Irvine CONNECT Shuttle Expansion

Last April, the City launched a one-year pilot program for a free shuttle bus service to connect Irvine residents to parks, schools, hospitals, and shopping centers.

The Irvine CONNECT shuttle operates on weekdays from 6am until 8pm; and on weekends from 8am until 10pm. Shuttle frequency is every 20 minutes, and passengers are able to track the shuttles in real-time.

The current Yale-Barranca route makes about 70 stops, including Sierra Vista Middle School & Lakeside Middle School; Irvine High School & Woodbridge High School; Lakeview Senior Center; Northwood Community Park & Heritage Community Park; Kaiser Permanente Hospital & Hoag Hospital; Northwood Town Center; retail centers on Alton Parkway & Barranca Parkway; the Irvine Spectrum; and the Irvine Train Station.

Pointing to its popularity among residents and increased ridership, the City Council voted unanimously on April 22nd to continue the Irvine CONNECT shuttle service.

However, not all Councilmembers were in favor of expanding the shuttle’s service area. The Council voted 4-2 to direct City staff to develop a budget for three new routes. (Councilmembers Mike Carroll and James Mai voted NO.)

The first of four proposed expansions would add new stops to the current Yale-Barranca route to service Northwood High School and the communities of Eastwood, Stonegate, and The Groves — all in North Irvine.

Second, City staff will study the cost to add a Jamboree-UCI route to connect residents to the Marketplace; Tustin Metrolink Station; Irvine Business Complex; Diamond Jamboree retail center; John Wayne Airport; UCI Health Irvine Hospital; UC Irvine; Irvine Barclay Theatre; University Town Center; and Regents Point/Brookdale.

A third route would run west along Barranca Parkway to Von Karman Avenue, connecting the Yale-Barranca and Jamboree-UCI routes. The shuttle would also provide connections to Centerstone and Stonecreek Plazas; Crossroads commercial center; Bill Barber Park; Irvine Civic Center; Diamond Jamboree, Von Karman and Corporate Park Plazas; as well as residences along the route.

The Council voted 4-2 to direct City staff to study a proposed fourth route to connect residents to the Great Park. (Councilmembers Mike Carroll and James Mai voted NO.)