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Council approves federal transit grant to buy two buses and advances multiple capital projects
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Summary
Council approved an 80/20 federal grant to add two transit vehicles (city share about $65,000) and adopted several budgeted resolutions including downtown parking, intersection work, curb ramps (ODOT ADA requirement), storm sewer repairs with OPWC funding, City Hall window replacement, asphalt purchase, mowing services, a dump truck, and a roof replacement for the water recovery facility.
Worcester City Council on March 2 approved a suite of budgeted items and contracts alongside adoption of a federal transit grant to purchase two new buses for the WACO transit program.
Tim White, the city's public transportation manager, told council the grant will fund two vehicles that stay under the non-CDL limit: one 14-seat bus with a wheelchair lift and a second bus with foldable seats and up to four wheelchair positions. Vendor lead time is 3 to 6 months; the purchase is an 80/20 federal-to-local match with the city's portion reported as roughly $65,000. White said the additional capacity should reduce the need to run a second vehicle during peak College of Wooster hours and could produce operating cost savings on some routes.
Council also approved multiple resolutions and contracts in largely budgeted, noncontroversial votes: resolution 2026-09 to construct two downtown parking lots (50 spaces; estimated $350,000); resolution 2026-10 to reconstruct the Foster Path/Poplar Street intersection (estimated $100,000); resolution 2026-11 to construct 51 curb ramps across 12 intersections (estimated $275,000) to meet ODOT ADA requirements; and resolution 2026-12 to install storm sewers and line a sanitary sewer on North Market Street (estimated construction cost $1,000,000) with OPWC support of up to $500,000 (a $350,000 grant and a $150,000 loan).
Budgeted maintenance and equipment items approved included City Hall window phase 3 (energy-efficiency upgrades), a supply purchase for asphalt material, contracted mowing services for roughly 50 parcels at approximately 240 man-hours/week, replacement of an aging dump truck, and roof replacement at the water resource recovery facility.
Where relevant, sponsors and staff noted programmatic requirements and timing: the curb-ramp work is required for ODOT funding of the resurfacing project; the OPWC award means construction likely starts after the state fiscal year begins with a probable August start; and the buses have a 3–6 month vendor lead time if ordered immediately. Council generally passed these measures by roll call without amendments.
The council also voted to suspend the rules to allow immediate enactment of the transit appropriation ordinance and then adopted it the same evening.
