WRTA Awarded $250K to Conduct Market Street Study

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The U.S. Department of Transportation has awarded the Western Reserve Transit Authority $250,000 to develop a comprehensive transit plan for the Market Street corridor in Youngstown and Boardman.

The plan will be used to guide economic development along the corridor by concentrating real estate development, improving transit service and making improvements for bicyclists and pedestrians. 

“We provide as many as 7,000 rides daily,” said WRTA Executive Director Dean Harris in a statement. “We’re always looking for ways to better fulfill our core mission of getting people where they need to go — whether it’s shopping at local merchants, medical appointments or other essential travel. These funds will help us improve our efficiency as we continue to play a vital role in fostering economic development along the Market Street corridor.”

Both Youngstown and Boardman have invested resources in the study. The corridor is WRTA’s most-traveled fixed route.

“Youngstown, Boardman Township and WRTA are using proven strategies to enhance economic development in partnership with the private sector,” said U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown in a statement announcing the funds. “This federal investment will help plan the future of Market Street, a future with more development, better transit service and street improvements for bicyclists and pedestrians.”

Funding for the study is provided by the Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration. Brown is the ranking member of the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee, which oversees the administration. 

Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.