The City of Ithaca and Tompkins Consolidated Area Transit are relocating one of downtown Ithaca’s busiest bus stops beginning Monday in an effort to ease congestion caused by the closure of the Seneca Street Garage.
TCAT’s high-frequency Route 10, which runs between Cornell University and the Commons, will move from the temporary Seneca Street location to the 200 block of Tioga Street starting May 18. City officials said the block in front of Ithaca Town Hall will be designated for bus use only, with parking prohibited for other vehicles.
The relocation comes weeks after multiple bus routes were displaced by the garage closure, which forced transit operations into a temporary setup along Seneca Street near Cayuga Street.
TCAT General Manager Matthew Rosenbloom-Jones said moving Route 10 — one of the system’s busiest routes — should significantly reduce congestion at the current temporary stop.
“Route 10’s move to Tioga Street will significantly ease but not entirely eliminate bus congestion at the temporary stop farther west on Seneca Street toward the Cayuga Street intersection,” Rosenbloom-Jones said.
Route 10 currently departs Seneca Street 65 times per day, though that number is expected to drop to about 45 daily trips when summer service begins May 24.
City officials acknowledged the disruption the transit changes have caused downtown businesses, residents and visitors, saying they are working to improve communication and develop next steps as traffic patterns continue adjusting around the garage closure.
All other routes affected by the closure will continue using the temporary Seneca Street stop for now.
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