A new turnaround for CyRide busses near Towers will be discussed at this week’s City Council meeting. The city is being asked to help cover part of the costs, along with Iowa State University, the university’s Student Government and CyRide.

The Ames Transit Agency’s Transit Board of Trustees approved the concept of a turnaround for CyRide’s proposed Gold Route as part of the System Redesign Plan. New routes are scheduled to begin running in the fall of 2018.

The turnaround would be located south of Storm Street at Welch Avenue on Iowa State University property that also houses Storms Dining Center and Wallace and Wilson residence towers.

The turnaround would be at the end point of Gold route, allowing the bus to turn around and operate back to campus and areas north and return down Welch so traffic does not increase on the previously discussed Hayward Avenue. Welch currently has multiple stops in both directions, while Hayward has only one next to the residence halls.

Gold Route will run only between Schilleter and University Village and back to the Towers, with buses operating on the route every 10 minutes Monday through Friday.

CyRide staff has worked with ISU Facilities Planning and Management staff to develop a final construction cost estimate for the turnaround, according to the proposal. This cost is estimated to be $185,000, which includes design, construction and minimal landscaping costs. ISU Facilities and Planning will be responsible for construction of the bus turnaround, and is ready to proceed with bids and construction once funding is approved.

CyRide would cover 50 percent at $92,500. They are asking the rest be split in thirds between the City of Ames, Iowa State University and Iowa State’s Student Government at $30,833 each.