Huntley considers bus service for all residents
Huntley village officials are considering starting a permanent bus service for all residents, not just seniors.
The village board Thursday night heard a presentation from McHenry County Division of Transportation officials about the county's MCRide Dial-a-Ride Transit Service program.
The service is a partnership between Pace Suburban Bus, McHenry County, the towns of Crystal Lake, McHenry, Woodstock, and the townships of Dorr, Greenwood and McHenry. It would cost Huntley $48,500 yearly to participate and would allow residents to commute within Huntley and Kane County.
Several other towns are considering joining the Dial-a-Ride service for 2015 and 2016, including Algonquin, Cary, Harvard, Johnsburg, Lake in the Hills, Lakemoor, Lakewood and Marengo, according to a village memo.
Huntley started a temporary taxi service Dec. 1 for seniors living in Rutland and Hampshire townships, including the Sun City senior retirement community, after Grafton Township terminated its bus service to other townships. Grafton ended rides for Sun City residents in Rutland and Hampshire townships because Rutland Township declined to chip in $24,000 to keep the service going.
Huntley's curb-to curb taxi service, provided by Route 47 Taxi Transportation, costs $2 a ride and runs between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. weekdays. Huntley started the service with about $5,800 Grafton officials returned to the village and some of its own money.
In March, village board members allocated an additional $10,000 to continue the taxi service because the initial funding was running out. They also directed staff members to figure out other transportation options, said Lisa Armour, assistant village manager.
"The county's program is one of those options," Armour said. "As we get closer to working on our budget later this year, we'll have additional discussion on the transportation services."
Village officials are considering asking for financial help from Grafton and Rutland townships and the Sun City Huntley Community Association to cover the cost of the MCRide service. Officials are working on securing federal transit grants that could save the village roughly $10,000.
If approved by the village board, Huntley residents would be able to use the bus service in 2015. The cost of a ride is $2 for the general public, $1 for seniors and people with disabilities, and 25 cents extra for each additional mile after the first five miles. The service would run from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday.