Eau Claire Transit

Last updated

Eau Claire Transit
Eau Claire Transit logo.png
Eau Claire Transit buses.jpg
Eau Claire Transit buses at the temporary downtown transit center in June 2023
Parent City of Eau Claire
Headquarters910 Forest Street
Locale Eau Claire, Wisconsin
Service area Eau Claire County, Wisconsin
Service type Bus Service, Paratransit (contracted)
HubsEau Claire Transit Center, Centennial Hall, Davies Center
Fleet22 [1]
Annual ridership661,000 (2023) [2]
Fuel type Biodiesel, Hybrid diesel-electric
Website ecbus.org

Eau Claire Transit is a mass transportation provider in Eau Claire County, Wisconsin. The system consists of fifteen core routes and is served by a fleet of 22 low-floored buses. Service frequency varies from thirty minutes to one hour depending on the route and time of day. There is no service on Sundays or Saturday evenings.

Contents

An Eau Claire Transit bus in 2018 The Excitement is Real - Eau Claire, Wisconsin.jpg
An Eau Claire Transit bus in 2018

History

The history of transit in the city began in 1879 when the first horse-drawn trolleys operated by the Eau Claire City Railway Co. began service. Eau Claire was the third city in Wisconsin to adopt the method of transport. The city was also one of the first in the United States to adopt the use of electric-powered trolleys in the 1880s. As well as the first in the country to heat trolley cars using electricity, a development influenced by the state’s climate. [3] [4] By 1907, the interurban network had grown to stretch as far as Chippewa Falls. [5]

However, the system started to decline by the mid 1920s and the first buses started replacing the streetcar lines in 1930. Three years later, buses had completely replaced the trolley network and the rail lines were abandoned. This transition was an early example of what would become a broader trend across the nation, where buses were viewed as a more financially prudent compared to the fixed routes and infrastructure required for trolleys. [6] Near the end of the decade, due to financial difficulties, the city sold the network to an area investor and was operated as Eau Claire Transportation Co. The company would continue to run the regions transit system for the next several decades until the mid 1970s when it was sold back to the city and renamed Eau Claire Transit. [7] [8]

In 1985, the city built a transit center in the downtown area, which was intended to be a temporary location until a permanent transit center could be constructed. The temporary center would last for over 36 years. [9] In the fall of 2021, construction of a new transit center began on the same site as the temporary 1985 transit center. [10]

Routes

The Eau Claire Transit Center located in the downtown area is the beginning and end point for the majority of the bus routes. The only routes that do not layover at the center are those that directly serve the University of Wisconsin- Eau Claire. One of main features of the bus system is the interlining of routes, which means that the same bus can serve different routes at different times. For instance, the bus that runs on route 2 becomes route 12 (and vice versa) after stopping at the Transit Center at :15 and :45 minutes past each hour. Similarly, route 5 and route 15 share the same bus, as well as several other route pairs. However, not all routes interline with another one. Some of the longer routes have a lower frequency and layover at the Transit Center once per hour. [11]

