Metro visits ACC

Capital Metro's forum hosted by the Student Government Association (SGA) took place at the Rio Grande lounge on Thursday April 23. At this event representatives from Capital Metro discussed new bus routes and spending plans with students. By next fall Capital Metro Board Member John-Michael Cortez plans for the $10 parking fee to make ACC's relationship with Capital Metro more environmentally sustainable by using it to pay for a semester bus pass and more amenities for bicyclists.

"Maybe lets get a bike shower built in so faculty or someone who is here all day can ride in, take a shower and not be that stinky person in class," Cortez said.

Cortez and Metro's Transportation Planner Meredith Highsmith discussed the different emerging bus routes and new kinds of service as well as the fare increase for college students from $5 to $18 for a monthly pass.

The use of ACC's $10 parking fee for student bus passes would be optional for students and definitely on the table according to Cortez. The only thing uncertain is a timeline.

One of the concerns brought by students was that buses only have spaces for two bikes on the bike racks. Director of SGA Communications, Petra Barraza commented on this concern.

"For buses with a large bike load, maybe Metro can use the express buses for those routes, because I understand they have the space for the bikes underneath," Barraza said.

She was corrected by Highsmith who said those places for bikes were reserved only for certain passengers of the express bus routes. Barraza voiced other concerns after the meeting.

"I think other students were a little annoyed that Capital Metro hasn't got any immediate solutions to address the concerns of ACC students such as lack of student fares for ACC students, lack of frequent bus routes to ACC campuses, and removal of the Dillo from Rio Grande Campus," Barraza said.

Cortez emphasized the intricacy of changing anything within Capital Metro.

"Unfortunately nothing happens immediately. Things need to be discussed. This would be a partnership between the college and Capital Metro. These things don't happen overnight. We'd all like things to move quicker," Cortez said.

Petra Barraza wasn't alone in her view of how the forum was conducted. SGA Senator Benjamin McWilliams, in an aside, regretted advertising the event so heavily to fellow students.

"Well, the first 45 minutes was just John Michael Cortez talking about what they were going to do. It didn't feel like it was a forum, and I was concerned when students were leaving because of how long Cortez was talking," McWilliams said.

The forum lasted about an hour with about 11 students fluctuating in attendance. On the topic of students' discontent with the forum, Cortez later replied in a phone interview.

"Bottom line is we were invited to participate by SGA and to talk for 15-20 minutes. If students want us to come back and speak more in-depth about a particular route or service we'd love that. We are always looking for input from our users," Cortez said. During the event, Cortez often pointed to a map he had of the many different kinds of Metro transportation that are currently or will be going into effect. Although questions were asked by different students throughout his speech, he did not answer them until after the whole presentation ended, saying:

"While you want to focus on every cause that is important, the end goal is more important … and for us it's going to be in 20 years," referring to the 20 year Go-plan that includes all the expanded services Metro is undertaking.

Without prompting from students, Cortez volunteered a rebuttal to recent calls for an audit of Capital Metro by Mayoral candidates and others.

"You may have read some rather unfortunate ridiculous news articles in the paper about where Cap Metro's money is going? It's going to implement that [20-year Go] plan; we have to build all that stuff. That's where we're spending the money," Cortez said.

Student reactions to the forum were mixed.

McWilliams said, "Even though I do appreciate Metro sending people here, I wish they were more open to actually discussing the issues instead of making a public service announcement."