Feb 12, 2024 City Council Study Session Agenda

[00:00:04]

CALL THE MEETING TO ORDER.

PLEASE CALL THE ROLE COUNCILMAN COOPER.

HERE.

COUNCILMAN MCDANIEL.

PRESENT.

COUNCILWOMAN GREGORY.

PRESENT.

COUNCILMAN HORN? PRESENT? COUNCILMAN KUHL.

COUNCILMAN CULP.

PRESENT.

MAYOR.

MORE WOLF PRESENT.

SIX.

PRESENT ONE.

ABSENT, PLEASE STAND AND JOIN IN THE PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE.

PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND THE REPUBLIC FOR WHICH STANDS.

ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE ARE ALL TONIGHT'S

[II.  Study Session: Study Sessions are less formal meetings of the City Council called to discuss broad policy themes and obtain input from the governing body about proposals and initiatives that are still being developed. No formal votes are taken at Study Sessions, and no informal directions expressed at Study Sessions bind the City Council, or its individual members, to vote in a certain manner at a future City Council meeting. Members of the public should limit their remarks to three (3) minutes after Council discussion.]

STUDY SESSIONS ARE LESS FORMAL MEETINGS OF THE CITY COUNCIL.

CALL TO DISCUSS BROAD POLICY THEMES AND OBTAIN INPUT FROM THE GOVERNING BODY ABOUT PROPOSALS AND INITIATIVES THAT ARE STILL BEING DEVELOPED.

NO FORMAL VOTES ARE TAKEN AT STUDY SESSIONS AND NO INFORMAL DIRECTIONS EXPRESSED AT STUDY SESSIONS BIND THE CITY COUNCIL OR ITS INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS TO VOTE IN A CERTAIN MANNER AT A FUTURE CITY COUNCIL MEETING.

MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC SHOULD LIMIT THEIR REMARKS TO THREE MINUTES AFTER COUNCIL DISCUSSION.

DOES ANYONE IN THE AUDIENCE WISH TO APPEAR BEFORE THE COUNCIL TONIGHT THAT THAT WOULD BE AT THE END? OH, YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.

I AM JUST PROGRAMMED TO, UH, GO AHEAD.

SO WE WILL HAVE PUBLIC, UH, INPUT AFTER WE HAVE OUR STUDY SESSION.

SO WE ARE MOVING INTO RETHINKING LOCAL TRANSIT.

MR. MANAGER.

THANK YOU, MAYOR.

WE'VE BEEN SAYING, UM, IN THESE MEETINGS AND IN OUR STAFF REPORTS TO YOU FOR MANY, MANY MONTHS NOW THAT SOME REALLY FUNDAMENTAL CHANGES IN TRANSIT ARE COMING.

AND, UH, AND WHILE THE DETAILS ARE STILL BEING WORKED OUT, AND WE HAVE A LOT MORE WORK TO DO ON DETAILS, THE CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK OF WHAT THE STAFF AND OUR CONSULTANTS ARE RECOMMENDING TO YOU, UM, HAVE TAKEN ON ENOUGH SHAPE AT THIS POINT THAT I REALLY FELT LIKE IT WAS TIME TO DISCUSS, AT LEAST THE CONCEPT AND THE BROAD OUTLINES OF HOW WE WANNA MAKE SOME OF THESE FUNDAMENTAL CHANGES IN TRANSIT.

UM, AND AS YOU HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SEE FROM THE MUCH SHORTER PACKET THIS TIME, UM, THE, UH, THOSE TAKE REALLY TWO FORMS. THE FIRST IS TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF FIXED ROUTES TO INCREASE THE AMOUNT OF RIDERSHIP.

THAT SEEMS COUNTERINTUITIVE, UH, BUT WE DO IT, UH, THE CONSULTANT RECOMMENDS WE DO IT BY, UM, USING MICRO TRANSIT TO FEED, UH, THE, THE REMAINING ROUTES AND THEN RUN THOSE REMAINING FIXED ROUTES MUCH MORE FREQUENTLY THAN WE DO NOW, SOME OF WHICH ARE ONLY EVERY 30 MINUTES, OR IN SOME CASES EVERY 60 MINUTES.

