News & Events Archives - Mountain Line | Fixed Route Service in Flagstaff

MOUNTAIN LINE SEEKS PUBLIC COMMENT ON PROPOSED SERVICE CHANGES

The Mountain Line Board of Directors has opened a public comment period related to proposed Mountain Line service changes for August 2025. These include:

Route 2
The eastbound (toward the mall) deviation to Gemini Rd./BASIS will become permanent and all Route 2 buses will use this route on each run of the day. The westbound (toward downtown) deviation will be eliminated, and all buses will remain on Cedar Ave. Both stops at Cedar Ave. / Gemini Rd. will continue to be served in both directions on every run.

Purpose of Proposed Service Change: Growth and development on McMillan Mesa warrants full transit service (as opposed to the limited school deviations), but the road network makes it challenging to deliver efficient transit service due to the prohibited left turn from Pine Cliff Dr. onto Forest Ave. This requires the buses heading toward downtown to double back to access the traffic light at Gemini Rd. and Cedar Ave. Mountain Line secured grant funding to work with MetroPlan and the City of Flagstaff to conduct a feasibility study for a left turn off the Mesa at Pine Cliff, and pending the outcome of that study, the long-term goal is to permanently serve the Mesa in both directions.

Routes 4/14
With the completion of the new Beulah Blvd. roundabout and construction of a bus only lane, Mountain Line is shifting Routes 4 and 14 to use this new road network. Two new bus stops will be added on Beulah Blvd. at the roundabout, and the following stops will be closed due to the reroute:

Route 4, Stop 4 (Milton/Forest Meadows)
Route 14, Stop 15 (Milton Rd./I-17 – Mobil)

Purpose of Proposed Service Change: Mountain Line worked closely with the City of Flagstaff to implement quality transit infrastructure as part of the roundabout project. This reroute takes buses off the congested Milton Rd., and utilizes bus only lanes on Beulah Blvd. to deliver more efficient transit service.

Route 5
Route 5 weekday peak frequency is currently 60 minutes, and it will increase to 30 minutes, meaning a bus will arrive every half hour. The morning and afternoon supplemental service that operated on school days will be eliminated.

Purpose of Proposed Service Change: This is a Proposition 488 service improvement. Route 5 is the only route that has 60-minute weekday frequency, so this change brings it in line with other routes, and gives residents/visitors in this area a more reliable transit option. Supplemental service is being eliminated because it will be redundant with the new frequent service schedule and will provide enhanced student access along this route every weekday.

Route 7
Stop 16 at Fourth St. and Cedar Ave. will shift south and be relocated to Fourth St. and Dortha Ave.

Purpose of Proposed Service Change: The City of Flagstaff is constructing a roundabout at Fourth St. and Cedar Ave. during the summer of 2025. Once completed, the current location of Stop 16 (Fourth St., just south of Cedar Ave.) will be too close to the new roundabout for buses to safely stop in the new traffic flow. The proposal moves the stop to the south to better align with the crosswalk at Dortha Ave.

Route 8
Route 8 will extend along West Route 66 and Woody Mountain Rd. to provide new transit service to this growing area. Details include:

30-minute frequency
Proposed new stops (Final bus stop locations pending ADOT permit approvals):

Westbound W. Route 66 / Thompson (near Maverik)
Westbound W. Route 66 / Railroad Spring Blvd.
Westbound W. Route 66 / Northwestern St.
West side of Woody Mountain Rd. / Patio del Presidio
Eastbound W. Route 66, / Northwestern St.
Eastbound W. Route 66, near Kit Carson RV Park

The proposed routing will utilize the Woody Mountain Rd. roundabout. Only one stop on the west side of Woody Mountain Rd. is being proposed, as Phase 2 of the Route 8 extension is proposed to include a bigger loop around the Timber Sky development, and buses would only travel in one direction.
All bus stop infrastructure will be temporary, as MetroPlan and the City of Flagstaff are engaged in a W. Route 66 Corridor Study that will identify transit and pedestrian access solutions. Permanent infrastructure will be installed when the results of the study are implemented.

Purpose of Proposed Service Change: This is a Proposition 488 service improvement. With the continued residential development on W. Route 66, there is a need for improved transit service in this corridor.

