Gainesville Regional Transit System Rapid Transit Study. Public Involvement Plan

Transcription

1 Gainesville Reginal Transit System Rapid Transit Study Public Invlvement Plan Prepared fr: Gainesville Reginal Transit System P.O. Bx 490, Statin 4 Gainesville, FL ph (352) , fax (352) June 2008 Center fr Urban Transprtatin Research University f Suth Flrida 4202 East Fwler Avenue Tamp, FL ph (813) , fax (813) Tindale-Oliver & Assciates, Inc Ashley Drive, Suite 100 Tampa, FL ph (813) , fax (813)

2 TABLE OF CONTENTS PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT PROCESS... 1 Public Invlvement Activities... 1 Direct Invlvement Activities... 1 Infrmatin Distributin Activities... 4 Public Invlvement Schedule... 5

3 PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT PROCESS Several public invlvement activities were selected fr inclusin in the Rapid Transit Feasibility Study public invlvement prcess t ensure the active participatin f citizens in the cmmunity. Each f them is discussed in this sectin. The activities have been placed int tw majr categries: direct invlvement activities and infrmatin distributin activities. Direct invlvement activities refer t thse that engage the public in hands n wrkshps and/r discussin abut the prject. The infrmatin distributin activities refer t public infrmatin materials that are used t infrm the general public f prject related tpics and issues. PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT ACTIVITIES Several public invlvement activities were selected t maximize the ptential fr active participatin by citizens in the cmmunity. Each is briefly discussed in this sectin. Direct Invlvement Activities Public invlvement activities invlving direct interactin with agencies, rganizatins, and/r citizens will be used thrughut the study prcess. The direct invlvement activities selected fr the study include the fllwing. Prject Management Team Opinin Surveys Public Wrkshps Open Huse Wrkshps Cnsensus-Building Wrkshps Pririties Wrkshps Stakehlder Interviews BRT Sympsium Lcal Gvernment Agency Participatin MTPO Bard and MTPO Advisry Cmmittees Participatin The fllwing sectin describes each direct invlvement activity in detail. In additin, the number f times each activity is prgrammed t be perfrmed is nted where apprpriate. Prject Management Team A prject management team (PMT) has been assembled t prvide prject versight and technical feedback thrughut the curse f the study. A prject kick-ff meeting was held with the PMT n Thursday, May 22, 2008, t discuss the scpe f wrk fr the prject and the preliminary prject schedule. The PMT is scheduled t meet eight times thrughut the curse f the prject and cnsists f representatives frm the fllwing agencies and rganizatins: Tindale-Oliver & Assciates, Inc. June Reginal Transit System

4 Gainesville Reginal Transit System () City f Gainesville Alachua Cunty Flrida Department f Transprtatin (FDOT) Gainesville Reginal Utilities (GRU) Nrth Central Flrida Reginal Planning Cuncil (MTPO) University f Flrida Prject Cnsultants Opinin Surveys Tw survey instruments will be prepared t gather public input and preferences n the prpsed BRT service. Surveys will be distributed at varius prject wrkshps and survey results will be used t infrm the decisin-making and priritizatin prcess. The first survey will be develped t identify a preliminary set f preferred BRT service elements and characteristics and will be disseminated at the Cnsensus-Building Wrkshps. Service elements and characteristics will include preferred service areas, span f service, and service frequencies. In additin, surveys will ask respndents abut specific BRT service cmpnents, such as ff-bard vs. nbard fare cllectin, vehicle design, and statin infrastructure and amenities. The secnd survey will ask respndents t priritize amng service alternatives t be develped as part f the study prcess. The secnd survey will be distributed at the Pririties Wrkshps. Opinin surveys will als be made available t the MTPO Advisry Cmmittees, the Advisry Bard, and ther bards identified by the PMT. Public Wrkshps Public wrkshps have prven t be an effective technique fr btaining substantive public participatin in the planning prcess. Three types f wrkshps will be cnducted as part f the study prcess: pen huse wrkshps, cnsensus-building wrkshps, and pririties wrkshps. Tw wrkshps f each type will be held at apprpriate times during the study prcess. The six public wrkshps will be scheduled and cnducted in lcatins that will supprt t the maximum extent pssible gegraphic cverage f the majr areas in the prject study area. The specific lcatin f the wrkshps will be determined by the PMT. Open Huse Wrkshps Tw pen huse wrkshps will be cnducted in the initial phase t prvide an pprtunity fr all citizens t participate in the study prcess. The pen huse wrkshps will serve as an infrmal pprtunity fr citizens t review infrmatin abut the prpsed BRT service, learn abut BRT, and prvide suggestins fr BRT and ther pssible premium transit imprvements in the study area. The wrkshps will include visual examples f existing BRT systems and their perating cmpnents. An pen huse is typically the mst flexible public wrkshp that allws participants t tur staged Tindale-Oliver & Assciates, Inc. June Reginal Transit System