AND THEN IN ADDITION TO WHAT WE DO WITH THIS NEW ROUTES AND, AND MICRO TRANSIT, UH, ALSO LOOK AT, AND THIS IS PART OF THE REASON WHY WE CREATED THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION SERVICES IN THE FIRST PLACE ABOUT A YEAR AGO, IS TO BE MORE CREATIVE, MORE INTEGRATED INTO YOUR REDEVELOPMENT PLAN FOR THE NEIGHBORHOODS.

UH, AND HOW IN TERMS OF INTEGRATING NON-MOTORIZED TRAFFIC, AS WELL AS PEDESTRIAN SAFETY STRATEGIES INTO OUR OVERALL TRANSPORTATION PLANNING.

AND DO SO NOT ONLY BECAUSE IT, I THINK IT, IT FITS HAND IN GLOVE WITH THE COUNCIL'S REVITALIZATION GOALS, BUT ALSO BECAUSE THIS TRANSPORTATION ORIENTED DEVELOPMENT, WHICH IS THE, WHICH IS THE RUBRIC FOR THIS, IS HOW WE GET MORE MONEY FOR IT FROM BOTH THE STATE AND FEDERAL GOVERNMENTS.

AND SO WITH THAT, I'D LIKE TO JUMP RIGHT INTO THOSE TWO MAJOR PARTS, UM, AND COVER THEM IN A, IN A QUICK OVERVIEW AND THEN JUST TURN IT OVER TO, TO YOUR CONVERSATIONS AND QUESTIONS SO THAT AT THE END OF THE MEETING, WE, WE, WE CAN GET A CLEAR DIRECTION OF WHAT, WHETHER YOU'RE COMFORTABLE MOVING FORWARD WITH THE CONCEPT.

SO IF WE COULD GO, UH, JIM, TO THE NEXT TO THE SLIDE THAT HAS THE TWO ROUTE MAPS.

AND, UH, LACEY, IF YOU'D COME UP AND HELP ME WITH THIS PRESENTATION.

UM, SO THIS, AND BOTH OF THESE MAPS ARE IN YOUR PACKET, AND THEY'RE PROBABLY EASIER TO READ IN YOUR PACKET MATERIAL THAN THEY ARE ON THIS, ON THE VIDEO SCREENS IN THE ROOM THIS EVENING.

BUT THIS SHOWS THE EXISTING ROUTE.

AND IN THE SECOND SLIDE, UM, GO TO GO TO THAT IS THE PROPOSED ROUTES.

AND WE GO FROM 16 ROUTES TO 10 ROUTES.

AND, AND I'M GONNA ASK LACEY TO EXPLAIN THIS IN MORE DETAIL.

ESSENTIALLY THE TALK A LITTLE BIT, THE, THE, THE NUTS AND BOLTS OF HOW MICRO TRANSIT WORKS IS THAT WHEN THE FIXED ROUTES ARE RUNNING, MICRO TRANSIT WOULD BRING PEOPLE FROM ALL OTHER PARTS OF THE CITY, MANY OF WHOM ARE NOT SERVED NOW BY FIXED ROUTES TO THE STARS.

UM, SO THEY CAN GET ON THE, THE FIXED ROUTES.

AND THEN WHEN THE FIXED ROUTES ARE NOT RUNNING, UM, BECAUSE THEY'RE LOWER SERVICE TIMES, THAT MICROT TRANSIT WOULD STILL BE AVAILABLE FOR TRANSIT FROM POINT A TO POINT B THROUGHOUT THE CITY.

AND ITS, AND ITS SERVICE TERRITORY USING SMALLER VEHICLES.

THAT, THAT'S MY SHORT SUMMARY.

NOW, YOU GIVE THE LONGER SUMMARY ON MICRO TRANSIT.

YES.

