The Rochester City Council will receive an update about public transit during the Committee of the Whole meeting on Feb. 4. The focus of the update will include information about two recommended mobility hub locations, a preliminary circulator route alignment, and a preview of potential park and ride locations - all part of the Destination Medical Center (DMC) transportation plan.
The two recommended mobility hub locations include Mayo Clinic’s West Lot, which is located in northwest Rochester, and Graham Park, which is located in southeast Rochester. In total, approximately 6,000 parking stalls would available between the two locations.
The recommended sites are a part of a narrowed list of six sites evaluated on the basis of accessibility, efficiency, development potential, ease of acquisition, existing amenities, and efficiency of building.
The two recommended mobility hub locations – approximately four miles apart – will be connected by a bus rapid transit (BRT) circulator with 10-minute service up to 18 hours a day. The high-capacity circulator will transport commuters, community members, and visitors into and around the downtown in a safe, reliable, and efficient manner.
According to Deputy City Administrator, Aaron Parish, “The information that will be shared during the Committee of the Whole meeting describes a critical step in the transportation improvement process. As proven in other communities, mobility hubs and transit circulators play an important role in achieving transit goals. In addition, the opportunity for intentional development, like affordable housing within or near these transit hubs, is a real opportunity to meet goals in other priority areas as well.”
Also during the meeting, the City Council will receive an update about possible locations for future park and ride facilities. One key difference between park and ride facilities and the mobility hubs will be the frequency of service and hours of operation. A park and ride provides frequent direct service during peak morning and afternoon peak times, Monday through Friday.
The Destination Medical Center Corporate (DMCC) Board will review these recommendations for mobility hubs at its Feb. 5 board meeting.
