In an attempt to increase service and campus access, transportation planners will add a new East U bus route, replace the existing P bus line with a North U bus service and merge the existing H bus and S bus routes into a single circulation system.
"We are making some changes (to the fare-free bus system)," said Mary Lou Kuschatka, Chapel Hill's transportation director. "Right now, we're evaluating some of the routes that are more congested and making changes to give better service to these routes."
Kuschatka said the U and Reverse U bus routes are significantly overcrowded, especially during peak hours.
"We anticipate that some of the loads from the U and (Reverse) U (routes) will be spread out with the fare-free system," she said.
As an extension of the U and Reverse U routes, the new EU shuttle route is designed to alleviate congestion and provide additional transportation for the eastern part of campus, Kuschatka said.
The UNC School of Law requested the new EU route to provide law students with more access to campus. "The fact that there will be the availability of more interaction with different parts of campus is certainly something (the law students) have been wanting for awhile," said Sylvia Novinsky, assistant student affairs dean of the law school.
In addition to the EU shuttle route, a new NU circulation system will replace the existing P route, providing a link between campus and areas to the north.
"The NU route is basically a modification of the P route," said Ray Magyar, University transportation planner. "It's designed to give students quick, direct access to the P and PR lot from campus and also help employees have access to their cars."
The NU route will assume all existing P bus stops, except the stop on Hillsborough Street by Brookside Apartments. The Hillsborough Street bus stop will be taken over by the A bus line.
