THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, May 24, 1996 TAG: 9605230182
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 05 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY GARY EDWARDS, CORRESPONDENT
LENGTH: 65 lines
Erica Williams and other Kempsville residents near the Bridle Creek Apartments where she lives now have an easy way to get to school, doctors' appointments and shopping areas. It costs only a phone call and $1.50 fare.
On Monday, Tidewater Regional Transit and the City of Virginia Beach opened the door of Bus 87 to residents of Bridle Creek and the surrounding areas of Kempsville. TRT Executive Director James Echols, City Councilwoman Louisa Strayhorn and many residents of the subsidized housing community off Lynnhaven Parkway near Indian River Road were on hand in 95-degree heat for a brief ceremony christening the new service.
``New money for new service is hard to come by,'' Echols said. Jeff Becker, TRT's service development director, echoed that harsh fiscal reality.
``This is the only new service in Virginia Beach this year,'' Becker said.
The new service, known as Kemps River Maxi-Ride, provides curb-to-curb transportation for a $1.50 one-way fare anywhere in the service area.
Anyone is eligible for pickup and delivery service anywhere within these boundaries:
Kempsville Road between Providence and Indian River roads
Providence Road up to Princess Anne Road and Princess Anne Road to Tidewater Community College
Indian River Road between Kempsville Road and Lynnhaven Parkway
Lynnhaven Parkway between Indian River Road to Princess Anne Road
The specially equipped van also stops at Tidewater Community College, the Kempsville Recreation Center and shopping centers in the area, including Kemps River and Fairfield. The Kemps River No. 87 can accommodate those with physical and mental disabilities. It has a wheelchair lift and drivers trained to aid people who are handicapped. Senior citizens and those with disabilities ride free. No. 87 has a cellular phone, which can be dialed to schedule a ride. By calling 434-4429 two hours in advance, those in need of a ride can get one.
George Burford drives bus 87 from 12:15 p.m. until ``we get everyone home.'' That will generally mean until about 6:45.
Strayhorn fought tirelessly on behalf of her constituents. She has been a TRT commissioner for about 18 months.
``We've been working on this that whole time,'' Strayhorn said. ``We had to find the funding to support it, and keep the price low enough that users could benefit.''
TRT is a publicly funded transportation service and therein lies part of the problem, Strayhorn said.
``Federal funding was reduced, so we had to strategize how to do this,'' she said.
``We (the city) had to make up for about 50 percent of the money the federal government took away,'' she added.
That means about $75,000 to $85,000 per year.
Erica WIlliams was ``very happy to have this service. It's been a long wait, but it's finally here,'' she said.
``A lot of our people go to TCC, and a lot need to get to school or work. This is a great help to our residents.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo by GARY EDWARDS
City Councilwoman Louisa Strayhorn, left, and Erica Williams,
president of the Bridle Creek Tenant's Association, were among the
gathering in 95-degree heat for a brief ceremony christening the new
TRT service. by CNB