Photo courtesy Capital MetroCapital Metro buses will no longer stop on downtown Congress Avenue once the X Games comes to town starting June 3.
Instead, buses will stop on Guadalupe Street and Lavaca Street as planned by the company since 2010 upon discovering the benefits of moving stops, Capital Metro Communication Specialist Melissa Ayala said. Benefits include more direct trips, more reliable service, less detours and fewer stops, Ayala said, translating to faster and more efficient service.
Another benefit of the move is new bus stops with new amenities like trash cans, benches and other services that could not be provided on Congress Avenue, she said.
"We were not able to have some permanent shelters due to historic preservation measures," Ayala said. "By moving service over, we have more flexibility on what we're able to offer."
All buses will also be able to take advantage of the public transit lanes in place in order to speed up public transit transportation routes, Ayala said.
Before making the change, Capital Metro held public meetings to gain feedback from Austin residents in order to address any concerns before ultimately enacting the change. Feedback was positive, but there were a few concerns from commuters on adjusting to the change, Ayala said.
"One concern we heard were folks wondering how to travel between Congress [Avenue], Guadulupe [Street] and Lavaca [Street]," Ayala said. "We put together a special map where we've identified streets that offer good sidewalks and direct access."