Core routes

No.Route nameMajor Streets [note 1] Notes
1Margaret & Mall Margaret St, Rudolph Rd, Fairfax St, London Rd, E. Hamilton Ave, Commonwealth Ave, Gateway Dr
2Mt. WashingtonWater St, Menomonie St, Ferry St, Crescent Ave,
3 North High Putnam St, Birch St, Starr Ave, Western Ave, Runway Ave, Eddy Ln, Piedmont Rd Airport service, Weekdays only
4Locust LaneForest St, Birch St, River Prairie Dr, Seymour Rd, Hastings Way, Abby Hill Dr, Locust Ln, Morningside DrWeekdays only
3/4North High - Locust LaneForest St, Birch St, Starr Ave, Western Ave, Piedmont Rd, Eddy Ln, Runway Ave, Locust Ln, Abby Hill Dr, Hastings WayEvenings & Saturdays
5Rudolph RdHarding Ave, Rudolph Rd, Golf Rd, London Rd
6Putnam Heights & MallE. Hamilton Ave, Fairfax St, Golf Rd, Keystone Crs, Bullis Farm Rd, Gateway Dr, London Rd, Skeels Ave, Lexington BlvdNo evening service
7West ClairemontW. Clairemont Ave, Oak Ridge Dr, Craig Rd, Menomonie St, Water StLimited evening service
8Folsom & VineMadison St, 3rd St, Truax Blvd, Folsom St, Moholt Dr, Vine St, Oxford Ave
12DelongOxford Ave, Madison St, Vine St, Fairmont Ave, Cameron St, Whipple St, 5th Ave
15West MacArthurW. MacArthur Ave, Stein Blvd, Eldorado Blvd, W. Hamilton Ave, Westover Rd
17 Altoona Galloway St, River Prairie Dr, Oak Leaf Way, 10th St, Bartlett Ave, Division St, Spooner Ave, Margaret StNo evening service
18 Memorial High Highland Ave, Fenwick Ave, Fairfax St, E. Clairemont Ave, Keith St, Brackett Ave, Margaret St
20Westridge CenterMadison St, Cameron St, Vine St, Folsum St, Moholt Dr, Whipple St, 5th AveNo evening service
21 Shopko PlazaW. MacArthur Ave, Eldorado Blvd, Craig Rd, International Dr, Sky Park Blvd, W. Hamilton AveNo evening service
  1. ↑ Sections of roads with more than two concurrent routes near the downtown area are generally omitted for conciseness.

UW-Eau Claire routes

The routes serving the UW campus area have layovers in front of the Davies Center or Centennial Hall every 15–30 minutes, rather than at the Transit Center. Route 9 does stop briefly at the Transit Center to enable transfers with the main network:

During the evenings, both are consolidated into an expanded route 9 covering both upper and lower campus areas. There is also an hourly Saturday only service that focuses on connecting the UWEC campus with Oakwood Mall and other retail areas on the southeast side of the city. [12] [13]

The university routes do not run during summer recess and have reduced service during winter break; there is no service on Sundays. All Eau Claire Transit bus routes are free to UWEC students and faculty. [14]

ECT bus stop sign ECT Bus Stop Sign.jpg
ECT bus stop sign

Express routes

The agency operates three weekday express routes that have limited service with one trip daily. These routes primarily serve schools and other public entities. [15]

Eau Claire Transit Center

Until 2021, Eau Claire Transit had been operating out of a 1985 transit center, which had been planned as a temporary location until a permanent transit center could be built. However, this arrangement lasted for 36 years. In 2018, the city was awarded a $5 million Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant for the project by the US Department of Transportation. [16] [17]

The new transit center began construction on September 17, 2021, on the same site as the "temporary" 1985 transit center. In order to provide a transfer facility during construction, a temporary facility was built at South Farwell Street and Gray Street, just east of the current site, on a surface parking lot. This site opened on September 2, and will be in use until the new transit center is complete in summer 2024. This site and the new transit center will both have dedicated bus bays for each route, a first for Eau Claire. [16]

The new transit center will feature restrooms, a heated and air conditioned lobby, and offices for transit staff and law enforcement. As well as first floor retail space, two stories of parking above, and three stories of housing on top. Around 50 to 60 units above are planned to be workforce housing, meaning the rent will be considered affordable for those making between 80% - 120% of the median income in the county. The city originally partnered with the developer Merge Urban Development Group on the project, however the developer backed out in late 2021 and Impact Seven, a Rice Lake-based nonprofit that specializes in developing and managing affordable housing, took over. Due to this change, the housing will be less affordable, but still below the area median income. [17]

The new transit center will be complete in summer 2024, however the whole project, including parking and housing, will not be finished until 2025. Due to the high construction costs in 2021 and 2022, the city must contribute $9.55 million to the project instead of the original $1.25 million. An estimate from 2019 had estimated the value of the project at $23.5 million. [18] [19] [20]

