Transportation Development How do we get rubber on the road? …..and other burning questions.

Identification of Need Who? (Characteristics) Low income, seniors, disabled, children, general public, any special requirements? What? (Trip Purpose) Work, adult education and training, medical appointments, meeting basic needs, shopping, recreation, inter-modal connections, senior nutrition access…

More Questions Where (origins and destinations) Identify common origins and destinations (this is more specific than from home to work – actual map locations) When (time of day) Is the need varied (medical appointments) or the same every day (commute), or changes because of shift rotation?

Developing Solutions - How Solutions are the answer to the question “how”. How can a specific need be met for a particular element of the population? Often this results in a favored method, vanpool, carpool, demand response, fixed route service. Make sure you know what assets already exist. Maybe you are addressing just a small gap between two existing systems. Maybe coordination of systems could solve the problem.

Involve Consumers If we build it, will you ride? Springdale and Suncrest examples

Where’s the Money? Consolidated Grant Process – State Formula Allocation from FTA to State and to Transit Agencies Limited Discretionary Funding from FTA Brief History of JARC earmarks WorkForce Transportation Iniative Barriers included no license or insurance Resale and loans not approved uses through WSDOT By 2007(?) earmarks were replaced with allocations to states and transit systems.

State Consolidated Grant Process Distributes State Funds Rural Mobility Paratransit Special Needs Distributes Federal Funds 5310-Seniors and Disabled 5311-Rural Public JARC –Employment and Higher Ed New Freedom-Beyond ADA

State Priorities Coordination of services to stretch funding ACCT Preservation of service Service to Unserved/Underserved Options that encourage shared ridership rather than single occupant vehicles.

Are Needs Already Identified to Address our Local Problem? Maybe…

Coordinated Transit Human Services Transportation Plan First plans were submitted in January of All projects seeking funding through state consolidated grant program must be ranked by local CTHSTPs Process required to develop a plan Convene Stakeholder Groups Gather Data and Information Identify Unmet Transportation Needs Develop Transportation Alternatives

Stakeholders ACCT (Local Coalitions) AAAs Assisted Living Communitites City Councils CAAs Community Colleges County Officials Public (and riders)

Stakeholders (Continued) DSHS (CSO) Foundations Group Homes Hospitals and Health Care Providers Local Medicaid Brokers and providers School Districts Employers Non-Profit Transportation Providers

Stakeholders (Continued) Other Non-Profit Organizations Nursing Homes Private transportation operators Public transit district RTPO RSVP Taxicab Operators Tribal Governments Work First LPA

Data and Information Origins and destinations for people with special transportation needs Use maps where feasible Existing Transportation Services Hours of operation Service area/boundaries Type of service Fares

Identify Unmet Transportation Needs Gaps in service Identify duplication Identify social services that are providing transportation to clients. Find out if they are willing to coordinate to leverage funds. Using GIS/maps can help inform the public and assist planners in developing transportation alternatives.

Develop Transportation Alternatives Offer prioritized solutions to meet the unmet needs. (Prioritization first comes from the community and stakeholder input). Identify how coordination will be utilized within the transportation alternatives.

Updates The plan must be updated during the current state biennium. It will need to be completed by about May of 2010 in order to be available to transportation service developers for the next round of grant applications (August 2010). It is not clear what the update schedule will look like in the surface transportation reauthorization.

Project Ranking for Consolidated Grant Process The RTPO has the responsibility for ranking transportation projects submitted in the Consolidated Grant Process. The RTPO ranks the projects using the priorities set by the community within the plan.

Public Participation The public can participate in the stakeholder meetings. In the first planning process, we used a combination of public survey results (especially to obtain origins/destinations) as well as inviting the public to the stakeholder meetings. United We Ride Framework for Action (focus groups, surveys, needs assessments, public notices)

Questions? Kelly Scalf, Planning and Transportation Division Director