ICAAP_Smarter Travel Study Grant ApplicationTHE CITY OF
Dui
Masterpiece on the Mississippi
TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
Dubuque
kital
All- America City
II 111!
2012
SUBJECT: ICAAP Grant Application Smarter Travel Study including College Route,
Midtown Loop, and IBM Research and Pilot Route Implementation and
Shopping Circulator
DATE: February 14, 2013
Economic Development Director Dave Heiar and Transit Director Barbara Morck are
recommending the City submit an application to the Iowa Department of Transportation
for an Iowa Clean Air Attainment Program (ICAAP) grant for two additional years of
funding assistance for the Midtown Loop and Feeder and the Nightrider bus routes and
a third year of funding for the Shopping Circulator.
While a third year of funding for the Shopping Circulator will be requested from the Iowa
Department of Transportation, it is an unusual request and may not receive funding.
Should funding not be received, the City has the following three options:
1. Discontinue the route and service to west -end shopping destinations, which
would require conducting public hearings due to dramatic decrease in service
2. Discontinue the route and return previous Red, Green and Grey Line service to
west end with increased headways of an additional 60 minutes (example Wal-
Mart with Shopping Circulator 45 min; without 1 hr 45 min) and added cost of
$38,673
3. Continue the route as is at a cost of $102,519
The City would also be committing to adequately maintaining and operating the routes.
I concur with the recommendation and respectfully request Mayor and City Council
approval.
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Michael C. Van Milligen
MCVM:jh
Attachment
cc: Barry Lindahl, City Attorney
Cindy Steinhauser, Assistant City Manager
Teri Goodmann, Assistant City Manager
David Heiar, Economic Development Director
Barbara Morck, Transit Director
2
Masterpiece on the Mississippi
MEMO
TO: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
FROM: David Heiar, Economic Development Director
Barbara Morck, Transit Director
CC: Kelley Deutmeyer, ECIA Executive Director
Candace Eudaley, ECIA Assistant Executive Director
Dubuque
bikri
All-America City
'1111'
2007
RE: ICAAP Grant Application Smarter Travel Study including college route, Midtown Loop, and IBM
research and pilot route implementation and Shopping Circulator
DATE: February 12, 2013
PURPOSE
To discuss the application for an Iowa Clean Air Attainment Program (ICAAP) grant and request a
formal resolution from city council stating that it shall (1) commit the necessary local match funding for
project implementation and (2) upon project completion, commit to adequately maintaining and
operating the routes through maintenance level budgeting.
The requirement to maintain the routes beyond the contract period is not hard and fast. This expansion
and reconfiguration of routes is a pilot to determine if these routes will increase ridership and provide
efficiencies. If indeed the pilot program is successful, the new system could continue indefinitely. If the
pilot is not successful as determined by the City, the revised system can be abandoned.
BACKGROUND
In January 2012, the Dubuque Metropolitan Area Transportation Study (DMATS) was awarded an Iowa
Clean Air Attainment Program (ICAAP) grant for the Smarter Travel Study which included the
development of two pilot routes for The Jule. The intent of this project was a multi -year application with
funding being used to adjust The Jule's fixed route service based on efficiencies created with the
MidTown Loop & Feeder's implementation, however due to the large amount of funding requested the
Iowa DOT chose to fund only the first year of the project (FY 2013) and requested that an application
for second year funding be submitted for the FY 2014 round of funding.
This proposed ICAAP grant would build on The Jule's previous success in addition of the two pilot
routes into fixed route operations: MidTown Loop & Feeder and the Nightrider. The second year of
grant funding would allow for the amending the existing fixed route system routes to increase the
efficiency and effectiveness of the transit system and create shorter wait and travel time for
passengers. The grant funds would allow the Nightrider service to continue for another year; this is a
route that was specifically tailored to meet college student need for weekend - evening transportation.
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The MidTown Loop & Feeder route was designed based on Origin /Destination (010) data gathered by
IBM as part of the Smarter Travel project, and will operate during transit's regular hours of operation
(6am -6pm M -F, 8am -6pm on Saturday). During the first year the MidTown Feeder will provide reduces
travel times between the downtown interchange and the Delhi /midtown area, and the MidTown Loop
between Delhi /midtown and the JFK Circle/ ARC Transfer and beyond through its connection with the
Shopping Circulator route. The start date for the MidTown Loop & Feeder was originally scheduled for
October 2012, but because of delays in the grant funding it is now anticipated to start in early March
2013.
