Laker Line

Last updated

Laker Line
Laker Line logo.webp
The Rapid Laker Line.jpg
Laker Line bus at Kirkhof Center station, the route's western terminus
Overview
Termini
Connecting lines BSicon BUS3.svg Silver Line
Stations13
Website www.ridetherapid.org/howtoride/laker-line OOjs UI icon edit-ltr-progressive.svg
Service
Type Bus rapid transit
Operator(s) The Rapid
History
OpenedAugust 24, 2020 (2020-08-24)
Technical
Line length13.3 mi (21.4 km)

The Laker Line is a bus service in the Grand Rapids metropolitan area of Michigan, operated by The Rapid. The Laker Line connects three campuses of Grand Valley State University: the main campus in Allendale and two satellite campuses in Downtown Grand Rapids. The service is named after the GVSU athletic teams, and funded primarily by the university. The Laker Line is free to ride for GVSU students and employees, and is open to the general public with the payment of regular The Rapid bus fares.

Contents

The Rapid promotes the Laker Line as a bus rapid transit service, and it features some characteristics of bus rapid transit services, including limited stops, transit signal priority, and offboard fare payment. Short segments of the route in Downtown Grand Rapids feature dedicated bus lanes. [1]

Route and service

The Laker Line is a 13.3-mile (21.4 km) route, connecting the GVSU main campus in Allendale to its two satellite campuses in Downtown Grand Rapids. [2] The line operates via Lake Michigan Drive, serving a total of 13 stations in Allendale, Walker, and Grand Rapids. Destinations along the Laker Line include the Kirkhof Center, the John Ball Zoo, the GVSU Pew Campus, DeVos Place, the Medical Mile, and the GVSU Center for Health Sciences. [3] [4]

Laker Line buses operate every 10 minutes on weekdays during the GVSU fall and winter semesters, with reduced service during summer semesters and breaks. Weekday evening service operates every 20 minutes, and weekend services are every 30 minutes. All daytime trips operate the full route, and some evening trips are short turn services between the Allendale and Pew campuses. The Laker Line is a limited-stop service, with parallel local service within Kent County provided by The Rapid Route 12 from Monday to Saturday. [3]

Scheduled travel times for the full route range from 37 minutes during weekday peak hours to 30 minutes in late evenings, an average speed of 21.6 to 26.6 mph (34.8 to 42.8 km/h). [3]

Stations

The Laker Line serves 13 stations in each direction, located on the curb at major intersections. All stations feature ticket machines, automatic snowmelt systems in the pavement, and emergency intercoms. 3 stations are shared with the Silver Line.

StationLocaleThe Rapid connecting servicesNotes
Kirkhof Center GVSU Allendale BSicon BUS2.svg 37, 48, 85
Mackinac HallGVSU Allendale BSicon BUS2.svg 37
Ferndale Ave Walker BSicon BUS2.svg 7, 12
Cummings AveWalker BSicon BUS2.svg 12
Standale TrailWalker BSicon BUS2.svg 12
Maynard Ave Grand Rapids BSicon BUS2.svg 12
Covell AveGrand Rapids BSicon BUS2.svg 12
Zoo/Garfield AveGrand RapidsEastbound station signed as John Ball Zoo, westbound signed as Garfield Ave, serving the John Ball Zoo
Straight AveGrand Rapids
Pew CampusDowntown Grand Rapids BSicon BUS2.svg DASHTerminus for some evening trips
Monroe/LouisDowntown Grand Rapids BSicon BUS2.svg 9, 11, 13, DASH

BSicon BUS3.svg Silver Line

DeVos Place Downtown Grand Rapids BSicon BUS2.svg 9, 11, 13, DASH

BSicon BUS3.svg Silver Line

Medical Mile Medical Mile BSicon BUS2.svg 11, 13

BSicon BUS3.svg Silver Line

Lafayette AveMedical Mile BSicon BUS2.svg 13Serves GVSU Cook-DeVos Center for Health Sciences

History

A bus on Route 50, the Laker Line's predecessor, at Mackinac Hall in 2015 20151206 07 Grand Valley State University.jpg
A bus on Route 50, the Laker Line's predecessor, at Mackinac Hall in 2015

The Rapid began operating bus service between Downtown Grand Rapids and Grand Valley State University in Allendale in 2000, funded by the university. [5] The Route 50 "Campus Connector" grew into a popular service, with ridership increasing from 179,000 trips per year in 2002 to 1.4 million in 2012. This rapid ridership growth occurred in tandem with the growth of the GVSU campuses in Downtown Grand Rapids. [6] The Rapid and GVSU increased peak-hour bus service to every six minutes, but still faced significant overcrowding on buses.

