AGENDA #4d

MEMORANDUM

TO:	Roger L. Stancil, Town Manager
FROM:	K. Stephen Spade, Transit Director Ken Pennoyer, Business Management Director
SUBJECT:	Project Ordinance for a 2008-09 Transit Planning Grant (Federal Transit Administration Section 5303)
DATE:	May 19, 2008

The attached ordinance would establish a project budget for a Transit planning grant for 2008-2009.

BACKGROUND

The Town has requested federal and State Transit planning funds, known as Section 5303 funds. These funds are awarded to the Town of Chapel Hill under a larger Section 5303 planning grant funded by the Federal Transit Administration and administered by the City of Durham.  As the lead agency for the Urbanized Area, the City of Durham distributes these funds to transit systems.

DISCUSSION

Federal Transit Administration Section 5303 planning funds have been allocated to Chapel Hill in the amount of $138,866 and will be used for general program support and technical assistance of the Town’s Transit and Planning staff.  Tasks to be performed include:

• to participate in the revision to the Triangle Regional Model (designed to capture the regional travel patterns for trips made in the Triangle) and further refinement of the mode split procedures and transit element,
• to collect data on travel behavior of transit riders,
• to revise the 2030 transit plan as part of the development of the 2035 Long Range Plan,
• to administer the development of the Chapel Hill Long Range Transit Plan,
• to participate in implementation of the recommendations of the regional Special Transit Advisory Commission,
• to develop and monitor the annual planning work program,
• to prepare materials for the development of the 2011-2017 TIP and monitor implementation of the 2009-2015 TIP
• to prepare analysis of feasibility of projects for inclusion in the TIP.

The City of Durham will reimburse the Town 90 percent of $138,866 ($124,979) in planning project funds from the Federal Transit Administration and the N.C. Department of Transportation.  The Town will provide the local match of 10 percent ($13,887) for this project, from funds budgeted for this purpose in the Transit Capital Reserve Fund.

RECOMMENDATION

That the Council enact the attached budget ordinance.