Downtown Ithaca bus stops will move Nov. 9 under a city and TCAT plan that shifts intercity buses south of the Commons and reorganizes service on East Seneca Street.
The city said in a news release that the changes are intended to ease congestion and address problems downtown merchants have experienced since the Seneca Street Parking Garage closed in the spring. Officials developed the plan after several weeks of discussions with merchants.
East Seneca stops will serve separate route groups
The first East Seneca Street stop will move about 60 yards east from North Cayuga Street to the area between Dewitt Mall and Tompkins Financial. It will serve routes 11, 11S, 13, 14, 15, 17, 20, 21, 31W, 40, 43, 51, 52, 65 and 67.
A second stop will move to East Seneca and North Tioga streets, where intercity buses now stop. That location will serve high-frequency routes 30, 30W and 90.
Route 10 will remain on North Tioga Street.
Intercity buses move to South Cayuga Street
The intercity stop will relocate to the 200 block of South Cayuga Street, putting intercity travel south of the Commons.
The plan also adds two accessible parking spaces on the 100 block of East Seneca Street near Dewitt Mall, behind the space designated for Ithaca Carshare.
The city said the Cayuga Street Garage at 245 S. Cayuga St. provides more than 300 parking spaces within a five-minute walk of the Commons. Officials will continue reviewing peak-hour parking use and how people navigate downtown.
TCAT will update its website, real-time Bus Tracker and MyStop app with service and stop changes.
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