Meetings will continue this month and throughout the summer to determine the feasibility of a shuttle system that planners say could have a dramatic effect on the marketability of downtown Des Moines.

“I think it’s something that if it’s put out there would help more people and create a one-stop shop that will allow people to visit multiple locations without having to move their cars from place to place,” said Brian Litchfield, director of special projects for the Des Moines Metropolitan Transit Authority. “It will provide connectivity between the east and west and ease mobility for people living in downtown Des Moines, as well as those working and visiting.”

The Downtown Shuttle Advisory Committee, composed of nearly 40 business owners, property owners, downtown workers and downtown residents, approved a document outlining their preferred routes for two shuttles. One would run east and west, connecting Meredith Corp. headquarters and Gateway West to the state Capitol complex. A north-south route would connect shuttle passengers to downtown’s “activity centers” – the Iowa Events Center, Science Center of Iowa and Principal Park. The goal is to create a seamless shuttle system that would integrate the existing Link shuttle.

“The appeal of it was that there’s a lot of activity taking place in downtown and we need to connect the different traffic generators with one another to allow people to get around downtown without needing to use their cars,” Litchfield said. “The main focus was how we get people from one area of interest to another.”

But Litchfield emphasized that the committee’s recommendations are still being reviewed, and are considered a starting point for further discussion. The MTA is following similar procedures carried out in other cities, where shuttle implementation has been a collaborative effort between business organizations, chambers of commerce, convention and visitors bureaus, transportation authorities and city leaders.

Operating costs for a shuttle system in downtown Des Moines, if a shuttle were to run every 10 minutes from 7 a.m. to midnight, is estimated between $500,000 and $600,000 or more. Litchfield said discussions as to how operating costs will be covered have included suggestions such as user fees and paid advertising on the vehicles. But, he added, the costs would also need to be covered by shuttle partners or the businesses that benefit from a shuttle system.

The advisory committee will make a final recommendation to the city and other organizations in July, at which time financing, marketing and implementation plans will be considered.