Changes to the transportation to Innovation Square may be on the horizon, as students living in housing in downtown Rochester have voiced concerns about the lack of convenient afternoon and late-evening shuttle service to and from the River Campus.
Some Innovation residents reached out to the Student Association (SA) a few weeks ago, saying that current transportation arrangements are not meeting their needs.
The sign outside the Innovation Square student residential tower in downtown Rochester.
“A lot of them end up using the Red Line to Eastman and just walk over to
Innovation Square,” SA Senator Quinten Denkenberger said. “Since extending the Red Line would also serve the needs of Eastman Students, we are working with Eastman SA to develop a joint proposal that would likely include an extension of the Red Line and a potential stop at Innovation Square during those evening hours.”
Denkenberger explained that once SA gathers more information about what Innovation and Eastman residents find most convenient, they will begin talks with the University’s transportation authority.
According to Denkenberger, the next Transportation Advisory Committee meeting between SA and the University’s Department of Transportation and Logistics will take place Nov. 19, and Eastman SA will also be present. He explained that they plan to discuss the student feedback they have been receiving.
Denkenberger also stressed the importance of the matter, saying that for one person with whom he spoke, it goes beyond inconvenience.
“[One] Innovation Square student [explained] how this is a serious quality of life issue for them and how a lot of their peers feel the same,” Denkenberger said.
Another student currently living in Innovation, junior Alex Piper, shared his frustration.
“I absolutely agree that getting to Innovation can be a pain in the evenings,” he said. “If you miss the bus, it’s a 45-minute wait for the loop, and another 35 minutes on the bus to get there.”
Adding another stop to the Red Line, Piper said, would be an ideal solution.
University Transportation is aware of the issue according to Transportation Operations Manager Andrea Walton, and will discuss shuttle service for Eastman and Innovation students at the Nov. 19 meeting.
“Providing safe and reliable transportation for our students is a top priority and we’re always looking for ways to improve services,” Walton said. “We will review options to improve afternoon and evening frequency, extend shuttle hours, and reduce wait times. Any proposed changes would follow the University’s standard review and approval process before being finalized.”
