Heath transit bus route possible in fall thanks to $100,000 contribution from Board of DD
HEATH – The Licking County Transit buses transporting people through Newark and Granville may also be traveling through Heath in the fall.
A fourth deviated, fixed route could begin in October in Newark and Heath on Hebron Road, 30th Street, Church Street and 21st Street, according to Licking County Transit Executive Director Matt Allison.
A $100,000 donation from the Licking County Board of Developmental Disabilities made the new route possible. The Board of DD applied for and received American Rescue Plan money in November from the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities. The money was designated for the support of fixed transit routes.
“We are proud to contribute to the creation of new routes,” said Angie Finck, chief operations officer at the Board of DD. "The fact that these routes are currently available to riders at no cost is a huge benefit."
“When Licking County Transit began offering deviated, fixed routes, that was a huge opportunity for the people we support to attend appointments, go shopping and get where they want to go independently.”
Allison said the new circulator route may start and end in a different location than was previously used at 1717 W. Main St. Indian Mound Mall is a possible location, but it would connect to the other routes, he said.
“We’re still working on some of the details,” Allison said. “We’re looking at a 30-minute route or a 1-hour route.”
Each route costs about $200,000 annually, Allison said. The Federal Transportation Administration provides half of the funding, with a local match needed to supply the rest.
“That will be seed money for the new route in Heath,” Allison said. “We do need local funding for all routes. It’s an on-gong effort with (funding), but the community is doing a great job supporting the routes."
The Main Street route started July 10, traveling from Tamarack Road on the west end of Newark to Licking County Aging Partners on the far east end. Licking Memorial Hospital provided the matching funds to get it started.
A second route on North 21st Street began Oct. 23, on West Main and North 21st streets, stopping at Walmart, Kroger, Sheetz, Licking County Health Department, Career and Technology Center of Licking County, and the Newark Campus of Central Ohio Technical College and Ohio State University-Newark.
The health department, COTC and OSU-N provided funding.
The Granville route began in March, including stops at Bryn Du Mansion; Eisner Center at Denison University; Ross Granville Market; Granville library and the Veterans Administration in Newark.
Matching funds came from Denison, the village of Granville, Granville Township, Otterbein Granville Senior Life Community, Middleton, and Granville Community Foundation.
“The ridership continues to rise,” Allison said. “This is a response to the community’s needs.”
Ridership set a new record on April 3, when there were 179 riders, including 109 on Main Street, 61 on North 21st and nine on the Granville route. So far in 2024, through April 3, there were 4,411 riders on Main Street, 2,201 on 21st and 409 on the Granville route.
Allison said the appreciative stories from riders make the effort rewarding.
“One lady said transit to me is freedom to get out.,” Allison said. "That’s the stories we continue to hear. That’s been the biggest impact.”
A Granville woman in her 90s rode the bus to get to the library, Allison said.
Jason Umstot, superintendent/CEO of LCBDD, said, “When people have options to get where they need to go, our entire county benefits. We are grateful for strong partners like Licking County Transit who are helping move our community forward.”
Heath Mayor Mark Johns looks forward to seeing the bus picking up riders in Heath.
“The prospect of having the ability for people to ride through our retail commercial corridor should be exciting for everybody in our area,” Johns said. “I have seen the ridership data and it’s impressive. It’s wonderful to see.”
The mayor said he would like to see a route through the industrial parks in the city.
“I have advocated with Matt my belief that a deviated fixed route through the industrial corridor of Newark and Heath would be a value to the community. Connecting people with mobility challenges, to job opportunities in the industrial corridor, to hold and maintain jobs, that would be a win-win. "
Allison said a fifth route through Heath and Hebron, is a possibility in 2025. It could go as far as Buckeye Lake.
“It may not (reach Buckeye Lake) because of the distance, but there’s still a chance,” Allison said. “There’s potential for that. We are considering it. Our goal is to connect to Buckeye Lake ultimately.”
740-973-4539
Twitter: @kmallett1958
This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: Heath transit bus route possible in fall thanks to Board of DD funding
