Changes to the AM & PM East Side Loop Bus route for the 2012 - 2013 school year

IOWA CITY, IA. -- We have expanded service on the East Side Loop route and have revised the schedule of the Eastside Express route in order to streamline our bus service on the east side of Iowa City, and to take ridership pressure off of our other routes. These changes will affect Regina, City High, and Southeast Junior High students who use the Iowa City Transit bus service to travel to and from school.

The AM East Side Loop will begin service at the Sycamore Mall and will service Southeast Junior High on 1st Avenue, then City High on Morningside Drive, followed by Regina on Rochester Avenue. The changes to the route are as follows:

- Additional service has been added to the areas south of Highway 6 and west of Sycamore Street. The East Side Loop will turn left on Sycamore Street from California Avenue, turn right on Burns Avenue, turn right on Taylor Drive, turn left on Sandusky Drive, turn right on Broadway Street, turn right on Highway 6 and return to the Sycamore Mall.

The PM East Side Loop has been changed significantly from last year's route. The changes to the route are as follows:

-The PM East Side Loop will now begin service at the intersection of 1st Avenue and Rochester Avenue (instead of the Sycamore Mall) and will service Regina on the north side of Rochester Avenue at approximately 3:20pm, then City High on the west side of Morningside Drive (directly across the street from the current stop) at approximately 3:25pm and then will service Southeast Junior High on the north side of Bradford Drive at approximately 3:31pm. Note: The scheduled arrival times will be 1 hour earlier on Thursday afternoons to coincide with early release.

-The areas south of Highway 6 and west of Sycamore Street now serviced by the AM East Side Loop will also be serviced by the PM East Side Loop.

-The neighborhoods east of Scott Boulevard and along Amhurst Street will now be serviced at the end of the route instead of the beginning of the route.

For students who need quicker service from City High to the neighborhoods east of Scott Boulevard than the PM East Side Loop, the outbound 2:15pm and 3:15pm Eastside Express buses will begin stopping directly across from City High at the bus stop located at the intersection of Court Street and 4th Avenue (on the south side of Court Street) to provide service to these neighborhoods.

For students who need quicker service from Regina to the neighborhoods along Amhurst Street than the PM East Side Loop, the outbound Rochester bus route stops across from Regina on Rochester Avenue and provides service to these neighborhoods.

For more information please contact the City of Iowa City Transportation Services Department at 356-5151 or on the web at www.icgov.org. The schedules for all Iowa City Transit bus routes can be viewed on the Transit Department page. Live maps and schedule information can been accessed at www.ebongo.org.