Mass transit, mass appeal

By Tara Sullivan
The Baytown Sun
Published June 13, 2008

Take notice when you pass one of the 40 orange-flagged wooden stakes that will be poking out along the roadsides.

Those flags will denote the spots where you will be able to catch the bus.

The Harris County Community Services Department said two 22-person buses could be up and running around Baytown by the end of July.

About 40 citizens gathered to hear Ken Fickes, Transit Services Director, give a presentation on the proposed route structure, cost and service options on Thursday evening on the campus of Lee College.

While Baytown has wanted a transit system for some time, transit authorities cited population growth and gas prices behind this forward motion.

The new bus system will operate on three main routes, running Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

A special Park and Ride Express route will run a limited course from about one hour before and after that service period.

Fickes said a Saturday run is under future consideration, but the current route will serve as a scale by which the service can be weighed.

The three routes will travel the city from San Jacinto Mall to Lee College from north to south, looping two separate circular routes through the southwest and mid-west sections of the city.

These routes include stops directly in front of San Jacinto Methodist Hospital, many apartment complexes and housing projects, and the Wal-Mart on Garth Road.