Title
Presentation: Transit Services
Body
Issue/Request:
Annual presentation to discuss transit services in Lee's Summit
Key Issues:
• The City of Lee’s Summit contracts annually with KCATA and OATS to provide transit services to Lee's Summit residents.
• The City received $3,751,725 in Federal CARES Act Funding for Transit, intended and obligated to pay for transit operating assistance from January 20, 2020, to March 31, 2025 (and the procurement of OATS operated replacement vehicles). The City expects that all CARES Act funds will be expended by the end of 2024, at which time funds programmed in the Capital Improvement Plan and authorized in the FY25 Budget, will be used and matched with the City's allocation of Federal Funding (FTA Section 5307 Funds) to continue transit operations in the transit program.
• Current transit services include on-demand and fixed route commuter express service with limited operation to/from downtown Kansas City.
• Current transit service contracts are in effect through December 2024. Both service contracts have renewal provisions that will be authorized to extend service until December 2025.
• Transit expansions for traditional fixed routes, as previously recommended by KCATA and City Staff through Transit Demand Studies, have had continuing discussion with collaboration of adjacent impacted and potentially participating agencies. Funding these new routes remains a significant barrier to implementation with no funding plan to proceed at this time. Fixed routes in the region also continue experiencing a decline in ridership demands. The express route in Lee's Summit is also experiencing reduced ridership demands. The on demand service (OATS) has not experienced the same decline in transit ridership experienced by many KCATA fixed routes and express routes.
Background:
This presentation intends to generate awareness regarding existing transit services provided by the City of Lee's Summit, highlight those operations, describe ridership experience and demand, outline funding, and summarize the prior discussions in consideration of future transit contracts and expansion. Transit supports transportation alternatives, Livable Streets Policy and the Ignite! Strategic Plan.
Although transit is a priority, the lack of identified funds and/or demand to support and sustain any new or expanded transit service(s) has previously deferred any direction to propose such new or expanded transit service(s).
Presenter
Susan Barry, City Traffic Engineer