Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, February 11, 1991 TAG: 9102110369
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: A3 EDITION: EVENING
SOURCE: GEORGE KEGLEY BUSINESS EDITOR
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Two shuttle buses would bring employees of downtown Roanoke companies to their offices from the Roanoke Civic Center parking lot. The service will start April 1 if at least 360 riders sign for $17 monthly passes. The program will cost $6,100 a month.
Approximately 500 downtown parking spaces are being displaced from six to 18 months by the construction of Dominion Tower and its parking ramp, the Norfolk Southern building, the Church Avenue parking garage and expansions at First Baptist Church and the American Red Cross.
William Hubard, Downtown Roanoke president, said the shuttle buses would operate at least until the two new parking garages are completed. The Dominion Tower garage, with 800 spaces, is to be finished by November and the Church Avenue garage is scheduled to open by April or May 1992.
Hubard told a news conference today that a number of businesses have expressed interest in the parking program for their employees.
Kim Kimbrough, executive director of Downtown Roanoke, said 126 riders, about one-third of the minimum required, have said they will participate in the program.
The plan is for shuttle buses to run weekdays from 7 to 9 a.m. and from 4 and 6:30 p.m. Limited service would operate on Saturdays.
Downtown Roanoke will lease two buses from Valley Metro. They would be painted purple and white to designate them as the shuttle service.
The shuttle requires at least 360 regular riders to be financially viable, Hubard said. If the number of riders falls below that minimum, the service would halt, he said.
The buses would make five stops approximately every 10 minutes. The stops would be on Franklin Road in front of Crestar Plaza, on Jefferson Street in front of Dominion Bank, on Church Avenue in front of Roanoke City Hall, on Campbell Avenue at the City Market area and at the south parking area of the Civic Center.
The buses will be operated by drivers trained, licensed and insured by Valley Metro. There would be no charge for riders to park their cars at the Civic Center.
Each of the 568 downtown businesses will be asked to participate in the shuttle service, Hubard said.
The additional parking for downtown employees will free space for tourists and shoppers, he said.
In 1989, Hubard said, more than 480,000 people visited Center in the Square, more than the combined total visiting the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in Richmond and the Chrysler Museum in Norfolk.
by CNB