Visit www.mountainline.az.gov/servicechanges for full details on the proposed changes.
Comments can be submitted through April 16, 2025:

Via telephone at 928.679.8921
Via email at transportation@mountainline.az.gov
Via the Mountain Line website at www.mountainline.az.gov/contact
Via mail or in-person at 3773 N. Kaspar Dr., Flagstaff, AZ 86004

Mountain Line is the transit agency in northern Arizona operating fixed route bus service on nine routes, paratransit service, vanpool, and seasonal Mountain Express service to Arizona Snowbowl. www.mountainline.az.gov for more information.

MOUNTAIN LINE DETOURS AND TEMP STOPS FOR BUTLER AND LONE TREE CONSTRUCTION

FLAGSTAFF, AZ (February 18, 2025) –

Beginning February 18, 2025, Mountain Line’s Routes 4 and 14 will operate on a detour for the construction at Butler and Lone Tree, and several stop closures are in place:

Route 4, Stop 16 (Lone Tree/Franklin northbound): Temporary stop available on the south side of Sawmill Rd., in front of Liz Archuleta County Park.
Route 14, Stop 4 (Lone Tree/Franklin southbound): Temporary stops available on the north side of Sawmill Rd., east of Windsor Ln. near The Grove covered parking, and south on Lone Tree, just north of O’Leary.
Routes 3, 4, 7 westbound stops at Butler Sawmill (Greyhound): Temporary stop available to the east on Butler Ave., just east of Sawmill Rd.
Routes 3, 4, 7 westbound stops at Butler Elden: Temporary stop available to the west on Buter Ave., at O’Leary St.

Construction on this phase of the Butler and Lone Tree project is anticipated to last through October 2025. Click here for a map of the full construction area, including all detours, stop closures, and temporary stops.

Click here to view the map.

MOUNTAIN LINE MAKES GETTING TO SCHOOL EASY, CONVENIENT, AND SAFE – RENEW FOR THE SPRING 2024 SEMESTER

FLAGSTAFF, AZ (December 20, 2023) –

It’s officially back-to-school season, and with Mountain Line’s variety of student pass options, you can mark “transportation” off the school supply checklist.

Mountain Line offers a safe and reliable transportation option for students to get to and from school and other activities. There are nine routes traversing Flagstaff, stopping within walking distance of most Flagstaff schools. Mountain Line offers route deviations on Routes 2 and 3 to better serve BASIS School and Northland Preparatory Academy (NPA) during the school year. Flagstaff Arts & Leadership Academy (FALA) students can also take advantage of supplemental morning and afternoon service on Route 5, which offers more options to get to and from school.
Flagstaff students enrolled in a K-12 school can purchase a Mountain Line semester pass for $49. Fall semester passes are valid Aug. 1 – Dec. 31 and spring semester passes are valid Jan. 1 – Jun. 15. An annual pass, valid for the entire calendar year from the date of purchase, is available for $119. Both passes are valid on the entire Mountain Line system for the duration of the pass. For students who don’t ride as often, FlagPass Cash is available. Load as little as $5 on a card, use as needed, and reload when the balance gets low.

Student passes are available for purchase at https://mountainline.az.gov/fares-passes-online/ or on the Token Transit mobile ticketing app. Passes are also available at the Mountain Line office at 3773 N. Kaspar Dr. between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. (closed from 12-1), Monday-Friday. To purchase the pass, all students must show proof of enrollment and bring a student ID, if applicable.
The Mountain Line Customer Service staff is happy to answer any questions about routes and the best way for students to access their individual schools. Call 928.779.6624 or visit https://mountainline.az.gov/students/ for additional information.

MOUNTAIN LINE SECURES $16.3 MILLION FEDERAL GRANT FOR MAINTENANCE FACILITY

FLAGSTAFF, AZ (June 28, 2023) –

The Federal Transit Administration (FTA) announced Monday that Mountain Line will receive $16.3 million through the Bus and Bus Facilities Grant to build a new maintenance facility.

Mountain Line’s grant was one of 130 awards totaling nearly $1.7 billion from President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law for transit projects in 46 states and territories.

Mountain Line is currently using a separate FTA Bus and Bus Facilities Grant award for the
construction of the new Downtown Connection Center. When that facility opens and Mountain Line’s
administrative and customer service teams relocate, the current space in the Kaspar Dr. facility will
be repurposed to better meet the agency’s fleet and maintenance needs. The new facility will
improve and expand maintenance capabilities, and create the capacity for Mountain Line’s
transition to a zero-emission fleet.

