Greensboro Plan2Play Parks and Recreation Master Plan 2019

148 - FEBRUARY 2019

Action 8c. Examine city bus routes to identify places to link transit to trails and parks. The Greensboro Transit Authority (GTA) offers 16 daily routes with 1,083 bus stops. This resource is invaluable, particularly to many of Greensboro’s most vulnerable residents, who do not have the resources to own a car. Connecting parks and trails via the bus system along clear and direct routes helps to expand the Department's reach to some of Greensboro’s more at-risk populations and provides the opportunity to alleviate parking issues at parks and trailheads. Review bus routes and stops for park connectivity - The Department should collaborate with residents and GTA to review existing bus routes in relationship to park connectivity. For example, many residents living in Council District 1 note that Barber Park is challenging to get to

by bus, because it involves 2 transfers to make the trip. Another example is at Smith Senior Center, which lacks a bus stop on Fairview Street, requiring users to navigate around the block to access the main entry. This complexity acts as a barrier to use and could potentially be eliminated with open communication and strategic review of GTA bus stops and routes as they relate to park and trail resources. Explore park and ride locations for Northern Lakes Trail District - The addition of new bus stops or routes that might connect residents with parks and trails beyond their traditional neighborhood bounds should also be explored. This could be a particularly useful tool to alleviate congested trail head parking in the northern lakes district. If bikers and hikers had well-established park and ride locations along clear bus routes, they could bus out to their favorite trail network, and depending on location, even return back to their car on bike or foot. Additionally, well- placed bus stops and routes, could allow for residents of south and east Greensboro to more easily access the nature and ecology of the northern lakes trail network.