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PUBLIC TRANSTT IN TI~ DOWNTOWN CORE OF SALEM The Transit District Board of Directors has followed a policy that the Transit Center will be located in the downtown core. The policy is based upon a number of considerarions, paramount of which is the District's knowledge of our customers and their needs. o The majority of transit trips are oriented to the downtown area, primarily for employment and shopping. Rider surveys show that the majority of transit trips are destined to the downtown core area. This pattern is expected to continue in the future, as Salem continues to focus its commerciaUretail development in the downtown/mall area. o Experience shows that people want to "park" as close as possible to their destinations. Bus riders arriving downtown are no different from auto drivers...they want to disembark as close as possible to where they are going. o Transit's competition is the automobile. If transit is to succeed, we must be able to compete to a reasonable extent with the convenience of the auto. Drivers come into the heart of downtown and park--in the best circumsta.nces, right next to their destinadon. There are four major parking structures in the core area, serving over 2000 automobiles. Wide streets are lined with parking, right next to downtown's businesses. Transit cannot attract riders away from their cars if using the bus consumes unnecessary time and is not convenient. o The Transit District has conferred with officials in many cities that have recently built transit centers. Invariably, the most successful developments are those located in the heart of viable downtowns. Very few centers have been built outside the immediate downtown area, and these transit operators report high operating costs and customer dissatisfaction with such facilities. o Transit's physical presence and visibility in the downtown area is a distinct asset to an area's vitality and economic health. A transit center represents a significant public investment in the downtown area--it is a signal to the public, to businesses, and to visitors that downtown is alive and healthy. There are many cities in the Northwest and across the country where the downtown has withered, and the transit system has moved out to serve outlying, suburban concentrations of employment, residences, and commercial activity. The District is charged with the responsibility to manage the business of public transportation in a responsible manner, consistent with the best management practices and principles in public governance. The policy to locate our tcansit center in the downtown core is based upon sound transit operating principles. The policy reflects the experience and knowledge of a broad range of transit professionals, as well as a comprehensive review of public transportation practices and case studies from across the nation. ~c:wr~cox~ ~n~s