The Central Arkansas Transit Authority will host a series of six public meetings beginning later this month to invite comment on its latest recommendations for a strategic planning initiative the transit agency is developing.
The authority has been weighing whether to seek a dedicated tax to fund its operations and add improved services, ranging from more frequent service on its regular bus routes to high-frequency bus rapid transit, which uses high-capacity buses on its own lanes, or light rail for service on its highest ridership routes.
CATA, which is changing its name to Rock Region METRO, now relies principally on annual contributions from Little Rock, North Little Rock, Pulaski County, Sherwood and Maumelle to fund its operations, which limits its ability to make changes to its routes and services.
Information about the draft plan can be found at www.cat.org/move.
The meetings will be held from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., except for the North Little Rock meeting, which will last from 5:30 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. The meetings are:
• June 22 at the Central Arkansas Library System's Main Library, East Room, at 100 Rock St. in Little Rock.
• June 23 at the Laman Library, Room 126, at 2801 Orange St. in North Little Rock.
• June 25 at the Southwest Community Center at 6401 Baseline Road in Little Rock.
• June 30 at the Better Community Development Center at 3604 W. 12th St. in Little Rock.
• July 6 at the Jess Odom Community Center at 1100 Edgewood Drive in Maumelle.
• July 7 at the Bill Harmon Recreation Center at 51 Shelby Road in Sherwood.
CATA was created by an interlocal agreement in 1986 and serves the cities of Little Rock, North Little Rock, Maumelle, Sherwood and Jacksonville, and Pulaski County. It operates 26 fixed routes, the 3.4-mile River Rail streetcar and Links paratransit services. The agency carries nearly 3 million passengers annually systemwide.
Metro on 06/08/2015