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Thursday, Jul. 22, 2010

Officials: Robins mass transit plans are moving forward

WARNER ROBINS — Plans for mass transit at Robins Air Force Base are moving ahead, base officials told the Vision 2020 board Wednesday morning at its scheduled meeting.

Adding a busing system to the base would drastically reduce traffic in and out of the base, as well as lower pollution levels ahead of an EPA decision to come out with a more strict ozone standard.

The problem with the base overcrowding, officials said, is the lack of a strategic approach to transportation, parking and traffic. Some employees come in an hour early to get a space and walk to their jobs.

“I have nowhere to expand, in fact,” said Col. Carl A. Buhler, commander of the 78th Air Base Wing and the installation commander at the base.

It’s not getting better, Buhler said. The base has added about 1,500 employees in the last year, and additions to regional distribution will add 30 commercial trucks making daily trips to the base by February.

Heidi Schwingle, the air quality program manager at Robins, said because of the EPA’s plans for a more strict ozone standard, the ideas to lessen the flow of traffic in and out of the base couldn’t come at a better time.

“(The pollution levels) limit growth for the future,” she said, mentioning notes on a PowerPoint presentation that say tougher ozone standards the way things are now would deny the base the chance to take on new missions, among other things.

John Pugh, deputy director of the 78th Mission Support Group, 78th Air Base Wing, said officials are looking at routes for mass transit to use to funnel people into the base. He mentioned adding bus stops along Watson Boulevard and having one that originates in Macon as possibilities.

Other clean air initiatives at the base have saved more than 150,000 miles in travel for employees and more than 1,200 tons of pollution around the base, base officials said.

Also at the meeting, the Vision 2020 board approved a move for a unified ordinance pertaining to animal restraint to go before the various councils and the Houston County Commission. Officials have been working on a unified ordinance where it would be unlawful to restrain an animal in a yard by a tether, chain, rope or other device leaving the animal vulnerable to attack from other animals or unable to get to food and shelter.

“Our concern is the well-being of the animal,” said Warner Robins Police Capt. Brenda Parks-Matthern, who heads Warner Robins’ animal shelter. “We don’t like to go pick up dead animals because of this.”

Officials also got an update on construction for the Little League Southeastern Region headquarters, which will be fully functional next week for regional tournaments. Hybrid Corp owner Jay Flesher, whose company has overseen construction for the Little League site, said workers are “dressing up” the digs for the first event, when Florida plays West Virginia on July 29.

To contact writer Marlon A. Walker, call 256-9685.