BRUNSWICK

The town council on Monday finalized plans to expand a bus service pilot program linking Brunswick with Portland.

The vote — 6-2, with Councilor Steve Walker absent — confirmed a plan decided on in March to help fund the project.

Councilors Dan Harris and John Perreault voted against the measure Monday. Harris pushed for a set level of service before the decision was finalized, but his motion was not supported by fellow council members.

The March decision was met with some hesitation, even by those who approved it. Several councilors expressed concerns about funding the project while budgets were tight and there were unmet needs in the community.

The service is expected to start Aug. 24, with 13 round trips to Portland Monday through Friday, and additional services on the weekend. The bus has been purchased and four stops have been identified in town, said Planning Director Anna Breinich.

Greg Jordan, general manager of Portland Metro, the parent company of Metro BREEZ, met with community members in January to discuss how the service would impact local employers trying to attract workers, among other topics.

As approved, Brunswick is expected to expend about $76,000 — with Bowdoin College donating $20,000 — for the initial two years of service. Bowdoin’s contribution is what attributed to the lowering of the initial costs.

In the first year, Brunswick will contribute $33,000. In the second year, costs to the town will rise to $42,000.

In the third year, if the program continues, the cost will rise to about $80,000. The estimated cost of the third year is a jump because the first two years are subsidized due to it being a pilot program. The actual cost incurred by the town following the first two years is not fixed.

Metro BREEZ currently operates in Freeport, Falmouth, Yarmouth and Portland, with annual ridership totaling between 23,000 and 26,000 with a goal to increase to 30,000 users. With the addition of Brunswick, the company has estimated it will add about 10,000 to that base number. The service operates on a flat fee of $3 per ride, and it is yet to be determined if expanding to Brunswick will increase that fee.

Stops may be in the downtown area, Bowdoin College and Cook’s Corner. Jordan said stops will be determined by which are the most advantageous locations for the community.

The general manager said the expansion will be a two-year test to see how it works for communities. During the pilot program, the company will track factors such as ridership, accidents, quality and service to determine the future of the expanded route to the town.

Councilor Sarah Brayman said in March she views the expansion as an infrastructure investment.

“We regularly hear from people about the desire for more public transportation,” she said, citing a 2007 Freeport survey that indicated 33 percent of the 700 responders to the survey said they would use public transportation and of those, 75 percent said they would go to Brunswick.

Service, fee

• THE SERVICE is expected to start Aug. 24, with 13 round trips to Portland Monday through Friday, and additional services on the weekend.

• THE SERVICE operates on a flat fee of $3 per ride, and it is yet to be determined if expanding to Brunswick will increase that fee.