Jefferson County could launch new public bus system next spring
WATERTOWN, New York (WWNY) - As early as next spring, Jefferson County’s public bus system could be up and running and connecting north country communities in a way they never have been before.
With a $1 million grant secured, Jefferson County Planning Department officials are working with the state Department of Transportation to buy six buses.
“We received the contract, which we’re in the process of having our county attorney review,” said Michael Bourcy, director of the Jefferson County Planning Department.
It can take up to a year to buy busses, so officials estimate they can get them on the road by spring or summer of next year.
The county will also put out requests for proposals to hire a third party to run the buses and hire drivers.
The system will include four routes that connect different parts of the north country through Watertown and its CitiBus system.
Jefferson County Mobility Manager John Exford is in charge of planning the county bus routes.
“It’s in a state of edit and we need to make sure our times correspond with when CitiBus will be at those places also,” he said.
The routes will connect Watertown with Alexandria Bay and Clayton, with Carthage, the South Jefferson area, and up Route 11 to Gouverneur.
The county stops will be in places like Jefferson Community College, the medical offices on outer Washington Street, and some of the shopping plazas around Watertown.
“There has not been something like this out in the rural area of the county. So it is exciting that we’re looking at providing a transportation system to bring people from outside of the city into the city,” said Bourcy.
Exford says if you don’t live near a county bus stop, that won’t be a problem.
“There will be a plan so that anybody that lives in the county will be able to get to a bus stop,” he said.
Officials plan to begin an advertising push in the next several months to get the word out about how to use the new bus routes.
Copyright 2024 WWNY. All rights reserved.
