SCVNews.com | Opinion/Commentary: Marsha McLean | Santa Clarita’s Reliable Transit Alternatives

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Marsha McLean | Santa Clarita’s Reliable Transit Alternatives

Marsha McLean | Thursday, Feb 29, 2024

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On the Move with Santa Clarita Transit

As we travel onward into 2024, our City continues to remain resilient and steadfast in its commitment to meeting our residents’ needs and preserving our exceptional quality of life. A key component of this pledge is ensuring access to safe, efficient and reliable transit options. Advocating for robust transportation opportunities has been a passion of mine since the beginning of my career, and as a Board Member of the North County Transportation Coalition JPA, I am dedicated to enhancing the transportation needs of our residents.

Santa Clarita proudly offers many alternatives to traditional transportation, including an extensive trail system, reliable bus service via Santa Clarita Transit and four Metrolink stations thanks to the grand opening of the Vista Canyon Multi-Modal Station this past October. Along with this new amenity there are now four additional trains on the Metrolink Antelope Valley Line for weekday and weekend schedules. These changes include late-night weekday trains that depart Union Station as late as 11:39 p.m. allowing for residents to be able to enjoy a night out or a show in the Los Angeles area and have access to rail transit back home. This enhanced service is something I strongly advocated for, and I am so happy to see it in action. You can find schedule information at MetrolinkTrains.com/Schedules. I will continue to strongly advocate for the addition of late-night weekend trains.

We are always looking for your input on ways to improve our transit operations here in Santa Clarita. One of the ways we gather this information is through a recent survey regarding the new Transportation Development Plan. These surveys were sent out because we ultimately wanted to hear from those that this plan would directly affect: you! As our City evolves, a Transportation Development Plan addresses the transportation needs for our City. We are currently analyzing your feedback to see how we can improve the current transit network and travel patterns. We will share drafts of the Transportation Development Plan with the community in the near future. As Santa Clarita continues to thrive, there will not only be more and more to do, but more efficient ways to get there.

Speaking of things to do in our wonderful City, several popular events are returning this season and what better way to get there – then by utilizing alternative modes of transportation. From SENSES Block Parties, Celebrate and of course the much-anticipated return of the Santa Clarita Cowboy Festival to William S. Hart Park – you can reach all of these events by hopping aboard one of our transit buses, scheduling a ride via GO! Santa Clarita or even riding your bike to a nearby Metrolink station.

If you haven’t used GO! Santa Clarita before, it is so easy and convenient to use. Download the TripShot app for free on your smartphone, enter your desired pick-up and drop-off locations and book your ride. Once you go to your pick-up location, spot the blue and green GO! bus, step on and enjoy the ride! You can pay using cash, your TAP card or the Token Transit app.

For those looking for a little outdoor adventure, feel the fresh breeze as you cycle to your destination. You will know your bike is safe in one of the many bike lockers available for use at any of the four Metrolink stations, as well as Santa Clarita City Hall. These bike lockers utilize GPS technology, which allows you to view their locations and availability using the Movatic app on your smartphone. The first 12 hours are free, and then $1.00 for every two hours thereafter. The Newhall Metrolink Station (24300 Railroad Avenue, Santa Clarita, CA 91321) is in a perfect location to pedal to for events such as SENSES, the Santa Clarita Cowboy Festival or simply to enjoy all of the incredible shops and dining opportunities in Old Town Newhall.

We take pride in providing countless and convenient opportunities to get around our beautiful City. To learn more about all of the ways to utilize transit, visit SantaClaritaTransit.com.

Councilwoman Marsha McLean is a member of the Santa Clarita City Council and can be reached at mmclean@santaclarita.gov.

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1 Comment

Ingrid says:

Thursday, Feb 29, 2024 at

Thank you for the information 👍

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