Could faster commuter bus service be in Iowa City’s future? Council OKs study

IOWA CITY — As one the fastest growing metro regions in the Midwest, and second only in the state to Des Moines, Iowa City officials are looking for ways to lessen traffic congestion, provide alternative transportation options and improve commute times.

But which transit style makes the most sense?

Iowa City Council members voted 6-0 Tuesday to hire a consulting firm to explore the feasibility of adapting the existing Cedar Rapids & Iowa City Railway corridor right of way between Iowa City and North Liberty to accommodate a bus rapid transit system.

Bus rapid transit is a high-capacity system designed to deliver fast and efficient service that may include dedicated bus lanes, busways, traffic signal priority, off-board fare collection, elevated platforms and new stations, according to the Federal Transit Administration.

The transit system has advanced throughout the county in the last decade as congestion has increased and community leaders have sought affordable transit alternatives, according to the agency. Such systems operate in big cities like Los Angeles and Atlanta, and are growing in popularity in the Midwest including Cleveland, Omaha and Kansas City.

Pittsburgh Regional Transit also is planning a bus rapid transit project, set to start construction this fall. The new line has plans to include 23 new stations, bike lanes, intersection improvements and accessible ramps. And Spokane, Wash., launched a streetcar-like bus rapid transit route this summer that will run through some of its business and education centers.

Because it contains features similar to a light rail or subway system, bus rapid transit often is considered more reliable, convenient and faster than regular bus service, according to federal transit officials. And with the right features, it can avoid the delays that can slow regular buses, like being stuck in traffic and queuing to pay fares on board, said Emily Bothell, senior associate transportation planner with the Metropolitan Planning Organization of Johnson County.

Communities and others along the corridor have discussed and studied the potential for repurposing a portion of the CRANDIC right of way between Iowa City and Cedar Rapids for alternative transportation since 2015.

Previous studies have examined the feasibility of implementing passenger rail service between Iowa City and North Liberty on a portion of the 27-mile CRANDIC freight line that once operated commuter rail service between Iowa City and Cedar Rapids. The short line railroad discontinued passenger rail service in 1953.

CRANDIC owners last year told the Johnson County Metropolitan Planning Organization’s Urbanized Area Policy Board they were no longer interested in partnering with local governments to revive a commuter rail line. CRANDIC was open to bus transit or passenger rail being used on the line, but the company would not operate it, according to board meeting minutes and documents.

That prompted the MPO to propose other options for local governments to consider, including paving over the rail system to add a bus line with an adjacent multipurpose trail and bike lanes.

“The end goal of the study is to allow local stakeholders the opportunity to compare elements of the completed passenger rail studies with elements of a completed bus rapid transit study,” Bothell said. Bus rapid transit “is just another alternative form of transportation that local stakeholders wanted to consider and whether it would function better or worse than passenger rail.”

MPO Director Kent Ralston, in a May 2022 memo to the MPO’s Urbanized Area Policy Board, said bus service could be easier and more cost-effective than passenger rail.

Iowa City expects to pay $254,785 for the study, with contributions of $100,000 from the MPO, $55,000 from Johnson County and $25,000 each from North Liberty, Coralville and the University of Iowa.

Funding secured to continue 380 Express

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Officials announced Wednesday they have secured funding to continue the 380 Express bus service until June 2026.

The Cedar Rapids-Iowa City bus service was introduced in 2018 to help alleviate traffic during construction on the Interstates 80 and 380 interchange. The service initially was planned to end in 2024 with completion of the interchange project.

With continued construction projects ongoing and planned for the coming years along the I-380 corridor, the Iowa Department of Transportation has decided to continue the service to help offset impacts faced by commuters and the public, said Brock Grenis, with the East Central Iowa Council of Governments, which manages the service.

"The service has proven to be a safe, convenient and reliable transportation option for travelers between Cedar Rapids and Iowa City,“ Grenis said.

The 380 Express includes stops at Kirkwood Community College's main campus, Coralville's Iowa River Landing and the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. The bus service does not stop in North Liberty.

“In my mind, the services could complement each other with North Liberty residents having another option for traveling to Iowa City,” Grenis said of bus rapid transit and 380 Express. “Overall, the service is going well and the ridership continues to increase.”

The 380 Express had 60,121 riders in 2019, its first full year of service. Ridership dropped to 45,754 in 2020 but increased to 55,219 in 2021. Ridership peaked at 69,491 in 2022. As of July, 380 Express had 44,701 riders so far for 2023.

Comments: (319) 398-8499; tom.barton@thegazette.com