GLTC to consider limited service to residents of historic neighborhood

The Greater Lynchburg Transit Company plans to hold a community meeting in Daniel’s Hill to discuss the possibility of restoring some limited bus service to the area.

Daniel’s Hill, a small historic neighborhood off lower Rivermont Avenue, saw its bus line cut off earlier this year after the deteriorating D Street Bridge was closed due to safety concerns.

Related: Cabell Street: All dressed up and no way of getting there

GLTC buses used the bridge to access the neighborhood, which has only one other entry point via Cabell Street. Officials have deemed it impractical to continue offering the same level of service under the new conditions.

Instead, the company is proposing two options that would allow curtailed service. Both carry an estimated cost of $80,000.

The dual alternatives were evaluated by the full GLTC board for the first time on Wednesday.

Members agreed a neighborhood meeting would be needed in the near future to gather feedback. They also directed staff to approach City Council about the possibility of securing extra funding for the special service.

GLTC is managed by a private company but owned by the city, which pays to support the public bus lines. It was not clear how or if the company would proceed if no additional money is provided.

“I really don’t know how things would go at that point,” GLTC President Lisa Dibble said.

Daniel’s Hill generates an average of 17 bus riders a day, according to GLTC. Residents there have strongly urged the city to restore their service.

The two options under consideration call for either peak-hour-only service or an on-demand service that would, upon request, pick riders up at their doors.

The first option would have buses running through Daniel’s Hill during only the busiest hours of the day. The estimated cost for that service is $81,314.

The second option would operate similarly to an existing door-to-door service reserved for riders with disabilities.

Daniel’s Hill residents would be required to call in advance and schedule a pickup. A shuttle would then arrive at the appointed time and take the rider to their destination or, if it was closer, to the transfer station at The Plaza shopping center.

Unlike riders with disabilities, Daniel’s Hill residents would not be asked to pay a higher charge for the shuttle service.

Regular bus routes charge $1.50 per rider. The disability service, dubbed “paratransit,” charges $3 due to the higher cost associated with doorstep service.

The bigger fee has been the subject of some protest from paratransit riders, who argue their already limited income is severely depleted by the cost of transit. A GLTC board member proposed cutting the charge during this year’s budget season, but the suggestion was not acted on.

GLTC estimates on-demand service to Daniel’s Hill would cost $77,606. The calculations assume the service would generate around 4,200 trips per year.

The D Street Bridge is slated for replacement. City officials estimate the work will take a minimum of two years.