More Than 50 Attend First Hearing On TARC Cuts

by Gabe BullardMore than 50 people attended the first of six public hearings over proposed cuts to Louisville bus routes.The Transit Authority of River City is preparing to eliminate 20 routes and reduce service on 17 others to close a 5 million dollar budget shortfall for the next fiscal year. Public input may help change which routes are cut, but services will still be reduced.TARC rider Norma Neiman's route is among those on the chopping block. She attended this (Tuesday) morning's meeting to say she relies on TARC to go shopping and visit the doctor."It would be a hardship for everybody in our building. It doesn't make sense," she says. "I understand they have a problem, but by cutting the 58, there'll be bigger problems."Since TARC relies on occupational tax revenue for funding, Barker says there's not much that can be done to restore the budget."Virtually all of our sister and brother transit agencies are either raising fares or cutting service," he says. "So this is not, by any stretch of the imagination, isolated to Louisville. There is a crisis in public transportation."The cuts discussed this week would not take effect until the summer. The cuts are:Routes proposed for elimination: #1 - Fourth Street Trolley#12 - Twelfth Street#22 - Twenty-Second Street#35 - Indian Trail-Hikes Lane#37X - Iroquois-Fairdale Express#38X - Deering Express#45X - Okolona Express#49X - Westport Road#50X - Dixie Express#53X - Breckenridge Express#54X - Manslick Express#58 - Bashford Manor-Oxmoor#59 - River Road#61X - Plainview#64X -  Fincastle-Forest Springs Express#66X - Mount Washington Express#68X - Prospect Express#73X - Charlestown Road Express#75 - Bluegrass Industrial Shuttle#80 - Hurstbourne ParkwayRoutes proposed for frequency reduction, shortened service or routing change: #2 - Second Street#4 - Fourth Street#6 - Sixth Street#17 - Bardstown Road#18 - Preston-18th#19 - Muhammad Ali#21 - Chestnut Street#23 - Broadway#25 - Oak Street#27 - Hill Street#29 - Eastern Parkway#31 - Middletown#40X - Jeffersontown Express#52 - Medical Center Circulator#62 - Breckenridge-Shepherdsville#67X - Oldham I-71 Express#72 - Clarksville-New Albany#77 - Main-Market Trolley#78X - Downtown/Bluegrass ExpressHearings on the cuts will be held:Tuesday, March 95 to 7 p.m. Americana Community Center, 4801 Southside Dr.Wednesday March 1011 a.m. to 1 p.m. Bon Air Library, 2816 Del Rio Place11 a.m. to 1 p.m. New Albany - Floyd County Public Library, 180 West Spring St. New Albany, IN5-7 p.m. East End Government Center, 200 Juneau Dr.Thursday, March 115-7 p.m. TARC Union Station, 1000 W. Broadway