San Carlos Apache Tribe Transit Feasibility Study

              San Carlos Tribe Transit Study
Task Assignment MPD 40 – 10
ADOT Contract No: T08‐49‐00001
WORK PLAN
Task 1: Project Management and Coordination
Products & Meetings: Three (3) TAC Meetings, Nine (9) Meetings with ADOT and San Carlos TANF Transit Project Managers.
Jacobs’ Project Manager, Rick Powers, will be the primary point of contact for ADOT, San Carlos TANF Project Managers, and the TAC. Rick maintains a satellite office in Globe, in addition to the Jacobs Phoenix office, and will be readily accessible to Tribal stakeholders.
1.1
COORDINATION. Rick will meet and/or coordinate with the ADOT and San Carlos TANF Transit Managers once a month to review study progress, present working papers, study findings, and solicit direction. He will also monitor work progress, schedule, and budget to ensure the project is progressing in a manner acceptable to ADOT and the San Carlos Transit TANF manager.
1.2
TECHNICAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE (TAC). To ensure the successful development and implementation of the plan, the TAC will provide input, oversight, and champion the goals and objectives of the study. The Jacobs Team will work closely with Charla Glendening ‐ ADOT Project Manager, and Bernadette Kniffin – San Carlos TANF Director, and the following agencies that will comprise the TAC.
San Carlos Tribe
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Bernadette Kniffin, San Carlos TANF Manager
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Andre Stevens, TANF Transportation Supervisor
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Barney Bigman, SCAT Tribal Planner
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Terry Rambler, Bylas Councilman and Chair of SCAT Tribal Transportation Committee
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Charles Stevens, Gilson Wash District Councilman
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Bernadette Goode, Seven Mile Councilwoman
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Terry, Ross, San Carlos Older Adult Center
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Paul Buck, Soil Conservation Supervisor
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Mitch Hoffman
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Dr. John Bush
Regional Agencies
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Bob Maxwell, BIA Western Regional Office
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Brenda Astor, BIA San Carlos Superintendent
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Steve Aday, BIA Roads Manager
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Bill Leister, Central Arizona Association of Governments (CAAG)
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Sharon Mitchell, Southeastern Association of Governments
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San Carlos Tribe Transit Study
Task Assignment MPD 40 – 10
ADOT Contract No: T08‐49‐00001
ADOT
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Bill Harmon, ADOT Safford District Engineer
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Matt Moul, ADOT Globe District
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Charla Glendening, ADOT Multimodal Planning Division (MPD)
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Misty Dayzie, MPD
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Sam Chavez, ADOT Transit Manager
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C. T. Revere, ADOT Communications and Community Partnerships
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Sintra Hoffman, ADOT Government Affairs
Consultant Team
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Richard Powers, Jacobs
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Rob H. Bohannan, RHB
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Matt Smith, SIMG
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Kelly Hawke, SIMG
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Joe Carter, SIMG
1.3
MEETINGS/INTERVIEWS. Jacobs and our sub consultant R. H. Bohannan will attend meetings/interviews with San Carlos staff/stakeholders to gain a more though understanding of the transit needs on the San Carlos Nation.
1.4
QUALITY ASSURANCE / QUALITY CONTROL. The Jacobs team will adhere to rigorous Quality Assurance / Quality Control procedures. Rick Powers will oversee quality assurance, study proceedings, and document preparation throughout the study.
Task 2: Revise Work Plan
Products & Meetings: A Kick‐off Meeting to establish the Study Vision, Goals and Priorities of the study
The Jacobs team will work cooperatively with the TAC to develop specific goals and objectives, refined Study Boundary, enhance the work Plan, finalize the schedule, plan the project website, and develop the Public Involvement Plan will be held prior to initiation of the project. Once approved by the TAC the work plan will be posted on the ADOT web site.
2.1
VISIONING PROCESS will be implemented to establish study direction. At the kick‐off meeting, we will initiate a discussion to identify:
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Study Area Issues
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Community Values
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Project Expectations
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Key Stakeholders Page 2
San Carlos Tribe Transit Study
Task Assignment MPD 40 – 10
ADOT Contract No: T08‐49‐00001
Page 3
We will then prepare a study vision, with goals and priorities to be validated by the TAC.
