Two public meetings will be held Thursday seeking input on a proposal to expand the number of Joplin’s Sunshine Lamp Trolley routes.

Residents who wish to give input may do so at a meeting from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday or from 5-6:30 p.m. Thursday. The meetings will be held in the City Council chambers on the fifth floor of City Hall, 602 S. Main St.

The proposed changes would increase the number of routes from three to five and route stops from 62 to more than 100. The purpose of the proposed route changes would be to shorten the ride times between some of the most high-demand destinations and to improve the overall efficiency of the service for riders, according to transportation coordinator Gina Thompson.

She recently spoke to the City Council about adding two new routes to the system and received council approval.

Thompson said that while several frequently requested stops would be added, a small number of stops may be moved or deleted from the routes.

At this time, service hours and fares would not change, according to information from the city transit service.

Those who use public transportation as well as other residents of Joplin are invited to attend and comment at either meeting.

In addition to the meetings, a 30-day public comment period about the proposal is open. Public comments can be submitted to Gina Thompson, transportation coordinator, at 417-624-0820, ext. 1800, or by email to [email protected].

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