Public hearings held on transit

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTHI) - Economic development officials held two public hearings Thursday to release and discuss the results of a study into public transit in the Wabash Valley.

The study, which was launched in November 2012, asked city bus riders, rural bus riders and non-riders about their experience with local public transit and about what changes they would like to see in the coming years.

In all, 147 city bus riders and 29 rural riders answered the study’s survey while riding, and another 27 people completed the survey online, according to a representative of The Corradino Group, the company that carried out the study.

Among the requests of survey-takers: service to West Terre Haute and the Vigo County Industrial Park, shorter service on Terre Haute routes and service on Sundays.

During Thursday’s hearings, officials discussed several options for bus service based on the survey results. Those options included new routes running between downtown Terre Haute and West Terre Haute, between downtown and the Vigo County Industrial Park and between the East side Wal-Mart and Seelyville.

Terre Haute Mayor Duke Bennett, who attended part of the hearing, said routes that traveled to communities outside the city limits of Terre Haute would require financial support from those communities or from the county, since the city bus system is currently funded by the city and by federal funds. Bennett encouraged those interested in bringing bus service to their communities to speak with officials in those communities and with county authorities.

Based on their discussions during the public hearings Thursday, the company performing the study will issue final recommendations on changes this spring, a representative said.