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Home My WebLink AboutTrans 2016-11-21 Item 2E - Application - Alternative Services Pilot Participation Application with King County MetroCity of Tukwila Allan Ekberg, Mayor INFORMATIONAL MEMORANDUM TO: Transportation Committee FROM: Bob Giberson, Public Works Director Jack Pace, Community Development Director BY: Jaimie Reavis, Senior Planner CC: Mayor Ekberg DATE: November 18, 2016 SUBJECT: Metro Alternative Services Pilot Participation Application ISSUE King County Metro has a call for projects for its Alternative Services Demonstration Program. BACKGROUND King County Metro has an Alternative Services Demonstration Program they have been using to develop and test innovative solutions to local transportation needs in areas where infrastructure, density, or land use does not support traditional fixed -route bus service. Some alternatives considered through the Alternative Services Demonstration Program include real -time ridesharing, and community vans and shuttles. Metro is also exploring subsidizing first and last mile connections for customers using services such as Lyft or Uber. Metro has collaborated with 15 communities so far to conduct community outreach and develop mobility options to fill gaps in these communities' transit networks. Applications are due to Metro on November 30, 2016 for up to eight new Alternative Services projects that will begin in 2017. DISCUSSION The Alternative Services Demonstration Program's application requires a description of the community to be served by an alternative service and not a solution. Based on the community identified in the application, Metro will work with the City to conduct community outreach to determine which alternative services best fit the community needs. Link Light Rail, Sounder Commuter Rail, the F Line, and Route 150 are transit routes heavily used by Tukwila residents. However, lack of parking availability at park and rides and transit stations, and barriers including hills, freeways, and lack of sidewalk connections, make it difficult for Tukwila residents to access frequent transit routes and /or transit stations. Staff is proposing the community served by the Alternative Service application include those who live in the area north of I- 405 /SR 518, east of SR 509, and west of the railroad tracks on Tukwila's eastern border. A portion of this area is within the City of SeaTac, and staff has contacted SeaTac to begin this discussion. FINANCIAL IMPACT No financial impact. A partnership will be required between Tukwila and King County Metro, which can include, but is not limited to financial contributions, community engagement and outreach support, promotional support, equipment, staffing, or other forms of partnership. RECOMMENDATION Committee approval of the submittal of a King County Metro Alternative Services Pilot Participation Application. Attachments: Alternative Services Pilot Participation Description 2017 Alternative Services Pilot Participation Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Z: \Public Works \Info Memo KC Metro Alternative Services 111816 gl.docx 79 Alternative Services Pilot Participation — Application Description Purpose Metro's Alternative Services Demonstration Program was established to develop and test innovative solutions to local transportation needs in areas of King County where infrastructure, density, or land use does not support traditional fixed - route bus service. The purpose of the Alternative Services Pilot Participation application process is to identify up to eight pilot communities for Alternative Services projects that will be initiated in 2017. Since Alternative Services pilot projects start with a thorough assessment of transportation needs within a community, Alternative Services Pilot Participation applications will be evaluated on the basis of transportation needs, not solution ideas. What is an "alternative service "? The kinds of transportation services that the Alternative Services Demonstration program is developing and testing through its pilot projects are alternatives to conventional 40- and 60 -foot buses running fixed routes on fixed schedules. More information on current Alternatives Services Demonstration pilot projects can be accessed through the application FAQs that were distributed with the application invitation. When will projects start? This is the first call for Alternative Services Pilot Participation applications. Projects emerging from this round of applications are anticipated to enter a two -year pilot phase during calendar year 2017. Initiation of projects will be staggered throughout the year. A second call for applications will likely take place in the fourth quarter of 2017 for projects that will start in 2018. How long is a pilot? Once an alternative service is deployed in a community, the pilot period for testing and evaluation typically lasts two years. 