Big changes in Anchorage’s bus system take effect Monday

Shorter wait times and fewer neighborhood stops are some of the big changes Anchorage bus riders can expect Monday as a long-awaited overhaul of the People Mover system takes effect.

City transit planners embarked on a redesign of the bus system more than a year ago. At the time, ridership was sliding and budgets weren't growing. The city hired a consultant and conducted extensive surveys and public workshops.

The result is a less circuitous system aimed at making it easier to catch a bus in the city's most populated areas and along major roads. Many routes have been transformed into a straight shot between two points instead of winding through neighborhood streets.

[New map for Anchorage buses has few neighborhood stops but frequent service on major roads]

Smaller buses will travel to Eagle River and South Anchorage as "commuter routes."

Oct. 23 was set months ago as the date of the switch.

Find more information, including a ride guide, on the People Mover "Transit Talks" website.