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6 - Resolution in favor of RTD's FasTracks program C I T Y O F B O U L D E R TRANSPORTATION ADVISORY BOARD AGENDA ITEM MEETING DATE: April 12, 2004 AGENDA TITLE: Staff briefing and TAB input on a resolution in favor of RTD’s FasTracks program PRESENTER/S: Tracy Winfree, Director of Public Works for Transportation Randall Rutsch, Senior Transportation Planner EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: FasTracks is RTD’s twelve-year comprehensive plan for high quality transit service and facilities in the region. FasTracks responds to the growing transportation needs of the Denver metropolitan region by providing an enhanced region-wide, reliable and safe transit system. FasTracks includes rapid transit and station improvements in 12 corridors, approximately doubles park-n-ride facilities, and provides for an enhanced bus network. RTD is asking local governments for resolutions of support for the FasTracks proposal prior to the RTD Board finalizing the FasTracks ballot proposal in May. The draft Council resolution on the Regional Transportation District’s FasTracks Attachment A proposal is to this memorandum. Fiscal Impacts: Budgetary: While there are no immediate or direct fiscal impacts to the city, passage of the FasTracks proposal would add four-tenths of 1 cent sales tax to the existing six-tenths of 1 cent sales tax that is collected by RTD. Based on recent sales tax revenues, this would annually generate about $4.7 million in additional revenue to RTD from the city of Boulder Other Impacts: Economic: FasTracks would increase the overall sales tax rate but recent polling indicates that the residents of the region do not consider local taxes to be unduly burdensome. Construction of the FasTracks facilities would be the largest public works project in the region and would produce about 8,000 construction jobs. The resulting rapid transit facilities would provide significantly improved travel times in these regional corridors. Community: The 2003 TMP identifies regional connections as a major focus area and challenge for the future. By making transit improvements on US 36 and the Diagonal and including an enhanced bus network and transit facilities, the AGENDA ITEM # V PAGE 1. FasTracks proposal should support the community’s vision for transportation and increase the options for regional travel. Public feedback: RTD has conducted a number of presentations on the FasTracks proposal in the region and continues to solicit public and agency comment on the proposal. ANALYSIS: While the city is clearly supportive of transit improvements, transportation staff as well as Boulder County and other Boulder County communities have provided RTD staff with a number of comments related to the current FasTracks proposal. Principle areas of concern relate to: Securing a firm and long term RTD commitment to the current and future CTN network in Boulder County. The CTN is needed to provide resident and employee access to the proposed rapid transit facilities of the FasTracks proposal. Current RTD maps do not show several of the existing Boulder County CTN services, including the JUMP and BOLT. Gaining continued support by RTD for the EcoPass program and recognition that this is a key component to the long term success of transit in Boulder and Boulder County Ensuring that proposed improvements on the US 36 corridor reflect the Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA) from the Major Investment Study (MIS) and are supported by the Mayors and County Commissioners Coalition. The LPA supports a balanced package of improvements including Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), commuter rail, roadway widening and a corridor bicycle facility. The attached resolution assumes RTD agreement with the city’s position in these areas. The Board is asked to review and comment on the attached draft resolution. Attachments: Attachment A: Resolution In Support Of the Regional Transportation District’s FasTracks Ballot Initiative AGENDA ITEM # V PAGE 2. ATTACHMENT A RESOLUTION NO. XXX A RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF THE REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION DISTRICT’S FasTracks Ballot Initiative WHEREAS, The City of Boulder and the Regional Transportation District (RTD) share a commitment to transit alternatives for citizens across the Denver Metropolitan Region; WHEREAS, Meeting the varied transit needs for citizens within RTD’s jurisdiction entails the provision of a spectrum of transit services, including local , regional bus service, Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) as well as further investments in rail technologies; WHEREAS, RTD has recognized the value of working in partnership with local communities to resolve their transit concerns and has committed continued support to the current and future Boulder County Community Transit Network (CTN); WHEREAS, The City of Boulder has a rich tradition of transit innovation in partnership with RTD, including joint development of the Eco-pass program, bike rack installations, the CTN routes of the SKIP, JUMP, BOUND, DASH, STAMPEDE and BOLT/LOBO services, and the HOP shuttle bus service; WHEREAS, Boulder’s continuing investment of local financial resources for the Boulder Transit Village, CTN transit service, transit operational improvements and transit stop amenities is substantive evidence of our community’s enthusiasm for transit; WHEREAS, Boulder’s Transportation Master Plan (TMP), calls for additional CTN local transit services and an increase in regional bus service to limit the growth in vehicle miles of travel and accommodate increased in-commuting by a growing employment workforce; WHEREAS, the Board of Directors of the Regional Transportation District, November 18, 2003, formally adopted a major regional transit plan known as “FasTracks”, and WHEREAS, the Denver Regional Council of Governments, which is the designated metropolitan planning organization, has completed their review of the FasTracks plan and concluded it is both technically and fiscally sound; WHEREAS, the said plan will require voter approval in November, 2004, for implementation of a four tenths of a cent sales tax increase to enable the development of the proposed transit system, WHEREAS, the region wide FasTracks program will offer transportation choice to all residents of the Denver metropolitan region, generate roughly 10,000 jobs (8,000 construction jobs and 1,200-1,800 operations jobs)*, and create an opportunity for Transit Orientated Development and potential increase in property values; and, WHEREAS, increased transportation choice and reduced congestion on the regional corridors to Boulder will support the local economy and have long term economic benefits to Boulder residents; WHEREAS, RTD has a well-demonstrated history of developing projects within their projected budgets and time schedules, and the RTD transit projects have consistently attracted ridership levels far beyond projections and indicative of strong public appreciation and approval; WHEREAS, The FasTracks Plan offers a service packages that will enable the City of Boulder to achieve XX of the additional local and regional service hours identified in the City of Boulder’s Transportation Master Plan: XX new annual service hours for local and small bus circulator service (XX% increase) and AGENDA ITEM # V PAGE 3. XX new annual service hours for intra-Boulder County service with one end of the service in the City of Boulder (XX% increase); WHEREAS, The FasTracks Plan supports the results of the Major Investment Study (MIS) for the US 36 corridor by committing $791.4 million to implement a balanced package of multimodal improvements in the corridor, including $XX dollars for BRT, $XX dollars for rail, $XX dollars for local transit support, and $XX dollars for park-n-ride improvements; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BOULDER, COLORADO, THAT: 1) The Boulder City Council supports the FasTracks Plan and encourages the citizens of Boulder and the Denver Region to vote in support the FasTracks Plan; 2) The Boulder City Council supports the four tenths of a cent sales tax increase to expand transit in Boulder and the region and encourages the citizens of Boulder and the Denver Region to vote in support of the four tenths of a cent sales tax increase; and 3) The Boulder City Council continues to strongly urge the Regional Transportation District to incrementally implement the CTN new service hours by the year 200X. INTRODUCED, READ, PASSED, AND ADOPTED this XXst day of May, 2004. ________________________ Will Toor, Mayor ATTEST: __________________________ Alisa Lewis City Clerk AGENDA ITEM # V PAGE 4.