Memorandum

City of Lawrence

Planning & Development Services

TO:	Diane Stoddard, Interim City Manager
CC:	Scott McCullough, Director of Planning & Development Services
FROM:	Jessica Mortinger, Transportation Planner
DATE:	July 9, 2015
RE:	Competitive Consolidated Planning Grant Applications to KDOT

Background

KDOT is accepting applications for Transportation Planning work as part of their Competitive Consolidated Planning Grant funding program. Calls for applications typically occur every three years. Proposed projects will be graded on a scale to determine their relevance to Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) Planning work, the MPO’s ability to complete the project and the project’s ability to enhance livability, sustainability, innovation, and interagency cooperation. During the 2012 round of applications, Lawrence and Douglas County successfully received funding for three studies: the Countywide Bikeway System Plan, the Fixed-Route Transit & Pedestrian Accessibility Study and the Commuter Park & Ride Study. Those completed studies can be found online at: www.lawrenceks.org/mpo/study

Project Description

The Lawrence - Douglas County MPO Policy Board has prioritized two proposed projects for applications to the Competitive CPG process:

• Transit Comprehensive Operations Analysis (COA) – An in-depth study to provide detailed review of the existing transit system to enhance service quality for existing and new customers, and increase the value of the system for the community it serves. The study will include extensive data collection and analysis that will paint a picture of commuting patterns, latent demand, financial planning needs, operational deficiencies, how best to close those deficiencies given existing resources, and explore the feasibility of fare free.

Using data collected in this analysis, the COA will present recommendations with the aim of increasing ridership and productivity throughout the service area, more efficient utilization of limited financial resources, and generally improving connectivity both within and between adjacent service areas.  

• Bike Share Feasibility – Study the feasibility and the market demand for a bike share system, identify an operator and implementation strategies. This analysis could explore the appropriate service areas, opportunities to integrate with transit services, select a business model, identify an operator or host agency and identify funding opportunities for implementation. This project will develop a feasible plan and implementation strategy for a Bike Share program that, increases access to bicycles for transportation, promotes healthy living, increases bicycling visibility, reduces our community’s carbon footprint and improves access to transit.

This additional federal funding if awarded will be available for use by the MPO in 2016 and will be programmed in the MPO’s 2016 Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP). Projects funded from this source will use 80% federal funds with a required 20% local cash match. The proposed match for the Transit COS is local transit funding. The proposed match for the bike share feasibility study is the MPO match identified in the 2016 proposed Planning & Development Services budget.

Staff Recommendation

Consider submitting applications to KDOT to complete transportation planning efforts under the Competitive CPG (Consolidated Planning Grant) funding program.

Action

Direct staff to submit applications to KDOT for two transportation planning efforts under KDOT’s Competitive CPG funding program, if appropriate.