Vision SMTX Appendix Adopted 2024

APPENDIX D: POLICY BASELINE AND DEVELOPMENT

applicants. CARTS provides weekday regional intercity bus service between Austin and San Marcos with stops at San Marcos Station, Texas State University, and Tanger Outlets. Bobcat Shuttle is managed by Texas State University Transportation Services. The primary purpose of the Bobcat Shuttle is to transport students between student housing and on-campus destinations when classes or finals are in session. Bobcat Shuttle is funded by student fees and a portion of faculty/staff parking permit fees. Bobcat Shuttle is open to Texas State University students, faculty, staff, and the general public. The City of San Marcos and Texas State University are interested in coordinating their transit systems to leverage federal and state grant funding opportunities and expand transit access for the entire community. In February 2019, the City and University completed a Coordinated Transit Study, which recommended that the City become the direct recipient of state and federal transit funds for the San Marcos urbanized area, and for both entities to coordinate transit systems. Since the adoption of the San Marcos Transit Plan, the City and Texas State University have signed an Interlocal Agreement that will allow the two parties to split allocated federal funds and improve transit service for the whole community. Existing challenges include: · Ridership impacts of COVID-19 · Due to changes in employment, enrollment, activity, and attitudes it is unclear if transit demand and ridership will return to levels prior to COVID-19. · Infrequent local service · Municipal bus service in San Marcos has historically been scarce in terms of frequency, hours of operation, and days of service. · Limited street connectivity and pedestrian barriers · The Union Pacific Railroad and I-35 system along with high-speed state highways, farm-to-market roads, and ranch roads create significant barriers to transit. Gaps in the sidewalk and bike network further limit access to transit. · An isolated transit hub · San Marcos Station is the primary transfer point for San Marcos Transit, CARTS regional service, Greyhound, and Amtrak. The station location is situated approximately ½-mile south of Downtown San Marcos between two tracks and adjacent to a one-way road, resulting in out-of-direction travel, frequent train delays, and impacts to speed and reliability.

98

SAN MARCOS COMPREHENSIVE PLAN 2024