180 Alternative Services Pilot Participation — Application Eligibility Eligibility to Apply The following King County municipal jurisdictions, tribal governments, and Community Service Area councils /organizations are eligible to submit an application. Each of these entities may only submit one application. Since communities with transportation needs may cross jurisdictional or political boundaries, we encourage collaboration between neighboring municipal jurisdictions, tribal governments, and CSA councils /organizations on an application that describes transportation needs in such a community. An entity may be part of one or more collaborative applications, but may only be the "lead applicant" for a single application — whether the application is for a community within its boundaries or for a community that crosses boundaries. Municipal Jurisdictions Algona Des Moines Maple Valley Sammamish Auburn Duvall Medina SeaTac Beaux Arts Village Enumclaw Mercer Island Seattle Bellevue Federal Way Milton Shoreline Black Diamond Hunts Point Newcastle Skykomish Bothell Issaquah Normandy Park Snoqualmie Burien Kenmore North Bend Tukwila Carnation Kent Pacific Woodinville Clyde Hill Kirkland Redmond Yarrow Point Covington Lake Forest Park Renton Tribal Governments Muckleshoot Tribe Snoqualmie Tribe 281 Community Service Areas Bear Creek/Sammamish: Upper Bear Creek Community Council Snoqualmie Valley /NE King County: Fall City Community Association Four Creeks /Tiger Mountain: Four Creeks UAC Greater Maple Valley /Cedar River: Greater Maple Valley Area Council Southeast King County: Green Valley /Lake Holm Association West King County: North Highline UAC, West Hill Business Association, White Center Community Development Association, West Hill Community Association, Skyway Solutions 3$2 Alternative Services Pilot Participation — Application Guidelines and scoring Application Guidelines Applicants should focus on describing the nature and the extent of the transportation needs in their candidate pilot community as well as the community assets they would be willing to offer as part of the partnership (such as volunteers, meeting space, staff support, funds, etc.). Inclusion of specific solution ideas or options is discouraged. Applications will be scored on the basis of written responses to the questions in the online application; no supplemental materials such as plans, maps, reports or letters of support will be considered. Finally, each question response has a character limit noted at the end of each question. Metro encourages applicants to use the pdf version of the application as a reference for composing question responses offline that are within the stated character limits and then paste those responses into the online application; only online applications will be accepted. Application Scoring The four questions in the application carry equal weight in the evaluation process. Each question response will be scored individually using a scale of 1 to 5 where a score of 1 indicates the response is out of scope and a score of 5 indicates that the response is very strong. The criteria that will be used as the basis for scoring each question are as follows: • Question #1 Potential Market: clarity in the description of the candidate pilot community including its geographic boundaries and the market potential for alternative services within that community taking into account proximity /access to existing activity /employment centers and the regional transit network. (2,000 characters or less) • Question #2 Needs and Gaps: specificity in identified day -of -week, time -of -day or geographic gaps in the fixed -route transit network. (3,000 characters or less) • Question #3 Equity and Social Justice: specificity in the description of the potential rider demographic, the population to be served and how an alternative services solution would support historically disadvantaged populations (3,000 characters or less) • Question #4 Partnership: demonstrated partner interest supported with specific, proposed partnering concepts or opportunities. (2,000 characters or less) Individual question scores will be totaled then averaged for an application score that falls on a scale of 1 to 5 where 1 indicates the application is out of scope and a score of 5 indicates the application is very strong. Applications will then be rank - ordered according to the application score. The top- scoring applications will be selected for projects to start in 2017. In the event that there are more than eight top- scoring applications because multiple applications receive identical scores, Metro will rank order applications with identical scores based on the proportion of low- income or minority populations within the community defined in Question #1. If additional prioritization is required, Metro will consider the geographic distribution of candidate pilot communities throughout the County. Application Deadline: 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday, November 30, 2016. 483 Alternative Services Pilot Participation — Application * Applicant information Jurisdiction /Government /CSA Council /Organization Contact Name Title Email address L Phone number Alternative Services Pilot Participation — Application Application questions * Question #1: Potential Market (2,000 characters or less) Identify the geographic boundaries of the community and the potential market for an alternatives services solution to that community's mobility needs. Potential markets could be based on access to: • existing local activity or employment centers, • the regional transit network, • major institutions (e.g., educational, medical, regional social service agency), • rural communities, or • emerging markets. * Question #2: Needs and Gaps (3,000 characters or less) Describe the mobility need(s) in your community including any gaps in fixed -route transit service (geographic or time -of -day). * Question #3: Equity and Social Justice (3,000 characters or less) Describe the potential rider demographic and population to be served. Describe how an alternative services solution would support historically disadvantaged populations such as: low- income people, homeless populations, students, youth, seniors, minorities, people with low English proficiency, people of color, people with disabilities, or other populations who depend on public transportation. * Question #4: Partnership (2,000 characters or less) Identify how the applicant(s) will support and participate in a Community Generated Project, including, but not limited to, financial contributions, community engagement and outreach support, promotional support, equipment, staffing, or other forms of partnership. 