Title
April 2023 Proposed Bus Service Improvements (Ordinance S-49396)
Description
Request to authorize the City Manager, or his designee, to implement the April 2023 bus service changes. If approved, the service changes will take effect April 24, 2023.
Report
Summary
Responding to transit riders and the public’s call to expand Phoenix’s transit network, the Public Transit Department (PTD) recently sought public input regarding proposed extensions of existing bus routes in north and southwest Phoenix for April 2023. PTD provided the Citizens Transportation Commission a summary of the staff proposed service changes in October and conducted outreach during November and December. Identified routes and the proposed changes, as presented during the public outreach period, are listed below:
Current Service
Route 28 (Lower Buckeye Road) - The City of Phoenix operates the seven-mile local route on Lower Buckeye Road between 22nd and 75th avenues in southwest Phoenix. The route operates at a 30-minute frequency daily and connects with five other local bus routes.
Route 35 (35th Avenue) - The City of Phoenix operates the 28-mile local route on 35th Avenue between 27th Avenue/Baseline Park-and-Ride (to the south) and Happy Valley Road and 21st Avenue (to the north). The route makes a deviation to Metrocenter Transit Center between Dunlap and Peoria avenues. The route operates at a 30-minute frequency daily, with increased frequency every 15 minutes during weekday peak hours (6 - 9 a.m. and 3 - 6 p.m.) between the Baseline Park-and-Ride and the Metrocenter Transit Center. The route currently connects with 21 other local bus routes in the region.
Route 61 (Southern Avenue) - Valley Metro operates the 28-mile local route on Southern Avenue between Superstition Springs Transit Center in Mesa and 43rd Avenue in Phoenix. The route operates in Phoenix, Tempe, and Mesa at a 30-minute frequency daily, with increased frequency every 15 minutes during weekday peak hours (6 - 9 a.m. and 3 - 6 p.m.). The route currently connects with 25 other local bus routes, three circulator routes, and four express routes.
Proposed Changes
Route 28 (Lower Buckeye Road) - Expanding the regional bus network in southwest Phoenix has long been a goal for the department and is identified in the T2050 plan. Initially, PTD had planned to propose a route extension on Lower Buckeye Road in early 2020, but the plan was interrupted by the global pandemic. As the workforce of our bus operating contractors begins to stabilize, the department is proposing this three-mile extension west towards 99th Avenue. The proposed extension will provide transit service into an area that has seen recent growth along Lower Buckeye Road between 75th and 99th avenues. The service area of the route extension is estimated to cover 15,000 residents and 3,700 households in southwest Phoenix.
Route 35 (35th Avenue) and Route 36 (35th Avenue North) - Over the years, PTD has received input from north Phoenix residents, businesses, and a medical site about the potential to expand the transit network north of Happy Valley Road. PTD engaged in a conversation with Honor Health Sonoran Crossing Medical, located at 32nd Avenue and Dove Valley Road, to explore options to provide new transit opportunities for patients and workers. The proposed seven-mile extension would utilize Norterra Parkway, Jomax Road, North Valley Parkway, Dove Valley Road, and 32nd Avenue to maximize the route’s reach to connect residences, workplaces, medical centers, grocery stores, and shops into the region’s vast transit network.
To make the proposed extension north of Happy Valley Road feasible, PTD proposed shortening Route 35 at the Metrocenter Transit Center, where the new Route 36 would then provide bus service between Metrocenter north towards Dove Valley Road. The shortened Route 35 would continue to operate at its current frequency and service span, which includes peak hour weekday service. The proposed new Route 36 would operate daily at a 30-minute frequency and adhere to the current service span of 4 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Monday through Friday, and 5 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
The split route operation provides the following benefit and mitigation to transit operations:
- Longer trips could become increasingly difficult to operate and maintain a reliable schedule. Currently, Route 35 is one of the longest routes in the region.
- Route 36 would connect with nine other local bus routes, which would expand opportunities to reach the new segment with only one transfer. If Route 36 only operated north of Happy Valley Road, the route would only make bus connections to Routes 19 and 35.