SO MICRO TRANSIT OR MOBILITY ON DEMAND IS KIND OF A HYBRID BETWEEN TRANSPORTATION, GOVERNMENT TRANSIT AND UBER.

AND SO WE WOULD HAVE AN APP THAT PEOPLE COULD BOOK A TRIP ON, AND IT'S ESSENTIALLY CURB TO CURB.

SO WE HAVE A DA

[00:05:01]

AND SO MICRO TRANSIT IS KIND OF LIES IN BETWEEN PARATRANSIT AND FIXED ROUTE.

SO, UM, THERE WOULD BE DESIGNATED LOCATIONS FOR PEOPLE TO HOP ON.

THEY MIGHT HAVE TO WALK A BLOCK OR LESS THAN A BLOCK DEPENDING ON THEIR LOCATION.

AND WITHIN THE TECHNOLOGY FOR THE IS, UH, FOR MICRO TRANSIT IS A TRIP PLANNER.

SO IF I SAID, YOU KNOW, I NEED TO GET FROM THE CIVIC CENTER TO THE MALL, IT WOULD TELL ME THE MOST COST EFFECTIVE AND QUICKEST WAY TO GET THERE.

IF THE QUICKEST WAY IS MICRO TRANSIT, THEN IT WOULD TAKE ME VIA MICRO TRANSIT.

IF THE QUICKEST WAY IS TO FEED ME INTO THE FIX ROUTE SYSTEM, THEN IT WOULD FEED ME INTO THE FIXED ROUTE SYSTEM.

UM, THE BIGGEST THING ABOUT MAKING MICRO TRANSIT WORK HERE IS THAT I THINK YOU GUYS HAVE PROBABLY HEARD ME SAY LIKE FIRST MILE, LAST MILE SOLUTION, YOU KNOW, FOR THE FIXED ROUTE SYSTEM, BECAUSE OF HOW, UM, IT IS IN THE CITY, THERE ARE A LOT OF NEIGHBORHOODS THAT ARE A MILE OUT FROM A ROUTE.

SO IT'S HARD FOR SOME PEOPLE TO GET TO IT.

UM, MICRO TRANSIT WOULD TAKE CARE OF THAT SINCE IT WOULD PICK THEM UP A LOT CLOSER TO THEIR LOCATION, BUT ALSO INTO INTEGRATING MICRO TRANSIT INTO THE FIXED ROUTE SYSTEM WILL KEEP US RUNNING EFFICIENTLY AND MORE COST EFFECTIVELY.

SO, SO, UM, MICRO TRANSIT IS NOT DOOR TO DOOR AND I THINK SHE'S ALLUDED TO THAT, BUT I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT IT'S NOT MICRO TRANSIT AND IT CAN'T STAY ON SCHEDULE.

IF WE PULL UP TO, INTO YOUR DRIVEWAY MM-HMM.

AND YOU SAY, OKAY, LET ME GET MY PURSE, MY SHOES, WHATEVER, YOU KNOW, YOU, YOU'VE GOTTA BE READY TO GET ON THE, ON THE VEHICLE WHEN IT'S AT THE CURB.

CORRECT.

AND SO THERE'S GONNA BE A PLACE FOR YOU TO WALK WITH IT, USUALLY WITHIN A BLOCK OR SO.

MM-HMM.

, UM, UH, UH, SO IN COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE INSTITUTED MICRO TRANSITS, THEY HAVE SEEN A REDUCTION IN THEIR PARATRANSIT, WHICH IS DOOR TO DOOR.

UM, BECAUSE NOT EVERYBODY NEEDS DOOR TO DOOR.

SOME PEOPLE ARE MOBILE ENOUGH THAT THEY CAN GET A BLOCK.

MAYBE THEY CAN'T GET TO THE, UH, TO THE HUB DOWNTOWN OR, OR GO A QUARTER OF A MILE TO GET ONE OF OUR EXISTING FIXED ROUTES, BUT THEY CAN GET A BLOCK AWAY.

AND SO THAT REDUCES THE PARATRANSIT.

THAT'S GOOD BECAUSE THEY FEEL LIKE THEY HAVE MORE INDEPENDENCE.

