Des Moines DART route overhaul is live, changing daily trips

DART’s redesigned bus network is now live, and for Des Moines-area riders that means the old local route setup is gone. DART says all current local routes were replaced on June 14 with a new network built around faster, more frequent service on the metro’s busiest streets. For commuters, students and people heading to appointments, the change is immediate: route numbers, stop locations and trip patterns may all look different on the next ride.

The agency says four corridors now have 15-minute service, bus stops are spaced farther apart — about every three to four blocks — and transfers at DART Central Station are timed to speed up many trips. DART also says riders should use the new route maps, schedules and stop information before they leave home, since some walks to the bus and some connection times will change under the new system.

Who will notice it first

Transit-dependent riders are likely to feel the shift first, especially people who use DART to get to work. DART says about 60% of riders use the system for work trips, and the agency says that matters for hospitals, schools, grocery stores and other businesses that rely on transit access. The new route network still connects major destinations such as Drake University, DMACC Urban Campus, Broadlawns Medical Center, Mercy One, the Iowa State Capitol and Southridge Mall, but not every trip will look the same as before.

DART says all bus routes are free through June 30, giving regular riders and occasional riders a little time to test the new system. The main takeaway for anyone who rides DART is simple: check the new route before you go, because the change is already in effect.

Sources

• DART launch page: New Ways to Move — Starting June 14
• Axios Des Moines coverage of the launch