2.2
TRANSIT PLAN CHECKLIST. Jacobs will prepare a checklist that will include planning elements to be completed during the development of both phases of the Transit Plan.
2.3
COMMUNICATION WITH PUBLIC & STAKEHOLDERS. The ADOT CCP Consultant will lead the public involvement efforts. Jacobs will work closely with public involvement consortium to develop a public involvement plan that will present information to and solicit input from stakeholders and the public. Jacobs proposes posting information on ADOT’s project website as a means to broadcast information to the public. Jacobs will provide technical support during both public meetings.
2.4
REFINED WORK PLAN. Based on the results from Subtasks 2.1 to 2.3, we will start an open discussion with the TAC to identify revisions to the work plan and study boundary. The revised work plan will be distributed to the TAC for final approval. It will include a schedule, and a staffing plan. The team will then identify major transit corridors and local transit service areas to be included in the study.
Task 3: Current and Future Conditions Analysis
Products & Meetings: Based on field reviews, stakeholder interviews and input from the TAC we will develop Working Paper1 – Current and Future Transit Conditions.
3.1 INVENTORY OF CURRENT CONDITIONS. The Jacobs Team will participate in the review of pertinent demographic and socioeconomic characteristics and other existing conditions information inventoried for the San Carlos Long Range Transportation Study completed by Jacobs in October 2009 and adopted in April 2010. Jacobs Team will evaluate current land use patterns, travel data, functional classification of roads, access management, and road and street conditions related to transit operation using data developed or gathered by Jacobs. Jacobs Team will participate in comprehensive field views of potential transit corridors and service areas and identify neighborhoods, commercial areas, and activity centers that will benefit from increased transit service. Field views will encompass the study area itself, abutting portions of Gila, Graham, and Pinal Counties, and the potential transit corridors between the Study Area and the Phoenix, Tucson, Safford, Whiteriver, and Flagstaff areas germane to the future implementation of regional transit service. Jacobs Team will participate in the interview of key stakeholders; as well as the identification of service goals and objectives for the SCAT TANF Transit System and other transit goals in the area. Jacobs Team will participate in identifying sources of transit and other pertinent socioeconomic and demographic data with stakeholders and will analyze available ridership and other operating data obtained. Jacobs Team will review pertinent sections of all relevant previously‐conducted and on‐going studies as directed by Jacobs, including the following: San Carlos Tribe Transit Study
Task Assignment MPD 40 – 10
ADOT Contract No: T08‐49‐00001
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San Carlos Long Range Transportation Study, 2009
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Gila County Small Area Transportation Study, 2006
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Gila County Passenger Rail Study, 2008
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Arizona Eastern Ridership Demand Study, 2009
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Town of Payson Public Transit Feasibility Study, 2007
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Casa Grande Public Transit Implementation Study, 2009
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Pinal County Small Area Transportation Study, Transit Element,
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Pinal County Strategic Plan Update, Transit Element,
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Statewide Transportation Planning Framework Study, 2010
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Arizona Rural Transit Needs Study, 2008
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Graham County Transit Feasibility Review and Implementation Study, 2007
Jacobs Team will summarize in detail the pertinent sections of these studies such as the Federal Transit Administration Section 5311 grant application developed for the Casa Grande Public Transit Implementation Study and the ridership projections and operating concepts from the Gila County Passenger Rail Study. Jacobs Team will model the current demand for regional transit service to, from, and within the Study Area using the Workbook for Estimating Demand for Rural Passenger Transportation, Transit Cooperative Research Program (TCRP) Report No. 3, published by the Transportation Research Board and sponsored by the Federal Transit Administration. In selecting the economic thresholds to apply to the TCRP workbook procedure Jacobs Team will be guided by the eligibility criteria specified by the Arizona Department of Health Services, which administers the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program in the state. Jacobs Team will test specific regional transit corridors as directed by Jacobs and will make use of the findings from the conduct of similar procedures in the Gila County Small Area