CAT expands services into Port Wentworth

PORT WENTWORTH, GA – Celebrations filled the air as Chatham Area Transit (CAT) officialized its expansion into Port Wentworth through a vibrant ribbon-cutting ceremony earlier this week. This collaborative effort between CAT and the city authorities aims to facilitate commute for residents and alleviate congestion on Port Wentworth’s roads.

A year-long collaborative effort

Port Wentworth’s Mayor Pro-Tem, Thomas Barbee, disclosed that this expansion bears the fruit of nearly a year of dialogue and planning with CAT. He highlighted the significance of this move, stating that “Everybody does not own a car, every senior citizen cannot drive, but you can depend on somebody to drive a bus to get to where you need to be. Go get groceries, go to the doctors,”.

Anticipating a reduction in traffic congestion, Barbee expressed, “We’ll take a lot of cars off the roads, which will be great for some citizens. They’ll be able to smile because they won’t be stuck in traffic so much.”

Introducing Route 5

The latest expansion unfolds Route 5, extending from the Rice Point Publix, touching Transfer Point, and finally halting at the Intermodal Transit Center. The route is designed to cover sprawling areas of Port Wentworth, ensuring accessibility for a wider population base.

Boost to Economic Development

Faye Dimassimo, CEO and Executive Director at Chatham Area Transit, emphasized the broader economic implications of the expanded services. She noted that such strategic initiatives play a pivotal role in fostering collective growth and prosperity in communities across the Coastal Empire.

“When you’re connecting people to the places that they need and want to go, when they can get to jobs, to health care, to education, that is an important part of how we make communities thrive and prosper,” praised Dimassimo, lauding the city’s collaborative effort.

The Funding

The financial underpinning of the expansion was balanced between the city of Port Wentworth and federal funds, leveraged by CAT. The city contributed roughly $600,000, while CAT manoeuvred federal funds to meet the balance. This instance manifests a model example of local-federal partnership in working towards communal welfare.

The extended transit services promise to open new avenues for Port Wentworth’s residents, creating beneficial ripples in the local economy and community life.