Money will pay for electronic schedule signs, pilot program for 20 buses.
Centro has won a federal grant of $2.25 million to expand its project with Syracuse University's Connective Corridor.Washington -- Syracuse University's Connective Corridor project received a big boost today when the federal government awarded a $2.25 million grant to Centro to help make upgrades to bus service in downtown Syracuse.
The money from the Federal Transit Administration will pay for electronic signs at bus stops that will display real-time arrival and departure schedules and other infrastructure improvements, said U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer, who helped secure the grant.
The federal aid also will pay for new technology to be installed as a pilot program in about 20 buses. The technology will notify drivers of potential traffic problems, giving them time to adjust to new patterns, Schumer said.
“The Syracuse University Connective Corridor will energize the beating heart at the center of Syracuse; it is an investment that creates jobs, jumps starts commerce, improves vital infrastructure and builds a base for economic development,” Schumer said in a statement.
He added, “Safe, reliable and dependable transportation is critical for Syracuse’s long-term success and that’s exactly what we’re building in Central New York.”
The Connective Corridor bus route currently operates 24 hours a day, bringing riders to arts and cultural locations including Syracuse Stage, the Everson Museum, the Museum of Science and Technology, the Civic Center, and the Landmark Theater.
So far, the service has averaged more than 500 student riders and 65 faculty members daily, or about 225,000 commuters per year.
Schumer said he has helped secure more than $10 million in federal aid for the project since 2005.
» Connective Corridor bus schedule
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Washington correspondent Mark Weiner can be reached at mweiner@syracuse.com or 571-970-3751.