The purpose of this report is to advise City Council of the proposed changes to Phoenix bus routes and the results of the public comments regarding bus route changes. Staff recommends City Council approval of the proposed Light Rail-related bus service changes. The changes would be effective December 29, 2008 to coincide with implementation of light rail transit (LRT) service.

THE ISSUE

When METRO begins its first day of revenue service on December 29, 2008, a number of Phoenix local bus routes need to be modified to intersect with light rail platforms, eliminate service duplication, and allow service to the newly built LRT transit centers. Rail and bus services will complement each other to allow transit passengers to take advantage of the enhanced transit system to reach their desired destinations.

Unlike many urbanized areas which had to undertake major revisions to the configuration of their bus systems upon implementation of LRT, most bus routes in the Phoenix area will not undergo major changes, with the exception of the Red Line and the Blue Line. The routes are patterned into a grid structure that, combined with the “L-” shaped LRT line, will provide many natural connections between the two transit modes.

OTHER INFORMATION

Bus/Rail Interface – the “L”

The “L-” shaped interface translates into two major benefits: (1) fewer required changes to existing bus routes, and (2) more convenient connections for bus riders to LRT. More than 40 bus routes will connect with the new light rail line at many LRT rail platforms and transit centers along the entire 20-mile alignment in Phoenix, Tempe, and Mesa.

The east/west bus routes will intersect closely with the north/south rail platforms along 19th and Central Avenues. Many of the north/south bus routes will naturally intersect with the east/west segments of the rail line on Camelback Road and Washington and Jefferson Streets. Bus passengers traveling on these intersecting bus routes will have a short walking distance to rail platforms and transit centers.

Criteria for Bus Route Modifications

In determining which existing bus routes would be modified for LRT connectivity, the following guiding principles were used:

· Bus routes should not unnecessarily duplicate LRT service.

· Bus service should be provided along the LRT line where stations are more than a half-mile apart. Bus service should continue to operate on 19th Avenue, Camelback Road, Central Avenue, and Washington/Jefferson Streets (in Mesa and Tempe along Apache /Main Street).

· Local bus routes should deviate from their grid pattern on major streets, but by no more than 0.75 miles, to serve the current end-of-line LRT stations in Phoenix at Montebello/19th Avenue (in Mesa at Sycamore/Main Street).

Public Outreach

The major proposed changes to the bus routes required the Public Transit Department solicit and consider public comment. Notification of the public hearing and public open houses included: paid newspaper advertisements, postings on the City’s web site, e-mail sent to a 1500 transit listserv, on-site signage, and press releases to the media. In addition, interior signage on all Phoenix buses listed the date of the public hearing.

During the open houses and the public hearing, the public was shown maps of the route changes and were able to talk one-on-one with transit staff. The public was invited to submit comments in writing at the event, via e-mail, and by written correspondence; public transit staff also wrote down a number of verbal comments made during the events.

Public Transit Department staff held the following open houses:

May 6, Phoenix City Hall, 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
May 7, Central Station, 7:30 – 9:30 a.m.
May 8, Metrocenter Transit Center, 7:30 – 9:30 a.m.
May 13, Ed Pastor Transit Center, 2:00 – 4:00 p.m.
May 14, Sunnyslope Transit Center, 7:30 – 9:30 a.m.
May 15, South Mountain Community Center, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.
May 21, Aviation Department, Sky Harbor Airport, 6:30 – 8:30 a.m. and 2:30 – 4:30 p.m.

A public hearing, with an open house prior, was held on:

June 4, Phoenix Public Transit Department, 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.

Public Comments on Proposed Changes

There were a number of comments related to the proposed route changes routes, but three routes were mentioned most often: Red Line, Blue Line, and Rt. 15-15^th Avenue.

Red Line concerns centered on how to get to and from two major destinations: Sky Harbor Airport and Metrocenter Mall (location of the Metrocenter Transit Center). Also, the number of bus/rail transfers to be made with the proposed changes was noted to be a potential impact on some passengers.
Blue Line proposed changes concerned the transfer between bus and rail at Central Avenue and Camelback. Also, the potential increase in the number of transfers within the transit system was voiced by passengers.
Rt. 15-15^th Avenue is proposed to cover some eliminated portions of the Red Line, but the frequency would be 30 minutes; not the 15-minute service currently with the Red Line.

LRT-Related Local Bus Route Changes:

The following changes are designed to respond to comments made during the public comment period.

Red Line will be discontinued and most of the route transitioned into LRT service. Some segments of the Red Line do not coincide with the LRT route so this service coverage is proposed:

Route segment from Metrocenter to Montebello/19th Avenue: Extend Route 15–15th Avenue from the Montebello/19th Avenue LRT station to Metrocenter along the current Red Line routing.
Route segment from Central Station to Phoenix Sky Harbor: Extend Route 15–15th Avenue from Central Station to Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport along current Red Line routing.
Route segment past Phoenix Sky Harbor into East Valley: the cities of Tempe and Mesa propose a new Route 40-Apache/Main to travel from Terminal 2 to Superstition Springs Mall.

Blue Line will be shortened and renamed Route 39. The southern portion of the route will be deleted and served by LRT; the route will now travel from Central Avenue and Camelback Road to the Paradise Valley Transit Center along current Blue Line routing.
Route 0–Central Avenue will be modified in order to roughly maintain the existing weekday level of frequency and minimize service duplication along the Central Avenue corridor. The following service coverage is proposed:

Central Avenue/Dobbins Road to the Sunnyslope Transit Center: Provide constant weekday frequency from end of line to end of line.
Central Avenue/Dobbins Road to Downtown Phoenix: Augment service by providing additional peak weekday frequency from the south end of line to Central Station.

