VIA ready to launch new Prímo bus route

VIA Metropolitan Transit is rolling out a new Prímo bus route this week along Zarzamora Street to connect the Crossroads Park & Ride to the Madla Transit Center, with faster trips and fewer stops.

Riders who want to try out the new 103 Zarzamora route can do so for free on Valentine’s Day this Thursday. Buses are scheduled to arrive every 12 minutes during peak hours. The fare will remain the same as VIA’s regular bus service, and daily and monthly passes are accepted.

The Prímo launch caps a year of frequency upgrades and various “smart transit” initiatives throughout the VIA system. Several new and enhanced Prímo stations now feature 26 public art installations by artists from across the nation celebrating love, culture and community.

Joining the Prímo 103 route later this spring will be the Prímo 102 line, connecting the Kel-Lac Transit Center to VIA’s new Brooks Transit Center, located off the northwest corner of South New Braunfels Avenue and Sidney Brooks Street.

The 4,300 square-foot facility will combine sustainable development features such as roof-top solar panels with modern passenger amenities and public art. The panels will generate a minimum of 60 kilowatts of electricity to supply between 33 and 40 percent of the facility’s energy needs.

Besides the new Prímo 102 line, the Brooks Transit Center will have high-frequency bus service along seven other routes, including an express route to downtown.