The Nightrider route, a route designed in collaboration with the local college /university students, began
operation September 28, 2012.The route provides public transit service on Friday and Saturday
evenings from 6:OOpm to 2:40am between Delhi and the three campuses to downtown and west -end
shopping, restaurant and entertainment destinations. The Nightrider provides service to each college
campus every 30 minutes.
The Nightrider route, which was developed in partnership with the local colleges /universities, has
received an exceptional - and to some degree unexpected - response from the general public. Use of
the route by the general public is approximately 70% of the to -date total ridership, and is shown below:
Nightrider Ridership
Summary
9/28/12 -1 /28/2013
Clarke
University
Loras College
University of
Dubuque
General
Public
To
o
REPORT Subtotal
173
844
94
2516
3627
REPORT % of Total
Ridership
4.77%
23.27%
2.59%
69.37%
In the original ICAAP grant application the Nightrider route was slated to operate for 40 weeks during
the school year and would start service in late August 2012 and end in late May 2013. But because of
delays in the release of the grant funding the route did not start until September 28, 2012. The delayed
start of the Nightrider route proved to be somewhat problematic in that by the time the route was
running students had already begun developing transportation habits that did not include public transit
(specifically the Nightrider).
The Nightrider route is scheduled to end FY 2013 on May 25th at which point it will have operated a total
of 35 weeks. Because of the delays in start -up of the two routes there will be unspent portions of the
ICAAP grant. An additional memo has been submitted requesting that excess funds, created by the
delay in start -up of the two routes, be shifted to provide funding that if approved would allow if the
Nightrider service to continue throughout the summer of 2013. The proposed continued operation of the
Nightrider route would utilize the unspent porting of the funding and avert any potential of having to
return unspent funds to the Iowa Department of Transportation (IA DOT).
The Shopping Circulator, which began service in 2011, is an integral route in the Smarter Travel study
as it provides Dubuque's only service to major west -end shopping destinations. The creation of the
Shopping Circulator was the first step in improving Dubuque's transit service and was based on
recommendations from the 2009 LSC Study. The goal of the Shopping Circulator is to change the way
The Jule moves residents between high traffic shopping venues and has had positive impacts on the
fixed -route system as a whole. Because of the Shopping Circulator, efficiencies of travel time were
found in the system that created a reduction in wait times at transfer points and provided shorter
2
headways. This west -end circulator will be complimented by the proposed MidTown Loop and Feeder
as they will connect at the JFK Circle. These routes combined will reduce travel times between
downtown and midtown locations and improve connectivity between downtown and west end locations.
The Shopping Circulator has created $38,673 in annual efficiencies, increased annual rides by 32,484
and reduced travel times from downtown to west end destinations by as much as 60 minutes.
DISCUSSION
The proposed ICAAP application is for two additional years beyond this year (FY 2014 -2015) and
includes the continuation of the pilot routes through the end of year -two funding. A third year of funding
is being requested because through the IBM Smarter Travel project, IBM and The Jule need an
appropriate length time in which to collaborate and identify routes that will create efficiencies and
increase the effectiveness of the fixed route system. The identification process will take place primarily
during year -two and the route changes and implementation will occur during the third year of the grant.
In order to gather public input and feedback about the re- structuring of the fixed route system numerous
public information and education meetings will be held throughout.
IBM's participation in the IBM Smarter Travel project was ICAAP- funded in year 1. Development and
their involvement in the project will continue during years 2 and 3, but no additional funding will be
requested for IBM as much of their work will occur during the first year of the grant. The public
meetings, outreach and public participation in the re- design of the existing fixed route system that will
occur in year 2 and 3, will involve a significant commitment of time and energy and will be led by The
Jule and ECIA staff.
Nightrider
In the year 2 and 3 grant application we are proposing that the Nightrider route be funded to operate on
Friday and Saturday evenings during the school year as well as throughout the summer. The Nightrider
route was created based on feedback provided by students and administrators at the local
colleges /universities. The year 2 request keeps the amount of financial commitment for the local match
by the colleges the same and provides time for college administration to evaluate the route, ridership,
and incorporate these potential on -going costs into their operating budgets. Grant funds requested for
years 2 and 3 would total $518,454 with the colleges sharing the match of $68,172, and the city
providing the remaining match of $35,519.
MidTown Loop & Feeder
The MidTown Loop & Feeder route will operate Monday through Saturday using two buses on a 30
minute headway. As designed through the IBM Smarter Travel project, this route will overlay the
existing routes in year 1 allow for the transitioning of riders to the pilot route. In year 2 the data will be
tweaked by IBM in preparation for implementation of a fixed route structure in year 3. The MidTown
Loop & Feeder pilot route is essential to this project as without it IBM does not have a "model" route to
use in the reworking and verification of their analysis methods. Grant funds requested for years 2 and
3 would total $1,183,851 with the city providing the match of $236,770.