- Routes terminating at Metrocenter Transit Center provide an ideal situation to provide operators a break location and a timed transfer between routes.
The service area of the route extension is estimated to cover 8,000 residents and 2,700 households in north Phoenix.
Route 61 (Southern Avenue) - Recent roadway improvements made by Maricopa County near 43rd and Southern avenues have resulted in a detour to 51st Avenue for a bus turnaround at the end of line. To make the temporary detour permanent and provide connection between bus routes, Phoenix and Valley Metro propose extending Route 61 one mile west to 51st Avenue. The extension would add connections to two major local routes (Route 51 and Route 61).
The service area of the route extension is estimated to cover 7,600 residents and 2,200 households in southwest Phoenix.
Maps of the proposed service changes are included in Attachment A.
Service Equity Analysis
Per Federal Transit Administration regulations, a Title VI Service Equity Analysis on each proposed service change was conducted to analyze if the proposed change causes a disparate impact on minority populations or yields a disproportionate burden toward low-income populations. In summary, among the four proposed service change concepts, Route 35’s proposed segment reduction qualifies as potentially causing disproportional burden to low-income communities. However, the impact is mitigated by having the new Route 36 cover the eliminated segment and synchronize schedules between the two routes to minimize transfer time for passengers. Details of the service equity analysis for the proposed April 2023 service change is included in Attachment B.
Public Input Process
The PTD used the locally adopted public outreach process to solicit public feedback on proposed service changes. Phoenix and Valley Metro staff conducted in-person and virtual outreach utilizing posters and A-Frame signs placed at key areas along each route to notify the public of the proposed changes, and direct passengers to visit Valley Metro’s website to submit comments through Dec. 2. The proposed changes were also advertised via social media, interactive webinars, and a public hearing was held on Nov. 16.
Overall, 1,257 total comments and suggestions were received about Phoenix’s proposed service changes, with 517 of those registering either a positive or negative opinion specifically on each proposed service change. The results of the public input by route are as follows:
Route 28 Extension to 99th Avenue:
- 62 Support (75%)
- 21 Against (25%)
Route 35 Modification to create new Route 36 extending into North Phoenix:
- 113 Support (28%)
- 287 Against (72%)
Route 61 Extension to 51st Avenue:
- 63 Support (66%)
- 32 Against (34%)
Route 35 and 36’s service change proposal received significant public opposition through public comments. Most comments received opposed bus service north of Happy Valley Road due to concern over the road’s capacity to handle bus service and the concern over not having enough commercial and mixed development along the extension corridor to support a transit route. While some opposition to proposed service changes may be expected, the overwhelming opposition to Route 35/36’s proposal indicates that the PTD should reevaluate the proposed routing and an implementation timeline to gather public support for the route extension, including alternative timelines for implementation as well as routing scenarios in the area.
Staff Recommendation
Based on the feedback received, staff is recommending implementing proposed service changes to routes 28 (Lower Buckeye Road) and Route 61 (Southern Avenue); changes to Route 35/36 (35th Avenue) are not recommended for implementation at this time.
Financial Impact
The proposed changes to Routes 28 and 61 will increase PTD’s operating expenses by approximately $966,000 annually, of which $648,000 is attributed to Route 28, and $318,000 to Route 61. Fiscal Year 2022-23 financial impact is estimated to be $180,000 for a partial year implementation (April 24 - June 30, 2023). Funding is available in the Public Transit Department’s operating budget. Contract amendments for Phoenix's bus service providers will be developed to reflect the increase in contract capacity necessary to maintain these service increases in future years.
Concurrence/Previous Council Action
This item was recommended for approval at:
- The Citizens Transportation Commission meeting on Dec. 15, 2022, by a vote of 8-0.
- The Transportation, Infrastructure and Planning Subcommittee meeting on Jan. 18, 2023, by a vote of 4-0.
Location
Council Districts: 1, 2 and 7
Department
Responsible Department
This item is submitted by Deputy City Manager Mario Paniagua and the Public Transit Department.