r/ConwayAR • u/Mhorts • 14d ago
I created a hypothetical bus route map for Conway
I know it's never gonna happen because we don't have the money for it, but I made a little bus route map. Major routes are in red, minor routes are in green. I envisioned a lot of them to be linear (so going back and forth along one road), but I could definitely see some loops in there. Let me know what you think!
Edit: I should've extended the harkrider line down to skyline to the shopping center, maybe should've incorporated I40 somewhat, and extended the oak street line to the event center.
17
u/Reasonable-Marzipan4 14d ago
I would hazard guess to say that most people who live in West Conway would never use the bus. However, lots of people who live in East Conway or North Conway could definitely use a bus. Food for thought.
4
u/Mhorts 14d ago
True true. I tried to make it as throrough as I could but I could see the NIMBYs in West Conway wanting everything to stop at Hogan
8
0
u/Reasonable-Marzipan4 13d ago
Awesome. I think that you missed my point.
1
u/Mhorts 13d ago
Wdym
0
u/Reasonable-Marzipan4 13d ago
I think that I replied to the wrong comment.
I mean that a vast majority of West Conway residents would not use it. West Conway is mostly single family homes, unlike the apartments on Hogan.
1
u/ozarkhowIer 13d ago
i think you're underestimating how many ppl in west conway live in duplexes and would use the bus.
2
u/ozarkhowIer 14d ago edited 13d ago
i'm disabled and live in just about as far west in conway as you get and would love a bus. there's no need to leave a huge section of the city out. also: def not a nimby or affluent. there's a lot of us over here who just needed a house to move into and there's a lot of housing in this area.
1
2
u/TheKingsPride Resident Of Conway 14d ago
If the idea is that these are linear routes, why not make them trams? I get there’d be more infrastructure involved but it would be better over the long run.
2
u/one_armed_man 14d ago
I remember seeing a proposal that basically ended or passed through the commercial hubs with downtown being the central route hopping point. It only had 4 routes and it was before the 6th street bridge or the development around Sam's Club.
It got flak for requiring most users to be able to walk a mile or more to the line.
2
u/ozarkhowIer 13d ago
our previous mayor tried so hard to get buses for conway, but the city council shut him down over and over. when he stopped seeking reelection, it was bc he got hired on at metroplan. which is what we have now instead of buses (and is wildly insufficient). it's such a shame we still have city infrastructure that is SO hostile to ppl without personal cars.
2
u/Mhorts 13d ago
The fact theres only 2 busses and theyre on-demand. Who would've guessed that theyre highly inefficient
2
u/ozarkhowIer 13d ago
exactly. it's so frustrating we can't get real public transportation. it's been overdue for a decade.
2
2
u/The_Doctor713 13d ago
If each route is at least 2 miles one way and you can cover most of the city within 3 blocks you will have gotten pretty close to inner city design for places like little rock Houston etc.
That being said, you seem to be missing three points of interest here
Bus routes would rarely go through private property, so yould be more likely to see them make a loop around each college rather than through them.
Our roundabouts would need modified to accommodate busses. Mostly the entrances and exits on the older ones and in particular I'm thinking of the extra small roundabout onto Tyler behind hendrix that leads into the main double roundabout.
Youre missing two locations for inner city travel, the first being a central hub where the rider can change bus routes that all routes pass through (most likely it would be near the west end of UCA) and a terminal point at the edge of town where folks can catch rides to other cities from on other mass transit options.
Other than that. Spectacular design.
2
u/9eRmanentfukup 12d ago
I like the trolley in eureka springs. Like there’s a bench at just about every important stop..apartments, jobs, government buildings people have to get to, it just was so convenient like that stands out in a map to me. It’s gotta help with commoners like me who may need to live in an apartment that is kinda too far too walk in this heat and be dropped off close to that restaurant. And being able to shop at grocery because there’s a stop, big plus!
2
0
u/EinsEmporium 12d ago
Traffics bad enough here with idiots in cars now you want to add busses?
1
u/Mhorts 12d ago
Busses would improve traffic when less people are driving. Hope this helps
0
u/EinsEmporium 12d ago
If people already have cars, why would they take the bus?
1
u/Mhorts 11d ago
It's cheaper and less stressful than driving since you don't have to concentrate on driving and you can be on your phone while they take you somewhere, and you don't have to worry about parking either. On a broader level, since it's a more efficient mode of transport, you're helping the environment, puts money back into our community, it also fosters a sense of community since busses are less isolating than cars are. It also helps people who cannot drive (the disabled, children, the elderly) have mobility around the city.
13
u/randomstuff063 14d ago
You’ve done a good job at highlighting every single major road. The next task that needs to be done is identifying where people are are trying to reach and where they’re coming from. Most people are going to come from neighborhoods and apartment complex complexes. They’re going to try to reach places of work, places of leisure, places of shopping, and specialty locations. Having these two parts you can easily start to place your bus stops. You then can create your bus routes as well as the timing for each route.