The bus service will use a 15-passenger paratransit vehicle with an accessibility lift, and will make five stops in addition to the West Branch Library, including a stop at the Job Center.
During the week, the service will start at 2 p.m. with the last stop at about 5:45 p.m., and over the weekend, service will start at noon and have a final stop at about 3:45 p.m. The bus will make stops hourly at each location, which will be posted on the Dayton website starting on July 1.
It will start service July 1 and will continue through 2026. Funding is partly from the CareSource Foundation, which will provide $174,000 over three years, while the Greater Dayton RTA donated the two paratransit vehicles.
The bus service is meant to reach residents who currently would have to cross U.S. 35 as pedestrians to reach the library.
The city also said it is still seeking funding to build a pedestrian bridge over U.S. 35 at Abbey Avenue.
Dayton Metro Library Trustee Carl Kennebrew said, “At the library, our primary purpose is access. The new West Branch is a tremendous resource for the community it serves, and we want to ensure that it is accessible to everyone who needs it.”
Dayton Mayor Jeffrey Mims said that providing safe and easy access to the West Brand Library has been a priority for the city, adding, “Thanks to the partnership of the CareSource Foundation, RTA, and Dayton Metro Library, we’re now able to temporality address this issue as we continue pursuing a permanent pedestrian bridge over Rt. 35.”
About the Author
