Starting Friday, Raleigh residents will have a free way to get around downtown. The city has a new circulator bus that will run every 10 to 15 minutes around downtown-from Glenwood South, to the convention center, up Wilmington Street and down Peace Street back to Glenwood. Print a copy of the map below.<\/p>\n
The downtown loop, also known as the R -Line, will be a free ride, made possible by a $365,000 annual grant from the federal government. Two hybrid busses sitting 36 people will serve the route. It will run 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, 7 a.m. to 2:15 a.m. Thursday through Saturday and 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday.<\/p>\n
The new bus line, according to city transit administrator David Eatman, is part of the downtown revitalization. “There are both a lot of entertainment and restaurant venues available in the downtown area, and with the bus rides made free for the public, it adds on the experience,” said Eatman.<\/p>\n
The day before the new line officially launches, bus regulars were already pleased.\u00a0 “With the bus system always taking a dollar here and a dollar there, it eventually adds up, with this now, it comes as a relief,” said 36-year-old Priscilla Hedgepoth while waiting for a bus at the Moore Square Station.<\/p>\n
Print the R-Line route map:
\nDowntown Circulator Map<\/a>