Bus Shelters Available to Shield Riders

By Jonathan Weaver

Residents wanting to stay dry while waiting for the bus this winter were encouraged to contact their municipality representative about one of the four new Town and Country Transit bus shelters.

General Manager Patti Lynn Baker encouraged the seven municipality representatives present at yesterday’s regular meeting to gather input from elected officials as to if they would like one of four bus shelters erected in their town.

The shelters include both a bench and an area for riders in a wheelchair.

“We don’t have enough for everyone, but we’d like to get them someplace spoken for because they’re not doing us any good sitting in (the bus garage),” Baker said.

“It’s not heated or anything, but it keeps you out of the rain or the snow.”

In November 2012, Baker received calls requesting a bus shelter near the Kittanning Cottages along North McKean Street in Kittanning Borough, but one is not yet put in place.

When Ford City Council President Lou Vergari was a municipality director, he also asked for a bus shelter near Klingensmith’s Drug Store. He talked with officials via phone following the meeting and Baker said that drivers do pick up many passengers near the intersection.

Applewold Borough Representative Chuck Nicely reiterated comments he made two years ago – that the borough has land available along the riverbank to potentially shield riders instead of racing across the street to wait on a neighbor’s porch.

Solicitor David Lint said that not all areas are immediately conducive to a bus shelter. There are curb cut and disability requirements, along with a cement pad.

Bus shelters are currently erected near the Armstrong County Health Center along South McKean Street in Kittanning Borough and along Cleveland Street in West Kittanning Borough.
The granary next door will also be kept dry this winter after rolled metal sealed the front corner where officials were worried about water damage, Operations Manager Gerry Miller said.

“It shouldn’t get any worse - there shouldn’t be any water getting in at all,” Miller said. “They did the entire roof.”

Work was completed by Joe Stahlman of Clarion Builders Supply in Clarion. PennDOT has authorized for a further overall assessment of the building.

October 27, Baker and Miller presented a five-year operating and capital presentation to PennDOT leaders in Harrisburg. That working document includes outlook on vehicles, personnel and fares.

“It was a very positive experience. I think PennDOT is working very hard to stay in touch with the authorities and try to understand a little bit more where we’re coming from,” Baker said. “When you’re able to have a face-to-face conversation and able to articulate needs and struggles of the organization and they’re able to see progress made, it’s very beneficial – for both us and them.”

Ridership in both shared-ride and fixed-route transportation increased again in the month of October to the highest seen in the fiscal year so far. According to graphs, those statistics rival riders counted three years ago.