Short Range Transit Plan 2008-2013 - Omnitrans

IBI GROUP SHORT RANGE TRANSIT PLAN REPORT
OMNITRANS COMPREHENSIVE OPERATIONAL ASSESSMENT
& SHORT RANGE TRANSIT PLAN
Public Outreach
Activity
Short Range
Transit Plan
Grants
Emergency and
Temporary
Event Service
Changes
Special Planning
Studies
Description of Activity Legal Requirements Outreach Opportunities
The Short Range Transit Plan (SRTP) provides a plan
to guide the development of Omnitrans and includes
the evaluation of existing service and designing new
services. The SRTP is a tool to assist in the daily
operation, planning, financing and management of
Omnitrans.
Omnitrans applies for project grants throughout the
year from the Federal Transit Administration. The
majority of grants fall into one of the following
categories: Urbanized Area Formula Grants (Section
5307) which provide capital and operating assistance
to transit agencies in urban areas and Discretionary
Capital Program (Section 5309) which provides
discretionary capital assistance for construction of
new fixed guideway systems, extensions to fixed
guideway systems, buses, and bus-related facilities.
Service changes that result in temporary road detours
due to road maintenance, road construction, natural
disasters, manmade disasters or events or activities
requiring road closure. An earthquake damaging a
road, a terrorist act resulting in the destruction of a
highway, or a street festival that closes off a road are
all examples of emergency or temporary events that
require a change in service. Changes in service could
include a route change or time change.
Special Planning Studies cover a broad range of
activities and planning, including purchasing land,
replacing or purchasing new vehicles, and adding
transit hubs to studying the feasibility of adding
service to a new area. Special Planning Studies
provide an opportunity to study a project in further
detail.
Legal requirements are related
to the content of the plan.
Section 5307 and 5309 grants
require adherence to public
involvement procedures
identified in 23 CFR Part
450.212.
In accordance with 49 CFR Part
635.7, in an emergency
situation, a service change may
be implemented without a
public hearing. The “Regional
Director” must be notified
concerning the change within
five working days of its
implementation. A public
hearing must be held on the
changes within 60 days of the
implementation, unless the
change is to be in effect for 90
days or less.
No specific legal requirements.
Stakeholder open houses, community open
houses, project website, telephone hotline,
meeting notices, press releases, workshop
comment forms and project newsletter.
Community workshops supplemented by a
project database, meeting notices, customer
newsletters, electronic newsletters, press
releases, workshop comment forms and project
fact sheets.
Timely distribution of information is critical.
Most activities or events leading up to
emergency or temporary service changes often
have little if any advance warning.
Dissemination of information needs to be
comprehensive and rapid. Utilization of the
follow methods is recommended: Omnitrans
website for noticing; email blasts; bus stop flyers
and newspaper advertisements.
Depending on study and the scope of outreach
possibilities, the following activities could be
considered: community workshops
supplemented by a project database, meeting
notices, customer newsletters, electronic
newsletters, press releases, workshop comment
forms and project fact sheets.
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