TARC route reductions, changes start Sunday in Louisville area

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Route reductions and changes begin Sunday for the Transit Authority of River City.

Starting Sunday, Jan. 26, TARC is cutting three of its routes and alternating about eight other routes. The three discontinued routes will merge into other routes.

The biggest changes will affect riders on Routes 63 and 22, which serve downtown and west Louisville, Shively and Pleasure Ridge Park.

Michael Straney depends on TARC daily, riding Route 28 and 23. His routes aren't affected by the change, but he believes it's important to have reliable public transportation.

"We need it, Louisville needs the bus," Straney said. "So many people rely on the bus to get to work and home, back from school."

Alex Posorske, TARC Director of Marketing and Communications, said the changes are intended to improve the reliability and long-term financial sustainability.

"These are changes that have to happen and have to happen soon to improve TARC and address the fiscal cliff," Posorske said. "You should see more reliable TARC service moving forward."

At the beginning of 2024, TARC projected a $30 million deficit by the fiscal year 2027 if action wasn't taken before then. TARC opted to merge a few routes, including Route 63, which will be merged into Route 29. Posorke said Route 63 had around 400 boardings a day, so the bus line had about 150 to 200 riders typically.

"The most important thing for us on this set of service changes was making sure that nobody loses access to a bus, period," Posorske said. "They'll still have a bus, they'll still be able to catch the bus at their existing stop, but it will be a different bus and they will have to adjust their travel plans, maybe make another transfer."

But with the discontinuation of three routes, some riders are concerned about the merging of lines.

"Definitely worried that with the 29 already having scheduling issues, sometimes not showing up on time, that if they add more to it, it's going to be even harder to get to work," said Richard Karsner, who rides the bus daily to work at UPS.

Karsner, who encourages riders to be nice to drivers amid the changes, wants the adjustments to improve the riding experience.

"I'm hoping a lot of what they do will make it easier for us riders," Karsner said.

The public transportation system is in the midst of planning TARC 2025, a redesign of Louisville's transit network. TARC wants to develop strategies to update the transit network to meet the region's needs and priorities, while considering TARC's funding expectations for the next five to 10 years.

"It's about redesigning the TARC network to better match the available resources we have for transit in the region," Posorske said. "TARC is a real option for a lot of our area."

To learn more about TARC 2025, click here. TARC customer service can be called at (502) 585-1234.

Discontinued Routes:

The #22 Twenty Second Street, which serves the 22nd Street corridor from Portland to Park DuValle
- Route alternatives: In place of the #22, the #18 18th Street will be rerouted to absorb the #22's previous coverage north of Algonquin Parkway. Riders will also continue to have the option of using the #19 Muhammad Ali Boulevard.
- Route stats:
  - September 2024 average daily boardings: 49
  - Current # of trips: 23 weekday trips. No current service Saturday or Sunday
The #52 Medical Center Circulator, which serves Market @ 8th Street to the LOUMED Hospital District
- Route alternatives: Riders will continue to have the option of accessing the LOUMED hospital district via Routes #15, #19 #21, #23, #28, and #43.
- Route stats:
  - September 2024 average weekday boardings: 57
  - Current # of trips: 13 weekday, 13 Saturday, does not operate on Sunday
The #63 Crums Lane, which serves Pleasure Ridge Park, Shively, into Downtown
- Route alternatives: In place of the #63, the #29 will be rerouted to absorb coverage of Crums Lane (now Farnsley Lane due to permanent detour).
- In addition to the #29, riders can use Routes #6, #10, #18, or #19 as alternatives, depending on where they are boarding.
- There will be loss of service in the neighborhood south of Greenwood Road that will not be picked up by route #29
- In addition to the #29, riders can use Routes #6, #10, #18, or #19 as alternatives, depending on where they are boarding.
- Route stats:
  - September 2024 average daily boardings: 399
  - Current # of trips: 30 weekday, 26 Saturday, 24 Sunday

Adjusted/Absorbed Routes:

Route #17 Bardstown Road
- Reduction in route length from northern end of line on 8th @ Market to Eastern Parkway @ Bardstown
- Eastern Parkway @ Bardstown to become major transfer point.
- Route alternatives: Riders needing to go downtown can catch the #23 Broadway along Bardstown, or #40 starting at Taylorsville Road
- Route stats
  - Current # of trips: 22 trips per day
  - Proposed # of trips: 22 per day
  - Current span of service: 6:00 am - 9:40 pm
  - Proposed span of service: 6:15 am -10:00 pm
Route #18 Dixie Highway
- Will absorb Route #22 north of Algonquin Parkway
- North end of line to be moved from Jefferson @ 6th to Northwestern Parkway @ 22nd.
- Improved service on Saturday and Sunday (Route #22 did not operate on weekends).
- Frequency improved from 60 minutes to 40 minutes.
- Will no longer go downtown.
- Loss of downtown connection to Routes #2, #4, #6, #28 #31, #40, and #72
- Route alternatives: opportunities to reconnect along Routes #10, #15 #23, and #43
- Last southbound trip will leave Portland Family Health Center 10:09 pm.
- Last northbound trip will leave Dixie @ Greenwood @ 11:00 pm.
- Discontinued service south of Greenwood Road to Meijers via Stonestreet Road and Valley Station Road
- Route stats:
  - Current # of trips: 55 trips per weekday, 52 trips Saturday and Sunday
  - Proposed # of trips: 52 per day
  - Current span of service: 5:40 am - 11:45 pm
  - Proposed span of service: 5:30 am -11:00 pm
Route #25 Oak Street
- Route adjustment eastbound to eliminate left turn on Springhurst Blvd from Westport Road. Instead, the route will continue down Westport Road, make a left turn on Chamberlain Lane and terminate at Norton Hospital.
- Route adjustment westbound to eliminate right turn on 28th St from Oak Street. Instead, the route will continue on Virginia Ave, make a right turn on Cecil Ave, a right turn on Broadway, and terminate at Nia Center. The route will no longer continue to Shawnee Park.
- Frequency improved from 70 minutes to 60 minutes.
- Route stats
  - Current # of trips: 29 per day
  - Proposed # of trips: 30 per day
  - Current span of service: 6:15 am - 10:15 pm
  - Proposed span of service 5:20 am - 8:45 pm
Route #29 Eastern Parkway
- Absorbing #63 coverage of Crums Lane (now Farnsley Lane due to permanent detour), Cane Run Road, Terry Road to West Pages. Trips will travel to West Pages Lane on Terry Road and alternate trips via Farnsley Lane and Rockford Lane.
- Frequency improved from 60 minutes to 50 minutes
- Route stats
  - Current # of trips: 36 per weekday, 29 per Saturday and Sunday
  - Proposed # of trips 44 per weekday, 40 per Saturday and Sunday
  - Current span of service: 5:15 am - 10:15 pm weekday, 6:00 am - 9:00 pm Saturday and Sunday.
  - Proposed span of service: 5:00 am - 11:15 pm weekday, 5:30 am - 10:30 pm Saturday and Sunday

Other Changes:

Route #4 Fourth Street
- Change of frequency from 15 to 20 minutes
- Elimination of third branch (Southside to Wal-Mart)
- Branch Southside to Glengarry ends after 7 pm
- No Service to Glengarry on Saturdays.
- Last trip southbound leaves 6th @ Market, weekday 10:20 pm; Saturday and Sunday 10:31 pm.
- Last trip northbound leaves Walmart, weekday 11:15 pm; Saturday and Sunday 11:10 pm.
- Route stats
  - Current # of trips: 132 weekday, 74 Saturday, 71 Sunday
  - Proposed # of trips 104 weekday, 70 trips per Saturday and Sunday
  - Current span of service: 5:00 am – 12:00 am weekday, 5:30 am – 12:00 am Saturday, 6:15 am - 12:00 am Sunday
  - Proposed span of service: 4:50 am - 11:15 pm weekday, 5:45 am - 11:10 pm Saturday and Sunday
Route #10 Dixie Rapid
- Change of frequency from 15 minutes to 20 minutes.
- Service to Watson Lane discontinued.
- Last bus southbound to leave downtown at 10:30 pm.
- Last bus northbound to leave Dixie Gardens 11:27 pm.
- Route stats
  - Current # of trips: 138 weekday, 100 trips per Saturday and Sunday
  - Proposed # of trips: 113 weekday, 100 trips per Saturday and Sunday
  - Current span of service 4:00 am -11:15 pm weekday, 4:30 a -11:15 pm Saturday and Sunday.
  - Proposed span of service: 4:00 am - 11:30 pm weekday, 4:30 am - 11:30 pm Saturday and Sunday.
Route #40 Taylorsville Road
- Frequency improved from 90 minutes to 70 minutes seven days a week.
- Route stats
  - Current # of trips: 22 per day
  - Proposed # of trips: 27 trips per day.
  - Current span of service: 6:00 am - 9:00 pm
  - Proposed span of service: 5:30 am - 8:15 pm.
Route #6 Sixth Street
- Last trip southbound will leave 6th @ Market daily at 10:00 pm
- Last trip northbound leaves Walmart daily at 11:09 pm
- Last two trips northbound will service St. Mary and Elizabeth Hospital.
- The 12:02 pm trip northbound from Walmart will be eliminated.
- Route stats
  - Current # of trips 37 per day
  - Proposed # of trips 36 per day
  - Current span of service: 5:20 am - 11:00 pm
  - Proposed span of service: No change from current span of service.
Route #15 Market Street
- Improved start time westbound leaving Holiday Manor at 5:51 am.
- Route stats
  - Current # of trips: 34
  - Proposed # of trips: No change from current # of trips per day.
  - Current span of service: 5:40 am - 11:00 pm per weekday, operates 5:40 am - 9:15 pm per Saturday and Sunday
  - Proposed span of service: No change from current span of service per day.
Route #21 Chestnut Street
- Improved eastbound timing leaving Shawnee Park at 4:27 am, arriving at WE Seay Plaza 15 min earlier.
- Route stats
  - Current # of trips: 31
  - Proposed # of trips: No change from current # of trips per day.
  - Current span of service: 5:30 am - 9:30 pm per day
  - Proposed span of service: from 4:30 am - 9:30 pm weekday, no change to Saturday or Sunday current span of service.
Route #29 Eastern Parkway will be affected by permanent detour from Crums Lane to Farnsley Road because of the JCPS traffic
- Losing front door access to some JCPS Schools:
- Schools located on Crums Lane: Butler High School & Schaffner Elementary
- Walkable distance approximately ½ mile to route 29 on Farnsley road,
- Schools located on Greenwood Road: PRP High School and Greenwood Elementary
- Walkable distance to #18 and #29 less than ¼ of a mile.
Route #29 Eastern Parkway will not service neighborhood south of Greenwood Road when heading to West Pages Lane.
- Daffodil Drive, Morning Glory Drive, Devonshire Drive.
- Walkable distance to #18 and #29 within ¼ of a mile