2009.01.26
Get on the bus, maybe
At its Monday, Jan. 26, meeting, Radford City Council endorsed a grant application that may bring a transit system back to the New River City. Now, don't go trotting down the bus stop just yet. This was an endorsement of an application to the state's Department of Rail and Public Transportation for a grant that could fund a study that may lead to the creation of a bus system. But it's a start.
"It's kind of the gateway to other money," said Vicky Collins, who spoke for the committee that's spent six months looking at how a transit system might benefit Radford and how Radford might get some money to restart its transit system. (The city's been without one for 27 years.)
City engineer Jim Hurt said there have been two previous attempts to bring buses back to Radford since the service stopped in 1981, but neither of them got this far. This might be the time to move, according to the memo the committee sent council. In the third quarter of 2008, the committee said, transit ridership had its biggest in 25 years.
The grant is for $40,000. It requires a $4,000 match from the city government. City Manager Tony Cox said city staff is trying to talk the state out of that requirement.
-- Tim Thornton
This would be great if and when it would happen. I state 'might' because most thoughts such as this are phantomed over. I actually think that having am Amtrak through Radford would be a fantastic way for Radford to gain in many ways, however, that too is just another thought that will go down the drain of many to bring people into Radford! Who knows we might even obtain a bit of culture eventually to open people's eyes to a whole new way of living and thinking! Kudos to the individual who would like to see Radford expand its views on how to better a small city that is lacking many things to create a friendly invitation into our city!
Comment by Bev Bishop — January 28, 2009 @ 10:52 am