Council member Stephen Volan's proposal for a new bus line.
(Courtesy of Community Access Television Services (CATS))
The Bloomington City Council wants the mayor’s office to allocate money for a new fare-free electric shuttle line to get people to and from parking in the downtown area.
At its Wednesday meeting, the council unanimously approved a resolution expressing interest for a “Greater Downtown Circulator” Bloomington Transit bus line. The resolution is non-binding and does not appropriate any funds for the service; it’s only a first step in expressing interest to the mayor’s office.
Council member Stephen Volan, who serves part of downtown in what used to be District 6 before redistricting, sponsored the resolution. He said that by quickly getting people to parking, a shuttle would reduce the number of short car trips drivers take when visiting more than one destination.
“A shuttle connecting every parking facility in town is a form of parking infrastructure, particularly because it maximizes the accessibility of all our existing parking, and it should delay the demand for very expensive structured parking,” Volan said.
Volan discussing the shuttle project at a Wednesday city council meeting. [Courtesy of Community Access Television Services (CATS)]
He also said the service would adhere to goals outlined in the city’s Comprehensive Plan, which calls for reducing reliance on fossil fuels and utilizing alternative modes of transportation to cars.
The new route would connect the far ends of downtown with parking facilities — including Fourth, Walnut, Morton and IU’s Poplars Garage — and the many points of interest in-between.
While car parking is in very high demand for certain parts of downtown, there’s almost no demand in other areas, according to Volan. So, he said, utilizing those low-demand areas for something like a shuttle would reduce the need for more parking structures.
“We can connect pretty easily every parking garage built by the city with a shuttle and proper repricing of parking,” Volan said. “Our supply can be expanded without building any new parking, at least for a long time to come. We maybe don’t even have to pave new parking.”
Volan said the idea is inspired partially by how much downtown Bloomington has grown over time. He said a walk from the Trades District in the north to the Kroger near Seminary Square in the south takes about 20 minutes, and the same is true from either point to IU’s Sample Gates at downtown’s east end.
“The increased size of downtown is one reason — not the only reason — why scooters appeared in 2018,” Volan said. “Not everyone can ride a scooter, not everyone can bike, not everyone can walk (such as) the elderly, the infirm, small children. For some people, there’s a concern about walking alone late at night. These are all reasons why a shuttle might have utility.”
Bloomington Transit has previously considered a similar suggestion for a single T-shaped route on which two buses would run simultaneously. Volan proposed two separate routes that would cross at the Courthouse Square but said he was open to a single route with two buses.
Volan's proposal for a new bus line. [Courtesy of Community Access Television Services (CATS)]
Volan wants the project to be funded by former CRED (Community Redevelopment Economic Districts) moneys, which were designated for downtown and an area to the south.
CRED was established in 2003 under former Mayor John Fernandez but have since expired, meaning that money moved back into the city’s general fund. Volan said the CRED fund has collected about $10 million, but much of that hasn’t been utilized — except for earlier this year when the council approved more than $3 million for the construction of new office space in the Trades District.
However, Volan said this is exactly the type of project the CRED program was meant to support — and the districts are almost identical to what’s now considered the greater downtown area.
“The money was raised within the district; it should be spent in the district,” Volan said. “This is perfectly consistent with the concept of the CRED. There’s an untapped, related source of funds to contemplate such a thing.”
He expects annual operating costs for the service would amount to somewhere between $416,000 to nearly $1 million. That’s on top of $4.1-4.5 million one-time capital costs to purchase three electric buses at about $1.1 million each and about 16 new shelters at about $25,000 each.
City administration would ultimately have to draft an appropriation ordinance that would create and fund the project. It would then go to the council for a vote.
