Valley Metro is taking public input through this week on possible changes to the #514 Express bus route that serves Fountain Hills.

A decision related to any change is expected in August with implementation scheduled for October, according to Town of Fountain Hills Director of Administration Dave Trimble.

A proposal that is expected to be recommended to the Regional Public Transportation Authority board later this summer will modify the route through Scottsdale with basically no change to Fountain Hills service.

Currently the express route leaves its terminus in Fountain Hills on Palisades Boulevard at La Montana Drive and heads out Palisades to Shea Boulevard and then winds its way through Scottsdale and down the Loop 101 Pima Freeway to McDowell Road, and then west into downtown Phoenix. This routing takes about 90 minutes, according to Trimble.

The proposed change would leave Fountain Hills and head straight down Shea Boulevard to the Dreamy Draw Transit Station at SR 51, Piestewa Freeway. Riders could transfer there to another route to downtown. Trimble said the change could cut 30 minutes off the trip into downtown Phoenix. That is part of the impetus for the change, by reducing travel time they hope to increase ridership, including for Fountain Hills.

Earlier this year the Town Council accepted an invitation to sit on the Valley Metro board and appointed Councilman Cecil Yates to the seat. With Yates expected to resign his council seat to run for mayor, the council would need to look at filling the position with someone else. Town Manager Grady Miller is also attending management meetings of Valley Metro.

Work is also expected to begin soon on construction of a bus stop structure on La Montana Drive just north of El Lago Boulevard, adjacent to the library parking lot. That would relocate the current bus stop and provide a park-and-ride site for the town.

Trimble cautions that it is still possible that the board decision would be to eliminate the 514 express route or a portion of it. However, he said feedback from the board and Scottsdale transit interests are positive about making the recommended change.

Public comment about changes may be made at the Valley Metro website, valleymetro.org and will be taken through Friday, June 1.