The Point: Recently opened transit center enhances safety, improves connectivity, and emphasizes sustainability
Riders of bus, train, and other transit services rejoice! Riverside Transit Agency (RTA), in collaboration with the City of Riverside, recently opened the new Vine Street Mobility Hub – a world-class transit center adjacent to the Riverside-Downtown Metrolink Station. The new center serves a connectivity hub for passengers from local and commuter routes.
The 4.5-acre transit hub opened January 14 and addresses some of the first and last mile challenges faced by transit riders by linking bus, passenger rail, active transportation – such as biking and walking – and encouraging public transportation use. The long-awaited transit hub also provides connections to other modes of transportation including car sharing, ride sharing, ride hailing, and bike sharing. Dial-A-Ride and fixed-route bus services will provide multiple transfer opportunities for passengers.
The new center also provides easier access to many local educational institutions, employment centers, and entertainment destinations in downtown Riverside. To provide a seamless commute, the hub features displays of route maps, fare information, schedules, ADA signage, and locally relevant information. Real-time bus arrival information helps ensure that passengers never miss a ride.
The hub features 16 bus bays and a center bus island configuration for enhanced safety – enabling riders to transfer between buses without needing to cross the bus drive aisles. The new center also includes various sustainability features including solar panels, drought-tolerant landscaping, and electric vehicle charging stations. Interpretive panels and art installations honor and highlight the agricultural past of the region.
RTA covers one of the largest transit service areas in the country, with over 2,500 square miles that include the cities of Banning, Beaumont, Calimesa, Canyon Lake, Corona, Eastvale, Hemet, Jurupa Valley, Lake Elsinore, Menifee, Moreno Valley, Murrieta, Norco, Perris, Riverside, San Jacinto, Temecula, Wildomar, and unincorporated areas of western Riverside County.
The state-of-the-art transit center will enable a more robust multi-modal transportation network that will support future mobility, sustainability, and quality of life needs of the region.