Iowa State Fair pays $300,000 to replace DART shuttle
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The Iowa State Fair is paying $300,000 to provide a new, free Southridge Mall shuttle after Pleasant Hill's exit from DART ended the park-and-ride service from Southeast Polk High School.
Why it matters: The move shifts major fair shuttle hubs, potentially making travel more cumbersome for the eastern parts of the metro and the state but possibly more convenient for those traveling from the south.
Catch up quick: Pleasant Hill City Council voted in 2024 to withdraw from DART, which this month ended more than 15 years of the city receiving regular bus service.
- The move saved the municipality roughly $400,000 in annual contributions to the transit agency.
Yes, but: The fair shuttle from Southeast Polk High School was treated as an extension of Pleasant Hill's regular DART service, which meant it ended when the city withdrew from the agency, deputy CEO and chief operating officer Luis Montoya tells Axios.
State of play: The new Southridge Mall shuttle will be operated by CIT, a private charter company.
- It'll have the same number of buses and the same schedule as the former Southeast Polk route.
- Riders should expect similar wait and travel times, spokesperson Mindy Williamson tells Axios.
Meanwhile, DART will continue operating its $3 round-trip state fair park-and-ride service from the Capitol and Center Street garage.
- The agency provided over 263,000 State Fair shuttle rides last year.
What we're watching: Whether fairgoers embrace the new Southridge Mall shuttle — or whether eliminating the Southeast Polk stop increases pressure on traffic and parking near the fairgrounds.