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Northwest Valley Sun Cities Transit Implementation PlanPublic Meeting

September 2020

Agenda

• Introductions

• Overview of existing conditions

• Overview of Valley Metro accessible transit services

• Overview of potential service concepts

• Questions

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Handouts Available

• A Survey Overview handout and a Potential Service Options handout are available at valleymetro.org/northwestvalley

• This presentation is also available as a PDF on the webpage

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Project Overview

UPCOMING SPEAKER: CAVAN NOONE, VALLEY METRO TRANSIT PLANNER

Project Overview

• Joint effort between MAG and Valley Metro with funding from the Arizona State Legislature

• Purpose: to determine demand for transit service in the Northwest Valley Sun Cities and identify service concepts that meet the unique needs of the community

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Task 4. Final

Report

Task 3. Financial Plan and Funding

Strategies

Task 2. Develop Transit Service

Concepts

Task 1.Existing

Conditions

Existing Conditions

Cumulative Transit Propensity Existing Transit Services

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VM Accessible Transit Services Overview

UPCOMING SPEAKER: GUILLERMO GONZALEZ, PROGRAM COORDINATOR

Valley Metro Services for Sun City and Sun City West for People with Disabilities

• Valley Metro Paratransit, aka Dial-a-Ride

• Valley Metro RideChoice

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Valley Metro Paratransit for Sun City and Sun City West

• Available for ADA certified Individuals

• Available within the ¾ of a mile of a fixed route at the same time the route is available

• Advanced reservation, shared-ride service

• Vans; with taxicabs for overflow

• $4 fare per one-way trip

• Unlimited trips12

Valley Metro RideChoice• Available to ADA certified Individuals within Sun City and Sun City

West

• Available 24/7 on a County wide basis, including holidays

• No advance reservation requirement

• No requirement to share rides

• Rideshare such as Uber, taxicabs, wheelchair-accessible vehicles

• Connections to regional bus and light rail service

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Valley Metro RideChoice

• $3 fare for up to 8 miles ($2 each additional mile)

• Standard program allows 20 one-way trips/month

• 50 trips/month if used for work, school or medical services

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Valley Metro Paratransit for Sun City and Sun City WestValley Metro Paratransit for Sun City and Sun City West

Existing Conditions – Key Findings

Study area demographics substantially different than

Maricopa County

Higher vacancy rate than Maricopa County

Existing transit service does not meet regionally

adopted service standards

Largest share of paratransit trips are

internal to study area

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Transit Survey Findings• Shopping and recreational/social are most

common trip purposes

• Driving automobiles was predominant transportation mode, followed by driving golf carts

• Largest transit concern was that service is not close enough to origins/destinations

• Downtown Phoenix for special events was destination that received largest support from respondents

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Transit Service Concepts

Transit Service Concepts

• Several modes considered• Neighborhood circulator

• Local bus

• Express bus

• Limited stop bus

• No funding currently available

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Neighborhood Circulator

• Short, circuitous routes that connect to the greater transit network and activity centers

• Passenger stops can be fixed or on “flag” basis

• Three alternatives developed

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Neighborhood Circulator Options

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Local Bus

• Traditional fixed-route bus service that typically operates on arterial roadways

• Improvements to existing routes

• Route 106 (Peoria Ave) - increase weekday frequency, add weekend service

• Route 138 (Thunderbird) - increase weekend frequency

• Extension of Routes 138 & 170 to Surprise Civic Center

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Local Bus Improvements

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Local Bus Extensions

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Express Bus

• Freeway-based bus service designed to serve commuter markets by providing peak-period, peak-direction service between suburban areas and downtown Phoenix

• Improvements to existing Route 571-Surprise Express

• Two additional inbound/outbound trips during off-peak periods (e.g. midday, evening)

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Express Bus Option

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Limited Stop Bus

• Enhanced bus service with limited stops to increase transit speed and reliability

• Identified as mid-term recommendation in VM Grand Avenue Study (2017)

• Surprise to Downtown Phoenix via Grand Ave

• All day service with stops in Surprise (2), El Mirage, Peoria, Glendale, and Phoenix (2)

• Base and enhanced service levels identified

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Limited Stop Bus Option

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Cost Estimates

Operating Assumptions for Cost Estimates

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Option/Mode Operating Days SpanWeekday / Saturday / Sunday

