11 16 09 City Council Proceedings Official_Special
CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA
CITY COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS
OFFICIAL
The Dubuque City Council met in special session at 5:00 p.m. on November 16, 2009
in the Historic Federal Building.
Present: Mayor Buol, Council Members Braig, Connors, Jones, Resnick, Voetberg,
City Manager Van Milligen, City Attorney Lindahl
Absent: Council Member Lynch
Mayor Buol read the call and stated this is a special session of the City Council to
conduct a work session regarding the Transit Study.
Economic Development Director Dave Heiar provided a brief history of the project
and an overview of the work session process.
A.T. Stoddard, LSC Transportation Consultants, 516 North Tejon Street, Colorado
Springs, Colorado, presented a slide show which reviewed the study process since
December 2008, key findings, and recommendations.
Public input was received from an on-board survey, community meetings,
stakeholder meetings, advisory committee meetings, and website information.
Public input key issues:
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travel time on the bus
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frequency of service
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hours of operation
Operational analysis key findings:
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low system productivity
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some productive route segments
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some poor transfer connections
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excessive travel times
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hours of operation do not support commuters
Demand analysis:
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areas of greatest needs
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residence vs. destination
Transit service goals:
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maintain existing ridership base while attracting new riders
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continue to enhance the environmental sustainability of the transit system
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provide high-quality, customer-oriented service
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provide efficient, effective, and safe services
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promote the transit service
Service options revisited:
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route changes
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subsidized taxi service
Equipment and facilities
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improved signage
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review bus size and type
Recommendations:
Service plan:
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changes in hours of operation and routes
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central transfer point
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year-round downtown shuttle
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circulator route
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on-demand/response service
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integration with Regional Transit Authority
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Mini Bus consolidation
Technology use:
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passenger information signs
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real-time Internet information
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queue-jump lanes
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traffic signal priority
Facility and equipment needs:
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vehicle replacement, additions, and changes
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central transfer facility
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bus stop improvements
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vehicle storage
Financial plan review
City Council discussion included questions regarding the impact on full- and part-time
employee coverage, actual cost per ride and whole-system operation, demand on
vehicles, battery-operated vehicles, immediate integrating with RTA, taxi voucher
system, tweaking the same old system, complicated fee schedule, the need to continue
service, attracting new ridership, impact on tax subsidy, partnership with IBM Smart City
transportation element, prioritize study’s recommendations.
Van Milligen recommended continuing with the process by beginning with the smaller
recommendations and referenced the future impact of downtown housing and the
pending east/west corridor improvements timeline.
LSC Consultants will provide a final report to City Council in December 2009.
There being no further business, upon motion the City Council adjourned at 6:21 p.m.
/s/Jeanne F. Schneider, CMC
City Clerk
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