“We appreciate U.S. Sens. Kyrsten Sinema and Mark Kelly, and Arizona Reps. David Cook and Mae Peshlakai for their leadership and support of our grant application,” said Mountain Line CEO and General Manager Heather Dalmolin. “Mountain Line proudly services and maintains our entire fleet and this new facility will allow our team to effectively take care of our vehicles now and as we grow into the future.”

For more information on the grant funding, visit https://www.transit.dot.gov/about/news/biden-harris-administration-announces-nearly-17-billion-help-put-better-cleaner-buses.

Mountain Line officially breaks ground on new Downtown Connection Center

FLAGSTAFF, AZ (May 31, 2023) –

In a ceremony attended by local, state, and federal officials, Mountain Line officially broke ground on its new Downtown Connection Center facility on May 31.

Located at the site of Mountain Line’s current Downtown Connection Center on Phoenix Ave., the new facility will provide necessities, including restrooms, customer service, operations and dispatch spaces, and administration offices. It will be a multimodal connection center and provide for long-term service expansion, regional transportation Services, and be a hub of bike and pedestrian activity.

The project is funded by a $17.3 million Federal Transit Administration Bus and Bus Facilities Grant, along with one-time capital funds from the State of Arizona and land from the City of Flagstaff that was used as local match for the grant.

Visit www.mountainline.az.gov/dcc for full project details and current construction status.

MOUNTAIN LINE OFFERS SUMMER YOUTH PASS

FLAGSTAFF, AZ (May 25, 2023) – Put the brakes on driving the kids all over town this summer and get them Mountain Line’s new Summer Youth Pass!

Children ages 7-17 are eligible to purchase the $24 Summer Youth Pass, which is valid June 1 through August 12. The pass offers unlimited rides to all destinations Mountain Line serves, including the movie theater, shopping areas, downtown, museums, and more.

Transit gives kids the freedom of navigating their own summer and gives parents a much-needed break from being the year-round taxi service. Safety is Mountain Line’s top priority, both onboard the bus and at all transit facilities. The free Transit app shows where buses are in real time so parents can know when kids have made it safely to their destination. In addition, the See Say app allows riders to report safety concerns or issues directly to the Mountain Line dispatch office.

The Summer Youth Pass is available for purchase at https://mountainline.az.gov/fares-passes-online/, on the Token Transit mobile ticketing app, or at the Mountain Line headquarters building (3773 N. Kaspar Dr.).

MOUNTAIN LINE DEBUTS FIRST BATTERY ELECTRIC BUS

Spot the bus during the first week of service to win prizes

FLAGSTAFF, AZ (April 24, 2023) –Mountain Line’s first battery-electric bus is officially going into service on April 26, marking a new era in low-emission fleet technology for the community.

The Gillig Battery Electric Bus is the first of two grant-funded zero-emission buses in the Mountain Line fleet, with the second bus expected later this year. In addition to federal grant funding, Arizona Public Service (APS) is partnering with Mountain Line to study how electric vehicles and charging infrastructure interact with the electric grid. Mountain Line will share battery charging data with APS to inform the utility’s customer programs and energy resource planning.

Mountain Line’s decision to invest in electric buses is guided by the agency’s Zero Emission Bus Transition Plan, which provides an analysis of various zero emission technology options and maps out the logistics, budget, and infrastructure needed to achieve this milestone.

Mountain Line has already received federal grant funding to purchase four additional electric buses and will continue to pursue funding to replace the existing hybrid-electric buses as they reach the end of their useful life. Flagstaff voters approved a 2008 proposition to fund the purchase of hybrid-electric buses and 10 years later, Mountain Line was the first transit system in the U.S. to operate a 100 percent hybrid-electric fleet.

When Mountain Line fully transitions to an all-electric fleet, it will reduce local greenhouse gas emissions by 68 percent. Replacing just one hybrid bus with an electric bus reduces annual greenhouse gas emissions by 61 tons, which is the equivalent of removing almost 10 passenger cars from the road each year. At full conversion, this would equal almost 300 cars a year.

The electric bus will be on different routes around town for the first week of service and the public is invited to spot the bus, post it on Facebook and tag Mountain Line at @FLGMountainLine for a chance to win prizes. The contest is open April 26 – May 3. Visit www.mountainline.az.gov/electric for more information.

“Mountain Line’s transition to a zero-emission fleet is a critical component in achieving our community’s carbon neutrality goals,” said Mountain Line CEO and General Manager Heather Dalmolin. “We remain committed to completing this transition in a fiscally responsible manner, monitoring new developments in the electric vehicle realm, and adapting our plans to best serve the Flagstaff community.”