Ridership

RidershipChange over previous year
2013 [21] 1,072,123n/a
2014 [22] 1,043,917Decrease2.svg2.63%
2015 [23] 940,074Decrease2.svg9.95%
2016 [24] 937,560Decrease2.svg0.27%
2017 [25] 928,515Decrease2.svg0.96%
2018 [26] 964,748Increase2.svg3.9%
2019 [27] 913,567Decrease2.svg5.31%
2020 [28] 458,780Decrease2.svg49.78%
2021 [29] 458,980Increase2.svg0.04%
2022 [30] 586,437Increase2.svg27.77%
2023 [31] 672,882Increase2.svg14.74%

See also

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References

  1. ↑ "Services". Eau Claire Transit Department. Retrieved January 18, 2019.
  2. ↑ Fristed, Sam (January 19, 2024). "Eau Claire transit sees strong year with ridership on the rise". WQOW TV. Retrieved January 20, 2024.
  3. ↑ Hollars, B. J. (August 24, 2023). "All Aboard!". Volume One. Retrieved January 17, 2024.
  4. ↑ "Eau Claire's Early History". VoiceMap. Retrieved January 17, 2024.
  5. ↑ "Electric Trolleys". VoiceMap. Retrieved January 17, 2024.
  6. ↑ "Mass transportation in Wisconsin". Wisconsin Historical Society. August 3, 2012. Retrieved January 17, 2024.
  7. ↑ "Eau Claire Transportation Company Letterhead - Print". Wisconsin Historical Society. December 1, 2003. Retrieved January 17, 2024.
  8. ↑ "How Student Transit Began Their Journey". www.student-transit.com. Retrieved January 17, 2024.
  9. ↑ Hagmann, Taylor (October 16, 2019). "Construction on a new transfer center could begin next summer". The Spectator. Retrieved January 17, 2024.
  10. ↑ Giffey, Tom (December 27, 2022). "Deal Near on Housing Above Transit Center, City Says". Volume One. Retrieved January 17, 2024.
  11. ↑ "Maps, Trip Planning & Schedules - City of Eau Claire, Wisconsin". www.eauclairewi.gov. Retrieved January 14, 2024.
  12. ↑ "UWEC Routes". www.eauclairewi.gov. Retrieved January 14, 2024.
  13. ↑ "UWEC Routes - Saturdays". www.eauclairewi.gov. Retrieved January 14, 2024.
  14. ↑ "Buses and Shuttles". www.uwec.edu. Retrieved January 16, 2024.
  15. ↑ "Express Routes". www.eauclairewi.gov. Retrieved January 14, 2024.
  16. 1 2 Stapleton, Leeann (September 18, 2021). "Groundbreaking ceremony held for new Eau Claire transit center". WEAU TV. Retrieved February 9, 2024.
  17. 1 2 Giffey, Tom (October 11, 2021). "Topping It Off: New Downtown Transit Center's Private Component Yet to Be Finalized". Volume One. Retrieved February 9, 2024.
  18. ↑ Berge, Clint (September 1, 2021). "Temporary bus transfer center opening Thursday in Eau Claire". WQOW TV. Retrieved February 9, 2024.
  19. ↑ Dowd, Andrew (March 22, 2022). "Council OKs millions more for transfer center" . Leader-Telegram. Retrieved February 9, 2024.
  20. ↑ Walleser, Melanie (September 6, 2023). "Eau Claire Transit to move services to new transfer center in August 2024". WQOW TV. Retrieved January 16, 2024.
  21. ↑ "2013 Annual Agency Profile" (PDF).
  22. ↑ "2014 Annual Agency Profile" (PDF).
  23. ↑ "2015 Annual Agency Profile" (PDF).
  24. ↑ "2016 Annual Agency Profile" (PDF).
  25. ↑ "2017 Annual Agency Profile" (PDF).
  26. ↑ "2018 Annual Agency Profile" (PDF).
  27. ↑ "2019 Annual Agency Profile" (PDF).
  28. ↑ "2020 Annual Agency Profile" (PDF).
  29. ↑ "2021 Annual Agency Profile" (PDF).
  30. ↑ "2022 Annual Agency Profile" (PDF).
  31. ↑ "National Transit Database" . Retrieved March 25, 2024.
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