Transportation Study and the Arizona Eastern Ridership Demand Study. Jacobs Team will use available SCAT ridership data to validate these findings, and will identify and document any unmet regional and local public transportation needs of seniors, youths, mobility‐limited persons, and others. Jacobs Team will examine closely the current operating practices of SCAT Transit and any other public or human services transportation providers within the study area. Jacobs Team will assist in an inventory of the current use of the JARC‐funded, TANF‐funded, and Tribal‐funded vans for special trips such as medically‐related trips, work‐related trips, and trips made for shopping, education, or to attend special events. Jacobs Team will review the current operating schedules, stop locations, and maintenance procedures, and will document the numbers of trips made, the response times, and safe practices, making use of available data obtained from the Tribe by Jacobs. Jacobs Team will also survey the lease use of SCAT vehicles by Tribal Elders, the Elder Council, the Elder Adult Center, the Cultural Museum, and the Medicine Men Society. The status of on‐going studies and grant applications will be documented including the approved New Freedom funding for a tenth van expected in the fall of 2010 and applications for FTA funding for the construction of a vehicle storage shelter and additional TANF staffing needs. In the course of conducting the Page 4
San Carlos Tribe Transit Study
Task Assignment MPD 40 – 10
ADOT Contract No: T08‐49‐00001
TCRP transit demand estimation procedure, the Jacobs Team will use updated socioeconomic data developed and provided to Jacobs Team by Jacobs and will use updated GIS maps provided by Jacobs to analyze and illustrate the findings of the procedure. Jacobs Team will prepare current multimodal conditions content for inclusion in draft Working Paper 1, as well as revised content subsequent to TAC review.
3.2 FUTURE CONDITIONS ANALYSIS. The Jacobs Team will participate in an evaluation of the coordination of van pools and other transportation resources among the employees of Indian Health Services, the SCAT Finance Department, other SCAT personnel, the Wellness Center, and other SCAT and non‐Tribal employees. Jacobs Team will assess the applicability of the “Arizona Rides” concept for coordinating the use of vehicles and other public transportation assets among Tribal and other agencies located within the Study Area including the ALTCS Program, Emergency Medical Transportation, SCAT Social Services, the Diabetes and Wellness Programs, and the General Equivalency Development (GED) Program. Jacobs Team will also evaluate various options for collecting fares, offering subscriptions to the transit service, and otherwise facilitating contribution by system users to the cost of operating the service. Jacobs Team will evaluate the effectiveness of each option to maximize fare box recovery, examining the experiences of peer agencies as appropriate. Working with Jacobs’s technical staff, Jacobs Team will identify the best practices of peer agencies for streamlining the collection, recording, and reporting of ridership data including the sale or issuance of multi‐ride cards to frequent riders and the use of card readers on board the vehicles. Jacobs Team will participate in an evaluation of candidate sites for additional mountaintop radio repeaters to enable system wide communication with drivers. Making use of the TCRP Report 3 Workbook procedure described in the preceding subtask, Jacobs Team will estimate the future ridership for each of the time horizons for route and system scenarios developed in consultation with Jacobs, the TAC, and area stakeholders. Options for regional service to Globe‐Miami, Safford, and Phoenix, and to neighboring Tribal Communities such as the White Mountain Apache Tribe and the Salt River Pima‐Maricopa Indian Community will be included, and the park‐and‐ride needs associated with the provision of regional transit services will be examined. Jacobs Team will participate in examining the synergy of coordinating transit service with service to regional centers of higher education including the San Carlos, Globe, and Safford campuses of Eastern Arizona College, and Gila Pueblo College in Globe. Jacobs Team will develop quantitative ridership estimates based on the levels of service provided, the residential, employment, and activity centers served in each of the candidate route and operating scenarios evaluated, together with time‐horizon land‐use projections, and socioeconomic and demographic data forecasts developed by Jacobs and provided to Jacobs Team. Jacobs Team will participate in evaluating the potential of coordinating services with Cobre Valley Transit in the Globe‐Miami area, and with future transit services envisioned for Graham County and the Safford area. Jacobs Team will evaluate the potential for future use of the Arizona Eastern Railway for rural passenger rail Page 5
San Carlos Tribe Transit Study
Task Assignment MPD 40 – 10
ADOT Contract No: T08‐49‐00001
