Meeting_Body
EXECUTIVE MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE
JUNE 17, 2021
Subject
SUBJECT: COORDINATED PUBLIC TRANSIT - HUMAN SERVICES TRANSPORTATION PLAN FOR LOS ANGELES COUNTY
Action
ACTION: ADOPT COORDINATED PLAN FOR LOS ANGELES COUNTY
Heading
RECOMMENDATION
Title
CONSIDER adopting the locally developed 2021-2024 Coordinated Public Transit - Human Services Plan for Los Angeles County to comply with the requirements of the federal Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) as reauthorized by the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act (FAST Act) of 2015.
Issue
ISSUE
Metro is the Designated Recipient of Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Section 5310 funds in urbanized areas of Los Angeles County (about $9 million per year) and is responsible for the planning, programming, distribution, and management of these funds. To fulfill the Designated Recipient obligations required by the FTA, including awarding Section 5310 funds to eligible projects, the locally developed 2021-2024 Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plan for Los Angeles County (“Coordinated Plan”) must be adopted. It will update and replace the 2016-2019 Coordinated Plan that was approved by the Board in 2015.
Discussion
DISCUSSION
The Coordinated Plan addresses the specific mobility needs of seniors and persons with disabilities in Los Angeles County. These individuals represent an increasing share of the County population, and for many the traditional fixed-route public transit service is not effective or appropriate. Human services transportation providers throughout the County fill this gap by operating paratransit vehicles and delivering other transportation services. The Coordinated Plan evaluates the existing transportation services provided by human service agencies and includes projects and programs for future implementation that would improve mobility for the target population in the County.
Significant funding for human services transportation in the County comes from the FTA Section 5310 Program. Metro is the Designated Recipient of Section 5310 funds for the three urbanized areas of Los Angeles County and receives about $9 million per year. The goal of the Section 5310 Program is to improve mobility for seniors and individuals with disabilities by removing barriers to transportation services and expanding transportation mobility options. This program requires that projects receiving Section 5310 funding derive from a Coordinated Plan which must be developed with the involvement of seniors and persons with disabilities.
The locally developed 2021-2024 Coordinated Plan will update and replace the 2016-2019 Coordinated Plan that was approved by the Board in 2015. The Coordinated Plan does the following:
• Assesses transportation services provided for target population groups.
• Considers and evaluates current and future target population transportation needs.
• Develops goals and strategies to address gaps in existing transportation services.
• Prioritizes projects and programs that will improve mobility for target population groups.
• Allows Metro to fulfill its responsibilities as the Designated Recipient for Section 5310 funds.
Outreach
To engage stakeholders and assess mobility needs and service gaps in the County, an outreach process was developed to target participation geographically and by population group. As part of this process, multiple outreach efforts to interact with stakeholders and gather information on transportation needs and preferences were conducted, including:
• Three virtual focus group meetings.
• Distribution of 7,000 surveys and project concept forms to individuals associated with human service agencies.
• Updates to Metro’s stakeholder database.
• Dedicated helpline and Metro email address.
• Updates to the Metro Coordinated Plan website.
• Bilingual eblast notifications of the focus group meetings.
• Follow-up phone calls and email reminders of the focus group meetings and surveys.
• Presentation to target population advocacy groups and human service agencies.
For the release of the draft Coordinated Plan which was available for public review and comment from March 19, 2021 through April 19, 2021, additional outreach efforts were performed. These included eblasts, distribution of printed copies, digital and social media, mailings, toolkits to over 150 organizations, 5,000+ bilingual announcements on Metro buses, and a virtual community meeting to present an overview of the Coordinated Plan and receive comments from the public. In addition to the community meeting, two stakeholder briefings were held to provide an opportunity for interested organizations to engage with Metro in a more focused setting. Metro also made additional presentations, provided materials, and attended meetings with advisory committees.
