CITYWIDE – Check your Big Blue Bus route maps this month.
As they do three times a year, BBB will make some significant route changes starting on Aug. 24.
The Daily Press wrote previously about BBB’s plans to cut Route 3 – which currently runs along Lincoln Boulevard and then turns Downtown onto Montana Avenue – into two segments. In terms of travel time, the current Route 3 is BBB’s longest route. It’s on time 65 percent of the time, which BBB officials say is unacceptable.
The new Route 3 will run along Lincoln between Downtown and Los Angeles International Airport while the new Route 3M will run from UCLA and Downtown on Montana. Route 3 will take 56 minutes from end to end, while 3M will take 39.
For most people, this will just mean more reliable service, BBB officials said. But for those who were used to taking both the Montana and Lincoln portions of the line it will mean an extra transfer and an extra fare.
Good news for anyone who rides Route 1, another heavily traveled line: They buses will be on time more frequently without major route changes. BBB officials are adding more running time and recovery time on this route.
Route 4 and 9 will see some route changes: The stop at Olympic Boulevard and Avenida Mazatlan will disappear in favor of stops at Fourth Street and Civic Center, Pico Boulevard and Fourth, and Main Street and Civic Center. Route 9 will no longer make stops at Chautauqua and Corona del Mar.
Route 5 will stop short of the heart of Downtown. Instead of stopping service at Fourth and Arizona Avenue, they’ll stop at Seventh and Olympic Drive. This is going to improve on-time performance according to BBB officials.
Route 6 returns from summer break with Santa Monica College on Sept. 2.
Route 8 is adding a stop at Fifth Street and Colorado Avenue.
Route 10 is losing some stops in Downtown Los Angeles and one at Santa Monica Boulevard and 22nd Street.
Several other lines will be tweaked slightly to improve timeliness.
For more information, BBB’s website at http://bigbluebus.com.
dave@www.smdp.com
BBB route changes later this month
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What the #3 bus change means (in addition to the extra fare) is there will be fewer buses going all the way to the airport. It’s bad enough that those that do run, often do so right behind each other. The same thing happens with Lines 1 and 7. The driver always blame it on traffic, but I have seem #1 buses, all leaving UCLA at he same time; the #7 buses all leaving Rimpau at the same time, AND the #3 buses all leaving from the Green line at approximately the same time.