Agenda - 06-17-2014 - 7d - Laserfiche WebLink

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2 • Extension of the existing Route 420 midday service (currently connecting Hillsborough and Chapel Hill) to Cedar Grove with more frequent service; and • Continuation of the existing Hillsborough Circulator service and expansion to an additional hour of service. These concepts have been developed by Orange County and TTA staff based on the OCBRIP goals, goals of the respective transit agencies, public input collected during outreach meetings (last summer and in May 2014), input collected from inter-departmental collaboration, demographic data, and survey data. This particular item's focus is on providing a summary (Attachment 1) of results from the public outreach conducted during the third and fourth weeks in May 2014 and any impact those results may have on the bus service expansion concepts first presented to the BOCC. As an extension of this focus, staff is recommending that the BOCC endorse TTA's proposed Orange-Durham Express (ODX) service, Phase I (Hillsborough to Durham) of which is scheduled to begin in August 2014. No changes are being recommended for the proposed ODX service as a result of public outreach. A summary of the proposed ODX service is provided in Attachment 2. Fifty percent (50%) of the ODX service will be funded by Orange County revenues, and 50% will be funded by Durham County revenues. Additionally, OPT staff is requesting that the BOCC receive, consider providing comments/questions, and potentially discuss the two bus service expansion program options as reflected in Attachment 3. The Board could also consider endorsement of one of the two options if deemed appropriate. Based on input received from public outreach conducted in May 2014 and additional analysis of proposed service concepts' feasibility and projected productivity, staff has provided a second program option (Option #2 in Attachment 3) as an alternative to the program presented to the BOCC on May 8th and at the May public outreach meetings (Option #1 in Attachment 3). It has become apparent from the North Carolina Department of Transportation, Public Transportation Division (NCDOT-PTD) that OPT will not be able to make use of the new buses it has requested that are essential to providing these expanded services until winter 2015. Consequently, the County and OPT have more time than originally anticipated to finalize its bus service expansion program before implementation. Next Steps for TTA and BOCC Following the BOCC's action on TTA's proposed ODX service, the TTA Board of Trustees will consider the recommendation at its June 25, 2014 meeting. If approved, Phase I of the service is expected to commence in August 2014, and Phase II (extension to Mebane) is expected to commence in January 2015. Absent the BOCC's endorsement of a program option for OPT's bus service expansion program, staff will continue to accept feedback from the Board, incorporate comments, and refine any details to the program as deemed appropriate. However, if the BOCC chooses to endorse OPT's expansion concepts, Orange County planning staff will develop and draft more detailed service design characteristics (i.e., service times, stop locations, bus capital programming, etc.) for each concept, and a corresponding draft bus service expansion program document will return for the BOCC's consideration and approval at its September 4th regular meeting. Public outreach, education, and marketing of these new routes will be ongoing over the next several months. Given the delay in implementation of OPT's program and the complexity of the item, if the BOCC would like to schedule a work session to discuss the options proposed, as well as any associated policy decisions (i.e., collection of fares, minimum service standards, etc.), staff can work to arrange a Board work session discussion.