Setting the wheels in motion
Council approves resolution to establish joint transit authority
Several local entities are working together to make a citywide bus system a reality.
At a regular meeting Tuesday, the Laramie City Council unanimously approved a resolution to support the formation of a joint transit authority between the city, the University of Wyoming, the Eppson Center for Seniors, the Wyoming Department of Transportation and Albany County.
The transit authority would focus primarily on developing a public transportation system in Laramie.
The resolution also requests that once formed, the transit authority seek authorization from the voters to leverage a half-mill levy allowed under Wyoming state statutes to fund the system, according to Councilor Erik Molvar.
The city identified a need for a public transportation system in 2007 while planning for the city’s Comprehensive Plan, and realized the public supported the idea during the 2008 citizen survey, Laramie City Manager Janine Jordan said.
Then in 2010, UW, WYDOT, the Eppson Center, the city and the county contracted with SEH Consulting to lay the groundwork for potential formation of the transit authority, Jordan said.
Chuck Huffine, senior transportation planner with SEH Consulting, said the benefits of a public transportation system are many.
“Many communities are seeking ways to stay vibrant, to attract economic opportunities and to serve citizens that have special needs,” Huffine said. “Having a public transportation system has proven successful around the country in achieving some of those goals — especially for helping to bring a community together, attracting businesses and, of course, serving the population that either doesn’t or can’t drive cars.”
A transit authority would have independent powers and would have better access to federal and state grant programs than the city itself, meaning it could bring additional transit money into the Laramie area, Huffine said.
SEH is focusing on developing advocacy and securing letters of support from community stakeholders, but these are not cast-in-stone commitments, he said.
“The purpose of this is really to get all the entities comfortable with each other, that everybody’s on board and everybody really wants to work together to make this a community system, and that no one entity is going to get stuck planning the whole thing,” Huffine said.
Councilor Joe Shumway asked what would happen if voters did not support dedicating half a mill to the transit authority.
“My guess is that this is (going to cost) somewhere between $50,000 and $100,000 annually, plus half a mill … Suppose that does not get voted in by the taxpayers. Then that falls upon the city of Laramie to pay,” Shumway said. “I support this, but I think we need to cautiously go into this knowing that it’s not going to be — it is kind of like recycling. It is a great idea, but there is a cost to it, so we have to look at the cost and determine … how far we take this.”
Huffine reiterated the formation of a transit authority wouldn’t financially commit any of the partners.
“It forms an independent authority, which would then explore financial options and various things like that,” Huffine said. “There won’t be any specific ties until actual operating agreements are negotiated.”
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