RICK RINEY
PERRY TOWNSHIP TRUSTEE
Mr. David Goffinet
Lochmueller Group, Inc.
Dear Mr. Goffinet
I have no doubt you must address financial issues, but hopefully not all at one time. It is not the fault of the West Side Residents that bus fare has had no increase since 1999.
Some of our clients have no choice other than the bus. This community is made up of a lot of older folks who do rely on bus service as well as those who use it as their only means of transportation. I just wonder if this survey took them into consideration. It also says it will affect 15,000 annual riders – how many of them will be out of work without transportation? Did the survey factor that in; did anyone talk to any of them?
Surely there must be a better resolution other than that of totally ignoring a sector of the taxpaying community.???
I drove part of the Westside expected routes today. From Speaker Road (the City limits) to the closest bus stop is 1.1 miles. From Mudd Center to the nearest bus stop, it is 6-10 blocks. Howell is at least that. Surely you do not intend for anyone to have to walk blocks – in any kind of weather, with groceries or children – for the opportunity to work or shop in our City, do you? I did not drive the Mesker Park route, but I wouldn’t think you would take away service to the Zoo - would you? Especially if we are trying to sell our city, do we not need transportation for tourists to our attractions?
Unless you rethink this issue, you ARE telling me you want our people to walk 6-8-10 blocks or 1.1 miles, sometimes in the dark, possibly with children or groceries, without “sidewalks†to catch a bus to go to work, a doctor’s appointment or to purchase food. I have not even mentioned the impact this will have on our handicapped individuals.
For the most part, the West Side is pretty content with services provided; however, we do not want to have those we do have reduced. Half the Westside, that’s been in the city 50 plus years, still is without “SIDEWALKSâ€
The elimination of this route will create an unfair hardship. Cities change, as do their dynamics, but we cannot ignore the fact the West Side is still a well-populated, valuable part of our city. Is it possible to lessen the number of stops along the route to keep the bus moving? Could you run the route as is in an “every other†type of route – such as running the route as it is now and then on the next run as you propose? Possibly the bike routes could be financially tweaked and funding transferred – after all, most people do not shop for groceries or transport families on bicycles.
I hope the folks that took this survey come out and see what it would be like to walk a great distance, in inclement weather, in the dark, without “sidewalksâ€, with children, with groceries, etc., after being on their job all day, and see how well that works for them!!!!!
Does the safety of the West Side Taxpayer matter – to anyone other than me?
Respectfully
Rick Riney
Perry Township Trustee
km
July 14, 2015
cc:Â The Honorable Mayor Lloyd Winnnecke
City Council Members
File
Footnote:Â Temperature on July 13, 2015 was 93 degrees with a heat index of 108 per WTVW news cast.