685 Alternative Services Pilot Participation — Application Thank You Thank you for your application. If you have any questions regarding the King County Metro Alternative Services Demonstration program or about the Alternative Services Pilot Participation application process, please contact Cathy Snow at 206 - 477 -5760 or cathleen.snow @kingcounty.gov. 786 2017 Alternative Services Pilot Participation Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Alternative Services Background What is the Alternative Services Program? Metro's Alternative Services Demonstration Program was established to develop and test innovative solutions to local transportation needs in areas of King County where infrastructure, density, or land use does not support traditional fixed -route bus service. To learn more about current Alternative Services Demonstration pilot projects, please visit the Alternative Services website. What is an "alternative service "? The kinds of transportation services that the Alternative Services Demonstration program is developing and testing through its pilot projects are alternatives to conventional 40- and 60 -foot buses running fixed routes on fixed schedules. To learn more about current Alternative Services Demonstration pilot projects, please visit the Alternative Services website. What does it mean to be a "partner" in an Alternative Services project? Partnership is the foundation on which all successful Alternative Services projects are built. None of these projects can succeed without strong local commitment, which can be either a direct financial partnership for or an in -kind partnership in which our partner provides promotional, staff, or other non- financial support. Some examples of non - financial partnership support include: volunteer time, meeting space, access to communication channels, advertising space, parking space, support finding volunteers, data analysis, and other staff support. 2017 Pilot Participation What is the purpose of the 2017 application process? The purpose of the 2017 Alternative Services Pilot Participation application process is to identify up to eight pilot communities for Alternative Services projects that will be initiated in 2017. 87 Who is eligible to apply? The following King County municipal jurisdictions, tribal governments, and Community Service Area (CSA) councils /organizations are eligible to submit an application. Each of these entities may only submit one application. Municipal Jurisdictions • Algona • Federal Way • Auburn • Hunts Point • Beaux Arts Village • Issaquah • Bellevue • Kenmore • Black Diamond • Kent • Bothell • Kirkland • Burien • Lake Forest Park • Carnation • Maple Valley • Clyde Hill • Medina • Covington • Mercer Island • Des Moines • Milton • Duvall • Newcastle • Enumclaw • Normandy Park Tribal Governments • Muckleshoot Tribe • Snoqualmie Tribe • North Bend • Pacific • Redmond • Renton • Sammamish • SeaTac • Seattle • Shoreline • Skykomish • Snoqualmie • Tukwila • Woodinville • Yarrow Point Community Service Areas • Bear Creek /Sammamish: Upper Bear Creek Community Council • Snoqualmie Valley /NE King County: Fall City Community Association • Four Creeks /Tiger Mountain: Four Creeks UAC • Greater Maple Valley /Cedar River: Greater Maple Valley Area Council • Southeast King County: Green Valley /Lake Holm Association • West King County: North Highline UAC, West Hill Business Association, White Center Community Development Association, West Hill Community Association, Skyway Solutions Can I submit multiple applications for different communities in my jurisdiction? No. Each eligible entity may only submit one application describing the geographic boundaries and market potential of a community; the transportation needs and gaps in that community; and, the potential rider demographic and population to be served in that community. 88 Can I submit a single application representing the needs of multiple communities in my jurisdiction? No. Each application should describe the geographic boundaries and market potential of a single community; the transportation needs and gaps in that community; and, the potential rider demographic and population to be served in that community. Can multiple jurisdictions submit a combined application? Yes. Since communities with transportation needs may cross jurisdictional or political boundaries, we encourage collaboration between neighboring municipal jurisdictions, tribal governments, and CSA councils /organizations on an application that describes transportation needs in such a community. An entity may be part of one or more collaborative applications, but may only be the "lead applicant" for a single application — whether the application is for a community within its boundaries or for a community that crosses boundaries, i.e., each eligible entity may only submit one application. Can entities that are currently participating in an Alternative Services pilot project submit an application? As of October 2016, there are fifteen Alternative Services pilot projects already underway. These projects are either in planning or have entered two -year testing and evaluation periods. Municipal