AGENDA #17a

BUDGET WORKING PAPER

TO:                  W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager

FROM:            Mary Lou Kuschatka, Transportation Director

SUBJECT:       Additional FY 2004-05 State Allocation Used in Part for Bus Amenities

DATE:             April 27, 2005

At the March 23, 2005 Budget Forum, the Transportation Board and the Community Design Commission requested that the Council allocate funding for improved amenities at bus stops.

The Town received $1,328,571 in additional state transportation funds for transit operations this year.  A recommendation for use of the additional funds was discussed by the Public Transit Committee at their February 16, 2005 committee meeting.  The Committee agreed to endorse allocation of the additional funding to specified projects and the Transportation Capital Reserve Fund.  The Town Council approved the Committee’s recommendation on March 7, 2005.  Please see the attached agenda item from the March 7 meeting. 

The approved projects included $289,223 for improvements to bus amenities.  The highest priority improvement is the addition of “Code Blue” emergency phones for all park and ride lots.  The Jones Ferry park and ride lot is the only lot that currently has a code blue emergency phone.  The Transit Department would need to purchase four additional units to equip the remaining park and ride lots. 

Other improvements needed system-wide include additional shelters, benches, concrete pads, trash cans, glass replacement for cloudy Plexiglas shelters, bus stop schedule displays, and/or solar lighting at the bus shelters.  The Transportation staff will work with the transit partner’s staff working group to identify and prioritize the specific needs and locations for the amenities.