Winston-Salem Revamps Public Transit to Enhance Connectivity and Efficiency
In a decisive move to improve urban mobility, the Winston-Salem City Council has approved significant updates to the city’s public transportation system. This decision follows extensive study and feedback collection by the Winston-Salem Transit Authority, culminating in a swift and unanimous vote by councilmembers.
Key changes include increasing the frequency of the most utilized bus routes, which will now operate every 30 minutes instead of the previous 60-minute intervals. To ensure more efficient travel, lesser-used stops on these routes will be removed. Additionally, two new crosstown routes will be introduced to help residents connect to their workplaces without the need to transit through downtown. The introduction of microtransit zones is another feature, offering on-demand rideshare services where required.
Craig Richardson, an economics professor at Winston-Salem State University, commends the city’s efforts, stating, “So the city did a really, really good job of looking at where the riders lived, looking where the jobs were, and then thinking about how do we connect people as quickly as possible, to see if we can emulate the life that people have when they drive a car.”
According to Richardson, these changes are expected to benefit commuters while maintaining a cost-neutral stance. The overhauled transit routes are set to launch in August, with microtransit services rolling out in January of the following year. Proposed fares for fixed routes and microtransit are $1.00 and $2.00, respectively.
