City and World Games leaders debut World Games Transit line

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) - Athletes and visitors for the World Games will be jumping from one venue to the next starting this week, and today city and World Games leaders demonstrated one of the bus lines that will connect the city from end to end.

20th street will be the main artery in to all the World Games events between July 7 and July 17. On Tuesday both city and World Games leaders took a ride on the red line to demonstrate the route.

“Everybody thank you for joining us today we are two days away from World Games 2022 opening ceremonies. This is a special time for Birmingham,” said World Games CEO Nick Sellers.

The Red Line will connect Homewood, Vulcan and Five points to the Hub on Reverend Abraham Woods Jr. Blvd, and World Games leaders believe it is the perfect way to take in the atmosphere of the international competition.

“It will be easy to park and walk a block or two and hop on the bus and get to where you need to go,” said Christina Argo of the Department of Transportation.

Buses will run more frequently during the games than their normal schedule.

“We are going to be increasing from 45 to an hour hit ways, to 15... 20... 20 minute hit ways just to help our spectators to get from location to location,” said BJCTA Executive Director Charlotte Shaw.

Shaw says they’ll adapt their pick up times based upon the surge of people and events. but the service will be free for the entirety of the World Games.

“You can ride it anywhere for free for 10 days. The red, the blue, the green, the yellow, go to twg2022.com/ride to see the map. Park your car with your family, jump on the line and go to the action,” said Sellers.

You’ll have four different bus routes during the World Games. Public parking will be available at Legion Field, the cross plex and on 5th Avenue South and 33rd Street South.

UPDATE from City of Birmingham: An update has been made to The World Games 2022 Yellow Line transit route, which will continue to run east to west, from Avondale to CrossPlex. In addition, it will now pick up and drop off at The Hub, which is at 22nd Street North and Rev. Abraham Woods Jr. Blvd. Pick-ups for the Yellow Line will start at 7 a.m. Please be at pick-up locations for the Yellow Line by 10:30 p.m. for return trips to your vehicle or final destination. Return trips will run until 11 p.m.

New signage has been installed to indicate the Yellow Line West is for CrossPlex, UAB and Railroad Park/Powell Steam Plant. New signage has been installed to show Yellow Line East covers Sloss Furnaces, Avondale and Avondale Park. The pick-up location for the Yellow Line West at CrossPlex has shifted down to Avenue W and 46th Street between the Bill Harris Arena and the A.G. Gaston Boys and Girls Club.

As a reminder, there will be no changes for the Red Line, which covers downtown Homewood/SoHo, Vulcan Park, Five Points South, 20th Street Corridor, and the Hub. Pick up for the Red line starts at 7 a.m. Riders should be at pick-up locations for the Red Line by 10:30 p.m. for return trips to your vehicle or final destination. Return trips will run until 11 p.m.

There are no changes to the Blue Line for Legion Field to the Hub. There are no changes for the Green Line, which covers the World Games East Parking Lot, Railroad Park/Powell Steam Plant, Pepper Place, Avondale Park and Sloss. The last pick up from the Legion Field parking lot for the Blue Line and the World Games East parking lot for the Green Line will be 10:30 p.m. However, if you are on the Blue Line or the Green Line and you are at a The World Games venue where the event runs long and you need to catch one of these shuttles back to your vehicle, these two lines will do return trips until midnight.

Both of these lines start at 9 a.m.

For a more detailed look, you can click here.

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