The Advisory Board of the Pioneer Valley Transit Authority (PVTA) authorized
public hearings to obtain comments on possible service changes to 16 of PVTA’s
bus routes.
The PVTA is facing an operating budget deficit of up to $1.2
million for the coming fiscal year as the current state budget for FY18 does
not include previously agreed upon funds for bus service as stated in the
Transportation Reform Act.
The hearings will begin June 19. Public comments will be presented
to the PVTA Advisory Board on July 19, along with updated state budget
information. The Advisory Board will decide on that date which service changes are
necessary to balance the FY18 budget. Any changes that are approved by the
board would go into effect August 27 or September 4
The public will be asked to comment on full or partial changes to
the following bus routes: M40 Minute Man Express
(Northampton-Hadley-Amherst); P20E Express (Holyoke Mall-Springfield Union
Station); P21E Express (Springfield Union Station to Holyoke Transportation
Center); Five College Route 39 (Mt Holyoke College to Smith College); Route 46
(Whately-South Deerfield-Sunderland-UMass Amherst); G5 (Dickinson-Jewish
Home-Longmeadow-Enfield CT); X98 (Northampton Crosstown); R14E Express (Agawam
Industrial Park); R27 (Wilbraham-Eastfield Mall); B23 (Holyoke-Westfield via
HCC); R29 (Holyoke-South Hadley-UMass Amherst); B48 (Holyoke-Northampton); B4 (Downtown
Springfield-Plainfield Street); X90
(Springfield Inner Crosstown); UMass Amherst Campus Shuttle Routes 34 and 35;
and the Tiger Trolley (South Hadley-Holyok
Hearings will begin at 4:00 PM and 6:00 PM each day at the
following locate
June 19: Holyoke Transportation
Center, 206 Maple St, Holyoke
June 20: Pioneer Valley Planning
Commission, 60 Congress St, Springfield
June 21: Amherst Bangs Community
Center, 70 Boltwood Walk
June 22: Bay Path University, 588
Longmeadow St, Longmeadow
June 26: Agawam Public Library, 750
Cooper Street
June 27: South Hadley Public Library,
2 Canal Street
June 28: Wilbraham Senior Center, 45B
Post Office Park
June 29: Northampton City Council
Chambers, 212 Main St (behind City Hall)
July 5: Sunderland Public Library, 20
School Street
July 6: Westfield Transit Pavilion,
10 Arnold Street
July 10: Chicopee City Hall, Council
Chambers, 17 Springfield Street
Comments on possible service changes must be received by Tuesday,
July 11th. How to comment:
In person: Attend one of the public
hearings
By mail: Send
letters to Sandra E. Sheehan, Administrator
2808
Main St., Springfield MA 01107
By
email: Send email to comments@pvta.com
By
phone: Call (413) 732-6248
x235 and leave a recorded message of up to 3 minutes.
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