CDTA on the move with changes
Bus ridership 90% of pre-pandemic levels and is up 20 percent since last February
— A new transit line, electric bikes and an expansion into Warren County are among the many changes on the horizon for the Capital District Transportation Authority as it seeks to enhance the region’s mobility landscape in 2023.
Carm Basile, CEO of CDTA, unveiled the organization’s plans to expand its reach and create new areas of connectivity at the annual State of CDTA program hosted Thursday morning at the CDTA headquarters. With ridership back to 90 percent of prepandemic levels, the event showcased the transit giant’s efforts to rebound from pandemic-era challenges and continue to connect community members to essential services.
“CDTA is healthy, vibrant and alive, and the year’s been full of activities, most of which revolve around our positioning the company for continued success,” he said, adding that ridership is up 20 percent since last February.
A major change coming this fall is the launch of the CDTA’s third bus rapid transit line, dubbed the Purple Line, which will run along Washington and Western avenues and connect downtown Albany to Crossgates Mall and the University at Albany campuses. The new line will connect to the existing Red and Blue lines and can be viewed via an interactive map on the CDTA website.
The Red Line, which launched in 2011 and has the highest ridership and service frequency in the system, will also be upgraded with design changes to ensure a safer and more positive experience for transit riders, pedestrians and other travelers throughout the corridor.
Establishing new regional mobility hubs remains a top priority for the transit association. The organization is currently working on merging with the Glens Falls Transit District to provide transportation services in Warren County, which will become CDTA’s sixth county partner. The partnership will provide Warren County residents with access to other municipalities, including Montgomery County, which also recently merged with the CDTA in August.
The expansion into Montgomery County has unlocked new growth and commercial development opportunities in the region, Amsterdam Mayor Michael Cinquanti said in a panel discussion at Thursday’s event. Prior to the merger, Amsterdam was the largest city in the state to not have public transportation, he said.
“The elderly couldn’t get to medical appointments, they couldn’t go shopping, they couldn’t do the things they had to do. Our students with after-school activities, before school activities … they couldn’t get to them,” Cinquanti said. “Now, all of a sudden, there’s a way to get there and it’s made a big difference.”
Also present in the panel discussion was Matt Grattan, workforce development manager at Plug Power, which recently joined the universal access program to connect employees to the new Vista Technology campus in Bethlehem. Grattan emphasized how access to CDTA services has allowed the electrical manufacturing company to remove mobility barriers for more than 100 employees, a figure he expects to grow exponentially as the Latham-based business expands in Albany County.
For Grattan, the partnership is a way to attract and retain employees and demonstrate the company’s appreciation for its workforce. “In this labor market, you have to do everything you can to retain your most valuable asset, which is people, and transportation and the ability to get to your job should never be a barrier,” he said.
Whether it be commuting to work, running errands or getting exercise, the ability to pedal around town without worrying about purchasing and safely storing a bike has proved to also be a popular alternative mode of transportation for the Capital Region community.
The CDPHP Cycle! program has continued to experience healthy ridership levels since launching in 2017, with more than 80,000 rides taken during the 2022 season. This spring, Albany residents can take advantage of a new — and less strenuous — way to travel by bike. The organization will introduce electric bikes in upcoming months, with plans to add 100 of the new vehicles to the city for its seventh season.
And since launching earlier this year, the CDTA rent-by-the-hour electric carshare service has garnered the attention of those who previously relied on traditional transportation services. Johonna Uber, who participated in the panel discussion, said she used the car-share program to get to Thursday’s event, adding that the service has allowed her to do simple things like grocery shopping or attending medical appointments in a much timelier manner than taking the bus.
“We know the important role we play in development in our region and that’s a charge we take very seriously,” said CDTA Chairman Jayme Lahut.
“From the introduction of our new electric power share program to our bus rapid transit lines, expanded flex service and more CDPHP cycles, we’re jacked into the changing mobility landscape and giving rich and new ways to travel.”