6.
City Council Work Session (Amended)
- Meeting Date:
- 05/12/2020
- From:
- Dan Folke, Community Development Director
- Department:
- Planning & Development Services
Co-Submitter:
TITLE:
Update on Downtown Connection Center (DCC) and Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) projects - Mountain Line Transit (NAIPTA)
DESIRED OUTCOME:
The information on the DCC is provided in preparation for consideration of an IGA between the City of Flagstaff and Mountain Line transit which will be presented to City Council at a later date to be determined. The BRT update is provided for information and discussion purposes.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
Downtown Connection Center
A new Downtown Connection Center (DCC) is identified in Mountain Line’s 2020 Strategic Plan as the highest priority capital project in order to support public transit service within the community. Since 2009, Mountain Line has operated the existing DCC under an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) and licensing agreement with the City of Flagstaff for use of City-owned parcels on Phoenix Avenue. This transit hub serves approximately 52,000 riders monthly and has upwards of 300 buses accessing the site daily at our current level of service. Mountain Line has outgrown the existing facility and would like to provide amenities and offer services to their riders and community from a new DCC.
***Mountain Line and City staff were prepared to bring an IGA on the proposed new DCC project to your May 19 Council meeting. However, due to additional requests from the Federal Transit Authority, before Mountain Line can sign a new IGA it must perform additional due diligence on the proposed City-owned site (i.e. NEPA study and associated remediation). This has delayed the IGA coming to the Council as previously planned. That said and in order to keep the project moving forward, Mountain Line will be seeking direction from Council during this update presentation to work with City staff in preparing a resolution that would enable Mountain Line to have additional access to the City's property to conduct this additional work and to do so at Mountain Line's own risk. Mountain Line would hope that the Council would provide this direction and consider the resolution prior to taking its scheduled summer break.***
Bus Rapid Transit
In November 2018, Mountain Line initiated the development phase of the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Project to study potential long-term improvements and high-frequency bus service from Woodlands Village to the Flagstaff Medical Center. BRT is a toolbox of transit enhancements that adds up to a faster trip and an improved experience. The purpose of the BRT project is to identify, evaluate, and select a strategy and set of transit and multimodal transportation improvements to achieve the following goals:
A new Downtown Connection Center (DCC) is identified in Mountain Line’s 2020 Strategic Plan as the highest priority capital project in order to support public transit service within the community. Since 2009, Mountain Line has operated the existing DCC under an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) and licensing agreement with the City of Flagstaff for use of City-owned parcels on Phoenix Avenue. This transit hub serves approximately 52,000 riders monthly and has upwards of 300 buses accessing the site daily at our current level of service. Mountain Line has outgrown the existing facility and would like to provide amenities and offer services to their riders and community from a new DCC.
***Mountain Line and City staff were prepared to bring an IGA on the proposed new DCC project to your May 19 Council meeting. However, due to additional requests from the Federal Transit Authority, before Mountain Line can sign a new IGA it must perform additional due diligence on the proposed City-owned site (i.e. NEPA study and associated remediation). This has delayed the IGA coming to the Council as previously planned. That said and in order to keep the project moving forward, Mountain Line will be seeking direction from Council during this update presentation to work with City staff in preparing a resolution that would enable Mountain Line to have additional access to the City's property to conduct this additional work and to do so at Mountain Line's own risk. Mountain Line would hope that the Council would provide this direction and consider the resolution prior to taking its scheduled summer break.***
Bus Rapid Transit
In November 2018, Mountain Line initiated the development phase of the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Project to study potential long-term improvements and high-frequency bus service from Woodlands Village to the Flagstaff Medical Center. BRT is a toolbox of transit enhancements that adds up to a faster trip and an improved experience. The purpose of the BRT project is to identify, evaluate, and select a strategy and set of transit and multimodal transportation improvements to achieve the following goals:
- Enhance transit & multimodal mobility in Flagstaff to make it more compelling
- Connect neighborhoods and activity centers and improve local mobility
- Support economic development
- Strengthen the downtown core and transit connections to key activity centers
- Create an environment that will sustain over the long term
INFORMATION:
Please see the attached memorandums from Mountain Line transit for more information on the DCC and BRT projects.