New bus route to Ft. Gordon proposed - WFXG FOX54 Augusta - Your News One Hour Earlier

Soldiers could soon be taking the bus downtown, or those in South Augusta could find their way to Ft. Gordon.

It's all part of an idea for a new supplemental bus route proposed to the city during Monday's committee meetings.

"I came to Ft. Gordon in 1984 and retired in 2004," says District 4 Commissioner Alvin Mason. "I remember the needs for the buses."

Downtown Advisory Panel member Brad Owens designed the idea.

It would be a public-private partnership between downtown businesses and the city with the goal of zero charge to taxpayers or riders.

"No charge for the riders at all. A free service," Owens explains. "And the service being subsidized by the business owners that are going to benefit from these guys coming down."

The route would start at Ft. Gordon, travel downtown, then to the Robert C. Daniel Pkwy shopping district before going back to Ft. Gordon.

It would run every weekend, every hour on the hour.

The plan would call for the use of retired buses.

Since the buses have already been purchased, Owens says it would take the burden off the taxpayer.

"After ten years, they have to be retired, but they still have six or seven years of life in them because they're well maintained," explains Owens. "They're surplus buses that they can't use, so let's put them back to use."

Now, commissioners will hold a workshop in the next few weeks to discuss the idea and look for ways to make it a reality.

"Those are the types of conversations we have to have so that we can have the best type of transportation system," Mason says.

"We're at the baby step phase," says Owens. "However, this was a great first step. It was positive."

Commissioners also discussed the possibility of expanding the routes, including to Columbia County and North Augusta.