City Hall on Monday evening. Should the council approve the plan, officials will begin next month applying to the Federal Transit Administration for funds.

If the city’s application is accepted, officials will begin a federal procurement process by April. They could start placing an order by the fall. A full bus service — which would include seven buses servicing four routes — could be up and running by fall 2018.

City leaders say the transit system will allow nearly all residents more access with the city’s top growth spots, such as the Knowlege Park project, Cherry Road and Dave Lyle Boulevard.

The buses would run 14-15 hours each day, with approximately 10 stops per route. Three of the routes would take about an hour to complete, while a shorter downtown route would take just 30 minutes.

Other routes would include stops along Cherry Road, Dave Lyle Boulevard, Main Street and Herlong Avenue. Winkler said his team has also adjusted the map to make the University Center area, near Winthrop University, a central hub where riders can hop on or off each distinct route.

University Center, which will sit on the former Bleachery site just off West White Street, is expected to serve as a bridge between the Winthrop University campus and the downtown business district.

The finished product, developers say, will include a hotel, apartments, a market pavilion, retail space, student housing and a 140,000-square-foot sports complex.

City officials say they’d like to use 35-foot electric buses much like the Proterra Catalyst, which they say will save nearly $500,000 in lifetime operational savings.

The proposed bus transit system would be fare-free. However, in a poll of the residents at last week’s meeting, 57 percent said they would be willing to pay a fare if it meant adding more stops or routes.

Echols said up to 85 percent of the annual cost, including operating expenses, could be paid for through a federal grant.

The cost of the project would be about $2.67 million over the first two years, Echols said last week. In the the third year, the annual costs would dip back to around $2.5 million.

But the bulk of the funding would be provided through federal grants. Echols said Rock Hill likely would be responsible for about $300,000-$400,000 annually.

The mayor said the city would look to form partnerships with local businesses to help cover the cost.

This story was originally published January 17, 2017 at 8:34 PM with the headline "Rock Hill adjusts proposed bus route to include more homes, stores."