Ithaca Bus Terminal relocated to the Urban Outfitters space at 131 E. Green St. in September after the terminal operators, David and Brenda Wallace, retired. The move was planned by Ithaca city officials, intercity bus companies and the Tompkins Consolidated Area Transit.
Tompkins Trust Company, which owns the building, was not interested in continuing to use the space as a bus station, The Sun previously reported.
“The Urban Outfitters space is the most logical for the intercity buses by keeping the area west of the store open for TCAT buses,” TCAT Communications and Marketing Manager Patty Poist told The Sun in an email.
To ensure smooth traffic at the new bus stop, intercity buses have all submitted their schedules. Several of them had to change timetables to avoid traffic congestion, JoAnn Cornish, the city’s director of planning and development, said.
“Drivers will be held to strict schedules to keep the operations moving smoothly,” she added.
To reduce clash with intercity buses, TCAT buses have worked with the city in obtaining a few additional parking spots.
According to a TCAT press release, buses will continue to use the current stop in front of the Green Street Station, but will no longer park east of the mid-block pedestrian crosswalk and in front of Urban Outfitters. If more than two intercity buses are present, they will use spaces farther east to the front of Tompkins County Mental Health Building.
“TCAT worked with the city, intercity bus companies and other stakeholders in very productive meetings to make this a smooth transition,” Poist said.
Cornish said the new plan will work “since the intercity busses are only allowed east of the pedestrian crosswalk, and there should never be more than two [intercity buses] at any one time.”
“This collaborative endeavor will be closely monitored over the next six months; if there are problems or other issues, they will be addressed,” Poist said.
To accommodate the terminal relocation, new ticket agent locations have also been established. Intercity bus passengers can now buy tickets or exchange online tickets for actual tickets at Green Street Pharmacy Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., according to the CoachUSA press release.
Shortline has also partnered with Student Agencies, which sells tickets in its collegetown office every weekday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Cornish said the terminal relocation is overall “a great move for everyone.”
“[Passengers] are a few steps away from the Commons if they want to stay downtown to eat, shop, or see a show,” she said. “ If they want to save a few dollars, they can skip the taxi or uber and ride the TCAT bus up to Campus.”