Lisbon Connection bus services to end as federal funding ends

May 8—LISBON — Western Maine Transportation Services will end the Lisbon Connection bus line because there are no federal funds to support it, Community Relations Director Craig Zurhorst told town councilors Tuesday.

The Federal Transit Administration reclassified the Lisbon and Sabattus bus route as urban from rural, he said. "It makes no sense, I can't defend it. I'm not even going to try."

Federal funds for urban bus routes in the area are being used by the Lewiston Auburn bus line, leaving no funding for the Lisbon Connection route, he said.

While the Western Maine Transportation Service is still contemplating alternatives, it is considering combining the Lisbon Connection and Blue Line Express routes, Zurhorst said. The Blue Line Express goes through town along Route 196. It is also considering a demand response transit for people who want to use the services but are not on Route 196 or within walking distance.

If the two services are combined, there will be two extra runs per day and people will be able to travel in both directions, toward Lewiston or Bath, he said.

Western Maine Transportation Service is requesting $45,000 from the town, the same as last year, which will go toward operating the Lisbon Connection until October, pay for the demand response transit services and give some money to the Blue Line Express route, he said.

In other business, Town Manager Glenn Michalowski went over further cuts to the proposed town operating budget. The proposal was reduced by more than $1.1 million during the workshop last month. The initial proposal was $17.2 million and now it stands at just over $16 million.

This year's proposed budget was close to a flat expense budget, he said.

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