Eighteen bus stops in Escondido are among about 90 in North County that will be eliminated as part of an bus stop optimization program that North County Transit District (NCTD) has announced to “increase operational efficiency and support future infrastructure upgrades” according to the district. Many of the stops that will be eliminated are currently not ADA compliant. These changes will be effective April 7.
The North County Transit District (NCTD) operates 30 Breeze bus routes and four FLEX deviated fixed-routes collectively serving Carlsbad, Camp Pendleton, Encinitas, Escondido, Oceanside, San Marcos, Solana Beach, Vista, and rural San Diego County. Average weekday ridership between October and December 2018 was over 21,000 for Breeze and about 100 for FLEX.
According to a press release from NCTD “To increase operational efficiency and support future infrastructure upgrades, NCTD will remove and/or consolidate approximately 90 bus stops throughout North San Diego County. These changes will occur in conjunction with the semi-annual bus schedule change on April 7, 2019. These changes are part of a bus stop optimization program which is one of several strategies that NCTD is advancing to increase transit utilization.”
For the first phase of the program, NCTD reviewed stop spacing, ridership, and information from the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) to identify stops with the potential for elimination and/or consolidation. About 90 bus stops were identified for removal or consolidation based on the review.
According to the release, “NCTD’s board of directors has adopted bus stop design guidelines that provide general guidance for locating bus stops and determining the type of bus stop furniture that should be provided at stops. By eliminating and consolidating underutilized or substandard bus stops, NCTD will be able to focus future improvements on the most utilized stops.”
NCTD has many bus stops that were established prior to the enactment of the ADA in 1992 that have not been improved. New or improved bus stops are required to be ADA-compliant. A future phase of the bus stop optimization program will include constructing ADA improvements to stops that have high utilization and/or are near facilities that serve disadvantaged communities. Soon, the NCTD Board will consider an item for Bus Stop Improvement Design and Construction Support Services.
In January, NCTD sent notification letters to North County cities regarding the proposed elimination of the specific bus stops in each city. These letters included a detailed list of stop locations and the average daily users of each stop. In February, additional information was presented to the NCTD Board regarding these route improvements.
NCTD will provide notice on its website and signage at each bus stop proposed for elimination at least 30 days prior to the changes. The notices will provide contact information for NCTD Customer Service who can direct customers to the nearest bus stop. Additional information on specific stop removals can be found at
www.gonctd.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Bus-Stop-Elimination-List.pdf
The stops in Escondido targeted for elimination are identified by 1) Stop ID, 2) Stop Name, 3) Location, 4) City and 5) route(s)
21970
Mission Rd / 1726
Eastbound direction and before intersection
Escondido
305
21822
Mission Rd / 1745 (Sdg&E)
Eastbound direction
Escondido
305
24085
Midway Dr.. / Grand Av
Southbound direction and after intersection
Escondido
351
20775
Grand Av / Fairdale Av
Westbound direction and after intersection
Escondido
352
24921
Enterprise St / Borra Pl.
Northbound direction and after intersection
Escondido
353
22933
Midway Dr.. / Matthew Pl.
Northbound direction and after intersection
Escondido
354
22692
El Norte Pkwy / Justin Way
Westbound direction and before intersection
Escondido
355
20768
El Norte Pkwy / Conway Dr.
Westbound direction and before intersection
Escondido
355
20734
El Norte Pkwy / Las Palmas Ln
Westbound direction and after intersection
Escondido
358
20749
El Norte Pkwy / Escondido Blvd.
Eastbound direction and after intersection
Escondido
358
20117
Country Club Ln / N Iris Ln
Eastbound direction and before intersection
Escondido
358
21821
Country Club Ln / Capistrano Glen
Eastbound direction and before intersection
Escondido
358
21227
Valley Pkwy / Arboles Pl.
Westbound direction and after intersection
Escondido
308, 408
20779
Valley Pkwy / Town & Country MHP
Westbound direction
Escondido
351, 354, 357, 388
21830
Valley Pkwy / Heritage Park Apts.
Eastbound direction
Escondido
355, 388
21731
Broadway / Brava Pl.
Northbound direction and before intersection
Escondido
358, 359
21894
Broadway / Brava Pl.
Southbound direction and after intersection
Escondido
358, 359
22400
Juniper St / Washington Av
Southbound direction and before intersection
Escondido
358, 359
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