Traffic & Transit
'City Shuttle' Route Begins Between Cherry Creek & Capitol Hill
A pilot program will provide bus service between Capitol Hill and Civic Center and Cherry Creek Mall via a new "micro transit" route.
DENVER, CO – The City of Denver will roll out a new on-demand "micro-transit" public transport service Thursday. Addressing the problem of high parking prices and congestion at Cherry Creek Shopping Center, the city will provide "City Shuttle" buses to the mall from Denver's Capitol Hill and Civic Center neighborhoods.
The pilot program aims to "fill transit service gaps for retail, hospitality and service workers," as part of the Denver Mobility Action Plan the city said in a press release.
The $250,000 pilot program, announced in Mayor Michael Hancock’s 2018 State of the City Address, is part of the Denver Smart City plan. The city has contracted with Ford Motor company-owned Chariot, which also transports students for University of Denver.
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Hancock and City Council members Wayne New and Mary Beth Susman will be on-hand Thursday to roll out the new service.
Initially, the service will run three days a week. Riders can use the Chariot app to reserve a seat on the 14-passenger City Shuttle bus. During the six-month pilot, City Shuttle will be free for all riders, the city said.
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Employers at the mall, especially the hotels nearby, have a hard time attracting and retaining workersbecause of the transportation issues, said Stuart Anderson, executive director of the Transportation Solutions Foundation in a Denver Post interview last summer.
“Right now, the biggest issue for people to work in Cherry Creek is the cost of parking. The hotels, for example, are very desperate for employees right now,” Anderson said. Cherry Creek business owners and the Cherry Creek North Business District are partnering to support the City Shuttle, the city said.
The hope is that the City Shuttle will allow those who live near Capitol Hill, but work in Cherry Creek will be able to "fill the first mile-last mile connection" without driving to work.
Image via Chariot.
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