Some Columbia residents optimistic about city’s transit study

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Some Columbia bus riders say a transit study could be key to decreasing long wait times.

On Tuesday, Columbia Public Works held its final open house for the Go COMO transit study at Wabash Bus Station. The city has held multiple open houses since the study began in August 2023, aimed at receiving public feedback on ways to improve its transit system.

Some riders have frequently complained of longer wait times, changing schedules so they won’t miss work and overcrowding on some buses, which has led to safety concerns.

In August 2023, the city combined bus routes due to a shortage in drivers.

Vicki Boyd-Kennedy is one of the many residents who attended Tuesday's open house. Boyd-Kennedy said while she'd like to use the bus system more, the way it is currently operating doesn't make that realistic.

"I mean, I used to ride the bus to the university when I worked there and it was every 30 minutes," Boyd-Kennedy said. "A couple of us even said today to come here to this session, it would have taken like three hours round trip, you know."

Transit Planner with Olsson, the consultant Columbia Public Works is working with said the firm is pleased with how the open houses have gone.

"You know, we for the most part seem to... seem to like the direction it's going and kind of want to move as fast as we can to implement," Strate said.

The study proposes a three tier system that eventually works its way up to buses running more often, as well as extended hours.

Tier 1 includes:

• Services beginning at 6 a.m. (full first trip starting at Wabash).
• Add evening service using “combined” 90-minute routes, until 11:10 p.m on Saturdays
• Expand hours to 6 a.m. to 11:10 p.m., same routes and frequency (90 minutes).
  Sunday
• Add service at 90-minute frequency 8:15 a.m. to 6:40 p.m.

Tier 2:

• Add new route to Paris Rd/Route B corridor
• Extend existing routes to new destinations (adding 10-15 minutes of runtime).
• Increase frequency to 30 minutes in daytime hours and 60 minutes in the evening on weekdays.
• Minor extension of service hours: 5:30 a.m.-11:25 p.m. on weekdays
• Increase frequency to 60 minutes on Saturdays.
• Increase frequency to 60 minutes on Sundays.

Tier 3:

• Add new route in southeast and Southwest Columbia.
  
• Increase frequency on highest-ridership routes to 15 minutes in daytime hours and 30 minutes in evening hours on weekdays.
• Minor extension of service hours: 5:00 a.m.-11:55 p.m. on Sundays
• Increase frequency on highest-ridership routes to 30 minutes all day on Saturdays
• Minor extension of service hours: 7:00 a.m. to 9:55 p.m.

Boyd-Kennedy said she's in favor of the changes, especially in Tier 3.

"Tier 3 to be able to extend... and some of the things, I am getting older and so I'm kind of thinking if I ever have to give up my car, can I get around this town in on the bus system?" Boyd-Kennedy said.

Strate said the city will work to gather comments from residents and bring a revised plan to the Columbia City Council for review in October.

Feedback can be left on the beheard.como.gov website until Sept. 10.