AGENDA #1f

 

MEMORANDUM

 

TO:                  Mayor and Town Council

 

FROM:            W. Calvin Horton, Town Manager

 

SUBJECT:       Proposed Use of Transportation Grants in 2003-04

 

DATE:             March 26, 2003

 

INTRODUCTION

 

The purpose of tonight’s forum is to receive citizen comments on potential uses of State and federal transportation grant funds.

 

BACKGROUND & DISCUSSION

 

Preliminary recommendations for use of funds are as follows:

 

Operating Assistance:

 

These funds would support services of the public transit system in the Chapel Hill/Carrboro area, which currently operates 22 bus routes, demand-responsive shared ride service, and service for the elderly and mobility-impaired people.

 

The estimated amount of operating assistance to be requested for 2003-04 is about $932,000 from the Federal Transit Administration and $1,573,000 from the N.C. Department of Transportation, or about 27% of the operating cost of the transit system.

 

Capital Projects:

 

About $1,638,800 of federal funds would be requested.  In addition, State grant funds (10%) would be requested to help cover matching costs.  Proposed uses of funds are:

 

• Replacement of four shared-ride vehicles, three supervisory vehicles, and five vans for the mobility-impaired services.  Expansion vehicles may also be purchased.  They include: Four shared-ride vehicles and four lift-equipped vans for services provided to the mobility impaired.

 

• Technology funds for the bus fleet, which will include mobile data terminals for the demand response services;

 

• Purchase-associated capital maintenance items, including air conditioning compressors, bus tires, and engine rebuilds;

 

• Funds for the architectural and engineering work for the new transit/operations facility.

 

Planning

 

About $180,000 of federal funds would be requested for short-range transit planning projects, including the Transportation Improvement Plan, bicycle and pedestrian facility planning, traffic volume counts, and air quality conformity reviews.  

 

RECOMMENDATION

 

We recommend that the Council refer comments from tonight’s forum to the Manager for consideration in development of a budget proposal.