Goals and Strategies
Building on the 2016-2019 Coordinated Plan, regional and local plans, and input received throughout the outreach effort, the following goals and strategies have been identified to address the mobility needs and service gaps of Los Angeles County’s target populations:
• Goal 1: Fund Mobility Options - Sustain, fund, and continue to expand public, private and other transportation services in LA County.
• Goal 2: Address Mobility Gaps - Improve coordination between public transportation and human services transportation to address mobility gaps.
• Goal 3: Provide Support Services - Provide support services to enable access for target populations.
• Goal 4: Promote and Improve Information Portals - Promote, improve and expand multi-cultural information portals on mobility options.
• Goal 5: Enhance Accountable Performance Monitoring Systems - Enhance customer feedback and accountable performance monitoring systems to ensure that high quality service is maintained.
• Goal 6: Provide COVID Support Services - Support transportation providers in serving target populations during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Given trends identified in the assessment of transportation services, input received during the public participation process, and these goals and strategies, the highest priority projects and programs have been established. These projects and programs serve to guide private and public transportation operators in planning their own investment approaches and establishes the list of eligible activities under the Section 5310 program. Over the life of the Coordinated Plan and consistent with past practice, Metro anticipates allocating a portion of Section 5310 funds to a competitive solicitation process to fund projects that further the goals of the Section 5310 program. Metro will use the Coordinated Plan as a key resource for evaluating project applications and considering future funding awards.
Equity Platform
Adoption of the Coordinated Plan supports Equity Platforms two (Listen and Learn) and three (Focus and Deliver). The Coordinated Plan was developed through a comprehensive process that included participation by seniors, individuals with disabilities, low-income individuals, veterans, representatives of public private and non-profit transportation and human service providers, and other members of the public. Further, the Coordinated Plan identifies the highest priority projects and programs that will serve to guide private and public transportation operators in planning their own investment approaches and establishes the list of eligible activities under the Section 5310 program.
Determination_Of_Safety_Impact
DETERMINATION OF SAFETY IMPACT
Adoption of the Coordinated Plan will have no impact on safety.
Financial_Impact
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Adoption of the Coordinated Plan will have no financial impact.
Impact to Budget
Preparation of the Coordinated Plan is an administrative activity funded by federal program administration funds that are only eligible for this purpose. No other Metro funds will be required.
Implementation_of_Strategic_Plan_Goals
IMPLEMENTATION OF STRATEGIC PLAN GOALS
Adoption of the Coordinated Plan supports the following goals of the Metro’s Vision 2028 Strategic Plan:
Goal 1: Provide high-quality mobility options that enable people to spend less time travelling by developing goals and strategies to address gaps in existing transportation services.
Goal 3: Enhance communities and lives through mobility and access to opportunity by prioritizing projects and programs that will improve mobility for target population groups.
Alternatives_Considered
ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED
The Board may choose not to adopt the Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plan for Los Angeles County. Staff does not recommend this alternative because Metro will fail to comply with the requirements of MAP-21 and the FAST Act and become ineligible to receive future FTA Section 5310 Grant Program funds.
Next_Steps
NEXT STEPS
Upon Board adoption, we will submit the Coordinated Plan to the FTA as required.
Attachments
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment A - Coordinated Public Transit - Human Services Transportation Plan 2021-2024
Prepared_by
Prepared by: Ruben Cervantes, Manager, Countywide Planning & Development, (213) 418-3197
Anne Flores, Senior Manager, Countywide Planning & Development, (213) 922-4894
Adam Stephenson, Senior Director, Countywide Planning & Development, (213) 922-2991
Fanny Pan, DEO, Countywide Planning & Development, (213) 418-3433 Shawn Atlow, EO, Countywide Planning & Development, (213) 418-3327
Laurie Lombardi, SEO, Countywide Planning & Development, (213) 418-3251
Reviewed_By
Reviewed by: James de la Loza, Chief Planning Officer, (213) 922-2920
