Campus Connector extends to Medical Mile

Grand Valley is making several improvements to its bus routes this year, which include extending the Campus Connector (Rapid Route 50) to Medical Mile, and moving its primary Route 50 DeVos Center stop on Front Avenue to the intersection of Fulton Street and Mt. Vernon Avenue. 

The new routing will begin August 23 with a 20-minute frequency to coincide with the university’s Transitions Week. It will begin a six-minute frequency on August 31 with the start of the fall semester. 

Previously, Route 50 traveled between the Rapid Central Station in Grand Rapids and Kirkhof Center on the Allendale campus. The new Route 50 alignment will travel between the Cook-DeVos Center for Health Sciences in Grand Rapids and the Allendale Campus. Route 50 will have multiple direct connections to Central Station via the Silver Line, Route 12 and Route 7. 

“This extension will begin to model the preferred Laker Line route,” said Mark Rambo, manager of Operations at Grand Valley. "It will provide greater connectivity between our campus facilities, the core downtown and the Silver Line.”

The Laker Line initiative is in project development to finalize budget, construction and operational specifications. The Rapid is hoping to begin construction in 2017, but the project start is dependent on approvals from the Federal Transit Administration once project development is complete and the grant request is submitted.

Grand Valley accounts for more than three million annual rides on the Rapid bus system and offers a variety of alternative transportation services including car sharing, bike rentals, ride sharing, commuter parking and transit services.

“We are actively trying to provide a portfolio of reliable and convenient transportation options for our students,” said Rambo. “These efforts seek to create a culture of not bringing a car to campus.”

Specific Changes:

• The primary Route 50 stop in Grand Rapids (near the DeVos Center) will move from Front Avenue (under U.S. 131) to Fulton Street (under U.S. 131).

• Route 50 will extend to the Cook-DeVos Center for Health Sciences building on Michigan Street in Grand Rapids. The bus stop will be located on Lafayette Ave just north of CHS.

• Route 51 (Hill Dash) will no longer stop at CHS.

• Route 50 will no longer stop at Rapid Central Station. The new alignment will have multiple direct connections to Central Station via the Silver Line, Route 12 and Route 7.

• Route 50 will no longer pull into the Park and Ride behind the Walker Fire Station. It will stop on Lake Michigan Drive at Kinney Ave (just east of the fire station).

• Routes 37 and 48 will combine to form Route 85 on the weekends to provide increased apartment service. Route 50 will continue to operate on weekends to connect Allendale and Grand Rapids.

For more information about transportation services at Grand Valley, visit: gvsu.edu/bus.