Transportation Planning for Washington State’s Aging Population

 Tracy Gunter, Lewis Mason Thurston Area Agency on Aging  Page Scott, Yakima Valley Conference of Governments (Regional Transportation Planning Organization)  Ryan Warner, Transit Agencies and Washington State Department of Transportation  Colleen Kuhn, CTANW & Local Government and Community Partners

 2013 Survey – better understand transportation for aging population  Area Agencies on Aging, human service transportation agencies, transportation providers  ID current services, gaps, needs, planning processes, funding, partnerships & resources

 Lack of knowledge/information on planning processes  Project changed direction – shifted to basics of information sharing & connecting community resources  Planning conducted by many different un- connected agencies

 Aging and Long-Term Support Administration through Area Agencies on Aging (AAA)  Regional and Metropolitan Transportation Planning Organizations (RTPO/MPO)  Local Government and Community Partners  Washington State Legislature  Transit  Human Services Agencies  Private Providers

 Area Agencies on Aging (AAA)  13 Area Agencies on Aging in Washington State  Primary Value: An individual’s choice and effort to remain in the community, living independently  Work to ensure our communities are inclusive and responsive to the needs of older adults and individuals with disabilities  Seniors ranging in age from 60 – 100  Trip purposes  Individual functionality

 Planning Process  Prescribed by the Aging and Long-Term Support Administration of Department of Social and Health Services  Planning document is called an Area Plan and covers a 4- year period; current covers  Planning process generally involves:  May-June/survey of community needs  July-Aug/Community mtgs, discussions, listening sessions  Sept/Public Hearings and submission of Plan to the Sponsoring Agency  Oct 1/Plan due to the State  Currently in process of updating Plans for

 Planning Process  Advocacy for special needs transportation is a function of all AAAs  No funding source mandates transportation funding; AAA funding for transportation is optional  Two revenue sources allow funding of transportation  Federal Older Americans Act Title IIIB  State Senior Citizens Services Act  Funding has not kept up with the growth of the aging population  Engage your local AAA, they are a valuable community partner

 RTPOs responsible for Human Services Transportation Plans (HSTP)  Plans updated every 4 years  WSDOT Consolidated Grants require projects be included in HSTP  Planning process: stakeholder outreach, surveys, focus groups, input from other plans & population/census data  HSTP updates due 2014

 WSDOT developing process for gathering, analyzing & reporting on statewide human services transportation plans/needs  Includes specific RTPO requirements  Draft of Plan and work of HSTP Committee

 Communities, counties and organizations around the state conduct planning  Clark County Commission on Aging  SW Washington Accessible Transportation Coalition  Veteran’s Transportation Planning (sponsored by WSDOT looking statewide)

 Washington State requires each of the 32 public transits (rural, small and large urban) around the state to develop and submit a Transportation Development Plan to WSDOT every 5 years  Current Plan due 9/1/2013  Includes short, medium and long term plans  Goals include capital, service, siting, operating and financial status  Informational for WA State Legislature to be informed of status  Requires public comment; typically at Board Mtgs but some more extensive  Transits are funded through sales tax, Federal Transit Administration and/or WSDOT Consolidated Grants  Involvement with RTPO/MPOs and local governments to ensure coordination

 Conduct webinar  Archive webinar on CTA-NW website  Provide networking/information sharing  Maintain contact information  AAA  RTPO  Local and county based planning  Transit agencies

 Bi-annual web conferences/meetings to update membership/others on challenges & successes  HSTP Process  AAA planning process  Statewide HSTP & RTP0