service as well as expanded excursion train service to boost tourism to Tribal areas. Jacobs Team will also evaluate the feasibility of SCAT Transit's acquiring and operating one or more full‐size coaches. Jacobs Team will participate in identifying and documenting future unmet public transportation needs and deficiencies in the study area. Jacobs Team will also identify any future transit‐related safety concerns and will develop conceptual level public transit service scenarios for each of the three time horizons. Each of these scenarios will include candidate bus and rail (if applicable) routes, days of operation, hours of service, suggested operating schedules and peak and non‐peak headways, candidate fare structures, and potential types of equipment to be used. Jacobs Team will participate in reviewing the Bylas Master Plan and other pertinent documents, together with planned or programmed activity centers and destinations such as the new hospital, to understand the effect of these plans on future transit services and stops. Jacobs Team will participate in evaluating potential transit stop locations in the study area including the candidate bus stops identified for San Carlos, Peridot, Bylas, and other communities within the Study Area. Jacobs Team will participate in reviewing the Tribal code and ordinances and suggest any changes that might be needed to accommodate the implementation and operation of public transportation service, including the provision of bus stops, bus pullouts, or other public transportation facilities on Tribal roads or Tribal property. As appropriate, Jacobs Team will identify best practices of peer agencies in adopting code and ordinance language to provide for transit operation. Jacobs Team will prepare Future Conditions and Deficiencies content for inclusion in draft Working Paper 1, as well as revised content subsequent to TAC review.
Task 4: Public and Stakeholder Involvement – Phase I
Products & Meetings: Public Involvement Discussion Meeting 1, and Presentation, Maps and Fliers
Public involvement discussion meetings will be conducted in the communities of Bylas and San Carlos to encourage maximum public participation. At these meetings, existing and future conditions and preliminary issues will be presented to the public to seek their input. An ADOT CCP consultant will lead the effort in organizing this public meeting. The public involvement consultant will also coordinate with the stakeholders to ensure Title VI groups are aware of the public meetings. We will provide the public involvement consultant with meeting graphics and a PowerPoint presentation. Jacobs’s staff will attend the meeting to make the presentations and to answer questions. ADOT CCP consultant will prepare Public Meeting Summary Report 1.
Task 5: Evaluation Criteria and Plan for Improvements
Products & Meetings: Project Evaluation Criteria and Working Paper 2: Draft Transit Plan
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San Carlos Tribe Transit Study
Task Assignment MPD 40 – 10
ADOT Contract No: T08‐49‐00001
The purpose of this task is to develop a plan for transportation improvements to address the deficiencies identified in earlier tasks. Draft transportation plans will be prepared for each horizon year.
5.1
EVALUATION AND PLAN FOR IMPROVEMENTS. The Jacobs team will utilize experience gained in conducting the San Carlos LRTP Study with our team members’ comprehensive experience in regional and rural transportation and transit planning in Central Arizona to develop recommendations for specific transit projects and implementation strategies for each of the three time horizons: short, mid, and long range We will be guided by the findings documented in Working Paper 1, on‐going input received from the TAC and area stakeholders, and the opportunities for available funding to prioritize projects. Priority will be given to those projects whose implementation can be accomplished for the lowest investment of funds, that would have the greatest positive results and the least negative impact on area Title VI populations. Side benefits of potential projects such as the ability to serve new residential developments or employment centers, or the ability to enhance area tourism will be considered in the prioritization process. Areas we will address will include:
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The ability of the proposed service to easily expand to meet increased demand
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Access to the service by pedestrians and bicyclists
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Safe operation of the service
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Sound access management practices in the site selection of bus stops, bus pull‐outs, transit routes, and transit maintenance and storage facilities
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Potential for public‐private partnerships such as the provision of park‐and‐ride facilities at commercial establishments, the inclusion of bus pull‐outs when intersections and roadway segments along transit routes are improved, and the potential of the San Carlos Apache Tribe/State/Federal/Counties/Railroad/Private Organization Partnership
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Potential for internal partnerships such as with the Tribal Emergency Response Committee (TERC).
