Meetings on new 2017 bus routes happening
BY TODD LUCK
THE CHRONICLE _____ '
Bus riders will get a chance to see how next year's
new routes will affect them in a series of public meetings
held by the Winston-Salem Transit Authority.
WSTA is holding its first meeting tonight on the
redrawn bus routes that will go into effect on Monday,
Jan. 2.
This is the biggest overhaul of routes in WSTA histo
ry. There will be more routes with approximately 1,019
bus stops. The routes have been redesigned to cut down
on ride time and include new crosstown routes.
Popular destinations, like all the local Walmarts, will
have day and nighttime routes going directly to them.
There will be 11 information meetings held at recreation
centers and the Clark Campbell Transportation Center
though Dec. 8 for bus patrons.
"It will be their last opportunity before the routes are
implemented to learn how they can get the most out of the
new service," said Tina Carson-Wilkins, WSTA market
ing and community relations director.
In addition to the meetings, the new routes will be
available on WSTA's site, starting Nov. 28. Printed
copies of the routes will be available at the Campbell
Center's information windows starting Dec. 1. Starting
Dec. 12, there will also be someone with information and
materials on the new routes in the lobby of the Campbell
Center, to answer passenger questions.
The campaign to inform passengers of the new routes
will also include radio and newspaper ads along with a
large social media push. There will also be reminders
announced through the PA. system on buses.
Carson-Wilkins said WSTA is ready for the switch
over next year. The routes have already been thoroughly
tested, programed into WSTA's computers, and bus oper
ators have been trained on them. She hoped bus patrons
would come out to the information meetings, which she
believes will alleviate the anxiety some have over the big
change.
"I view it as a way to Set a lot of our passengers'
minds at ease," she said. "Information is power and the
more information they have, the more comfortable they
will be on day one."
New Bus Route Information Meetings
Nov. 10 - MLK Community Center, 5-7 p.m.
Nov. 14 - W.R. Anderson Community Center, 6-8 p.m.
Nov. 15 - Cert Russell Community Center, 6-8 p.m.
Nov. 21 - Polo Park Community Center, 6-8 p.m.
Nov. 28 - William Sims Neighborhood Center, 5-7 p.m.
Nov. 29 - South Fork Community Center, 6-8 p.m.
Dec. 5 - Clark Campbell Transportation Center, 9-11 a.m.
Dec. 5 - Miller Park Community Center, 5-7 p.m.
Dec. 6 - Georgia Taylor Neighborhood Center, 5-7 p.m.
Dec. 7 - Campbell Transit Center, 9-11 a.m.
Dec. 8 - Campbell Transit Center, 4-6 p.m.
rue photo
Renovations on Union Station should begin by year's end.
Union Station work moves forward after concerns
about minority contractors
BY TODD LUCK
THE CHRONICLE
Renovations on Union Station should begin by year's
end after the City Council unanimously approved the
project on Nov. 7.
A vote on the restoration of the historic train station
was delayed when concerns were raised about the highest
bidder, New Atlantic Contracting Inc., not meeting the
project's 12 percent goal on minority participation. Evon
Smith, a former Minority and Women Business Enterprise
(M/WBE) Program director with the city, told the council
during its Oct. 17 meeting that she believed the goal
could've been met based on the amount of minority con
tractors available for that type of work. City Council
Member Derwin Montgomery then moved to hold the
item. He said this week that once he had a chance to
review all the documents, he was assured New Atlantic
made a good faith effort to recruit minority subcontrac
tors.
"I wanted to make sure the concerns that were raised
at the previous meeting were addressed, and make sure
the process was followed properly," said Montgomery.
New Atlantic bid $11.1 million on the.project, which
has a $13.6 million budget. The project hak.9.11 percent
woman-owned subcontractors, which raceeds the
M/WBE goal, and 5.91 percent minority subcontractors.
The Internal M/WBE Committee and the Citizen's
M/WBE Advisory Committee found a good faith effort
-
was made. The project was advertised on the city's web
site and 24 general contractors were notified about it. A
city memo on the project stated that the "specialized
nature of the historic project work" limited the subcon
tractors available in the various trades used in the project.
Union Station is a historic train station located at 300
S. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive.
It was designed by Fellhimer & Wagner and built
between 1924 and 1926.
The renovation is for all three floors of Union Station.
It'll be transformed into a transit center for buses with
office and retail space, and is expected to be completed in
2018. The long-term goal is to return passenger rail serv
ice to Union Station.