Service Change Public Hearing – September 14, 2023

A Public Hearing is scheduled

Thursday, September 14, 2023 at 12:30 PM
New Bedford Public Library – Main Branch
613 Pleasant St
Third Floor Meeting Room

SRTA is seeking public comment on proposed changes to New Bedford routes. We encourage you to provide comments in-person at the hearing, however if you are unable to attend we will accept comments in a variety of formats.

All comments received before the hearing date will be included in the public record for the service change and will be considered with the same weight as in-person comments.

When submitting a comment, please include your full name, city/town of residence, and specify which proposal or proposals you are commenting on.

Comments will be accepted through September 14, 2023 in the following formats:

• Email: info@srtabus.com
• Postal Mail:
  • SRTA – Fall River Service Changes
    700 Pleasant St
    Suite 530
    New Bedford, MA 02740
• Voicemail: 508-296-4583
• Text: 508-296-4583

Proposed Changes

Route 9 – Intercity

The service change proposal eliminates service on Faunce Corner Road north of the Dartmouth Mall and eliminates service on Cross Road. The route will remain on the daytime alignment for the duration of the service day.

Route 203 – Dartmouth St

Alternative A

The proposed route realignment changes three segments of the route. The first segment proposal eliminates service on Union St west of County St, Rotch St, and Hawthorn St. The alternative alignment uses County St and Hawthorn St and returns to the existing alignment at Page St to maintain service to St. Luke’s Hospital.

The second segment proposal is to expand service to the Brock Ave corridor from a single daily round trip to hourly service on weekdays and bi-hourly service on Saturdays. The alignment would follow the segment proposal to St. Luke’s and follow the existing alignment to the Dartmouth St Stop & Shop. After departing Stop & Shop, the route turns east on Rockdale Ave, continues east on Cove Rd, and continues to Brock Ave. The alignment turns east on Ruth St and ends at Tripp Towers. The inbound alignment begins at Tripp Towers, turns south of East Rodney French Blvd, west on David St, north on Brock Ave and follows the outbound alignment to return to Stop & Shop. After departing Stop & Shop, the alignment follows the outbound alignment, including the proposed alternative between St. Luke’s Hospital and the SRTA New Bedford Terminal.

The third segment proposal reduces the frequency of service on Dartmouth St south of Stop & Shop to Big Value Plaza but maintains the existing alignment. The existing alignment operates with thirty-minute frequency on weekdays and hourly service on Saturdays; the proposal would reduce the frequency to hourly on weekdays and bi-hourly on Saturdays.

Alternative B

The proposed route realignment eliminates service on Union St west of County St, Rotch St, and Hawthorn St. The alternative alignment uses County St and Hawthorn St and returns to the existing alignment at Page St to maintain service to St. Luke’s Hospital. The remaining segments of the route remain in the existing condition with respect to alignment and service frequency.

Route 204 – Ashley Blvd

The proposed alignment is a variation of the existing New Bedford Business Park deviation. The outbound pattern will continue north on Church St (which becomes Phillips Rd) instead of turning east on Staron St as the current outbound pattern does. From Phillips Rd, the route turns west on Theodore Rice Blvd and north on Duchaine Blvd and terminates at the end of Duchaine Blvd. The inbound pattern uses the turn-around to travel south on Duchaine Blvd, turns east on Theodore Rive Blvd, south on Phillips Rd, turns east on Staron St and continues the current inbound pattern to the New Bedford Terminal. The route will operate the proposed pattern for all trips on weekdays and Saturday.

Route 205 – South Central

The proposal for Route 205 eliminates the service entirely.

Route 206 – Shawmut Ave

The Route 206 realignment proposal significantly realigns the route away from its historic alignment. Very little of the current alignment is retained with this proposal; only the route segment west of Hathaway Blvd is retained including the route terminus and service to Hidden Brook Apartments. The proposed outbound pattern travels south on Sixth St to Union, west on Union to Rockdale Ave, north on Rockdale Ave to Hathaway Blvd, north on Hathaway Blvd where it returns to the current alignment. The inbound pattern follows the current alignment to Rockdale Ave, turns east on Potter St, south on Hathaway Blvd and follows the outbound pattern to the New Bedford Terminal.

This change eliminates service on Mill St, Park St, Parker St, Shawmut Ave, Potter St (between Shawmut Ave and Hathaway Blvd), Rockdale Ave (between Granite Ave and Parker St, and Hillman St.

Route 208 – Mt Pleasant

The proposal for Route 208 realigns service from the Fieldstone Marketplace plaza, the current terminus of the route, to the King’s Highway Stop & Shop, the proposed new terminus of the route.

Route 210 – Dartmouth Mall

The proposed change for Route 210 is to eliminate service to the Kohl’s Plaza on Faunce Corner Rd and remain on Faunce Corner Rd. Additionally, the proposal eliminates the segment on Frontage Rd between Cross Rd and the Dartmouth Mall shelter; service will be realigned to US Route 6 and will enter the Dartmouth Mall via the Route 6 entrance and continue to east to serve the shelter. From this point, the route will return to the New Bedford Terminal via the current alignment.

Route 211 – Fairhaven

Alternative A

Alternative A follows the current outbound pattern to the Fairhaven Wal-Mart. The route turns into Wal-Mart, serves the front of the store and exits the plaza onto Alden Rd, turns south and continues east on David Drown Blvd., north on Sconticut Neck Rd and continues on Route 240 to Bridge St, turns east on Bridge St, north on Mill Rd and ends at the South Coast Health building on Mill Rd. The inbound pattern reverses the outbound pattern, however it continues on Alden Rd to Bridge St and turns into Wal-Mart from Bridge St to serve the front of the store, exits onto Alden Rd, turns west on Bridge and continues Huttleston Ave where it joins the current inbound pattern.

Alternative B

Alternative B follows the current outbound pattern to Bridge St in Fairhaven at which point it continues east on Huttleston Ave to Alden Rd, turns south on Alden Rd, turns east on David Drown Blvd, turns north on Sconticut Neck Rd, turns west on Huttleston Ave, turns north on Alden Rd, turns east on Bridge St, and turns south into Wal-Mart. The inbound pattern exists Wal-Mart on Alden Rd and reverses the outbound pattern. Alternative B eliminates service on Bridge St and Mill Rd and does not serve the South Coast Health or Titleist.

Route 221 – North End Shuttle

The service proposal is to eliminate Route 221 from service.