“As the Flagstaff Community makes progress in decarbonizing transportation, this is an opportunity to learn more about how customers use electric vehicles and how they interact with our smart grid,” said Kerri Carnes, APS Director of Customer Technology.

MOUNTAIN LINE ROLLS OUT SERVICE CHANGES AND NEW RIDE GUIDE ON JAN. 16

FLAGSTAFF, AZ (January 12, 2023) – Mountain Line is rolling out a new Ride Guide on Monday, January 16 and reinstating full service on all routes. Highlights include:

Routes 2 and 4 will return to full weekday service hours.
BASIS Flagstaff families and riders who use the Route 2 deviations should note that the times the stops on Gemini are served will revert to the regular weekday schedule on Monday, January 16. The schedule differences are as follows:

https://mountainline.az.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Route-2.jpg

Route 10 will operate on a new schedule with Monday-Thursday service differing from Friday service. Weekend service will remain the same. A full schedule can be found at: https://mountainline.az.gov/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Mountain-Line-Route-10-Schedule.pdf

MOUNTAIN LINE SEEKING GRANT FUNDING FOR THE VANPOOL PROGRAM

FLAGSTAFF, AZ (January 19, 2022) Mountain Line is applying for the FY2022 Section 5311 grant, which provides rural transportation assistance. As part of the grant application, Mountain Line is conducting outreach to bring awareness of the project the grant will fund. This grant will be used to continue the Vanpool program which serves Coconino County, outlying areas, and any partner requests receives. It operates through a contract with Commute with Enterprise. Some of the costs to Vanpool participants will be subsidized through the 5311 grant and matched from Coconino County.

This public meeting will be held virtually on February 17th from 4:30pm – 5:30pm via Zoom. Log-in information can be found below. At the meeting, interested persons or agencies to be heard with respect to the social, economic, and environmental aspects of the project. Interested persons may also submit oral or written evidence and recommendations with respect to said project.

Anyone wishing to comment on this application should do so by February 17, 2022. Any public or private transportation or paratransit operator wishing to provide an equivalent service to that proposed above should submit a written proposal detailing the service that operator would provide. A copy of the grant proposal can be available for public inspection at Mountain Line, 3773 North Kaspar Drive, Flagstaff, AZ 86004.

If information is needed in another language, contact 928.679.8903. Si necesita información en otro idioma por favor póngase en contacto con 928.679.8903.

Zoom meeting log-in: https://mountainlineaz.zoom.us/j/85710181269?pwd=SkMyL2kxL3hzbkNYV0lSeFlDRjd2QT09
Meeting ID: 857 1018 1269
Phone option: 1-253-215-8782

Estella Hollander
Mobility Planner
Mountain Line
ehollander@mountainline.az.gov

Mountain Line Seeks Input to Update the Region’s Transit Plan

FLAGSTAFF, AZ (JUNE 29, 2021) – Mountain Line is initiating an effort to address how it can best provide and fund future transit services for the Flagstaff region and encourages all transit riders and non-transit riders to help inform this process to create a community driven transit plan – Flagstaff in Motion.

“As Flagstaff continues to change, it’s important that we prioritize investments in transit to address the transportation needs of the communities we serve and ensure our transit system continues to support the region’s economic vitality and key initiatives such as climate action,” said Mountain Line CEO and General Manager Heather Dalmolin. “We want to hear from all community members to create a transit plan that reflects the diverse transportation needs and priorities of the community.”

Mountain Line is currently seeking input to inform the development of transit service scenarios for the region. The range of possible transit service scenarios will be made public by late summer and community members will then be asked to provide input to help Mountain Line prioritize the scenarios and develop corresponding tiered funding options.

Community members may provide feedback by visiting the newly launched project website at FlagstaffInMotion.com. The website features details about the plan development process and includes various poll questions and an interactive map that allows you to place pins on the map to make suggestions and provide comments. As planning efforts progress, this site will continue to be updated with new information and opportunities to share input throughout 2021.

Community members may also share their input and sign up to receive project updates and notices about public input opportunities for Flagstaff in Motion by sending an email to FlagstaffInMotion@mountainline.az.gov and/or by leaving a message on the project phone line at (928) 851-3888.

The framework for the Flagstaff in Motion plan will be based on the results of community feedback and a comprehensive technical evaluation. The plan development process is anticipated to conclude in December 2021.