WAUSAU, WI (WSAU) — Discussions about a once-weekly bus route between downtown Wausau and the shopping centers in Rib Mountain are beginning to take shape, though a finalized plan is a long way from completion.
The city’s Transit Commission was made aware of the discussions on Thursday during their regular meeting. MetroRide Director Greg Seubert says it comes from early discussions with Marathon County’s Transportation Coordinating Committee.
Seubert says the route would come as part of a partnership with Marathon County. “All municipalities in Marathon County are under their auspices, so they could be the party to fund this to get us to Rib Mountain.”
The plan currently calls for six stops between the downtown bus station and Rib Mountain over six hours on Fridays. Seubert says that’s by no means a final proposal, and adds that the timing of when the proposal will be implemented hinges on several factors including when the COVID-19 outbreak will pass.
“These are certainly challenging times, and one of the issues we talked about was trial services in the middle of a pandemic; is that a wise timeframe in which to give something a try? I think we are all kind of in a ‘wait-and-see’ situation,” he said.
Seubert says they have also gone over some “back of the envelope” funding models for the potential program including what fuel and driver salaries could cost for the route. Given the preliminary nature of the talks, he wasn’t willing to disclose those figures.
The route would provide Wausau residents who rely on public transportation a much-needed option for access to retail shopping which was lost when Shopko closed in 2019. “There are fewer options available, and if transit is only available in Wausau that’s a problem for people who rely on public transportation.