The Rapid released a long-range plan in 2010, which included a number of proposed improvements to its services by 2030. The plan included bus rapid transit corridors on Division Avenue and Lake Michigan Drive, and also proposed better frequency and hours of service for standard bus routes. Detailed planning for the project began in 2012, when the Federal Transit Administration awarded The Rapid a $600,000 grant to study options for enhanced transit service along Lake Michigan Drive. [6]

The alternatives analysis for the Lake Michigan Drive project was completed in 2014, the same year as The Rapid's first bus rapid transit line opened. The Silver Line is a limited-stop service with enhanced bus stations along the route, transit signal priority, and bus-only lanes in select locations along the route. The Laker Line proposal was a similar service, serving enhanced stations, but running on city streets in mixed traffic with only short segments of bus-only lanes. The proposal included a fleet of 16 60-foot (18 m) articulated buses dedicated to the Laker Line, which provide additional capacity compared to The Rapid's standard 40-foot (12 m) buses. [2]

Laker Line bus on display at Rapid Central Station The Rapid Laker Line.png
Laker Line bus on display at Rapid Central Station

In February 2018, the Laker Line project was approved for $56.2 million in federal funding under the Federal Transit Administration's Small Starts program. The federal grant covered 80% of the capital cost of the Laker Line system, including the buses and the construction of the stations. The remaining 20% of the capital cost was paid for by the State of Michigan's Comprehensive Transit Fund. [2] [7] Construction began in April 2019, and was estimated to be complete for the Fall 2020 semester at GVSU. [8] The first of the fleet of 16 compressed natural gas-powered buses was received in June 2019. [9] [10]

Service on the Laker Line began on August 24, 2020, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. At the line's launch, bus capacity was limited, and face masks were required. The final cost of the line, including buses, stations, and road work, was $72.8 million. [11]

Fares

The Laker Line is integrated with The Rapid's fare system, and charges standard bus fares. Ticket machines are located at all stations, and tickets must be purchased before boarding the bus. Grand Valley State University students and employees ride for free on the Laker Line and all other The Rapid bus routes, as part of a partnership between GVSU and The Rapid that began the Route 50 service in 2000, and continues to the present with the Laker Line. [3]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Allendale, Michigan</span> Census-designated place & unincorporated community in Michigan, United States

Allendale is a census-designated place (CDP) in Ottawa County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 17,579 at the 2010 census. It is located within Allendale Charter Township, occupying approximately the northern two-thirds of the township, from the eastern boundary with the Grand River west along Pierce St., north along 75th Ave., then west along Lake Michigan Drive (M-45) to the western boundary of the township. It is a part of the Grand Rapids-Muskegon-Holland, Michigan combined statistical area, and is an exurb of Grand Rapids, due to its major commuter routes into the city.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Allendale Charter Township, Michigan</span> Charter township in Michigan, United States

Allendale Charter Township is a charter township of Ottawa County in the U.S. state of Michigan. At the 2020 Census, the township population was 26,582. Allendale Charter Township is best known as being home to the main campus of Grand Valley State University.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Grand Valley State University</span> Public university in Allendale, Michigan, US

Grand Valley State University is a public university in Allendale, Michigan, United States. It was established in 1960 as Grand Valley State College. Its main campus is situated on 1,322 acres (5.35 km2) approximately 12 miles (19 km) west of Grand Rapids. The university also features campuses in Grand Rapids and Holland and regional centers in Battle Creek, Detroit, Muskegon, and Traverse City.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Miami-Dade Transit</span> Primary public transit authority of Miami, Florida

Miami-Dade Transit (MDT) is the primary public transit authority of Miami, Florida and the greater Miami-Dade County area. It is the largest transit system in Florida and the 15th-largest transit system in the United States. As of 2023, the system has 80,168,700 rides per year, or about 276,400 per weekday in the second quarter of 2024. MDT operates the Metrobus with their paratransit STS systems run by LSF. MDT also operates two rail transit systems: Metrorail and Metromover.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority</span> Public transit operator in Erie and Niagara Counties, New York

The Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority (NFTA) is the public agency responsible for operating most public transportation services in the Buffalo–Niagara Falls metropolitan area. The NFTA, as an authority, oversees a number of subsidiaries, including the NFTA Metro bus and rail system, the Buffalo-Niagara International Airport, the Niagara Falls International Airport and NFTA Small Boat Harbor. The NFTA Metro bus and rail system is a multi-modal agency, utilizing various vehicle modes, using the brand names: NFTA Metro Bus, NFTA Metro Rail, NFTA Metrolink and NFTA PAL. In 2023, the system had a ridership of 15,429,900, or about 54,600 per weekday as of the second quarter of 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Metro Transit (Minnesota)</span> Public transit operator in the Twin Cities region of Minnesota

Metro Transit is the primary public transportation operator in the Minneapolis–Saint Paul area of the U.S. state of Minnesota and the largest operator in the state. In 2023, the system had a ridership of 44,977,200, or about 144,300 per weekday as of the second quarter of 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ann Arbor Area Transportation Authority</span>

The Ann Arbor Area Transportation Authority (AAATA), branded as TheRide, is the public transit system serving the Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti area in the U.S. state of Michigan. In fiscal year 2021, the system had a ridership of 1,725,797.

WGVU-TV is a PBS member television station in Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States. It operates a full-time satellite station, WGVK in Kalamazoo. The two stations are owned by Grand Valley State University, and maintain studios in the Meijer Public Broadcast Center, located in the Eberhard Center on the GVSU Pew Campus in downtown Grand Rapids. WGVU's transmitter is located near the GVSU main campus in Allendale, while WGVK's transmitter is based in Kalamazoo's Westwood neighborhood.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Rapid</span> Public transit system in Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States

The Rapid is the public transit operator serving Grand Rapids, Michigan and its surrounding suburbs. The Rapid operates local service in urban areas in Kent County, and regional service to Ferris State University and Grand Valley State University in Mecosta and Ottawa Counties.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">VIA Metropolitan Transit</span> Transit Agency

VIA Metropolitan Transit Authority is the mass transit agency serving San Antonio, Texas, United States, and its surrounding municipalities. It began operation in 1978 as a successor to the San Antonio Transit System. In 2023, the system had a ridership of 25,132,300, or about 84,000 per weekday as of the second quarter of 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rhode Island Public Transit Authority</span> Public transport agency in Rhode Island, US

The Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA) provides public transportation, primarily buses, in the U.S. state of Rhode Island. The main hub of the RIPTA system is Kennedy Plaza, a large bus terminal in downtown Providence, Rhode Island. Average daily ridership as of the second quarter of 2024 is 43,400. The agency operates 59 fixed-route bus routes and 7 demand-responsive routes, together serving 37 out of 39 Rhode Island municipalities.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Capital Area Transportation Authority</span> Public transit operator in Michigan, US

The Capital Area Transportation Authority (CATA) is the public transit operator serving the Lansing, Michigan area, including service on the campus of Michigan State University. In 2023, the system had a ridership of 8,082,200.

The Indianapolis Public Transportation Corporation, branded as IndyGo, is a public transit agency and municipal corporation of the City of Indianapolis in the U.S. state of Indiana. It operates fixed-route buses, bus rapid transit, microtransit, and paratransit services.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">RapidRide</span> Brand of bus routes in King County, Washington

RapidRide is a network of limited-stop bus routes with some bus rapid transit features in King County, Washington, operated by King County Metro. The network consists of eight routes totaling 76 miles (122 km) that carried riders on approximately 64,860 trips on an average weekday in 2016, comprising about 17 percent of King County Metro's total daily ridership.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mass Transportation Authority (Flint)</span> Public transit operator serving Flint, Michigan

