CITY COMMISSION AGENDA ITEM

Department:	Transit		Commission Meeting Date:  June 19, 2018
Staff Contact:	Robert Nugent, Transit Administrator Jessica Mortinger, Senior Transportation Planner
Recommendations/Options/Action Requested:
Receive the Bus Transfer Location Analysis and direct staff on next steps.
Executive Summary:		Lawrence Transit and the Lawrence Douglas County Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) hired TranSystems to conduct a bus transfer location analysis. The Lawrence Bus Transfer Location Analysis builds upon previous efforts to identify a location in Lawrence where a transit transfer location would be most beneficial to the city. The goal of the study was to identify a transit transfer facility location that would ultimately make the transit system more efficient allowing transit users to access the system connections in a centralized location.    A comprehensive public engagement process was conducted to engage members of the community and stakeholders. The goal was to engage diverse groups and individuals within Lawrence to understand the community’s vision for a transfer location. A series of public meetings, public surveys, and discussions with city and other community leaders were conducted to recommend a transfer location that best serves the needs of the community. Over 20 sites were initially identified as possible locations. As the result of landowner planned uses, site access and high acquisition costs all but five sites were eliminated. The five candidate sites were then evaluated based on location to transit dependent populations and by the site criteria developed throughout the public and stakeholder engagement process. Based on this analysis and public input it was determined that the current location on Vermont Street between 7th Street and 8th Street and a site at 1941 Stewart Avenue between 19th Street and 21th Street to be the two best locations for a future transfer hub. The results of this study provide potential sites for a primary transfer hub. Any future consideration of either of these sites would necessitate a detailed operational and engineering study or analysis. The MPO Technical Advisory Committee and the MPO Policy Board approved the Bus Transfer Location Analysis at their May meetings. The Public Transit Advisory Committee (PTAC) will review the study at its June 11^th meeting.
Strategic Plan Critical Success Factor		Safe, Healthy, and Welcoming Neighborhoods Innovative Infrastructure and Asset Management Core Services Collaborative Solutions
Fiscal Impact (Amount/Source):		Funding ($4.5 million) in the Transit Reserve Fund is included in the 2019 Capital Improvement Program for technical studies, site construction and ancillary infrastructure improvements for a transit transfer site. The transfer site project was planned as part of the 0.05 percent sales tax enacted in 2009 to fund transit system capital improvements.
Attachments:		Bus Transfer Location Analysis

Reviewed By: (for CMO use only)

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