The city's first freeway-level express bus stations that opened Monday in Mid-City will provide a faster, more efficient experience to transit riders, officials said.
The stations are located in the middle of state Route 15 at El Cajon Boulevard and University Avenue and serve the Metropolitan Transit System's Rapid 235 bus, which travels between Escondido and downtown San Diego on the freeway.
Buses previously had to exit the freeway in order to pick up riders at stations on those two major thoroughfares and then get back on the freeway to complete the journey downtown.
Now, buses stop at stations near underpasses and travel in a dedicated 2.5-mile bus lane. That means travelers on the Rapid bus line can expect a more train-like experience, said MTS communications manager Rob Schupp.
The stations were built following calls from City Heights activists, Schupp said.
"Mid City really depends on transit," he said.
The Rapid 235 bus stops about a dozen times between Escondido and downtown.