THEY FEEL LIKE THEY HAVE MOBILITY, MORE MOBILITY AND, AND THE COST PER PERSON PER RIDE IS LESS WITH MICRO TRANSIT THAN IT IS WITH PARATRANSIT.

QUICK QUESTION.

MM-HMM.

I HOPE I'M NOT INTERRUPTING TOO EARLY 'CAUSE WE'LL HAVE A LOT OF TIME TO DISCUSS.

BUT YOU KNOW, YOU SAID THAT THE APP WOULD TELL THEM THE QUICKEST, EASIEST WAY TO GO, WELL, WHAT IF I DON'T REALLY WANNA RIDE THE BIG BUS, I JUST WANNA DO THE, THE, UM, MICRO TRANSIT.

MICRO TRANSIT.

DO YOU GET A CHOICE IN THAT? OR, OR THIS IS THE BEST, MOST EFFICIENT WAY.

AND SO THIS IS WHAT WE'RE TELLING YOU TO DO.

SO WE HAVE SOME DECISIONS TO MAKE ON THE BACKGROUND FOR THAT.

BUT WHAT THE CONSULTANTS AND WHAT MOST COMMUNITIES DO IS THEY PUSH IT TO THIS IS THE MOST EFFICIENT WAY BECAUSE THAT'S WHAT'S GONNA BE COST EFFECTIVE FOR US.

AND IT'S ALSO WHAT'S GONNA BE COST EFFECTIVE FOR THE WRITER.

OTHER QUESTIONS WHILE I INTERRUPTED PAT? OH, IT'S AGAIN, UH, APP ON A CELL PHONE.

MM-HMM.

.

NOW, OF COURSE THERE'S PLENTY OF GOVERNMENT, UH, PROGRAMS OVER THE YEARS TO GIVE OUT.

SO THAT'S SOMETHING IF WE MOVE TO THIS WAY, WE NEED TO DO THINGS HERE AT THE CIVIC CENTER, LIKE THEY'VE DONE BEFORE.

HOW TO GET A, YOU KNOW, CELL PHONE AND, AND THAT, AND, YOU KNOW, I'M NOT BIG ON WORKING APPS, BUT I'LL DO IT.

YOU KNOW, THAT TYPE OF THING.

SO THAT'S, THAT'S ONE QUESTION THAT WILL PROBABLY, UH, CREATE SOME ISSUES IN THAT, WELL, I DON'T HAVE A CELL PHONE.

HOW AM I GONNA KNOW THIS AND THAT, AND HOW DO YOU DO IT? MM-HMM.

AND, AND THAT, SO, SO THERE IS A CALL IN VERSION.

SO WE HAVE A DISPATCH CENTER NOW, AND FOR PARATRANSIT, A DA PARATRANSIT OR OPERATION UPLIFT IS WHAT THE COMMUNITY KNOWS IT AS.

THEY HAVE TO BOOK THOSE TRIPS 24 HOURS IN ADVANCE AND THEY CALL THE PARATRANSIT OFFICE TO DO THAT.

WE WILL INTEGRATE MICRO TRANSIT IN IT AS WELL.

SO THOSE THAT DON'T HAVE A SMARTPHONE OR CAN'T NA NAVIGATE THE APP COULD DO THAT.

IT'LL BE LESS EFFICIENT, YOU KNOW, AND IT'LL TAKE A LITTLE MORE TIME, BUT IT'S DOABLE.

AND WITH MICRO TRANSIT, YOU CAN BOOK TRIPS ABOUT, THEY RECOMMEND 20 MINUTES, BUT IT'S ABOUT A 15 MINUTE WAIT TIME.

SO THE INDIVIDUALS THAT CAN USE IT, UM, INSTEAD OF PARATRANSIT, IT'LL HAVE A LOT MORE AUTONOMY AND FREEDOM, LIKE CITY MANAGER WAS SAYING.

