County not sold on public transit plan

Published 12:00 am Monday, June 24, 2002

The county is not likely to be a partner in the public transportation service currently provided by Senior Resources of Freeborn County, casting doubt on the possibility that Freeborn County will get a countywide dial-a-ride service.

&uot;We haven’t seen the public transportation as a major issue in the county,&uot; County Administrator Ron Gabrielsen said. And he asked Senior Resources to submit any data that proves the demand.

Senior Resources has been proposing a countywide dial-a-ride bus service and calling for a financial commitment from the county government.

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Currently, the service has one bus route in Albert Lea and a ride service that relies on volunteer drivers outside the city. 60 percent of the $78,000 operation cost is funded by a state grant, and the rest is covered by the city and fare revenue. The city’s share this year is about $17,000.

With a second bus that will be in service in August, the organization plans to apply for a larger amount of grants for next year, hoping to extend the hours of route service and replace the ride service with a bus operated by a professional driver.

Transportation Coordinator Doris Hagen thinks transitions in some communities, such as the closing of the local clinic in Alden and a plan to build a senior housing facility in Glenville, will push up the demand for public transportation.

Hagen did not specify the scope of the financial obligation. But the Minnesota Department of Transportation requires that 40 percent of the total cost comes from a combination of county funds and fares.

Census 2000 survey results show that only 0.4 percent of 15,801 workers in the county use the public transportation for commuting.

But, Hagen believes it is important to create a situation where every resident in the county has access to transportation.

&uot;Any community that seems to be growing has public transportation,&uot; Hagen said. Senior Resources will bring the issue to the Freeborn County Transportation Advisory Committee to discuss how it will address the county officials. It also plans to start a public awareness campaign to raise interest in the public-transportation service.