A bus shack downtown not an option for WRTA

James Ferraro, executive direc- tor of the Western Reserve Transit Authority, has never been one to fly off the handle, even in the midst of upheaval, such as a labor dispute. But there’s a difference between low-key and blas when it comes to reacting to the deterioration of the bus terminal and its parking lot in downtown Youngstown.

“We’re not proud of it,” Ferraro says. An understatement if ever there was one — especially considering that those words appeared on the front page of Monday’s Vindicator in story that ran below a large picture of crumbling pavement.

The situation called for the executive director to display a sense of urgency and a commitment to restoring the appearance of the terminal — inside and out. Instead, Ferraro came up with this non-starter of an idea: Eliminate most of the bus station, leaving a small area for Greyhound passengers. The rest of the property on West Federal Street would be open-air shelters for local riders.

Not surprisingly, the idea has gone over like a lead balloon with riders who use the terminal. A number of them are Youngstown State University students.

Why would anyone overseeing the operation of the metropolitan bus system even consider the demolition of a large portion of the station? Regardless of the cost of fixing up the interior and repaving the parking lot, the 25-year-old structure must be saved. It not only provides a valuable service, but it adds to the downtown area’s appearance. After all these years, the design of the terminal is still a topic of conversation.

We aren’t disputing the fact that it is difficult for the WRTA management and board of directors to put a stop to the vandalism and other unlawful acts that have cost the authority a lot of money. The bathrooms have been restored three times at a cost of $80,500. Vandals have removed the water fountains and urinals from the walls several times. And, at least $435,000 have been spent on paving the parking lot three times.

In addition, there has been construction work done on the exterior.

In all, $728,424 have been pumped into the bus station, which was built for $1.6 million.

There are attempts being made to catch the scofflaws. More than $80,000 out of the $3.5 million WRTA received in federal stimulus money was used on surveillance cameras and bus shelters.

Youngstown Mayor Jay Williams has made it clear that tearing down even a portion of the terminal is not an option, and he intends to stay in contact with the WRTA to let his opinions be known.

Significant presence

But while the mayor is right in his contention that the facility is a significant presence downtown, he must also know that city government has a role to play in not only ending the destruction of property but in helping to pay for the renovation and upkeep of the facility.

While it is true that the WRTA operates with a county-wide levy, it also has a ridership of about 1 million. The demands on the staff have increased

The decision by the board to spend most of the $3.5 million on expanding and making repairs to the administration building, purchasing buses and minivans and helping pay for the system’s operation may seem like a waste of money, considering the work that needs to be done at the terminal.

But the expansion of the WRTA into a metropolitan bus service means that there are needs of suburban customers that must be met. Expansion of the routes has necessitated the hiring of 25 more employees.

It’s a balancing act and the reality is that only 16 percent of the riders will pass through the downtown terminal. Nonetheless, every effort must be made to keep it open and operating as it has for more than two decades.