HomeMy WebLinkAbout13.F.2. Discussion Regarding Operation and Maintenance of the "Southbridge" Park and Ride
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City of Shakopee, Minnesota \3. f: d--
MEMORANDUM
TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
Mark McNeill, City Administrator
FROM: R. Michael Leek, Shakopee Community Development Director
RE: Discussion Regarding Short- and Long-term Operation and Maintenance
of the "Southbridge Crossings Station" Park and Ride
MEETING DATE: December 5, 2006
INTRODUCTION:
Staff asked for the opportunity to update the Council on discussions at the Transit Review
Board (TRB) regarding both the short- and long-term operation of park and ride facilities.
Council is asked to provide staff with its consensus view of the proposed short- and long-
term operation and maintenance approaches.
DISCUSSION:
On November 22,2006 staff provided the TRB with a) an overview of the suggested
option for short-term operation and maintenance oftheCSAH 18 park and ride site, b) an
overview of transit funding, and c) operations models used in the Twin Cities
Metropolitan Area. Also at that meeting, the TRB decided that the name of the new park
and ride facility moving forward should bOe "Southbridge Crossings Station."
Short-term Approach:
Rather than trying to implement one of the more comprehensive approaches by the
opening of the new park and ride, the Transit Planning Team (TPT) and TRB suggest that
for the next seven months or so the TRB and the TPT focus on completing and opening
the new park and ride and establishing the expanded express service. The TRB and TPT
believe the following outline provides an effective interim approach to management and
operation:
. Shakopee Transit and Prior Lake would continue to operate their transit services
independently. However, it is assumed that express bus schedules would be
coordinated, and that both cities would utilize Southbridge Crossings Station.
. Allow title to the "Southbridge Crossings Station" site to reside in Scott County
for a period of up to eighteen months;
. Each of the partners (Prior Lake, Shakopee, and Scott County) provide either
cash, in-kind, or a combination of cash and in-kind contributions for the operation
and maintenance of the park and ride. Each partner would need to determine
which services it prefers to provide in-kind (e.g. snowplowing, maintenance of
landscaped areas). A value would be assigned to those services, and counted as
an offset against the partner's annual contribution. (See the attached sample
annual budget for examples of the types of services that would be needed)
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. Those services not provided in-kind would be contracted for. An example is the
City of Shakopee' s use of the County sheltered workshop employees to maintain
the transit shelter at Seagate, which could be done for the shelters at the new site
at) well.
0 One of the partners would take over contract administration for these
semces.
0 The costs of these contracts would be shared by the partners, keeping in
mind the in-kind service costs.
Transition of Dial-a-Ride Services to Scott County Transit:
One of the key recommendations of the Unified Transit Management Plan (UTMP) for
Scott County is that Scott County take over all dial-a-ride services for the county, and
that the City's of Prior Lake and Shakopeefocus on the provision of express and
circulator bus service. It is proposed that this transition for the City of
Shakopee/Shakopee Transit occur on January 1, 2007. Because there would be a
temporary shortfall in Scott County Transit's operating budget, it is suggested that the
City make a payment of $99,000 to Scott County Transit from transit reserve funds to
facilitate the implementation of this transition in service. Because express bus service is
not likely to begin before April of2007, this payment would be somewhat offset by
savings that result from the later start of express service.
Shakopee would continue to be billed by Scott County Transit on a monthly basis for the
circulator service that the County operates under contract to the City.
Long-term Approach:
There are several existing approaches in the Twin Cities Metropolitan Area to the
management of transit services and facilities. These include;
. Individual City operations (e.g. Shakopee, Prior Lake, Plymouth, and Maple
Grove)
. Joint Powers Arrangements (e.g. Minnesota Valley Transit Authority/MVTA
and Southwest Transit/SW) - MYT A is a joint powers arrangement of the cities
of Savage, Bumsville, Apple Valley, Eagan, and Rosemount. SW is a joint
powers arrangement of the cities of Chaska, Chanhassen, and Eden Prairie.
. County Operations (e.g. Anoka County)
There is some sense at the TRB that for the long-term it may be appropriate to take more
of a county-wide approach to transit service and facilities. In doing so, implicitto the
approach is cooperation with MYT A which serves the City of Savage. .The TRB
supported having the TPT over the next 12- 18-months further develop a more county-
wide approach.
ACTION REQUESTED:
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Council is asked to take the following actions;
1. Offer and pass a motion, providing direction to City staff and Councilor Clay (as
representative to the TRB) on whether to follow the short-term operation and
maintenance strategy outlined in this memorandum.
2. Offer and pass a motion transferring dial-a-ride services to Scott County Transit
effective January 1, 2007 and consistent with the UTMP.
3. Offerand pass a motion authorizing the appropriate City officials to remit to Scott
County Transit $99,000.00 from transit reserve funds to support transition of Dial
a Ride Services from Shakopee Transit to Scott County Transit.
4; Offer and pass a motion directing City staff and Councilor Clay as the City's
representative to the TRB to continue working with the TPT and TRB on a
county-wide approach to operation and maintenance of park and ride and transit
service facilities in Scott County.
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