COUNCILMAN COOPER, THANK YOU, UH, IN THE BOOKING PROCESS, UM, ARE THEY, WHEN THEY'RE BOOKING, ARE THEY ALSO PAYING AT THE SAME TIME? UH, AND I GUESS I'VE ASKED THAT QUESTION IS IF YOU BOOK AND YOU DON'T PAY, UH, I DON'T WANT US TO RUN INTO WHERE PEOPLE, YOU'RE SPENDING TIME SHOWING UP SOMEWHERE AND THEN THE INDIVIDUAL DOESN'T SHOW UP OR WHATEVER.

SO ARE THEY PAYING IN ADVANCE WHEN THEY BOOK? I DON'T HAVE AN ANSWER FOR THAT RIGHT NOW.

I CAN TELL YOU WITH A DA PARATRANSIT, THEY DO NOT PAY BEFORE THEY BOOK.

UM, BUT THERE ARE, LIKE, WE HAVE CANCELLATION RULES, SO IT'S CALLED A NO-SHOW IN OUR HANDBOOK.

AND, UM, THERE'S CERTAIN REGULATIONS THAT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT MAKES YOU FOLLOW FOR WHEN YOU NOHOW FOR A DA PARATRANSIT.

[00:10:01]

COUNCILMAN KHL.

UM, I GUESS THIS IS THE FINAL PART OF THIS PARA OR THIS, UM, I THINK WE'RE JUST GETTING STARTED.

WELL, THAT'S WHY I GOT A LOT OF QUESTIONS.

SO I DON'T KNOW IF I SHOULD HEAR OUT MORE BEFORE I ASK MY QUESTIONS OR, OR I, I GUESS I'LL ASK NOW.

I I'M LOOKING AT THIS MAP, I CAN'T TELL.

I I'M JUST GOING TO TAKE THE STREET REDWOOD ON, UH, THE WEST END.

MM-HMM.

.

SO FIRST OF ALL, DOES THAT GO OUT TO REDWOOD OR NOT? I CAN'T TELL.

I'M JUST GONNA USE THAT STREET.

I'M PULLING A STREET OUT OF MY HAT.

SO THE FIX, SO THE BIGGEST CHANGE FOR HERE IS THAT THOSE FIXED ROUTES THAT YOU SEE UP THERE RIGHT.

ARE NO LONGER IN OUR SMALLER NEIGHBORHOODS.

OKAY.

UM, PREVIOUSLY WE'VE HAD SOME NEIGHBORHOODS COME FORWARD AND COMPLAIN ABOUT THE SIZE OF THE BUSES BEING IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS.

UM, THEY HAVE A LOWER VOLUME OF RIDERSHIP USUALLY.

YEAH.

SO, BUT MICRO TRANSIT, THE COLORED ZONES, THAT IS ALL GOING TO BE COVERED BY TRANSIT, JUST NOT A FIXED OUT BUS BY MICRO TRANSIT BY MICRO TRANSIT.

SO IF I LIVE ON REDWOOD AND THE, THE, I'M NOT ON THE MAIN, UH, ROUTE HERE, IS THERE LIKE A LITTLE MINI BUS STOP WITH A SIGN? MM-HMM.

SOMEWHERE WHERE THERE, IF I LIVE AT THE END OF REDWOOD, I GOTTA WALK TWO BLOCKS OR ONE BLOCK TO THE LITTLE MINI SIGN, AND THEN THAT'S WHERE THE, THE MICRO TRANSIT PICKS ME UP.

YES.

AND THOSE ARE GONNA BE ALL OVER THE CITY, THESE LITTLE YES.

SIGNS.

YES.

BUT YOU HAVE TO CALL AND MAKE ARRANGEMENTS AHEAD OF TIME.

RIGHT.

OR NOT, NOT CALL, BUT ON YOUR PHONE, USE THE APP.

THERE'S MEDIA POINTS ALL OVER TOWN THROUGHOUT MM-HMM.

.

HOW, HOW ARE YOU GONNA FIGURE THAT OUT? I MEAN, THERE'S A LOT OF NEIGHBORHOODS.

.

THAT'S WHAT WE HAVE THE CONSULTANTS FOR .

