Transit Study

Transit Study for Partner Agency
In 2019-2020, the City of Coralville and University of Iowa CAMBUS participated in the Iowa City Area Transit Study (ICATS) conducted by the City of Iowa City.

About the Study
The study reviewed many aspects of our transit system, including:

  • Routes and stops
  • Ridership
  • Hours and frequency of service
  • Fares/passes
Reimagine Your Ride

The study also collected data about bus ridership, reviewed the existing transit system, and provided opportunities to hear from the public about their transit priorities. The consultant team analyzed and evaluated the information gathered, and proposed strategies to improve coordination between the local transit agencies.

Timeline

  • August 2019: Transit study began.
  • August 2019-spring 2020: Data gathering and public participation, including on bus surveys, public meetings, online surveys, and more.
  • July 28, 2020: Public hearing and proposed routes for Coralville Transit approved at City Council meeting.
  • October 19, 2020: New routes and schedules for Coralville Transit began.

New Routes
Effective October 19, 2020
Changes to routes and schedules for Coralville Transit began October 19, 2020. 
See bus route maps and schedules

About the Routes
The route and schedule changes for Coralville Transit which went into effect in October 2020 are described below.
See new bus route maps and schedules
 
Route 20: Iowa River Landing (IRL) Route

  • Replaced the 1st Avenue Route.
  • Operates Monday through Friday, from 6:07 am to 5:25 pm.
  • Operate every 30 minutes during peak ridership times, and every 60 minutes during off-peak hours. 
  • IRL Route leaves the Coralville Transit Intermodal Facility, continues on Quarry Road to 7th Street, then west to 1st Avenue, and continues to the downtown Iowa City interchange.  

Express Route (discontinued, but services will be included in other routes)

  • The Express Route was discontinued. The western half of the route is a continuation of the 5th Street Route. The eastern part of the route is incorporated as a deviation to the Cambus Research Park route, operated by Cambus.  
  • Both the 5th Street Route and Cambus Research Park Route operate every 30 minutes during peak ridership times, and every 60 minute during off-peak hours, Monday through Friday.

Route 21: 5th Street Route

  • This route is a combination of the 10th Street, Lantern Park, and Express routes.
  • Operates Monday through Friday, from 5:25 am to 6:14 pm.
  • Operates every 30 minutes during peak ridership times, and every 60 minutes during off-peak hours. 
  • Inbound and outbound from Iowa City, the route travels west on 5th street to the Mall following the current Lantern Park Route. 
  • The route no longer uses Highway 6 and 4th Avenue, but instead travels north on 1st Avenue to 5th Street. 
  • After leaving Coral Ridge Mall, the route travels west eventually making its way back to the Mall where the route then travels the path of the Night/Saturday route (no longed deviates to 23rd Avenue and 9th Street). This provides connectivity with the 5th Street corridor with the area west of Coral Ridge Avenue.

Route 23: 10th Street Route

  • Operates Monday through Friday, from 5:47 am to 6:12 pm.
  • Operates every 30 minutes during peak ridership times, and every 60 minutes during off-peak hours. 
  • Inbound and outbound to and from Iowa City, the 10th Street route travels the same path going either direction. This route no longer is a loop to 5th Street.
  • This route travels west on 10th Street (as previous) to Coral Ridge Mall and east on 10th Street following the current Lantern Park route to Iowa City. The one change is that the bus will travel on 14th Ave between 7th Street and 8th Street.

Route 24: Night and Saturday Route

  • There are no changes to the Night and Saturday Route with the exception of the bus traveling 14th Avenue between 7th Street and 8th Street. 
  • These routes operate every 60 minutes.

Route 22: North Liberty Route

  • There are no changes to the North Liberty Route.
  • The route operates one trip in the morning and one in the evening. The frequency has not changed from the existing route.

Cambus Research Park Route

  • See Express Route
  • Cambus Research Park Route operates every 30 minutes during peak ridership times, and every 60 minutes during off-peak hours, Monday through Friday.

How These New Routes & Schedules Were Determined
Based on Public Input
These routes are based on research, data, and public feedback as part of the Iowa City Area Transit Study, conducted August 2019-June 2020. Opportunities for public input throughout the study included on-bus surveys, six public meetings, two online surveys, e-newsletters, notices to Transit news subscribers, email, and social media. 

These opportunities for public input were communicated by the City of Coralville, City of Iowa City, and University of Iowa Cambus in a wide variety of ways, including their websites, e-newsletters, media releases sent to the public and local media, social media, videos, e-subscriptions, and signs on the buses in multiple languages. 

Public Hearing & City Council Approval
A public hearing on the proposed Coralville Transit route changes was held during the Coralville City Council meeting at 6:30 pm on July 28, 2020, at Coralville City Hall, with an opportunity to submit written comment for consideration (see "Public Input" below for details).

Public Input
Past Events
On-Board Survey (September 2019)

  • Ridership data was collected on each transit route. Transit riders took an on-bus survey to gather basic demographic data, information about their trip, and desired service changes.

Online Survey to Design Your Ideal Transit System (October-December 2019)

  • A brief online public survey to gather feedback about ways to improve local bus service, gather opinions about which aspects of the transit system are most important, design their own transit system, and see the benefits of ridership and travel time within a set of resources.
  • Feedback also accepted via email after survey closed.

Public Meetings: #1-3 (November 2019)

  • Three public meetings were held November 12-14, 2019, at the University of Iowa IMU, Iowa City Public Library, and Coralville City Hall.
Public Meetings: #4-6 (January 2020)
  • Three public meetings were held January 28-30, 2020, at the University of Iowa IMU, Iowa City Public Library, and Coralville City Hall (University of Iowa and Iowa City meetings included free open house shuttles).
  • Included a brief presentation, a chance to weigh in on possible scenarios for a transit system redesign including possible route changes, and an opportunity to speak to consultants and representatives from the transit agencies.
Online Survey (January-March 2020)
  • The public viewed two scenarios with possible changes to transit routes and schedules, and give feedback online with the Transit Study Scenario Survey; survey specified that the final recommendations will be made based on public feedback.
Public Hearing (July 28, 2020)
  • Starting in early July 2020, the proposed routes and schedules for Coralville Transit and a public hearing notice were posted online, and communicated through the City of Coralville website, e-newsletters, media release to the public and local media, social media, notices to Transit news subscribers, and signs on the buses in multiple languages.
  • The public was invited to submit Coralville Transit route questions to Vicky Robrock at vrobrock@coralville.org or 319.248.1790.
  • The public was invited to attend and comment at a public hearing at the Coralville City Council meeting on July 28, 2020, or submit written comments by 5:00 pm on July 20, 2020, to City Clerk Thor Johnson at tjohnson@coralville.org or 1512 7th Street, Coralville, Iowa 52241.
  • The Coralville City Council voted to approved the proposed routes and schedules for Coralville Transit.