Regional Transportation Trial Scheduled for Later this Year

Lock Haven City Councilmen Ted Forbes left and Steve Stevenson right
Lock Haven City Councilmen Ted Forbes left and Steve Stevenson right

LOCK HAVEN — Clinton County’s public transit advisory committee got good news today. Local representatives learned that a proposed public bus link from Jersey Shore to Bald Eagle Township will see a three year trial likely starting in August of this year and the local entities participating will be responsible for 12 percent of the total costs for the trial period.

Lock Haven city council members Ted Forbes and Steve Stevenson provided an update at city council’s meeting tonight on the proposed tie-in with Lycoming County’s River Valley Transit operation. The line presently runs from the Lycoming Mall east of Williamsport to Jersey Shore to the west.

Forbes and Stevenson said the transportation advisory committee received an update today from RVT representatives in a meeting at the county’s Garden Building. Forbes said the session was “very encouraging.” Originally, he said, a four month trial was going to be held but PennDOT has agreed to the three year trial and will provide 85 percent of the costs for the trial period. He said RVT will provide 3 percent and local interests the remaining 12 percent.

Local players are to include the county, the city, Lock Haven University, First Quality and the Clinton County Housing Authority. The city officials said LHU, the city and county are among those to have set aside money for the trial.

As announced last November, the transportation proposal would link Lock Haven to Jersey Shore and Williamsport six days per week. The program would serve Hogan Boulevard businesses, High Street establishments, the Clinton County Housing Authority and Senior Housing project in Flemington, Lock Haven Hospital and Susque-View, Lock Haven University, Main Street in Lock Haven, the Clinton County Community Center plaza off Walnut Street, as well as Dunnstown, Avis and McElhattan. There was talk today of including the county’s newly acquired “blue building” at Piper Memorial Airport as an additional stop.

Once connected to Jersey Shore, riders could opt to hop on another bus to Williamsport.
There has also been talk that the services could be extended to include a connection point in State College and expand to seven days a week.

County officials are hopeful that making transportation easier between Clinton and Lycoming counties will increase economic opportunities for residents of both counties – as workers can find reliable ways to get to and from work in new locations and can shop regionally.

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