BLOOMINGTON — A new Bloomington Transit bus route is coming to the city’s west side and will be the first route to serve areas outside of city boundaries.
Route 13 begins service on Jan. 2 and will connect downtown to Vernal Pike, Curry Pike and the Ivy Tech campus.
Buses will operate Monday through Friday from 6:40 a.m. until 6:30 p.m., according to a press release announcing the route. There will be one trip per hour for a total of 12 trips per day.
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Like most BT bus routes, service will run year-round except New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.
While not a stop on the route, the future site of the new Monroe County Jail would be only a mile north of the proposed stop at Will Detmer Park. Commissioners had previously discussed the need for public transit to and from the jail site, but it is unknown if service will be extended to the site.
The new route comes after Bloomington Transit and Monroe County leaders approved an inter-local cooperation agreement that allows city services to be expanded outside of city limits.
“This is a wonderful opportunity to extend County-City collaboration into the world of transit!” Monroe County Board of Commissioners president Julie Thomas said in the release. “It will be a fabulous service for residents across Monroe County.”
It is a $1 fare to ride a Bloomington Transit bus. Indiana University students are able to ride for free by showing a valid student ID.