Okay, so locally there's the Smart Bus running between Roanoke and Blackburg with two stops in Christiansburg, the poorly scheduled (so under-utilized) Two Town Trolley (TTT) in Christiansburg, as well as the Blacksburg Transit system (which operates the TTT for our town).
Regionally, see what's happening in Staunton or Roanoke, and now we learn of the City of Radford and Radford University partnering for a grant through the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation.
One year ago, we blogged about providing non-car options for Christiansburg residents, ensuring our community is provided a cohesiveness between residential areas and commercial districts. Residents see new businesses being required to install sidewalks, but often they are not connected to anything. While council has long held the authority requiring new subdivisions are developed to include sidewalks, park areas and street lights -- they haven't done so.
Since then, the NRV PDC Metropolitan Planning Organization prepared, collected and presented a survey about town public transportation options from Christiansburg residents. Concurrently, some effort and progress seems to have occurred relative to expanding the Huckleberry Trail from its terminus at the unwalkable mall area, and obtaining CDBG "entitlement" money rather than ignoring it.
This was followed by a joint presentation to council in April, and further discussed during 2009-2010 fiscal budget preparations for expanding and adding value to a town bus program earlier this year. Anticipating federal and state funds, there was already 74% of the funding necessary included in the draft budget, which was then adopted as presented. All this dialog included a May work session with Blacksburg Transit and MPO representatives about the presentation made several months' earlier.
When the budget was adopted, a couple of council members expressed concern about providing an enhanced bus service, stating that "just because the money's in there doesn't mean we'll spend it."
Well, if these tax funds are not spent on a new bus contract, will they be returned to citizens? Does anyone really believe these federal and state funds will wait for our council to act, or will be they used in another community? Does anyone think a better match ratio (77% state/federal, 23% local) will ever arrive?
Now, as proposed by BT, there's a lot of room for council to exercise control -- fares, routes, schedules, and other options. One may ask why there was a gap between the proposed mall and downtown loops, which therefore didn't provide regular service by the high school, new aquatic center or recreation facility -- but there's no doubt major retailers aren't also behind this (so they can have better access to customers and employees, as evidenced by their letters of support).
The proposed routes also excluded constituents who had asked for a safe route to the rec center, and who might have also completed the bus survey (unless the call & schedule service is implemented). That request was jettisoned after council received a preliminary cost estimate of $90,000 for a short spit of paved sidewalk.
The BT proposal included a tentative yet time senstive timeline:
April 7, presentation to council
May, Decision from council & order their buses
May/June, Memorandum of Understanding between BT and town
June/July, develop implementation plan
October, Phase I implementation (ie, begin expanded service)
So if you're wondering where to park your bike downtown or the mall, or how to ride there safely without any marked bike lanes and pedestrstrian crossing or connecting sidewalks and trails -- ask your council members now. What about visiting a friend without getting in your car? Or shopping at any stores in the regional commercial hub without hiking the parking lots and having to drive your car everytime you want to visit another nearby retail complex?
And ask them why this subject has not been included on any public agenda since May. Have any steps or discussions taken place relative to developing the June/July implementation plan? If they can't answer you, ask which taxes they'll be cutting since they aren't spending what is in the budget for the stated reasons.