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Cherriots recent transit plans have identified an affordable connection with Albany as a high priority for further study. While connecting the two urban areas is the focus of this study, service to Millersburg and Jefferson is also being considered.
As we explore the feasibility of a new route or routes between Salem and Albany, we want to hear about the type of transit route that would best serve your values and needs.
One of the first choices we need to consider is whether new service should prioritize ridership or coverage.
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We could concentrate service between the cities and towns with the most people. The bus would come more times per day and the routes would be very direct, so more people would probably choose to ride. This has the greatest potential ridership...but some areas would have no service.
We would prioritize high ridership by:
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We could spread out so that more places have a little bit of service. The bus wouldn’t come as often and routes would be circuitous and less direct. Fewer people would probably choose to ride, even from the biggest cities… but we would have provided more coverage of the area.
We would prioritize coverage by:
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Existing Conditions and Choices Memo (PDF, 1.1MB) - The Choices report examines the needs and potential goals of a new transit service between Salem and Albany.
Offering the most service at rush hours is sometimes a way to get high ridership. Its success at getting higher ridership often depends on expensive parking, high gas prices and other factors that push people with 9 to 5 jobs to leave their cars at home.
People who work in retail, restaurant or service jobs tend to commute at all times of day and week, such as early morning, midday, or night, and especially on weekends. People with these jobs tend to have lower incomes and a greater incentive to use transit.
In the past decade, the U.S. transit agencies that attracted more ridership invested more in all-day, night and weekend service.
Only one in five trips in the U.S. is a commute to work. The other trips are to run errands, go to appointments, shop, visit people and do the other things that make life complete. Those trips happen at all times of day and week.
The Express would have just a few stops in Salem and downtown Albany with no intermediate stops in South Salem, Jefferson, Millersburg or north of downtown Albany. Having few stops would make it fast and more frequent, which makes it more attractive to people traveling between the big cities.
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The Express would offer departures every 30-minutes, but only during rush-hours (7 - 9 am and 5 - 7 pm) on weekdays.
This route would stop within 1 mile of 28,000 residents and 44,000 jobs.
The Intercity Route would make three stops in Salem, one in Jefferson, one in Millersburg, and two in Albany.
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The Intercity Route would offer departures every two hours, between 7 am and 9 pm on weekdays.
This route would get service within 1 mile of 60,000 residents and 60,000 jobs.
Shorter waits at rush hour? | Available at midday and evening? | Faster trip between the busiest places? | More stops? | Smaller towns included? | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Express Service | Yes | No | Yes | No | No |
Intercity Route | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
Regional Connections Map
Salem and Albany are both places where people can make connections with regional services among the Portland Metro area, the Oregon Coast, the Willamette Valley and beyond. Regional services are used by people traveling for work, for study, to visit friends or family, to access medical services, and more. They can also be used to travel long distances across and around the state, whether people are traveling for fun, to visit family or for essential needs.
A Salem-Albany route would be useful to people traveling between those two cities, but because it would be part of a larger statewide network it could also make other routes more useful.
Timeline Graphic
Consider sharing the link to this survey with other people who care about transit in the area.
For more information, visit www.cherriots.org/salemtoalbany
For project related questions or comments, contact Tracie Heidt (503-235-5881 x 116)
For general information, contact Cherriots:
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