The Blackburn Talktober meeting has fired up the transit debate once again.
Blackburn currently has no transit service, making travel difficult for youths, people who can’t drive, and those trying to get out to the airport.
Blackburn resident Michelle Kelly says the transit trouble ties into another community issue- bored youth without a lot of extracurricular options.
“We have teenagers that have no means to get to and from town for work and extracurricular activities. There are people who don’t drive in the wintertime because the roads can get really bad, but if you can’t drive in the wintertime, you’re stuck at home.”
Mayor Lynn Hall says the debate has been going on for more than ten years, but it puts the City in a tough spot.
“We can try to pick peak times and provide service, and if there’s not a lot of riders we can subsidize it… But the catch 22 is that we provide the service, but if there are no riders, then the service dwindles off and is taken away.”
Many residents acknowledged that it is difficult to get the ridership in a rural area, but think it should be in the city’s future.
“College Heights has service. The Hart has service. Blackburn has been left out,” adds Kenny, “I know we chose to live in a community on the outskirts, but I feel that to move forward or for the City to expand, they need to provide that service.”