5 wrkshp statins at their wn pace. Wrkshp statins will be designed t address separate issues. Cnsensus-Building Wrkshps Tw cnsensus-building wrkshps will be cnducted in a later phase t identify a preliminary set f preferred BRT service elements and characteristics. In additin t disseminating a survey instrument, the cnsensus-building wrkshps will make use f wrkshp games and exercises, such as dt-plling. Such exercises affrd participants the pprtunity t prvide individual input while at the same time encurage grup decisinmaking. Priritizatin Wrkshps Tw pririties wrkshps will be cnducted in the final phase t gather public input n the final selectin f pririty BRT crridrs. A survey instrument will be develped and disseminated at these wrkshps t facilitate the priritizatin prcess. Stakehlder Interviews Stakehlder interviews will be cnducted t slicit ideas, cncerns, and cmments frm key individuals/rganizatins and cmmunity leaders identified by and the PMT t btain their pinins and ideas regarding public transprtatin in the Gainesville area. The cnsultant team will make every attempt t cnduct interviews face-t-face but will use telephne interviews as a back-up. A brief questinnaire will be develped t include several pen-ended questins pertaining t their perceptins f existing transit services, as well as their pinins regarding the future f public transprtatin and BRT in the cmmunity. BRT Sympsium The public invlvement plan includes the cnduct f a BRT sympsium. A sympsium is a cnference rganized fr the discussin f a specific subject. Educatinal and instructinal presentatins are given during the sympsium where attendees are given the pprtunity t ask questins and discuss specific sessin tpics related t the larger sympsium subject. The sympsium is intended t educate the general public, elected fficials, and ther interested rganizatins abut BRT service and the characteristics that distinguish it frm traditinal lcal bus service. Specific sympsium tpics, a lcatin, and a date will be determined by the PMT. Cnceptually, the sympsium will include presentatins by representatives frm transit agencies that currently perate r are in the prcess f develping BRT service. The cnsultant team will utilize the Natinal Bus Rapid Transit Institute t crdinate participatin by natinal experts. Presentatins t Lcal Gvernment Agencies Presentatins f the study will be made t the City f Gainesville City Cuncil and the Alachua Cunty Bard f Cunty Cmmissiners. Tindale-Oliver & Assciates, Inc. June Reginal Transit System

