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Washington, D.C. - Congressman Maurice Hinchey (D-NY) today announced that he has helped secure a $148,685 grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation for the City of Poughkeepsie to continue its new Galleria bus service specifically targeted to help low-income residents get to and from work.
"By providing transportation to job sites, this grant will help create job opportunities for Poughkeepsie residents who may not otherwise be able to apply for and accept such jobs since they wouldn't have any way of getting from home to work," Hinchey said. "In creating new job opportunities through this transit program, we are helping Poughkeepsie residents improve their quality of life and better support themselves and their families. This grant will have a significant impact on the lives of families throughout Poughkeepsie."
In January 2004, the City of Poughkeepsie implemented a new bus service called the Galleria. This additional service was developed after conducting a survey and holding several meetings to determine what the most beneficial bus service would be for the residents of the city to get to and from work. The largest places of employment not serviced by the existing City of Poughkeepsie Transit System were the Poughkeepsie Galleria Mall and South Hills Mall. Those regional malls include big box retailers, grocery stores, retail and department stores and restaurants, which offer a wide array of job opportunities at various skill levels. Additional plazas and stores have opened along the bus route as well.
The Galleria route is now 15 miles roundtrip and had an annual ridership of 38,268 in 2005. It goes through the City of Poughkeepsie and the Town of Poughkeepsie.
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