Bill would benefit WRTA riders

By Denise Dick

By DENISE DICK

denise_dick@vindy.com

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U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, is one of seven lawmakers sponsoring legislation that would provide emergency funding to transit agencies including the Western Reserve Transit Authority.

WRTA is one of 59 transit systems in Ohio. If the legislation is approved, the agency would receive $1,435,169.

Sen. Christopher J. Dodd, D-Conn., introduced the legislation, the Public Transportation Preservation Act of 2010, aimed at rehiring laid-off transit workers and restoring routes.

“This bill will help preserve transit jobs and limit service interruptions,” Brown said in a news release.

“Too many transit agencies have to choose between cutting service, raising fares or laying off workers. This bill would ensure that Ohio transit workers can continue to provide the service that so many Ohioans depend on.”

WRTA doesn’t have any workers who are laid off but would use the money, if approved, to increase the frequency of some of the more- popular routes, said James Ferraro, executive director.

Even without that influx of funds, the agency is looking at ways to increase route frequency in the areas that see the most riders.

“I know some people won’t believe this, but some of our routes are so crowded that people have to wait,” Ferraro said.

He listed the Market Street and Belmont routes as well as one along Mahoning Avenue in Austintown and one that travels Glenwood Avenue to South Avenue in Boardman.

“We’re looking at an Austintown loop that goes up to the West Side and over to Boardman,” Ferraro said.