The findings and documentation developed during the conduct of this task will be incorporated into Working Paper 2, which will be distributed to the Tribal and ADOT Project Managers and the TAC for review and comment.
Task 6: Public and Stakeholder Involvement – Phase II
Products & Meetings: Public Involvement Discussion Meeting 2, Maps and Fliers
A second series of public involvement meeting will be conducted to present the draft transit plan to the public. These meetings will be held in both Bylas and San Carlos consistent with the phase I public involvement outreach. The CCP consultant will lead the effort in organizing the public meeting. We will provide the consultant with graphics and a Page 7
San Carlos Tribe Transit Study
Task Assignment MPD 40 – 10
ADOT Contract No: T08‐49‐00001
PowerPoint presentation. We will attend the meetings and make the formal presentations. ADOT CCP consultant will prepare Public Meeting Summary Report 2.
Task 7: Draft Final Report
Products: Draft Final Report
The Working Papers, Public Involvement Summary Reports, stakeholder interviews, and other input regarding future transit needs and recommendations will be compiled into a draft final report. The draft final report will also include funding strategies, implementation plan, and recommendations regarding future studies. The draft final report will be distributed to the TAC for review and comments.
Task 8: Final Report
Products: Final Report
Revisions and comments on the draft report received from the TAC will be incorporated into the Final Report. An executive summary will then be prepared. Upon approval and final acceptance of the study, two CD copies and two hard copies of the final report and executive summary will be delivered to the San Carlos TANF department and ADOT; and one CD and one hard copy of the final report will be delivered to each TAC member. Each CD will contain working papers, public involvement summaries, and the final report.
PHASE II ‐ IMPLEMENTATION STUDY AND PLAN
The Jacobs team will develop a draft system operating plan that will include phased implementation for each of the three time horizons. The operating plan will include proposed days of operation, hours of service, draft route alignments and candidate stop locations. A management and maintenance plan will include suggestions for driver training and scheduling and vehicle storage and maintenance. Initial service expansion or enhancement to be implemented in the near‐term will be recommended, as well as a phased route extension and expansion of services as time horizons or demographic thresholds are reached. These recommendations will be documented in the Operating Plan section of the Implementation Plan.
Task 1: System Operating Plan
Products: Transit Operation Plan
With input from the Jacobs Team, the Tribal Project Manager, and the TAC, Jacobs Team will develop a draft system operating plan that will include phased implementation for each of the three time horizons. The operating plan will include proposed days of operation, hours of service, draft route alignments and candidate stop locations. A management and Page 8
San Carlos Tribe Transit Study
Task Assignment MPD 40 – 10
ADOT Contract No: T08‐49‐00001
maintenance plan will include suggestions for driver training and scheduling and vehicle storage and maintenance. Initial service expansion or enhancement to be implemented in the near‐term will be recommended, together with phased route extension and expansion of services as time horizons or demographic thresholds are reached. Jacobs Team will provide content documenting these recommendations for inclusion in the Operating Plan section of the Implementation Plan Draft Report
Task 2: System Budget
Products: Operation and Maintenance Budget
Jacobs Team will participate in the development of the elements that comprise a budget for the draft transit system. Information will include the type(s) of vehicles recommended; the passenger capacities of the vehicles, the number of each type required for the fleet, the type of fuel used, and recommended vehicle amenities. The capital costs of the vehicle fleet will be estimated. The number of transit stops, bus pull‐outs, and other route elements will be calculated, together with the capital cost for each. Jacobs Team will estimate the costs of operating, maintaining, and administering the recommended transit system, considering the total annual vehicle hours and vehicle miles required to serve the proposed route(s) that comprise the system. The total rate per hour for operating, maintaining, and administering the system will be calculated. These cost estimates will include the provision of vehicle storage, maintenance, and fueling facilities. Jacobs Team will participate in comparing concepts for Tribal‐operated systems and Contract‐operated systems. The function of each of these systems will be explained and the advantages and challenges presented by each approach will be described. Jacobs Team will develop a candidate fare structure for the system and