Several Wake Forest residents voiced their support for proposed bus routes during Tuesday night's public input session at town hall.

Kimberly Wright was one of the several in attendance. Because of a physical disability, Wright, a Wake Forest mother of three, is not able to drive.

"I am literally stuck in my house, and dependent on my friends and neighbors to give me rides," she said.

Wright says if there was public bus transportation around town, she would gain back some of her independence.

"We can go to the movies, I can get a job, I can go back to college," she said. "I can do everything that I've wanted to do, that I haven't been able to do ever since we moved to Wake Forest ten years ago."

The town, the City of Raleigh, and Triangle Transit have been working together to establish bus routes in and around Wake Forest, and from Wake Forest to Triangle Town Center and downtown Raleigh.

Robert Roberson, another non-driver, said it is difficult to get to shopping centers on foot with all of the traffic on NC98 and Capital Boulevard.

"I'm loving this," he said. "I hope that we can get this launched and off the ground."

Erik Landfried, a transit planner with Triangle Transit, fielded questions about the proposed service, which could begin as early as August.

Some people questioned the schedules, which do not include weekend services because of current budget restraints.

"We have heard people wanting Saturday or Sunday services, and that's certainly a possibility in the future," said Landfried.

He also encouraged people to suggest improvements to the proposed routes and stops.

"I want to stress that this is just the start," he said. "We want to get something out there, so people start to ride and start to use the service and demand more."

Here is an overview of the proposed routes:

Wake Forest Local Bus Circulator

Hours:
Monday-Friday, 5:30 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Fare:
$1 for a one-way trip
Route:
The bus would run on a loop through Wake Forest and into Wakefield.
ADA Paratransit:
Door to door service is to be provided within 3/4 miles of the route for people with disabilities

Wake Forest-Raleigh Express Bus

Hours:
Monday- Friday, 5 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Fare:
$2.50 for a one way trip during peak travel hours; $2 for a one way trip during non peak hours (9 a.m.- 4 p.m.)
Route:
During peak hours, the bus is to run from a park-and-ride lot in downtown Wake Forest to Triangle Town Center and Moore Square Station in Raleigh. During non-peak hours, the bus would stop only at Triangle Town Center, where riders could transfer to another bus to go to downtown Raleigh.

For more information, or to fill out an online feedback form, go to:
http://www.triangletransit.org/bus/planning/wakeforest

Feedback can also be given by phone at: 919-485-7507.