Shopping Circulator
Since its beginning in 2011, the Shopping Circulator has created $38,673 in annual efficiencies,
increased annual ridership by 32,484 and reduced travel times from downtown to west end destinations
by as much as 60 minutes. As the MidTown Loop and Feeder are planned to serve as the backbone for
the Downtown to Midtown routes, the Shopping Circulator is expected to serve in the same capacity for
Dubuque's West -End and undergo additional changes in year 2. All of the data gathered through the
IBM Smarter Travel project will contain the Shopping Circulator and suggestions for route
improvements will be based on this route being in existence. The Shopping Circulator is essential for a
3
viable overall project. If we do not have the Shopping Circulator, the data gathered by IBM to rework
The Jule's routes will be inaccurate. The current cost of operation for this route is $181,124/year. Grant
funds requested for year 2 would total $181,124 with the city providing the match of $36,225.
While a third year of funding for the Shopping Circulator will be requested from the Iowa Department of
Transportation, it is an unusual request and may not receive funding. Should funding not be received,
the City has the following three options:
1. Discontinue the route and service to west -end shopping destinations, which would require
conducting public hearings due to dramatic decrease in service
2. Discontinue the route and return previous Red, Green and Grey Line service to west end with
increased headways of an additional 60 minutes (example WalMart with Shopping Circulator 45 min;
without 1 hr 45 min) and added cost of $38,673
3. Continue the route as is at a cost of $102,519
FINANCIAL
The proposed routes would be funded through ICAAP funds from the Iowa DOT, matching funds from
IBM, the three local colleges, and the city of Dubuque as summarized in Attachment A.
RECOMMENDATION
We recommend continuing the IBM Smarter Travel Project for years 2 and 3, and for the City of
Dubuque to continue to participate with DMATS and IBM in the project. The ICAAP grant application to
IA DOT will request funding at 80% of the total project cost for both years. We recommend the City
continue to partner with the local colleges /universities on the 20% local match needed for the Nightrider
route, and the City provide the 20% local match needed for the MidTown Loop & Feeder route. We
also recommend requesting additional funding that would allow the Shopping Circulator to be included
in the IBM Smarter Travel project as part of the system re- design, and that the City provide the year 2
required 20% local match.
ACTION
The action requested is for the City Council to adapt the attached resolution supporting the ICAAP
application.
F: \USERS \Econ Dev \Transit \Transit- ICAAP Grant Application\20130212 MEMO ICAAP 2014.docx
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RESOLUTION NO. 49 -13
A RESOLUTION ENDORSING THE SUBMISSION OF AN IOWA CLEAN AIR
ATTAINMENT PROGRAM (ICAAP) GRANT APPLICATION TO THE IOWA
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION TO FUND THE IBM SMARTER TRAVEL
PROJECT AND CONTINUATION OF TWO PILOT ROUTE AND SHOPPING
CICRULATOR ROUTE SERVICES
Whereas, the Iowa Clean Air Attainment Program (ICAAP) provides funding for
reducing congestion, reducing travel or single- occupant vehicle usage, and improving
air quality; and
Whereas, the ICAAP program is an 80/20 match, 80% federal funds, 20% local
match funds; and
Whereas, the City Council finds that the IBM Smarter Travel project, which
includes the Nightrider, MidTown Loop & Feeder and (if approved by IA DOT) Shopping
Circulator routes, would promote clean air standards in Dubuque and provide a new
form of public transit service for the citizens of Dubuque.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF
DUBUQUE, IA:
Section 1. That the City Council of the City of Dubuque, Iowa hereby endorses
the attached application to the Iowa Clean Air Attainment Program which includes a
20% local match for the Nightrider, MidTown Loop & Feeder and (if approved by IA
DOT) Shopping Circulator routes.
Section 2. The City also agrees to be responsible for adequately maintaining
and operating the routes through maintenance level budgeting.
Section 3. That the City Manager is authorized to sign, on behalf of the City
Council, the application for the ICAAP grant.
Passed, approved and adopted this 18th date of February, 2 i 13.
Roy Buol, Mayor
Attest:
K= in S. Firnstahl, Cit`Clerk
F: \USERS \Econ Dev \Transit \Transit - ICAAP Grant Application \Resolution for City Council 2- 13- 13.docx