Shuttle Service Up to Merchants

By SHELLEY HANSON
TRIADELPHIA — While doing some power shopping at the Power Center Thursday, Cathie Mueller said she didn’t mind walking a portion of The Highlands — but for longer distances an air-conditioned shuttle would be appreciated.

“It would be nice to have one to go over where the restaurants are,” said Mueller, a Wheeling resident.

She noted her husband, Joseph, dropped her off at J.C. Penney near the Power Center before taking their vehicle to get an oil change. In the meantime, she had strolled the length of the center to pick up some T-shirts at Old Navy. The walk wasn’t too bad, but Mueller said although she loves the heat, after awhile it disagrees with her.

“Over here everything is together,” Mueller said of the Power Center. “But it’s harder to get to Target or Cabela’s.”

Owned and developed by the Ohio County Development Authority, The Highlands is spread over many acres and is a work in progress. It’s located near Dallas Pike. Ohio County Commissioner Randy Wharton said as more businesses open at the site, a shuttle system — transportation that would take people from store to store — for The Highlands may become more in demand. However, he doesn’t believe the county should run the service. Instead, existing retailers should get together and decide if jitneys would be worthwhile.

“That’s not the first time I’ve heard that,” Wharton said of a shuttle service. “Everyone’s got an idea. They say you ought to do this or that. ... It should be funded by the merchants or the private sector.”

Several retailers at the site did not have officials available to comment Thursday. However, Cabela’s spokesman John Castillo said shuttles may be something to consider if other Highlands’ retailers are interested in such a service. To date, however, as far as he knows, jitneys have not been discussed by Cabela’s or other merchants, Castillo said.

“We would have to talk to the customers to see if it’s a good idea,” Castillo said. “It’s not as simple as renting a couple buses.”

Quiznos franchisee Bria Vossen said as a small business owner, it would be difficult for her to help foot the bill for a shuttle service.

“I think it would be helpful to the retailers; I don’t know how much it would help in our area,” Vossen said, noting she and her husband, Brian, also own the downtown Wheeling Quiznos.

Sistersville resident Don Baker was sitting outside J.C. Penney Thursday while his wife, Jane, shopped inside.

He noted it was his first visit to The Highlands, and he was impressed with what the development had to offer. And, if there was a shuttle available, he would probably use it instead of his own vehicle to explore the site, he said.

“I do more sitting than shopping,” Baker said. “The stores up here are nice. They’re not overpriced; they have good sales. I was surprised.”

He noted if the cinema now under construction was open, he would be watching a movie where he could sit comfortably for a couple hours while his wife shopped.

At the end of 2007 and into March, Ohio County and the Ohio Valley Regional Transportation Authority shared the cost of a trial public bus service from downtown Wheeling to The Highlands. After officials determined there wasn’t enough demand for the daytime service, it was ended.