will calculate the annual estimated fare revenues based on the structure. The fare structure will include youth, senior, and student discounts, as well as monthly passes, based on best practices of peer agencies. Zone fares based on distance traveled will be evaluated. The anticipated fare box recovery and required Tribal subsidy that would result from the fare structure will be presented. Working with Jacobs’s technical staff, Jacobs Team will recommend a methodology for tracking, recording, and reporting ridership and fare collection data. Best practices of peer agencies with respect to advertising revenue deriving from the operation of the system and its vehicles will be examined. Jacobs Team will summarize the Federal Transit Administration Section 5311 Rural Transit Program funds that are administered by ADOT. The application process and the criteria for program participation will be explained. This explanation will include the matching funds for which the Tribe will be responsible. Specific details of the Section 5311(c) Tribal Transit Program will be presented. A pro‐forma first‐year operating and capital budget in Section 5311 format that can serve as an exhibit to a subsequent grant submittal will be developed. Jacobs Team will provide content documenting these recommendations for inclusion in the Budget section of the Implementation Plan Draft Report Page 9
San Carlos Tribe Transit Study
Task Assignment MPD 40 – 10
ADOT Contract No: T08‐49‐00001
Task 3: Paratransit Service.
Products: Evaluation of Needs
Jacobs Team will inventory and describe existing paratransit service providers within the study area. Jacobs Team will incorporate transit demand projections developed in Phase I and will assess unmet needs. Jacobs Team will incorporate demand‐response transit service unmet needs in the overall draft transit plan, including an examination of complementary paratransit service that could be funded through FTA Section 5310 as well as the operation of deviated fixed route service to address demand‐response needs. Jacobs Team will participate in examining the concept of utilizing the GIS‐based Tribal street addressing system recommended in the Carlos Long Range Transportation Stud, in conjunction with SCAT Transit's GPS vehicle monitoring system, for the dispatching of paratransit or deviated fixed‐route vehicles. Jacobs Team will provide content documenting the Paratransit Service element for inclusion in the Implementation Plan Draft Report.
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San Carlos Tribe Transit Study
Task Assignment MPD 40 – 10
ADOT Contract No: T08‐49‐00001
Task 4: Marketing Plan.
Products: Develop a marketing Plan for the TANF Transit System
Jacobs Team will draft concepts for the system name, logos, and color scheme with input from the Jacobs Team, the Tribal Project Manager, the TAC, and area stakeholders. Jacobs Team will draft collateral material for use in promoting the system including transit schedules, route maps, “how to ride” brochures, and other customer service‐oriented items. Jacobs Team will participate in developing a strategy for encouraging the community to embrace the new public transportation system, to build public support, and creating the Tribal political constituency needed to ensure sustained funding. Jacobs Team will develop draft elements of a promotional marketing campaign including press releases for print and electronic media, as well as display advertising. A strategy for introducing the service will be documented that could include public tours of the vehicles and system facilities and presentations designed to educate the community, including the schools, business community, and others of the benefits of using—and encouraging others to use—the new service. Jacobs Team will provide content documenting the Marketing Plan for inclusion in the Implementation Plan Draft Report.
Task 5: Draft Phase II Implementation Report.
Products: Draft Final Report
The Jacobs team will prepare an Implementation Plan Draft Report comprised of the detailed documentation of the result of Phase II Tasks 1, 2, 3, and 4, and accompanying exhibits, and including service options for the study area. Draft report will be provided to the TAC for review and comment.
Task 6: Final Phase II Implementation Report.
Products: Final Report
Revisions and comments on the draft report received from the TAC will be incorporated into the Final Report. An executive summary will then be prepared. Upon approval and final acceptance of the study, five CD copies and five hard copies of the final report and executive summary will be delivered to the San Carlos Apache Tribe; five CD copies and ten hard copies of the final report will be delivered to ADOT; and one CD and one hard copy of the final report will be delivered to each member of the TAC. Each CD will contain all working papers, public involvement summaries, and the final report. In addition, the raw GIS data developed for the study will be provided to ADOT and the San Carlos Apache Tribe.