TRUMBULL COUNTY Niles mayor, officials will seek input involving transportation plan

The local money would be used as a match to seek state and federal dollars.
By DENISE DICK
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
NILES -- Officials plan to talk to representatives of all Trumbull County communities to determine if they want to participate in a countywide transportation plan.
Mayor Ralph A. Infante Jr. said he and officials from Warren and Trumbull County plan to talk to the councils and trustees in the communities over the next few weeks.
"We're talking to every jurisdiction in Trumbull County," Infante said. "Even if they're not interested in participating right now, they may come on board later."
About the plan: Infante is spearheading a plan for a countywide transportation system with Niles as the lead agency. Participation involves money from the communities which would be used as a match to get state and federal dollars, he said.
The county has been without a countywide system since the end of last year when commissioners decided not to renew their contract with Trumbull Area Coordinated Transportation.
Warren City Council voted earlier this month to give up the city's federal designation to receive mass transportation funds, clearing the way for Niles to develop and operate a transit system.
All of the federal transit money available for Mahoning and Trumbull counties, about $2.56 million this year, goes to Western Reserve Transit Authority. WRTA operates only a fixed-route system in Trumbull County, going through parts of Girard and Niles, downtown Warren and the Belmont Avenue and Gypsy Lane corridors.
Infante hopes to get a portion of the funds for the Trumbull County system. If that happens, WRTA will get less money to operate its system. WRTA uses $2.5 million generated from property taxes from Youngstown residents.
"There's an awful lot of criteria that has to be met to run a public transit system," said WRTA director James Ferraro. "Wanting to start a public transit system sounds great politically."
Some routes could go: If WRTA loses a portion of its federal money to Niles and Trumbull County, some of the less-productive routes will likely be eliminated, Ferraro said. He said WRTA doesn't want to raise fares, which are 50 cents for senior citizens, 75 cents for students and $1 for adults.
He said Youngstown residents make up most of the riders, but they're transported to other areas, including the MCI WorldCom facility on Route 422, Ferraro said.
"A lot of Youngstown residents found employment there," he said.
Ferraro referred to a bid submitted by WRTA in 2000 to run Trumbull County Area Coordinated Transportation, but the bids were thrown out.
"It's fairly clear that they [officials in Trumbull County] want to run a system on their own," he said.
Determining funds: The amount of money allocated for the two-county area is determined by a formula based on population density in designated areas. Under that formula, parts of Warren, Niles and Girard are the county's designated urban areas.
Besides Warren and Niles, Liberty and Howland have indicated an interest in the transportation plan, Infante said. The level of the service provided by the system depends on the money received.
The city must meet a series of criteria to apply for federal money. Criteria include local funding, a security policy, a drug-free policy and plans to meet Americans with Disabilities and Equal Employment Opportunities Commission requirements.
The application to the Federal Transit Administration to get federal funds must go to Eastgate Council of Regional Governments for approval. Jim Getchey, Eastgate director, has said the agency must certify the application, affirming that the criteria have been met. FTA officials then complete their own review of the criteria before approving funding.
Although many steps remain before a countywide transit system becomes a reality, Infante hopes to put it on the fast track.
"I'd like to see it before summer if we get a lot of cooperation," Infante said.