Memorandum

City of Lawrence

City Manager’s Office

 

DATE:

12/09/08

TO:

David L. Corliss, City Manager

FROM:

Casey Toomay, Budget Manager / Interim Transit Administrator

CC:

Cynthia Boecker, Assistant City Manager; Diane Stoddard, Assistant City Manager; Jonathan Douglass, Assistant to the City Manager; Members of the University of Kansas / City of Lawrence Transit Planning Team

RE:

RFP – Route and Schedule Design for Coordinated Transportation Services for the City of Lawrence and University of Kansas

 

Please place the following item on the City Commission agenda for consideration at their December 16, 2008 meeting:

 

Authorize staff to advertise an Request For Proposals (RFP) for route and schedule design for coordinated transportation services for the City of Lawrence and University of Kansas.

 

Project Description

The City and University have explored the feasibility of coordinating and/or consolidating existing Lawrence public transit services and University transit services for the best interests of the City and University communities.  The City and University are working together towards the goal of providing seamless service to all transit users, regardless of the level of coordination, consolidation, or the possibility of a future merger.

 

The purpose of the Coordinated Public Transportation Route and Schedule Design completed by the selected firm(s) will be to develop a plan for a coordinated system of fixed routes and schedules for both the City’s current public transportation system, called the “T”, and the University’s current transportation system, “KU on Wheels”.

 

Project History

In the summer of 2005, a Transit Task Force at the University conducted a transportation study to review legal issues, options for providing services, proposed routes, estimated costs, and methods for recovering costs.  The City participated with the Task Force, and the study included consideration of various possibilities for coordination between KU on Wheels and Lawrence Transit (the T).

 

The Task Force went through an intensive process to identify core values and a vision for the expanded transit system at the University, and submitted a final report to the Provost.  The Provost approved various recommendations, including further consideration of the possibility of a coordinated or consolidated transportation system with the City of Lawrence, and a Transit Implementation Task Force was appointed.

 

The report was presented to the Mayor and City Commission in October 2005.  The Mayor and City Commission stated that they were open to the idea of coordination but that they wanted more information on the specifics of the coordinated system and how that would impact the residents of Lawrence. 

 

The City participated in the Transit Implementation Task Force, and both the City and University agreed to work together in having a “Coordinated Public Transportation Development Plan” developed.  This plan was completed in 2006. 

 

Since that time, a number of recommendations in the Coordinated Public Transportation Development Plan have been implemented and the City and University have met to discuss further implementation. 

 

In August of 2008, KU on Wheels and the T began honoring passes and transfers between the two systems.  Through a proposal approved by KU's Transit Commission and the Lawrence City Commission, KU students, faculty and staff are able to show their KU Card to board any City bus and T bus pass holders are able to board any regular KU fixed route bus for no additional charge. 

 

In October of 2008, the City and University signed a Letter of Intent to explore the establishment of a coordinated, consolidated, or merged transit system.  The goal is to create seamless service with a target implementation date of July 2009.  A planning team, made up of representatives from the City and KU, meet regularly to work toward this goal. 

 

That team conducted two open house style public meetings to gather input on what the future of transit should be in Lawrence.  The team feels it is appropriate to bring in outside experts to design routes and schedules that reflect that future. 

 

Project Funding

This project will be funded equally by the City and the University of Kansas.  The Lawrence Douglas County Metropolitan Planning Organization has secured $20,000 to be used for this project in its 2009 Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP.)  The City and KU will also pursue funds from the Kansas Department of Transportation, which has also expressed support for this project.  Both of these sources of funds would require a local match, which would be paid equally by the University and the City.

 

Action Request: 

Authorize staff to advertise an RFP for route and schedule design for coordinated transportation services for the City of Lawrence and University of Kansas.

 

Thank you for your assistance.  Please advise if you have any questions.