Staff recommends City Council adopt the 2025 Billings Area Public Transportation Coordination Plan as recommended by the Human Services Transportation Coordination Group.

In accordance with 49 USC 5310 requirements, urbanized areas are required to develop and regularly update a Human Services Area Public Transportation Coordination Plan in order to apply for and utilize Federal Transit Administration funding provided in support of transportation for seniors, individuals with disabilities, and low income populations; these funds are allocated to each urbanized area but are currently managed and awarded by the State of Montana. The State has designated the City of Billings MET Transit Division as the "lead agency" for the Billings Urban Area; this requires MET Transit to annually submit updated coordination and capital recommendations in the form of a coordination plan supporting funding and awards for both MET Transit and area agencies providing transportation. In previous years, the State accepted the recommendation of projects by the Coordination group as well as approved programming of recommended projects in the local Transportation Improvement Plan for grant application; however, with recent procedural changes, the State now requires the governing board of each agency as well as the transit system (Billings City Council) to also adopt the area Public Transportation Coordination Plan prior to application and award of recommended projects. The plan, as recommended by the Coordination group is attached; this group meets quarterly in publicly advertised meetings to discuss ongoing transportation challenges and potential solutions in the Billings Urban Area as well as prioritize requested or recommended capital projects supported by 5310 funding.  This program and related funding has historically been utilized to purchase MET Transit paratransit vehicles, vehicles for partner agencies, and updates to bus stop infrastructure. Total section 5310 funding available to the Billings urbanized area for the 2025 period is $275,251, which requires a 20% local match. The recommended plan and prioritized projects was advertised for public comment from December 27, 2024 through January 24, 2025; no comments were received. As MET Transit was recently in receipt of an awarded section 5339(B) competitive grant to purchase eight (8) replacement paratransit vehicles, MET recommended supporting area agency needs for vehicles prior to MET receiving capital funding; the recommended priority of projects, as indicated in the attached plan, is as follows:

Priority #1 - COR Enterprises: award of federal funds to purchase an ADA-accessible vehicle for client transport.
Priority #2 - Big Sky Senior Services: award of federal funds to match locally received funds of $30,000 to purchase two (2) minivans in support of senior transport.
Priority #3 - COR Enterprises: award of federal funds to purchase a non-ADA accessible vehicle for client transport.
Priority #4 - MET Transit: award of approximately $90,000 in federal funds (or remaining balance after other priorities fulfilled) to support bus stop improvements including additional shelters, lighting, and access upgrades.

Upon adoption of the plan, MET Transit will apply for and manage only the MET Transit awarded funds; all other project applications and management are handled by the awarded agencies. 

The City of Billings, the State of Montana, the Federal Transit Administration, and local area agencies provide human services related transportation for seniors, individuals with disabilities, and low income populations.

City Council may:

• Approve the adoption of the 2025 Billings Area Public Transportation Coordination Plan as recommended ; or,
• Not Approve the adoption of the 2025 Billings Area Public Transportation Coordination Plan, potentially jeopardizing receipt of Federal Transit Administration 5310 funds from the State of Montana, and recommend to staff how to proceed. 

The recommended MET Transit project supporting bus stop improvements includes up to $90,000 in section 5310 Federal Transit Administration funding and requires a local match of $22,500 for a total project cost of $112,500. Bus stop improvements are reflected annually in the Capital Improvement Plan and MET Transit has adequate capital reserve to provide matching funds.