Ride The Shuttle

East Hampton Village took a big step this week toward alleviating its summer traffic crush, one that ought to catch on like a bonfire.

The village has arranged for a small shuttle bus to make continuous rounds of the shopping district from dawn to dusk (well, 7 to 7) daily. The service will start on Tuesday and continue through Labor Day. There will be no charge to ride, and, because the route will be relatively short, the wait between buses should be too: no more than 15 or 20 minutes. That is less time than it often takes to find a parking place closer to the shops, and surely far less bother.

The underutilized Lumber Lane parking lot will probably be where most riders get on. From there, the bus will stop at several points along Newtown Lane and Main Street, all the way to the flagpole at Dunemere Lane, where it will turn around and head to the Post Office before returning back to Lumber Lane. (The route is described in a story in this issue.)

The Village Board clearly took the needs of both year-rounders and visitors into consideration when voting for the shuttle. The Post Office stop in particular ought to draw riders to the shuttle, leaving that many fewer cars to fight the snarl on Gay Lane.

It was wise, also, to start the run on a small scale, giving thought to the kind of transportation most suitable for the village, as well as the kind riders would find most congenial. A full-sized bus, though it could hold more passengers, would have been far less appropriate than the 25-seater that was chosen, certainly as a first step.

If the shuttle catches on, Mayor Paul F. Rickenbach Jr. indicated this week that it might be pressed into service for a few major fund-raisers that run into the evening hours, such as the barbecue and square dance that follows the Ladies Village Improvement Society Fair in late July.

The whole idea is to make village life as comfortable as possible for as many people as possible, and to make certain that the business district doesn't choke on its own success.

The shuttle is a positive signal that the Village Board is trying.