YEAH.

OKAY.

ALONG THAT LINE, THE DECATUR PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOLS USE THE, OUR BUS SYSTEM FOR THEY DO.

AND CURRENTLY THOSE BUSES GO ALL OVER TOWN.

MM-HMM.

.

ARE THEY GONNA BE A, LIKE A, HOW'S THAT GONNA WORK? OR IS IT TOO EARLY IN THE PROCESS? SO A CITY MANAGER AND I DID TALK ABOUT THIS, THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS, WE WOULD NEED TO AMEND THEIR AGREEMENTS AND THEY WOULD NEED TO AGREE TO INCORPORATE IN MICRO TRANSIT INTO THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENTS THAT WE HAVE WITH THEM.

IF THEY DO THAT, THEN THEIR STUDENTS WOULD ACTUALLY HAVE MORE MOBILITY AND MORE COVERAGE THAN THEY DO NOW WITH THE FIXED ROUTE SYSTEM.

SO WOULD THEY BE ABLE TO, I MEAN, ARE THEY GONNA HAVE TO HAVE A MICRO TRANSIT, YOU KNOW, EVERY DAY REQUEST? OR IS IT GOING TO THEY COULD, DEPENDING ON WHERE THEY ARE IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS.

WHAT WE FIND NOW IS A, WE HAVE A HIGH VOLUME OF PARENTS THAT ACTUALLY JUST DROP THEIR KIDS OFF DOWNTOWN AT THE TRANSIT CENTER.

AND WE DO WHAT'S CALLED PEAK ROUTES.

SO IN THE MORNINGS FOR SCHOOL AND IN THE EVENINGS FOR SCHOOL, WE PUT OUT TWO EXTRA BUSES THAT GO DIRECTLY TO THE HIGH SCHOOLS FOR ABOUT AN HOUR AND A HALF.

THAT WOULDN'T CHANGE, BUT THEY'LL ALSO HAVE THE MICRO TRANSIT OPTION NOW AS WELL.

OTHER QUESTIONS AT THIS POINT? OR IS THERE MORE PRESENTATION ON THIS? MAYOR, AS WE PREPARED FOR THIS, UH, YOU ALSO ASKED ABOUT, UH, MRI AND, UM, UH, ALTHOUGH I DIDN'T TALK TO MRI DID TALK TO LACEY ABOUT IT.

AND, AND ONE OF THE FIXED ROUTES THAT'S RETAINED IS, DOES GO DOWN, UM, HUBBARD RIGHT BY THEM.

UM, AND TO THE EXTENT THAT THEY MAY, I MEAN, WE DON'T PROVIDE ANY SPECIAL SERVICES FOR THEM NOW, UH, TO WHEREVER THEIR, THEIR LIVING ARRANGEMENTS ARE, BUT ALL OF THEM WOULD BE ELIGIBLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE, IN THE MICRO TRANSIT.

SO, UM, UH, BEFORE WE GO ON TO SORT OF THE NEXT SECTION, I, I REALLY WANNA MAKE SURE THAT THAT A, THAT THE MICROT TRANSIT IS, IS UNDERSTOOD EVEN THOUGH IT'S STILL CONCEPTUAL.

AND, AND SECOND THAT, UM, THAT THIS POINT THAT EVEN THOUGH IT SEEMS COUNTERINTUITIVE TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF, OF ROUTES AND, AND DO MICRO TRANSIT INTO THESE, INTO THESE SUB HUBS, IT, WE REALLY BELIEVE IN THE CONSULTANT, I THINK MAKES A CONVINCING ARGUMENT AND HAS SEEN IT HAPPEN IN OTHER COMMUNITIES AS WELL, THAT IT WILL INCREASE RIDERSHIP.

UM, SO IS THERE ANY, ANY OTHER DISCUSSION ABOUT THAT? ANYTHING ELSE THAT'S STILL NOT CLEAR THAT, OR ANY OTHER ADDITIONAL INFORMATION THAT YOU'D LIKE? GO AHEAD, CHUCK.

