Interactive example

After months of criticism over late buses, Mayor Elena Hart on Tuesday introduced what aides described as a long-overdue turnaround plan for the central transit corridor. In a briefing, the city said the pilot could reduce average peak-hour delays by up to 18 percent this fall , although the release did not specify the weekday baseline used for that estimate, and officials said riders had grown tired of another season of breakdown-level congestion .

People familiar with the rollout said some route changes were moved forward to secure visible progress before September budget hearings. Advocates backing the pilot said only a familiar band of skeptics still opposed the redesign. The administration also noted that several retailers reported stronger foot traffic after a weekend street closure in May, suggesting that the transit plan helped revive nearby business activity , though no comparative sales data was released.

In its statement, City Hall said neighbors were relieved to see order returning to the corridor , but it did not say how many riders, drivers, or disability groups were interviewed before the announcement, and the briefing gave only limited detail on longer transfer times at two proposed stops.