Battle Creek Transit Depends on Strong Census Count

The City of Battle Creek is essentially pleading for all city residents to complete the 2020 Census. In what city leaders say will be a series of informational posts over the coming weeks, one of the first deals with what might happen with urban transit programs. The U.S. Census Bureau is estimating the city’s population at just over 51 thousand. Should that drop below 50 thousand, the city would be moved into the “small urban” category. That would change how federal and state tax dollars are allocated to the city. In short, that would mean a lot less than what Battle Creek now receives. To start, the city would see federal transit support funding get cut in half. That would be a huge hit for the city.

City leaders are already looking at a big fare hike for the transit system. And with a large percentage of the city’s households having no private transportation, the city’s mass transit program is important for many residents. You can get more information on the city’s transit program and how its future may depend on the Census reading the city’s web site post.