Some Residents Oppose Greyhound Plan

Residents Build opposition To Greyhound
By Bruce Kettelle

On Saturday about 20 residents gathered by the Government Center protesting a proposed Greyhound Bus Station that may be located in Trotwood. According to Trotwood officials the Greater Dayton Regional Transit Authority is in discussions with Greyhound to relocate their downtown Dayton station. The Northwest Regional Transit Hub on Shiloh Springs Road is one of the sites under consideration by Greyhound.

If that location is chosen about 20 intercity buses a day would stop at the hub. The RTA would combine that operation with the existing regional buses.

Resident Mattie Clay waived a "No Greyhound Station" sign to passing traffic on Olive Rd. She like many of the others at the impromptu protest is concerned about what the out of town buses might bring to Trotwood.

"Why bring 20 more buses through Trotwood when we can't even afford to get our local streets fixed," asked Clay. "I'm also worried about their customers causing trouble in the surrounding neighborhood."

Flora Northern one of the organizers for the picketing questioned why would they choose Trotwood. "I would like an answer for that." She said the terminal is on the edge of a large residential area and is bordered by two childcare centers.

The downtown Greyhound station site is owned by the City of Dayton and is being considered for a different use by the city. The United Concerned Citizens of Trotwood (UCCT) fear that those same troubles would follow the move to Trotwood.

"If you look at the calls for service the Dayton Police have, you wonder why we want that in Trotwood," said Trotwood city council member Ron Vaughn. Council members Vaughn, Bettye Gales, and Mary McDonald addressed the protesters supporting their right to demonstrate.

City Council member Rap Hankins did not attend the protest. He is waiting for more factual information to be collected before deciding how to react to the concept. He said, "It's important that our council members answer community members with facts based on reality not fantasies based toward re-election."

Trotwood's city staff is taking a more measured approach to see if the proposed station might generate safety concerns and other impacts for the city's safety services departments.

"The city manager has asked me to look at how this might impact the community," said police chief Quincy Pope. "I am reviewing that information now." Pope is analyzing Dayton police reports generated at the existing Greyhound station downtown.

Trotwood's existing RTA hub averaged 56 annual calls for service over the past two years. "Most of those calls were medic calls," said Pope. He said other calls included suspicious vehicle, trespassing, and intoxicated individuals. "For instance the intoxicated calls average about four a year, that's a small number considering how many people ride the transportation system."

Pope is reserving his opinion on the proposal until he finishes his research.

The UCCT is the same group that opposed the proposed landfill in Trotwood in 2004. Members have already spoken out at a recent council meeting and are planning other actions to show their opposition to the plan.

Trotwood City manager Mike Lucking reported to the city council that the RTA already has the proper zoning for the facility and will need no further approval from the city. The decision to add Greyhound service at the hub rests solely with the RTA and Greyhound.

See pictures of the protest at http://www.totallytrotwood.com/home_4-17-09.htm