GREEN BAY (NBC 26) — Gov. Tony Evers announced that in 2023, $5 million in state and federal funds will be used to improve transportation for seniors and people with disabilities.
The funds will expand a program called the 5310 Seniors and Disabled Individuals Mobility Enhancement Program. The program helps nonprofits and public transit agencies provide more accessible transportation. For many Brown County residents, this funding will help meet essential needs.
Ker Vang, senior planner for the Brown County Planning Commission, said:
Counties manage programs in four large “urbanized” areas of the state: Appleton, Green Bay, Madison, and Milwaukee, while Wisconsin DOT manages funds in more rural areas.
In Brown County, one of the 2023 recipients of funding is Green Bay Metro. In the past, this program has helped Green Bay Metro acquire new wheelchair restraints and ADA-enabled bus shelters. Green Bay Metro is now receiving funding to purchase audio components for new display boards that will be installed at various bus stops. The audio component reads the bus timetable to passengers.
Another winner is Curative Connections, a non-profit organization that serves seniors and adults with disabilities. Nonprofits receive funding to support the operation of transportation services. Another portion of the funds will go to Brown County Mobility Administration.
“Brown County Mobility Administration also received half of this funding to conduct research and find new ways to help partners find new ways to manage the program,” Vang said.
In areas with large elderly populations, accessible transportation is essential for many residents. That’s why Vang said the funding is essential so the county can accommodate them.
“Many of them not only need transportation for services such as medical care, but even daily appointments to pick up medicine from stores or go to social activities,” said Vang. said.
For more information on this program, visit browncountywi.gov.
