William F. Walsh Regional Transportation Center

William F. Walsh
Regional Transportation Center
Location 1 Walsh Circle
Syracuse, NY 13208
Coordinates 43°04′36″N 76°10′09″W / 43.0767°N 76.1691°W / 43.0767; -76.1691Coordinates: 43°04′36″N 76°10′09″W / 43.0767°N 76.1691°W / 43.0767; -76.1691
Owned by Intermodal Transportation Center, Inc.
Line(s) Empire Corridor
Platforms 1 side platform
Tracks 3
Connections CENTRO, Greyhound, Megabus:M26, Trailways
Construction
Parking Yes
Bicycle facilities Yes
Disabled access Yes
Other information
Station code SYR
Website centro.org/RegionalTransportationCenter.aspx
History
Opened 1999
Traffic
Passengers (2015) 141,396 (Amtrak)[1] Decrease 7.1%
Services
Preceding station   Amtrak   Following station
Empire Service
(Open only during the New York State Fair)
toward Toronto
Maple Leaf
(Open only during the New York State Fair)
toward Toronto
toward Chicago
Lake Shore Limited

The William F. Walsh Regional Transportation Center is the long-distance ground travel (rail and bus) terminal serving the Syracuse, New York area. It is served by Amtrak, Greyhound Lines, Megabus, and Trailways. Local and regional bus transportation is provided by the Central New York Regional Transportation Authority (CENTRO). Various taxi firms service the Center, as well. The Regional Transportation Center is located in north Syracuse, adjacent to the Central New York Regional Market and near Destiny USA.

History

When the financially-desperate New York Central Railroad sold off its elevated right-of-way through downtown Syracuse to the State of New York in 1962, all rail service was re-routed onto a former freight bypass to the north of the city center. The elevated line and train station had been in service for less than 30 years, having replaced tracks that ran at-grade through the center of Washington Street. From this time until the late 1990s, bus service remained at the former train station downtown, but with the former train route converted into Interstate 690 (a downtown freeway, in vogue among mid-century urban planners), rail passengers were forced to use a "temporary" structure near the freight yards in East Syracuse. Both options proved decidedly unpopular, with the train station in particular becoming synonymous with Amtrak's many woes. Opened in 1999, the Regional Transportation Center replaced both venues, re-integrating bus and rail service for the first time since the early 1960s. There were provisions built for OnTrack, Syracuse's commuter train line built on the former Lackawanna right-of-way through Armory Square, to call at the station; however, the necessary connection between the two lines was never built, and the OnTrack program was axed due to low ridership. The station is named for William F. Walsh, a former mayor of Syracuse and representative in the U.S. Congress.

Layout

The station is built at ground level, with bus loading/unloading areas in front of the main entrance, and stairs and an elevator leading up to the tracks, which are on an embankment. A central concourse with shops and a waiting room links the two areas. Trains call at a single high-level island platform serving one (nominally eastbound) track; provisions were made for cross-platform transfers with OnTrack on the other side, but the program was canceled before service ever reached the station.

Amtrak rail service

Amtrak Syracuse station platform

Amtrak's Syracuse station at Walsh Regional Transportation Center serves passengers traveling on three routes:





CENTRO bus service

Fifteen CENTRO bus routes serve the Walsh Regional Transportation Center from Auburn, Fulton, Liverpool, Oswego, Phoenix, Skaneateles, Syracuse, and nearby areas.[2]

Route No. Route Name Variations Notes
16 North Salina - 7th North 116, 216, 316 7 days, 5:23am - 10:35pm+
40 Syracuse University Hill - Hospitals 240, 340 7 days, 7:38am - 6:50pm+; less on weekends
46 Liverpool - Rte 57 weekdays only, 8:14am - 9:56pm; limited return
48 Liverpool - Morgan Rd Sat/Sun only, 9:55am - 5:55pm; no return
50 Destiny USA - Downtown Transit Hub 150, 550 7 days, 5:23am - 10:30pm+; starts & ends later on weekends
236 Auburn - Syracuse via Skaneateles 138 Sat/Sun only, 9:55am - 5:55pm
246 Oswego - Syracuse via Fulton - Phoenix 7 days, 10:43am - 5:50pm; additional return service

The most frequently serviced corridor is between the Regional Transportation Center and the Downtown Syracuse CENTRO Transit Hub (at Salina and Adams Streets), via Route Nos. 16, 46, 50, 116, 216, 316, and 550. Transfers to buses serving other routes may be made at Destiny USA or the Downtown Transit Hub. Standard local fares are $2.00 per person; with children aged 6-9, seniors 65+ and persons with disabilities at $1.00 per person. Children under 6 are free.[3] Fares for the longer distance regional bus routes are on a zone basis, up to $8.00 each way per person for the Auburn line, and $12.00 for the Oswego line.[4][5]

Intercity bus lines and routes

Greyhound

Greyhound Canada

Megabus

Trailways of New York

Nearby places

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Amtrak Fact Sheet, FY2015, State of New York" (PDF). Amtrak. November 2015. Retrieved 9 February 2016.
  2. ↑ CENTRO route schedules, effective June 29, 2015. Accessed: October 3, 2015.
  3. ↑ CENTRO. (2015, June 29). "Route 50, Destiny USA/ Regional Transportation Center" schedule. Accessed: October 3, 2015.
  4. ↑ CENTRO. (2015, June 29). "Route 236, Auburn-Syracuse via Skaneateles" schedule. Accessed: October 3, 2015.
  5. ↑ CENTRO. (2015, June 29). "Route 246, Oswego-Syracuse via Fulton-Phoenix" schedule. Accessed: October 3, 2015.

External links

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