Route 1–Washington, the east end will no longer serve the segment from Priest Drive to University Drive; instead, it will turn north on Priest Drive into the Phoenix Zoo.
Route 13–Buckeye, the east end will be extended from Phoenix Sky Harbor to the 44th Street/Washington Street LRT station and transit center.
Route 15–15th Avenue will be extended to cover portions of the Red Line to be eliminated. On the north end, Route 15 will be extended from Montebello and 19th avenues to Metrocenter; on the south end, the route will be extended from Central Station to Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport.
Route 32–32nd Street will be modified to serve the 44th Street/Washington Street LRT station and transit center.
Route 60-Bethany Home will deviate to serve the Montebello/19th Avenue LRT transit center and station.

In addition, a number of other local bus routes will require some schedule adjustments to accommodate the new LRT stops. Also, Green Line will be renamed: Route 29–Thomas Road.

Financial Impact

Consistent with the principle to avoid bus routes duplicating LRT service and address General Fund budget shortfalls, funding for the Red Line is discontinued effective December 29, 2008 in the City's 2008-09 budget. However, some of the savings from discontinuing the Red Line were allocated to pay for the other service changes described above and are available in the 2008-09 budget.

RECOMMENDATION

Staff recommends City Council approval of the proposed Light Rail-related bus service changes.

CONCURRENCE

The Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee approved this item at the October 2, 2008 meeting.

CITY COUNCIL REPORT
CONSENT AGENDA
TO:	Ed Zuercher Deputy City Manager	AGENDA DATE:		October 14, 2008
FROM:	Phil Jones Arts and Culture Administrator	ITEM:	2
SUBJECT:	AUTHORIZATION TO PLAN AN ARTS TOWN HALL MEETING: 8-HOUR RULE

This report is to recommend City Council authorization for staff to exceed the 8-hour rule to develop and plan an Arts Town Hall meeting to be held in 2009 as requested by Councilman Tom Simplot, District 4.

THE ISSUE

The Office of Arts and Culture staff has been asked to develop and plan an Arts Town Hall meeting with the goal of discussing issues of concern to the arts and culture community, including the need to identify a dedicated revenue source for arts and culture.

RECOMMENDATION

Staff recommends City Council authorization for staff to exceed the 8-hour rule to develop and plan an Arts Town Hall meeting to be held in 2009.

CONCURRENCE

The Neighborhoods, Housing, Historic Preservation, Arts & Culture Subcommittee recommended City Council approval of this item at the October 8, 2008 meeting. In addition, the Subcommittee requested regular updates from staff on the status of Town Hall planning.

CITY COUNCIL REPORT
CONSENT AGENDA
TO:	Rick Naimark Deputy City Manager	AGENDA DATE:		October 14, 2008
FROM:	Gloria Hurtado Human Services Director	ITEM:	3
SUBJECT:	BANK ON THE VALLEY INITIATIVE

The purpose of this report is to request City Council approval to implement the Bank on the Valley Initiative.

THE ISSUE

A bank account is an important step on the path to financial security. However, many Arizona families are “unbanked,” meaning they do not have standard checking or savings accounts, limiting their ability to accrue assets and maintain financial stability. Without access to mainstream financial services, unbanked families pay more for expensive fringe services, such as payday loan centers. Additionally, many asset-poor families do not have retirement savings and rarely witness increased financial status through homeownership. Without these and other opportunities to advance through savings and asset accumulation, low-income families are often unable to break intergenerational cycles of poverty.

OTHER INFORMATION

In October 2007, the Human Services Department launched the Building Prosperity Campaign to advance the City’s partnership with Arizona Saves and participating financial institutions to offer asset building strategies and financial education classes to vulnerable families. The month-long campaign highlighted the importance of financial education and encouraged families to become self-sufficient by learning how to manage and save money, increase their income and use credit wisely. The campaign also offered a Financial Education Summit featuring presentations by nationally known speakers on best practices in financial education and asset building, and a Faith Based Summit on Building Prosperity to offer educational and training opportunities to local faith and community leaders on how to assist low- and moderate-income families manage their money and build their assets.

In an effort to advance the Building Prosperity Campaign, Arizona Saves is proposing a new initiative patterned on the “Bank on San Francisco” model. In order to help its unbanked residents enter the financial mainstream, the City of San Francisco launched this initiative with the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco, a local financial education provider, and fifteen financial institutions. The initiative’s goal was to bring 10,000 of the city’s estimated 50,000 “un-banked” households into the financial mainstream by helping people to open low-cost starter accounts. During the first year of the program, 11,110 accounts were opened. The average monthly account balance is over $793, and 92 percent of accounts are in good standing.

Based on the success of “Bank on San Francisco,” Arizona Saves and the Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco are requesting the support and endorsement of the City of Phoenix to launch a “Bank on the Valley” Initiative. In addition to advancing the partnership of the City of Phoenix, Arizona Saves, and its partnering financial institutions, the Valley of the Sun United Way has also endorsed the initiative. The goal of the initiative is for these agencies to work in collaboration to provide information and resources to connect unbanked residents to mainstream financial services. As a partner in this initiative, the City of Phoenix can help provide these unbanked individuals with the tools they need to save and build assets, which will leave them less vulnerable in times of crisis or emergency.

RECOMMENDATION

Staff requests City Council approval to implement the Bank on the Valley Initiative.

This item was recommended by the Parks, Education, Bio-Science and Sustainability Subcommittee at its October 8, 2008 meeting.

CITY COUNCIL REPORT
CONSENT AGENDA
TO:	Thomas E. Callow, P.E. Deputy City Manager	AGENDA DATE:		October 14, 2008
FROM:	Debbie Cotton Public Transit Director	ITEM:	1
SUBJECT:	Light Rail-RELATED bus SERVICE CHANGES

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