At its April 24 meeting, the City Council discussed the sudden discontinuation of the Greenbelt Station shuttle to the Metro station, adopted two changes to the city’s building code, held the first public hearing on the budget and introduced an ordinance that would allow the Greenbelt Farmers Market to add beer and hard cider to its tastings.
Greenbelt Station
Joseph Trullinger of Greenbelt Station came forward to report on residents’ concerns over the sudden replacement of the free shuttle to the Greenbelt Metro station with a new route for the county The Bus service, costing $1.25 each way. Residents were not informed of the change until late in the final day of service. He said that bus stop signs have not yet been installed.
These changes, he said, leave residents paying more for less access to Metro. He noted that the developers, Woodlawn Development Group, had for months been in negotiations with the county about providing service, while giving no notice of this potential change to Greenbelters.
Trullinger asked the city to do whatever it can to get Woodlawn to reinstate the shuttle.
In addition to the cost concerns, Trullinger said The Bus is less convenient for residents. It does not run a loop around the community as the shuttle did and, although it is now running every 15 minutes, residents have been told that after the Safe Track disruptions are over it will run only every 40 minutes. In addition, The Bus has more limited hours than the shuttle did.
Later in the meeting, City Manager Nicole Ard reported that Woodlawn is contributing $8,000 for July to December of this year, and $17,000 over the next two years toward the cost of running The Bus route. However, the county requires that at least 10 people must take The Bus each day in order for it to continue.
Ard noted that staff has asked Woodlawn to reconsider their decision but had not yet gotten a response.
She also reported that the path to the Metro station should be ready by the end of this summer. However, City Planner Jessica Bellah reported that Woodlawn is finding that the soil in that area is not adequate to support the asphalt trail and is working to resolve that issue. She said she will convey to Woodlawn that the Cherrywood Lane section of the trail should be the priority over the Branchville Road section.
Read the story in the May 4 News Review