TITLE
A Resolution of the Mayor and City Council of the City of Maricopa, Arizona, supporting the submission of a grant application for a Section 5311 Rural Transportation Program grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation through the Arizona Department of Transportation in an amount not to exceed $117,000 to continue operations of a demand response system. The City's match requirement for this grant application is $41,200 and will be included in the FY13-14 budget request. Discussion and Action.
AGENDA ITEM DESCRIPTION
Rural Transportation in the form of Section 5311 has come before the Mayor and City Council numerous times each year since 2007. Below is a brief history of the Rural Transportation Grant Program in the City of Maricopa.
In the Circulation element of the City's 2006 General Plan, improving roadway conditions is the focus, but a critical goal is creating a highly diversified multi-modal transportation system that includes transit, pedestrian, bicycle, and equestrian facilities. Specifically, the Circulation element recommended enhancing transit services to connect Maricopa with Phoenix, Casa Grande, and Tucson. In 2005, the City hired a Transportation Manager to address these issues. A transit feasibility study and implementation plan was completed in 2007 with the recommendation to begin a commuter transit service and hire a Transit Coordinator. The City of Maricopa began providing transit services to the residents of Maricopa in April 2008 and has been providing transit services to the residents for nearly 4.5 years. On October 1, 2010, the route changed for the MaricopaXPRESS and the local circulator COMET was created. In fall 2011, Maricopa began providing a demand response system through the Section 5311 grant program.
Section 5311 is a grant program that provides public transportation funding for capital, administrative and operating assistance in rural and small urban areas. The purpose of this program is to provide and strengthen public transportation services in rural areas and in communities under 50,000 in population. Many rural Americans do not have access to an automobile and need transportation in order to access services, employment and medical care.
Federal funds are apportioned among the States, which have the primary responsibility for administering the program. In Arizona, the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) is the agency responsible for the overall administration of the Section 5311 Program, which is also referred to as the Rural Public Transportation Program. The Public Transportation Division of ADOT administers this Federal program, and these funds are available to non-urbanized or rural communities with a population of less than 50,000 people. Funds are available on a competitive basis. Services must be focused on the mobility needs of the general public and are expected to be coordinated with human service transportation and other providers. The Rural Public Transportation Program funds transit systems operating in local communities or between rural communities and urban areas. Some services have been operating for many years, some have recently begun, and others are being instituted as pilot projects.
The City of Maricopa has included a grant contract with this staff report which allows Council to formally designate the City Manager to sign the contact when/if the grant is awarded.
The City of Maricopa is requesting to continue to operate the demand response system. There is a 12% increase in the cost to operate the demand response system for FY13-14 and a matching requirement for this grant application under capital, administration and operating expenses. The City of Maricopa is applying for funds under administration and operating expenses. The City's matching requirements for administration is 20% for operating expenses is 42%. The matching requirement has historically come from the General Fund and the matching requirement for this grant will be included in FY13-14 budget request. From the inception of the demand response system in January 2011, a total of 1,214 trips have been generated.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends approval of the resolution supporting the submission of a grant application for a Section 5311 Rural Transportation Program from the U.S. Department of Transportation through the Arizona Department of Transportation.