Metro Improves Service Beginning Aug. 18

After more than a year of planning and community input, it’s time to go forward with Metro service improvements, beginning Aug. 18.NEW east-west options, service to new destinations includingMercy Health West Hospital, streamlined routes NEW Metro*Plus service begins Monday, Aug. 19,with free rides on Metro*Plus from Aug.19-23 CINCINNATI – After more than a year of planning and community input, it’s time to go forward with Metro service improvements, beginning Aug. 18. Metro’s comprehensive “go*Forward” transit plan includes: · New Metro*Plus limited-stop service to test the concept of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) in the Montgomery Road corridor· New east-west routes to reduce the focus on downtown transfers · Service to new destinations including the new Mercy Health West Hospital· More routes connecting at the Glenway Crossing transit center and park & ride· More service options in some major travel corridors · Improved efficiency and productivity Beginning the week of Aug. 18, the first improvements go into effect, including: Metro*Plus: New Metro*Plus limited-stop service – connecting the Montgomery Road corridor from Kenwood to Xavier with Uptown, downtown and The Banks – will begin operating on Monday, Aug. 19. Customers can ride the new Metro*Plus route FREE during the first week of service,Aug. 19-23. Metro*Plus will provide frequent service every 15 minutes on weekdays between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. and every half-hour until 10 p.m. Ten new, bright-blue, specially branded buses and bus stop signs will make it easy to identify this service. View the Metro*Plus route map and schedule online at http://www.go-metro.com/metro-plus. More crosstown service: Beginning Aug. 18, Metro is adding two new crosstown options connecting east and west: Rt. 41 Glenway Crossing-Oakley Crosstown: Rt. 41 has been expanded to serve more westside locations connecting the Glenway Crossing transit center, new Mercy Health West Hospital, and the North Bend Road corridor with Oakley. Rt. 51 Glenway Crossing-Hyde Park Crosstown: Rt. 39 will become part of the new Rt. 51, connecting the Glenway Crossing Transit Center to Uptown and Hyde Park. Improved service on many routes: Several routes have been streamlined to improve efficiency and travel times, based on ridership. Some heavily used routes are getting more service. Some of the major changes include: Rt. 1 Museum Center-Eden Park: Route has been streamlined and shortened to serve key destinations better. Rt. 32 Glenway Crossing Price Hill: Rt. 10 will become part of Rt. 32, with new all-day service connecting the Glenway Crossing transit center, Price Hill and downtown. Rt. 64 Glenway Crossing-Westwood: Better connections to shopping in Western Hills for Westwood residents Additional changes are planned of December. All changes are being made within Metro’s 2013 operating budget. New bus schedules for the Aug. 18 service change are now available online at www.go-metro.com for the following routes, reflecting routing and time changes: Rt. 1 Museum Center-Eden Park Rt. 4 Blue Ash – Kenwood – Ridge Road Rt. 17 Seven Hills/Mt Healthy/Mt Airy/Northgate Rt. 19 Colerain-Northgate Rt. 21 Harrison Ave. Rt. 24 Anderson-Uptown Rt. 31 West End-Evanston Crosstown Rt. 32 Glenway Crossing-Price Hill; Delhi-Price Hill Rt. 33 Glenway Rt. 38X Glenway Crossing-Uptown Express Rt. 41 Glenway Crossing-Oakley Crosstown Rt. 42X West Chester Express Rt. 43 Bond Hill Rt. 46 Avondale Rt. 49 Fairmount-English Woods Rt. 51 Glenway Crossing-Hyde Park Crosstown Rt. 64 Glenway Crossing-Westwood Rt. 67 Sharonville Conncection Rt. 72 Kings Island Direct Metro is a tax-supported public service of the Southwest Ohio Regional Transit Authority. Metro provides about 17 million rides per year in the City of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, with limited service to Butler, Clermont and Warren counties. # # #

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