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By Ann K. Williams
August 1 -- Bus service
is expanding with a series of
new mini-blue buses taking students,
shoppers and tourists to their
favorite destinations this year.
Last Tuesday, the City Council
unanimously approved the transit
services department’s
“mini-blue service plan,”
okaying five new routes -- including
one geared specifically to alleviating
Santa Monica College traffic
-- providing bus service to
special events, and extending
service on existing routes.
The 30-foot, low-floor “mini-buses”
have been seen around town for
several years and the Downtown
“Tide Ride,” the
Crosstown Ride and the farmers
market rides are community fixtures
already.
But July 1 was the kick-off
for the “mini-blue”
brand, called “rides”
to suggest “a more relaxed
and neighborhood-oriented experience,”
according to Stephanie Negriff,
director of transit services
for the City.
The rides scheduled for expansion
are:
? The Tide Ride serving the
Main Library, the Third Street
Promenade, the Pier, the Civic
Center and Main Street,
? The Crosstown Ride linking
Montana Avenue and Ocean Park
boulevard, bounded by 20th and
14th Streets,
? The Downtown Market ride,
linking neighborhoods north
of Wilshire to the Wednesday
and Saturday farmers’
markets on Arizona and 3rd Street,
and
? The Pico Market ride bringing
Pico and Sunset Park neighbors
to the Saturday farmers’
market at Virginia Park.
Santa Monica College students
and local residents can hop
aboard a new ride connecting
the new College parking lot
at the eastern edge of the city
with the College’s campuses,
as well as with Crossroads School
and the Water Gardens on Olympic
Boulevard. Called the Sunset
Ride, it will run weekdays from
7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Rob Rader, a member of the
College Board of Trustees, said
the project was a joint effort
between SMC and the City.
“I’m ecstatic to
be here. I’m very proud
to be working so closely in
partnership with the City to
accomplish all of our goals,”
Rader told the City Council.
In fact, the College is ponying
up $212,154 to help the City
pay for the new service, and
college students will be able
to ride the Sunset line for
free.
Incoming Associated Students
President Jason Van Buren told
the Council he’s looking
forward to energizing the student
body to embrace alternative
transportation.
“This is going to take
basically a student movement
to convert the car culture of
our generation to mass transit,
and I think we’re ready
to do that,” Van Buren
said.
The Council also OK’d
special services for events
that attract thousands, such
as the recent SOULstice festival
last month and the annual Fourth
of July celebration at the College.
In the works are plans for
bus service to the Annenberg
beach club at 415 Pacific Coast
Highway when it opens in 2009
and for a special weekend line
designed to encourage residents
to get around town on the traffic-clogged
weekends.
Maps and more details are available
at the City’s
website.
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