HEATH – The fourth Licking County Transit bus route begins Monday, connecting Newark and Heath, stopping at major stores along the way.
The Earthworks Circulator route runs Monday to Friday from 6am to 6pm and is free to passengers. The route includes 22 stops on West Main, 30th, Church and 21st streets, Parkview Drive, Hebron Road and Central Parkway.
The bus stops are Licking Memorial Hospital and the YMCA in Newark, Southgate Plaza, Best Buy, Staples, Walmart, Aldi and Kroger in Heath.
Matt Allison, executive director of Licking County Transit, announced the new route during a Friday ceremony at the Heath City Council chambers, joined by Heath Mayor Mark Johns, Newark Mayor Jeff Hall, the Licking County Commissioners, transportation officials and major donors .
“We are very excited to start the new year with the introduction of our fourth non-standard fixed route, the Earthworks Circulator,” said Allison. “This new route bridges Newark and Heath, providing access to essential services such as education, shopping and healthcare.
“By integrating this route into our existing network, we are addressing transportation shortages and creating opportunities for all residents.”
Licking County Transit began non-standard fixed-route bus service in July 2023, with the Main Street route in Newark. Three months later, the North 21st Street route began. Buses started running to Granville in March.
A $100,000 donation from the Licking County Board of Developmental Disabilities made the new route possible. The board applied for and received American Rescue Plan funding from the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities. The money was intended to support fixed transit routes.
The Licking County Transit Earthworks Circulator bus route will begin carrying passengers on Monday.
Jason Umstot, the superintendent of the Licking County Board of Developmental Disabilities, said transportation is No. 1 in ensuring people’s independence.
“Transit has been able to serve many of the people we support,” Umstot said. “We have a lot of people who live in Heath. We serve over 2,600 people, and they live all over the county. The more this expands, the more it will benefit the people we support.”
The City of Heath will contribute $105,175 annually for a minimum of two years. The federal government contributes 50% of the costs.
“This will help bring people to businesses and services they may not be able to get to,” Johns said. “It benefits these people, but it is also a benefit to those companies. It is a very broad benefit and we believe it should also be broadly funded.”
Johns said Casto Development, owner of CrossCreek Shopping Center, has committed $10,000, or $5,000 in each of the two years, and Park National Bank has committed $2,500. The mayor said he will seek additional private donations to keep the service running.
“The more local financial support, the greater the federal financial support we will be able to receive,” Johns said.
Hall, who is beginning his 14th year as mayor of Newark, said transit has been one of his priorities since he was first elected to the position.
“I couldn’t be happier about where this has come today,” Hall said, noting that not everyone can afford a car — or needs one. “Why would there be more cars on the road when they can just hop on a bus?”
Licking County Commissioner Tim Bubb said while bus drivers do not pay for the service, it is not free.
“There is a cost associated with transportation,” Bubb said. “This different fixed route is a huge extension of what we do. There are always opportunities, but only if we can finance them. The community may need to step up with additional funding at some point.”
Bubb did not say what types of funding might be sought in the future, but added that Franklin County residents approved a transit levy in November.
“I’m a Heath resident, and this means a lot to me,” Bubb said. “Many seniors and the city of Heath deserve transportation.”
Allison said Licking County Transit provided 108,000 trips last year, compared to 74,000 in 2023 and 62,000 in 2022, before the alternate routes began.
He said the goal is to have a fifth route, from Newark and Heath to Hebron and Buckeye Lake, by the end of the year. After that, there may be routes to Pataskala and New Albany.
kmallett@newarkadvocate.com
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This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: New Licking County Transit bus route connects Heath, Newark, retailers