County Looks at Public Transportation Expansion

LOCK HAVEN — A public transit advisory committee has been studying introduction of Lycoming County-based busing into Clinton County and the topic will be up for discussion at this Thursday’s county commissioners meeting.

Commission board chairman Pete Smeltz today provided an update on the work of the commissioner-established public transit community advisory committee. He said three meetings have been held to date and an open discussion with committee representatives will be held at the commissioners’ 10 a.m. Thursday meeting.

His release said the committee has been working with Lycoming County’s River Valley Transit Authority “to explore the merits of bus service for our county to include connections to Jersey Shore and Williamsport.” Smeltz said at some point in the future consideration could be given to service through to State College in Centre County.

The discussion Thursday, Smeltz said, will include an “exchange of ideas on moving forward with a trial period of bus service in 2017.” He said Thursday will be discussion only, no action taken by the commissioners. He said the commissioners’ upcoming schedule with an emphasis on a 2017 county budget will preclude further discussion until after that process is completed.

He called the busing proposal an “important new development.” The county had taken a preliminary look at a possible tie-in with Lycoming County earlier this decade but the plan did not come to fruition.
The advisory committee is made up of representatives from business, industry, local governments, community organizations, Lock Haven University and law enforcement. County planner Tim Holladay serves as chairperson, the county’s Katie deSilva as co-chair.