Damakant Jayshi

A work group formed by the Marathon County Planning Commission will explore the possibility of expanding Metro Ride bus service beyond Wausau to neighboring towns and cities, an issue that has repeatedly been discussed in the community.

Transit service today is available only on limited routes in Wausau.

The Transit Planning Work Group, announced on Tuesday during a meeting of Marathon County Metropolitan Planning Commission, has 12 members from eight entities including Wausau Mayor Katie Rosenberg and Common Council President Becky McElhaney. The Metropolitan Planning Commission is also known as Wausau Metropolitan Planning Organization.

McElhaney is also chair of Wausau Transit Commission. Representing Marathon County is MPO Chair and Dist. 4 Supervisor, John Robinson.

Wausau has two more representatives in the group: newly appointed Metro Ride Director Arran Hersey and its operations manager, Megan Newman. Other members of the group are Joan Joss, a Schofield City Council member, and Schofield Public Works Director Mark Thuot; Weston Administrator Jami Gebert and Public Works Director Michael Wodalski; Rib Mountain Administrator Gaylene Rhoden; Rothschild President George Peterson; and Greater Wausau Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Dave Eckmann.

The group will elect a chair in its first meeting, expected next month. The Transit Planning Work Group will be reporting to the MPO and participating municipalities with a copy to the Wausau Transit Commission.

The group will review the state of each community’s public transit service. According to the documents presented at the meeting of the MPO, the purpose of the work group is to evaluate, through discussion, common issues and concerns and make “recommendations for goals, objectives, and guidelines for each community will be developed for providing Public Transit in their community and the metro area.” The close-out report to the MPO and the communities is expected in March 2025.

Speaking to WAOW, MPO Chair Robinson said they are hoping to get everybody to join the conversation about the expansion and “opportunities for us to have cross-community transit services that would address the business, social, and other needs of our residents.”

Robinson did not respond to questions from Wausau Pilot by press time.

Unclear is how much funding each municipality will be expected to contribute, if any, to expand service.

This newspaper will bring more information as it becomes available.