Headways

Neighborhood

CirculatorMonday – Friday 12 hours / 0 hours / 0 hours 30 minutes

Local Bus Monday – Sunday 16 hours / 14 hours / 12 hours 30 minutes

Express Bus Monday – Friday 2 inbound trips, 2 outbound trips N/A

Limited Stop 1 Monday – Sunday 16 hours / 14 hours / 12 hours

Scenario 1

Weekday/weekend: 30 minutes

Scenario 2

Weekdays: 15-minute peak, 30-minute

base

Weekends: 30 minutes

1 Source: Valley Metro Grand Avenue Transit Feasibility Study, 2017

Cost Estimates

Type Route

Capital

Costs

Annual

Operating

Costs 1 Regional Partners

EXISTING

SERVICE

Local Bus Improvements

106 – Peoria Ave $600,000 $595,000 Maricopa County, Peoria, Glendale

138 – Thunderbird $0 $130,000

Maricopa County, Peoria, Glendale,

Phoenix

Express Bus Improvements 571- Surprise Express $0 2 $182,000 Maricopa County, Surprise, El Mirage

NEW

SERVICE

Neighborhood Circulator

Option 1A $960,000 $1.31 Million

Maricopa County

Option 1B $960,000 $1.23 Million

Option 2 $800,000 $846,000

Option 3 $800,000 $822,000

Local Bus Extensions

138 – Thunderbird $1.20 Million $1.29 Million Maricopa County, Surprise, El Mirage

170 – Bell Rd $1.20 Million $1.87 Million

Maricopa County, Surprise, Peoria,

Glendale

Limited Stop BusScenario 1 $8.76 Million $4.48 Million

Maricopa County, Surprise, El Mirage,

Peoria, Glendale, PhoenixScenario 2 $29.40 Million $6.96 Million

All costs shown in 2019 dollars except where noted below.1 Operating costs for circulator, local bus extensions, and limited stop options include costs for ADA complementary paratransit services. No additional paratransit services would be required for the Route 106/138 TSPM

improvements.2 Assumes trips are added during off-peak periods when express fleet would be available. If trips are added during peak-periods, two additional vehicles would be required.3 Capital costs shown in 2016 dollars. Operating costs inflated to 2019 dollars. Source: Valley Metro Grand Avenue Transit Feasibility Study, 2017

Capital and Operating Cost Estimates

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Potential Funding Solutions

Funding Opportunities

• No funding currently available for transit service concepts

• Potential funding solutions:1. Establish dedicated local transit/transportation fund (e.g., special tax

district, annual community fee, etc.)

2. Work with MAG and neighboring West Valley communities to program transit options that promote regional connectivity in the next Regional Transportation Plan

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Dedicated Local Transit Fund

• Numerous cities throughout Maricopa County have established their own dedicated transportation tax

• Voters have consistently supported these measures

• As unincorporated communities, the Northwest Valley Sun Cities cannot levy a dedicated transit tax without incorporating or creating a special purpose taxing district

• Northwest Valley Sun Cities could consider implementing a dedicated transportation fee as part of or in addition to their association assessments

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Annual Cost per Household

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Type Route

Estimated Annual Cost per

Household 1

Study Area Full Route

EXISTING

SERVICE

Local Bus Improvements106 – Peoria Ave $11 $16

138 – Thunderbird $1 $4

Express Bus Improvements 571- Surprise Express (additional trips) $1 $5

NEW

SERVICE

Neighborhood Circulator

Option 1A $34 -

Option 1B $32 -

Option 2 $22 -

Option 3 $22 -

Local Bus Extensions138 – Thunderbird $6 $34

170 – Bell Rd $15 $49

Limited Stop BusScenario 1 $12 $116

Scenario 2 $18 $180

1 Assumes 38,646 occupied households in Sun City/Sun City West (ACS, 2018). All costs in 2019 dollars.

Source: Valley Metro, 2020; ACS, 2018

Program Qualified Projects in Next RTP

• Proposition 400 set to expire in 2025

• Northwest Valley Sun Cities can work with neighboring communities to advocate for the inclusion of projects that promote regional connectivity

• Neighborhood circulator services not eligible for funding under Proposition 400

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Thank You

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Questions?

Cavan Noone, Transit Planner, Valley Metro

Guillermo Gonzalez, Accessible Transit Services Program Coordinator, Valley Metro

Audra Thomas, Transportation Planning Program Manager, Maricopa Association of Governments

Carol Ketcherside, Deputy Director of Planning and Development, Valley Metro

Let us know

• Complete the survey• The survey link is in the chat box of this webinar or at

valleymetro.org/northwestvalley through September 25

• Or, reach us online:• Email Valley Metro at input@valleymetro.org

• Or, submit a comment for this public meeting• Write your comment in the chat box of this webinar

• Leave a verbal comment at our public meeting voicemail inbox at 602.322.4479

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