Harrisburg Tranportation Center

CONNECTIONS

A Guide to Public Transportation in the Metro-Harrisburg Region and Beyond

2. CONNECTIONS

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CONNECTIONS Home

  1. Introduction

  2. Connections

  3. Capital Area Transit

  4. Paratransit/Handicap

  5. Reg/Ntl Pub Transit

  6. PA Public Transit

  7. Other Options

  8. Why Transit?

  9. Glossary

  10. Acronyms & Abrev.

  11. Appendix

Table of Contents

Park n Ride:

Transit Transfer Centers:

Introduction

There is no denying that using an automobile for a trip is a convenient way to travel. It generally provides almost door-to-door service for drivers and passengers, allowing drivers to stop at multiple destinations in one trip. The drawback is that because so many people drive to work and other places alone, the roadways quickly fill to capacity during morning and afternoon peak drive-time hours, creating congested roadways where the driver has to sit in traffic. In addition, if a driver works in a downtown or other higher density area, it is often difficult to find a parking space and parking in garages can become rather costly.

Public transportation fills this gap by being able to transport many people going to and from the same general areas, thereby reducing the number of automobiles on the roadways and eliminating the need to find a parking spot once people arrive at their destination.

 

Transit Transfer Centers

Since most transit systems do not provide door-to-door services, areas need to be developed where riders can transfer from one form of transportation to another. Whether it is from car to bus, bus to bus, bus to train, or some other form of transfer, specified transfer centers at certain locations help to ease the process of transferring.

This section lists a number of transit transfer centers, existing and proposed, that help to integrate the transit options in the Harrisburg region.

 

Harrisburg Area Transit Centers:

[Market Square]  [Harrisburg Transp Center]  [Capitol Complex]  [City Island]  [HIA]  [Lemoyne Station]  [Outlets at Hershey]  [Derry Twp. Transp Center]  [Amtrak Stations]  [CORRIDORone Transit]

Transit Access Points

  • Bus Stops:  On most local bus systems, bus stops are usually provided every 2 or 3 blocks in urban areas and are within walking distance for most people. In more suburban areas the distances between these stops increase and some stops provide Park & Ride opportunities. Intercity bus providers often have only one bus stop per city. In larger cities, a larger complex with parking and other amenities may be provided. In rural areas, a single bus stop near the highway may be provided, with limited or no parking or services.

  • Park & Ride Lots:  These lots provide ample parking for those who wish to park their car for the day and use the bus or carpool to their destination. Park & Ride lots can include highway lots which provide a gathering point for car- and van-pool riders, public transit lots which are served by transit providers, and shopping centers which frequently have transit service.

    • Highway Park & Ride Lots along major highways are often marked on the highway.  These are usually set up as a gathering point for people who wish to car- or van-pool together.  Sometimes these sites are served by buses, but generally, these lots reside in more rural areas where public transit is not available.

    • Transit Served Park & Ride: Public transportation providers such as CAT often designate certain sites as Official Park & Ride lots.  They provide gathering points, served by one or more bus routes, where people can park their cars and take the bus to their destination.  These sites are often located in remote sections of a shopping center parking lots not normally used by shopping center customers.  Amenities such as shelters, benches, and bike racks may or may not be provided.  These sites can also be used by people who are car- and van-pooling together.

    • Shopping Centers Parking Lots provide a connection to multiple retail businesses within a centralized area.  Many of the Shopping Centers within a metropolitan region will be served by one of the many public transportation bus routes.   Large parking lots provide extensive parking areas.  Many shopping center owners do not mind if transit riders and carpool riders use the back portions of their lots, especially if you use their stores for shopping after work, but users should check with the shopping centers first before using their parking lots on a long-term basis.

Park & Ride and Transportation Centers in the Harrisburg Region

Map 2.1 Harrisburg Region Carpool and Transit Sites

Map Created by Tri-County Regional Planning Commission

Park and Ride Lots

CAT has established 18 convenient suburban park and ride lots in the Harrisburg area. Several CAT routes feature park and ride lots and CAT offers Express Service from many park and ride locations. There are a few park & ride (P&R) lots located outside Harrisburg that offer parking for those who wish to carpool into the city. Many locations have also developed informal park & ride areas where people just leave their cars but there is no formal lot associated with them. There are numerous P&R facilities along the major roadways in the region including on US 322/22 north of Harrisburg, US 11/15 north of Duncannon, SR283 between Harrisburg and Lancaster, and on I-81.

  • US 22/322: There are several formal and informal parking areas North of Harrisburg.

    • A Formal P&R lot at the Dauphin Exit

    • A Formal P&R at the Route 147 Exit just before the Clarks Ferry Bridge.  Both sites are currently marked as CAT P&R sites but currently CAT is not providing service in this area.

    • In the connection area between Route 22/322 and Route 11/15 there is an informal parking lot.

    • At the Watts Exit many people informally park alongside the road.

    •  At the Newport Exit there is a Formal P&R lot where Fullington Trailways also stops.

  • US 11/15: North of Duncannon there are some areas in which to Park.

    • Going southbound, there is a Formal signed Park & Ride lot at the exit that takes you to Newport.

    • At the 11/15 and Route 104 intersection there is a large parking area to Park & Ride

  • PA 283:

    • At the Salunga exit in Lancaster County there are is Park & Ride lot that can be used by those traveling to either the Lancaster or the Harrisburg areas.

  • I-81:

    • The Route 233 Newville Exit serves as a carpool and CAT Park & Ride lot.

    • At around Mile Marker 38 and around Mile Marker 79 there are Highway Rest Stops.  While these are not recommended as Park & Ride areas they offer many amenities for those who are traveling.

[TCRPC Home] [CONNECTIONS Home]

[1. Introduction]  [2. Connections]  [3. Capital Area Transit]  [4. Paratransit/Handicap]  [5. Reg/Ntl Pub Transit]  [6. PA Public Transit]  [7. Other Options]  [8. Why Transit?]  [9. Glossary]  [10. Acronyms & Abrev.]  [11. Appendix]

 

Park n Ride: [Regional Park n Ride Map]

Transit Transfer Centers: [Market Square]  [Harrisburg Transp Center]  [Capitol Complex]  [City Island]  [HIA]  [Lemoyne Station]  [Outlets at Hershey]  [Derry Twp. Transp Center]  [Amtrak Stations]  [CORRIDORone Transit]
 
Last Updated: 11/05/2007