Bus stop closure for Route E starts Aug. 17; University and Babcock pedestrian crossing at Transportation Commission tonight; Stay cool!

Hello neighbors,

It has come to my attention that the bus stop at Kendall and Highland for the E bus will be removed starting August 17. I want to be transparent with you all: I was not informed of the proposal to eliminate this stop in advance. If I had been, I would have communicated with you and asked for your feedback in regards to the proposal. As a result, the decision to close this stop has been made. If there is interest in re-opening this stop, it will require re-assessment by the Transportation Commission. I have heard from one local user who relies on the bus to get around town, and for whom the removal of this stop will be a hardship, as he has mobility issues. If there are others who will be negatively affected by this closure, please send an email to me, cc’ing Transportation Commission, and Metro.

Unfortunately, this was not the only oversight in communicating with me by city staff. I was also unaware of the proposal to update the pedestrian crossing at University Avenue and Babcock Drive until yesterday – it is going before the Transportation Commission tonight. I’m not sharing this information with you to criticize the work of our city staff, but to make you aware that, had I been given the information, I would have shared it broadly. I have communicated directly with the staff involved and indicated this is an opportunity for process improvement, and that I expect to be engaged in future decisions impacting our district.

And, in case you hadn’t noticed, it’s hot out there! Please be aware of options for staying cool if you don’t have air conditioning or other mechanisms to be comfortable in your home.

Be well,

Regina Vidaver