At Washington’s City Council Meeting, Monday night, Mayor Joe Wellman announced free rides on the City Bus system this summer.
By offering free rides, the City hopes to entice riders back to the City Bus System. The ridership on Washington’s busses has historically held at around 15,000 per year, but in the last few years has dropped to around 10,000 riders. The City is attempting to look at why ridership has dropped, and how to remedy the situation. Washington’s transit system adviser, Chuck Martindale told the Council the losses the City incurred by doing away with fares would be about $1,500. Martindale said the funds would be recouped from federal grant money. Martindale also noted that Marion’s bus system saw a 200% jump in ridership when that city did away with fares.
In regular business, the Council authorized the Mayor to apply for state and federal grants. The grants account for 75% of the costs of running the City Bus System. Also, the Council approved an ordinance transferring funds from the Local Road and Bridge Matching fund to pay for the 15th Street Bridge project
At Monday’s Board of Works and Safety Meeting, the Board received a bid from Mullen Supply to demolish three unsafe structures as part of the City’s Blight Elimination Program. The contract will be awarded at the next Board meeting. In other business, The Bread of Life Church requested closing E South Street between East first and East Second Streets on June 9th. The Heartbeat of Washington requested closing Main from Meridian to State Road 57 on June 16. Both requests were tabled until the effects on neighbors could be checked.