Plans are moving forward to bring public bus transportation to people in Wake Forest.

In her State of the Town Address, Mayor Vivian Jones said improving public transit was one of her top priorities in 2008.

At Tuesday's town board meeting, Jones gave the board on update on progress on the project.

"I am going to ride the first bus," said Jones. "I may ride the second one, too."

Staff has been working closely with Raleigh and Wake County to establish bus routes from Wake Forest into downtown Raleigh, and around town.

"I think this one of the most exciting parts," Jones told the board. "Giving people access to things within the town will be a very nice benefit."

"The local circulator is about a 19-passenger vehicle," said Erik Landfried, transit planner with Triangle Transit. "They're smaller vehicles, sort of like what you'd see at the airport."

The local circulator would run hourly routes in Wake Forest.

Express buses are anticipated to start at a park-and-ride area in Wake Forest and head south on Capital Boulevard to stops at Triangle Town Center and downtown Raleigh.

Buses to downtown are likely to run only during peak travel times, without stops during the midday.

The express buses are expected to be funded through the City of Raleigh and Triangle Transit, along with federal grants aimed at helping low-income residents get to and from work.

That service should cost between $400,000 and $425,000 a year.

The local Wake Forest bus should cost an estimated $185,000 in its first year.

That money would fund operating costs, amenities like signs and benches at bus stops, and special services required by the Americans with Disabilities Act, said Landfried.

He estimates Wake Forest would have to come up with about $89,000 for the project. The rest of the cost is expected to come from grants and fare revenues.

The board came to a consensus to unofficially approve an allocation for that amount in the next budget.

Staff has a rough draft of local routes.

The public is invited to give their input on the routes at Wake Forest Town Hall, May 13, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.