6 Presentatins t the MTPO Bard and MTPO Advisry Cmmittees The public invlvement prgram includes presentatins t the MTPO Bard and tw f its advisry cmmittees, the Technical Advisry Cmmittee (TAC) and the Citizens Advisry Cmmittee (CAC). MTPO Technical Advisry Cmmittee The TAC is cmpsed f technically qualified representatives f agencies respnsible fr lcal planning and engineering activities thrughut Alachua Cunty. It is the respnsibility f the TAC: T crdinate transprtatin planning and prgramming activities; T review transprtatin studies and reprts; T review wrk prgrams and transprtatin imprvement prgrams; and T prvide technical recmmendatins t the MTPO n transprtatin issues. Peridic updates t be prvided t the MTPO thrughut the curse f the study include tw presentatins, ne at the nset f the prject and ne t present the final reprt and recmmendatins, and tw sets f interim infrmatinal materials which will be prvided at tw regularly scheduled MTPO meetings fr the MTPO Bard s cnsent agenda. MTPO Citizens Advisry Cmmittee The rle f the CAC is t represent the views f Alachua s citizens in regards t transprtatin-related matters. The CAC is cmpsed f citizens appinted by the MTPO Bard. MTPO Bard The MTPO Bard is cmpsed f decisin-makers respnsible fr reginal transprtatin planning in the Gainesville area. Cnsequently, it is critical t keep them infrmed thrughut the prject and t btain their input and guidance fr the study. Infrmatin Distributin Activities The infrmatin distributin activities selected fr the Rapid Transit Feasibility Study are listed and discussed belw. Public Invlvement Plan The public invlvement plan will be made available t staff fr placement n the web site. Web-Blast Newsletter Three electrnic newsletters will be prepared t infrm the general public regarding the prject. Web-Blast newsletters will be distributed prir t each series f wrkshps and will infrm the public n prject wrkshp dates and Tindale-Oliver & Assciates, Inc. June Reginal Transit System

7 lcatins and related wrkshp tpics (i.e., educatinal infrmatin, BRT service alternatives, and alternatives priritizatin). Press Releases/Flyers fr Public Wrkshps Press releases and flyers will be prepared prir t each f the six public wrkshps t ntify citizens and encurage participatin. Flyers will be made available in a variety f frmats and frums t be determined by the PMT and will be prvided t staff fr distributin. In additin, the wrkshps and sympsium will be nticed in the Gainesville Sun and the Gainesville Guardian by display ads. PMT members have requested that such ads be at least nefifth f a page in size. Reprts and Infrmatin fr Web Site Technical reprts, study and wrkshp materials, and ther infrmatin will be prvided t staff fr psting n the web site. Ntificatin f General Public The general public will be ntified f public meetings thrugh a number f methds: legal advertisement, website, flyers, and press releases. Mailing/Cntact Lists If available, the mailing list will enable the distributin f prject-related infrmatin thrughut the develpment f the BRT study. Mailings will be designed t reach diverse ppulatins thrughut the City f Gainesville and the study area. Specifically, an effrt will be made t reach lcal stakehlder grups with study materials. Such grups include the City f Gainesville Chamber f Cmmerce, the University f Flrida Student Gvernment, and the Gainesville Cmmunity Redevelpment Agency amng thers. Additinal Presentatin and Wrkshp Materials Public invlvement materials develped fr the public invlvement plan will be made available t staff and PMT members fr use at their discretin at ther public invlvement events and pprtunities. Materials include presentatins, presentatin bards, surveys, and ther tls and infrmatinal resurces used t gather public input thrughut the study prcess. PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT SCHEDULE A prject schedule was develped fr the public participatin prtins f the study. This prject schedule is prvided in Figure 1. Please nte that the dates fr specific meetings and public invlvement activities are apprximate and subject t change pending n guidance frm and the PMT. Tindale-Oliver & Assciates, Inc. June Reginal Transit System

8 Public Invlvement Activity Prject Management Team Meetings Public Wrkshps Open Huse Wrkshps Cnsensus-Building Wrkshps Pririties Wrkshps Stakehlder Interviews Opinin Surveys BRT Sympsium - Preparatin and Cnduct Presentatins t Lcal Gvernment Agencies Figure 1 Gainesville Reginal Transit System Rapid Transit Study - Public Invlvement May Jun Jul Aug Sept Oct Nv Dec Jan Feb Presentatins and Cnsent Agenda Materials t MTPO Bard and MTPO Advisry Cmmittees May Jun Jul Aug Sept Oct Nv Dec Jan Feb