Downtown D-Line Continues to Attract Riders

Ridership on the new Downtown Shuttle continues to increase as the downtown residents, workers and visitors get more comfortable with the new system. The shuttle service connecting the Capitol Complex and Western Gateway launched May 5th and provides free rides for all employees, residents, and visitors in the downtown area. The shuttle’s route, to be called “D-Line”, is a loop running west on Grand Avenue from the State Capitol to Central Campus before turning around to come back east on Locust Street. In May, ridership averaged 500 people per day. In June they climbed to 630 per day and so far in July they have jumped to 705 riders.

The shuttle runs every 10 minutes, providing continuous and fully accessible service from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday. Shuttle stops with unique signs will be posted at each block along the route with the shuttle picking up or dropping off as needed.

Plans for a downtown shuttle have been in the works for several years. The City of Des Moines, State of Iowa, Downtown Community Alliance (DCA), and Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authority (DART) joined together in late 2007 to secure the funding necessary to get the free shuttle on the road.

Court Avenue Cab Stand

Hailing a cab in downtown’s Court Avenue District just got a lot easier. From approximately 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday nights, visitors will find an abundance of cabs at the cab stand located at the north corner of 3rd Street and Court Avenue. Simply hop in the backseat and you can be on your way. The cab stand, which was added to Court Avenue earlier this year, is part of Yellow Cab’s “Don’t Get Nabbed, Call Yellow Cab” promotion urging restaurant and bar patrons in the Court Avenue area to get home responsibly. Patrons looking for a cab ride home Sunday through Thursday can still call Yellow Cab 24 hours a day at 282-8111 to schedule a pick-up time and location.

Downtown Gets Bike Racks

Parking is set to get a lot easier in downtown Des Moines. Bike parking, that is! Bikers are able to enjoy 250 new bike racks spread throughout the downtown area. This is a project being coordinated and paid for by the City of Des Moines.

Racks were installed throughout the winter months from the State Capitol Building west to Meredith Corporation. The Historic Court Avenue District alone received 47 new racks in the public right-of-ways along Court Avenue and 4^th Street. This addition is part of the District’s Streetscape Update project.

The new racks have been designed to be very simple to use. All 250 racks will be in the shape of an inverted “U” providing a sturdy and secure place for bikers to lock their bikes. Bike enthusiasts or downtown businesses interested in providing input on where to install additional new bike racks can contact Richard Brown with the City of Des Moines’ Parks & Recreation Department at 248-6356 or rrbrown@dmgov.org.

Rest Your Car Reduces 1 Million Miles

Rest Your Car, an incentives program for commuters in greater Des Moines, has reached the milestone of reducing 1 million miles on Central Iowa’s roads and highways. Started in 2005, Rest Your Car offers incentives to commuters who commit to using an alternate commute option such as carpooling, vanpooling, riding the bus, biking or walking to get to work.

The Transportation Management Association (TMA), a division of the Downtown Community Alliance, offers the program to commuters in the greater Des Moines area. The program began in an effort to achieve a 10% reduction in traffic and congestion during peak drive times in Des Moines’ metro area. Currently over 3,100 commuters have joined Rest Your Car, pledging to use an alternate commute option at least four times a month.

Rest Your Car is a web-based program that asks members to log their commutes online at www.restyourcar.com. In return, commuters active in the program are rewarded with benefits including monthly prize giveaways, preferred maintenance discounts, and a Guaranteed Ride Home. Prizes include cash, tickets to events, and a quarterly trip giveaway valued at $2,500! New members are always welcome to join at www.restyourcar.com.