Title
April 2022 Proposed Bus Service Improvements
Description
This report requests the Transportation, Infrastructure and Planning Subcommittee recommend City Council approval of the staff-recommended April 2022 bus service changes. If approved, the service changes will take effect April 25, 2022.
THIS ITEM IS FOR CONSENT ACTION.
Report
Summary
The proposed change recommended by the Public Transit Department (PTD) is to the MARY (Maryvale Area Ride for You) circulator, which began operations in July 2007 to provide local circulator service in the Maryvale Village area in west Phoenix. This proposed change, which would partially serve the Estrella Village and provide service to the area bounded by Roosevelt and Fillmore streets between 59th and 63rd avenues, is a result of input received from west local residents during the 2021 City budget community meetings.
Current Service
The MARY service runs every 60 minutes daily from 5 a.m. - 6 p.m. Monday - Friday, and 6 a.m. - 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday (times indicate the start of first or last trips).
Currently, the route requires four circulator vehicles to operate and runs both clockwise and counterclockwise, between the boundaries of 47th and 91st avenues and Encanto Boulevard to Campbell Avenue. The entire route takes 90 minutes to complete.
Proposed Change
After working with the local community and exploring different extension options for feasibility and efficiency, PTD proposes to extend the MARY south on 59th Avenue to Fillmore Street, and then return to the current routing (Attachment A).
Per FTA regulations, a Title VI Service Equity Analysis was conducted to analyze if the proposed change causes a disparate impact on minority populations or yields a disproportionate burden towards low-income populations. The result of the analysis finds that the MARY reroute proposal does not qualify as a major service change and would not have significant negative impact to minority or low-income populations.
Financial Impact
The proposed changes will increase PTD’s operating expenses by $272,000 annually. Staff is also working on the acquisition of two new circulator vehicles which will be required to support the extension of this route; these capital costs are estimated at $300,000 for the two vehicles.
Concurrence/Previous Council Action
This item was recommended for approval at the Citizen's Transportation Commission meeting on Nov. 18, 2021, by a vote of 11-0.
Public Outreach
PTD uses the locally adopted public outreach process to solicit feedback from the overall public on the proposed service changes. Phoenix and Valley Metro staff conducted in-person and virtual outreach events and are utilizing posters and A-Frame signs placed at key areas along the route to notify the public of the proposed changes, and directed passengers to visit Valley Metro’s website to submit comments through Dec. 5, 2021.
The proposed changes were advertised via social media, interactive webinars, and a public hearing held Nov. 16, 2021.
There were 117 total comments and suggestions received about Phoenix’s proposed service changes, with 60 registering a positive or negative opinion (the remaining comments were marked as neutral on the proposal). The following summarizes the feedback:
Location
Districts: 4, 5 and 6
Department
Responsible Department
This item is submitted by Deputy City Manager Mario Paniagua and the Public Transit Department.