The Mass Transportation Authority (MTA) is the public transit operator serving Flint, Michigan and surrounding Genesee County. It also owns and operates the inter-modal Flint station, which also serves Amtrak and Indian Trails.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">St. Cloud Metropolitan Transit Commission</span>

The St. Cloud Metropolitan Transit Commission, branded as Metro Bus, is the primary provider of mass transportation in St. Cloud, Minnesota. Service is provided daily using a fleet of 37 full-sized buses. The agency was formed in 1969 after the private St. Cloud Bus Lines began to cut routes and increase fares, leading the Minnesota State Legislature to establish a Transit Authority to make up for perceived inadequate service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Metro (Minnesota)</span> Rapid transit network in the Minneapolis metropolitan area of the United States

Metro is a transit network in Minnesota serving the cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul. It also provides service to some suburban areas. As of 2022, the system consists of two light rail lines and five bus rapid transit (BRT) lines all of which are operated by the local public transit company: Metro Transit. The five lines connect Downtown Minneapolis and St Paul with Bloomington, Minneapolis-St Paul International Airport, Roseville, Richfield, Burnsville and Brooklyn Center.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Silver Line (Grand Rapids)</span> Bus rapid transit route in Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States

The Silver Line is a bus rapid transit line operated by The Rapid in Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States. The line runs along Division Avenue on the Wyoming-Kentwood border into downtown Grand Rapids, where it loops around before terminating at Rapid Central Station. It began operation on August 25, 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rapid Central Station</span> Bus station in Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States

Rapid Central Station is an intermodal transit station in downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan. It is operated by The Rapid and serves as Grand Rapids' main city bus station as well as a station on the Silver Line bus rapid transit. It is located on Grandville Avenue between Cherry Street and Wealthy Street, and is the BRT's northern terminus. It is just yards north of the city's intercity rail station, the Vernon J. Ehlers Station, on Century Avenue.

Harbor Transit is the primary bus agency providing intra- and inter-city public transportation service for the Ferrysburg–Grand Haven–Spring Lake tri-cities region in northwestern Ottawa County, Michigan, which is considered part of the Grand Rapids metropolitan area. The primary year-round service is demand-responsive point-to-point transportation; in addition, Harbor Transit operates two seasonal deviated routes during the summer.

References

  1. Wanek-Libman, Mischa (August 25, 2020). "The Rapid begins service on the Laker Line". Mass Transit. Retrieved 2024-11-04.
  2. 1 2 3 "Laker Line BRT, Grand Rapids, Michigan: Small Starts Project Development" (PDF). Federal Transit Administration. Retrieved 2024-11-04.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Laker Line: Maps & Stops". The Rapid. Retrieved 2024-11-09.
  4. "Laker Line service starts August 24". WZZM. August 24, 2020. Retrieved 2024-11-04.
  5. Reister, Cami (January 26, 2005). "GVSU students bump up Rapid bus ridership - University pays buses to run three free routes". The Grand Rapids Press. p. B3 via NewsBank.
  6. 1 2 Krietz, Andrew (November 22, 2013). "The Rapid's 'Laker Line' solicits feedback for bus rapid transit system between GVSU, Grand Rapids". MLive. Retrieved 2024-11-10.
  7. "U.S. DOT Provides More Than $63 Billion to Major Transportation Infrastructure Investments Across America in 2018". United States Department of Transportation. October 10, 2018. Retrieved 2024-11-10.
  8. "Construction Begins on the Laker Line, Scheduled to Open in August 2020" (Press release). The Rapid. April 1, 2019. Retrieved 2024-11-10.
  9. "Laker Line's new 60' buses unveiled in community celebration". WZZM. June 3, 2019. Retrieved 2024-11-04.
  10. Hicks, Justin P. (June 3, 2019). "60-foot-long Laker Line bus unveiled to serve GVSU to Grand Rapids". MLive. Retrieved 2024-11-04.
  11. McVicar, Brian (August 24, 2020). "The Rapid launches $72.8M Laker Line between Grand Rapids, GVSU". MLive. Retrieved 2024-11-04.

See also