jurisdictions and tribes that are currently participating in one of these projects ARE ELIGIBLE to submit an application PROVIDED the candidate community for a 2017 pilot project has different geographic boundaries, market potential, or mobility needs than current pilot communities. How much money are you offering? This is NOT a grant process. There are no funds to be awarded nor is a specific dollar amount per project being offered. Pending approval of the County's 2017/2018 budget, Metro will have the funding and resources available for initiating and planning new pilot projects in 2017. Our jurisdiction has already approved the budget for this fiscal year, can we still apply? Yes. Partnerships do not need to be financial. Our jurisdiction does not have dedicated transportation staff. Can we still apply? Yes. The application process is about describing the market potential, transportation needs and gaps, the potential rider demographic and the population to be served within a community. It is not about proposing or justifying transportation solutions. We believe that the application process is therefore accessible to staff who are not transportation experts. During the course of alternative services pilot projects, Metro staff provide transportation and planning expertise. Project partners demonstrate commitment to project success in a variety of ways that do not require transportation expertise. Partner contributions could be any form of community asset such as 89 volunteer time, meeting space, parking space, access to communication channels, advertising space, funds, community outreach or communications staff support, etc. When will pilot projects start? Projects emerging from this round of applications are anticipated to enter a two -year pilot phase during calendar year 2017 with initiation of projects staggered throughout the year. Each project will start with community outreach and planning with solutions development and deployment to follow. Once deployed, an alternative services solution will enter a two -year testing and evaluation period. A second call for applications will likely take place in the fourth quarter of 2017. The projects emerging from a second call for application would start in 2018. How does this process affect current Alternative Services projects? As of October 2016, there are fifteen Alternative Services pilot projects already underway. These projects are either in planning or have entered two -year testing and evaluation periods. The Alternative Services Pilot Participation application process has no impact on these fifteen pilot projects. More specifically, the 2017 Alternative Service Pilot Participation application process will not augment or otherwise change the alternative services planned or deployed as part of a current Alternative Services pilot. Will fixed -route changes be part of 2017 Alternative Services pilots? No. Solutions developed as part of the 2017 Alternative Services pilot projects will complement fixed - route service. Solutions will not include adding, removing, or altering fixed -route bus service. Completing the 2017 Pilot Participation Application What does the application entail? The application consists of four questions each of which has a limit of no more than 3,000 characters (approximately 500 words). Applications will be scored on the basis of written responses to these questions in the online application; no supplemental materials such as plans, maps, reports, or letters of support will be considered. What is a "transportation need or gap "? A transportation need is a circumstance where transportation is necessary or required. For example, a transportation need might be, "residents at the mobile home community need affordable transportation to access the library," or, "seniors need accessible transportation to participate in social and recreational opportunities," or, "shift workers in the industrial district need flexible transportation options that adapt to their dynamic schedules." 90 A transportation gap is a circumstance where there is a lack of connectivity within an existing public transportation network. A transportation gap can be in space or in time. An example of a time -of -day gap would be: "There is no bus service in the mid - day." An example of a geographic transportation gap would be: "The bus system does not serve the new business park." We have a great idea for a transportation solution! Can we describe it in the application? In answering the four questions, applicants should focus on describing the nature and the extent of the transportation needs in their candidate pilot community as well as the community assets they would be willing to offer as part of a partnership (such as volunteers, meeting space, staff support, funds, etc.). Inclusion of specific solutions ideas or options is discouraged. Can I submit supplemental documents with my application such as maps, letters of support, or photographs? Applications will be scored on the basis of written responses to the four questions in the online application; no supplemental materials such as plans, maps, reports, or letters of support will be considered. Due to an extenuating circumstance, my jurisdiction /organization was not made aware of this process in time - can we have an extension on the deadline? Unfortunately, we are unable to accept late applications. We have taken great care to inform all 39 cities and towns in King County, the Snoqualmie and Muckleshoot tribes and Community Service Area councils /organizations about the opportunity to participate in the