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City bus route map proposed to new transit panel

Editor’s Note: Heartland Express will still be running its usual demand-response service in addition to the fixed route service.

NEW ULM– A proposed draft of the bus route for New Ulm’s fixed-route bus service was presented during the first meeting of the New Ulm Transportation Advisory Committee Wednesday.

The city partnered with Brown County Heartland Express, the transit service provider that operates demand-response service within New Ulm and all of Brown County.

The new fixed-route bus service will run on a set schedule with stops at major destinations along a set route in New Ulm. The program was approved by the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT).

Brown County Transit Director for Heartland Express Pat LaCourse brought a map with a proposed bus route that included various stops in the community.

The route would start at Heartland Express offices at the Brown County Licensing Bureau, then travel to stops at Linderhoff Hillside and Oak Hills/New Ulm Medical Center. Next, it would travel on 5th Street North and stop at St. Michael’s and Broadway Haus.

Two stops will be made in downtown Minnesota Street including City Center Apartments. Next, the bus would travel south on Broadway Street, stop at HyVee and New Ulm Mobile Village.

The bus would then return north on Broadway, turning left on Center Street to stop near Emerson Union and the Brown County Courthouse.

The next stop would be at Martin Luther College (MLC) followed by Highland Regency. The route would then follow Highland Ave. to Cashwise, Aldi’s and Walmart. The last two stops on the route are Orchard Hills/Skyline and Ridgeway/Traulich Estates before returning to the license bureau.

LaCourse said a goal of the route was to hit as many income-based housing locations as possible and reduce the number of left turns. He indicated there would be some flexibility in where the bus stopped based on the needs of the bus.

As an example, at the Emerson Union stop, the bus could let a rider out closer to the courthouse rather than waiting at the Emerson bus stop on Washington Street. Those needing special pickup locations not on the route will need to make other arrangments.

A test drive of the route was conducted and a complete loop is estimated to take one hour. MnDOT Project Manager Cathleen Amick said an hour was common for fixed-route bus services in Redwood Falls and Marshall.

“We found that’s what you want,” Amick said. “Most riders only ride for a half-hour. That is their comfortable length of time.”

LaCourse acknowledged this proposed route would likely change based on rider usage and determine where users wanted to go in New Ulm.

Amick said the route would also change as New Ulm evolved. As new businesses and developments were added to the city, the route would likely need to adapt.

Committee member Scott Windschitl asked Amick how long it takes for fix-route bus service to catch on in a community.

Amick said it takes about 10 years to catch on because it is a changing of culture. Many bus riders are used to calling in to request pick-up service. It can take time to get used to a fixed route, but Amick said users would rather not need to dial in ahead of time to ride the bus.

The committee is determining the times the bus will run and currently looking at a 12-hour schedule (6 a.m. to 6 p.m.) Monday through Friday and a shorter schedule on Saturday (9 a.m. to 3 p.m.).

The city of New Ulm is still considering fare costs. City Manager Chris Dalton said for the first few months the city would likely waive the fee for the first three months of operation to let riders learn the system without a charge. After three months, the fare would be $1.

The start of the fixed-bus route is dependent on when the bus is delivered. Heartland Express ordered a new bus four months ago, but with supply-chain issues and shipping delays, it is unknown when the bus will arrive. A notice will be sent two months before the vehicle arrives.

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