application process. If you did not receive information about the process for 2017 and would like to participate in future application processes, please contact Cathy Snow at cathleen.snow @kingcounty.gov. Application Scoring How are applications scored? Each question response will be scored individually using a scale of 1 to 5 where a score of 1 indicates the response is out of scope and a score of 5 indicates that the response is very strong. The criteria that will be used as the basis for scoring each question are as follows: Question #1 Potential Market: clarity in the description of candidate pilot community including its geographic boundaries and the market potential for alternative services within that community taking into account proximity /access to existing activity /employment centers and the regional transit network. (2,000 characters or less) 91 Question #2 Needs and Gaps: specificity in identified day -of -week, time -of -day or geographic gaps in the fixed -route transit network. (3,000 characters or less) Question #3 Equity and Social Justice: specificity in the description of the potential rider demographic, the population to be served and how an alternative services solution would support historically disadvantaged populations (3,000 characters or less) Question #4 Partnership: demonstrated partner interest supported with specific, proposed partnering concepts or opportunities. (2,000 characters or less) Individual question scores will be totaled then averaged for an application score that falls on a scale of 1 to 5 where 1 indicates the application is out of scope and a score of 5 indicates the application is very strong. Applications will then be rank - ordered according to the application score. The top- scoring applications will be selected for projects to start in 2017. In the event that there are more than eight top- scoring applications because multiple applications receive identical scores, Metro will rank order applications with identical scores based on the proportion of low- income or minority populations within the community defined in Question #1. If additional prioritization is required, Metro will consider the geographic distribution of candidate pilot communities throughout the County. Are all four questions in the application equally weighted? Yes. The four questions in the application carry equal weight in the evaluation process. Will there be an appeals process? No. Decisions will be final. However, this is not the only time Metro will be calling for Alternative Services pilot participation. In October 2017, we are aiming to have another application process for participation in pilot projects that would be implemented throughout 2018. What happens after projects are selected? Metro will notify successful applicants in December 2016. At that time Metro will invite the applicant to meet with Metro staff to discuss project scoping and timeline. After the initial project scoping meeting, successful applicants will have 30 days to commit to moving forward with a project to begin in 2017. If an applicant decides after the initial scoping meeting that they are not prepared to move forward with a project in 2017, their spot will be offered to another applicant. The initiation of project implementation will be staggered throughout the year. Other Resources Are there resources that can help me identify and describe transportation needs /gaps? King County produces many free resources that can support applicants. 92 • Use the System Map to identify geographic transportation gaps: http: / /kingcounty.gov /depts/ transportation/ metro /schedules- maps.aspx #tab - system -maps • Use route timetables or Find a Route to identify time -of -day gaps: http: / /kingcounty.gov /depts/ transportation/ metro /schedules- maps.aspx #tab - routes • Use Park - and -Ride information to identify barriers to accessing the transit network: http://metro.kingcounty.gov/tops/parknride/ • Use the Service Guidelines Report to find Transit Activity Centers and other information to support your description of a potential market: http: // metro .kingcounty.gov /planning /pdf/ 2011 -21/ 2015 / service - guidelines - full - report.pdf • Use King County GIS Data Hub to find any additional geographic information you may require: http: / /www.kingcounty.gov /services /gis /GISData.aspx. • Use King County's Regional Planning pages to find information about demographics in King County. http: / /www.kingcounty.gov /depts/ executive /performance- strategy- budget /regional- planning /overview.aspx Where can I get help gathering US Census data to describe my community? American Fact Finder is a US Census tool that allows anyone to easily access jurisdiction -level census information. To get information about your community, go to factfinder.census.gov and enter the name of your jurisdiction into the search bar. The information in the "Community Facts" toolbar will allow individuals to identify various types of demographic information for your geographic area. Who can support my technical questions? You shouldn't need technical support to complete this application. This application has been designed so that a non - expert can respond to the questions. Simply describe the transportation needs in your community. If you want to use statistical demographic information to describe your community's transportation need, you may use King County's online resources listed above. Who can I contact with further questions? Please contact Cathy Snow at Cathleen.snow @kingcounty.gov or (206) 477 -5760. Please do not contact other Metro staff. 93