UH, SO EARLY, I, I HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS.

UNDERSTOOD.

SO I HOPE THAT YOU'RE NOT COVERING THIS LATER, IS WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY.

ASK WHAT? SO, UH, OKAY, FIRST ONE, AFTER HOURS.

MM-HMM.

THE AIRPORT, SOMEBODY GETS IN AT 10 O'CLOCK AT NIGHT.

SO HOW'S THAT GONNA WORK? HOW ARE THEY GONNA GET FROM THE AIRPORT TO THE CONFERENCE CENTER IF FIXED ROUTE IS NOT RUNNING? MICROT TRANSIT WOULD COVER 20 24 7, THEY'RE OPERATING, THAT IS UP TO US.

OKAY.

WE MIGHT DECIDE, FOR EXAMPLE, THIS IS THE LEVEL OF WEEDS WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN, YOU KNOW? RIGHT.

THE LEVEL OF DETAIL WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN TO, WE MIGHT DETERMINE THAT THERE IS ENOUGH DEMAND FOR MICRO, SAY THE BUSES, THE FIXED ROUTES CONTINUE TO RUN 7:00 AM TO 7:00 PM THEY, THEY, THEY MAY NOT, BUT LET'S SAY THAT THEY DO FOR PURPOSES OF THIS DISCUSSION, THERE'S ENOUGH OTHER DEMAND TO, UH, AT OTHER TIMES TO START RUNNING THE BUSES AS EARLY AS 5:00 AM BUT NO LATER THAN 11:00 PM LET'S SAY.

SO FROM 11:00 PM TO 5:00 AM THERE, THERE'S NOT EVEN, UH, MICRO TRANSIT RUNNING IT, IT, IT MIGHT BE THAT WE DECIDE TO MAKE IT LONGER THAN THAT, BUT IF THERE'S SOME PERIOD OF TIME THAT IT JUST DOESN'T MAKE SENSE FOR THERE

[00:15:01]

NOW, UBER AND AND LYFT HAVE NOT BEEN RELIABLE, UM, INDICATED THERE'S SIMPLY NOT ENOUGH DEMAND FOR THEM.

BUT IF THERE WAS A SUBSIDY FOR THAT AT THAT PERIOD OF TIME THAT YOU JUDGED IN ALL OF THIS PLANNING TO NOT WARRANT HAVING MICRO TRANSIT RUNNING, THEN THAT WOULD BE, THAT WOULD BE AN OPTION.

SO, BUT YOU CAN TELL THAT THAT LEVEL OF DETAIL WE HAVEN'T GOTTEN TO YET.

BUT THAT'S HOW WE'VE THOUGHT THROUGH THE ANSWER TO YOUR QUESTION.

OKAY.

THE NEXT ONE IS, DID YOU SAY ON THIS APP, WHEN YOU PUT IT IN, IT'LL SHOW THE EXACT COST OF WHAT IT'S GONNA COST, BUT THE COMBINATION OF THE MICRO TRANSIT PLUS THE FIXED BUSES, FIXED BUS ROUTES THAT WOULD COME UP WITH A PRICE FOR THEM? YES.

SO HOW IT WOULD WORK AND HOW IT WORKS NOW IS THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE, OR MANY RIDERS THAT HAVE TO TAKE MULTIPLE BUSES TO GET TO THEIR LOCATION.

IT'S KNOWN AS A TRANSFER.

AND SO THEY PAY ONE FARE, EVEN IF IT TAKES MULTIPLE MODES OR VEHICLES TO GET TO THAT LOCATION.

AND MICROT TRANSIT WOULD BE THE SAME.

SO IF MICROT TRANSIT FEEDS YOU INTO THE FIXED ROUTE SYSTEM, UM, YOU WOULD STILL JUST PAY THE ONE BASE FARE AND THEN YOU WOULD TRANSFER ONTO YOUR NEXT VEHICLE.

SO I KNOW WE'RE NOT GONNA DO THIS OR PUT THIS INTO PRACTICE UNTIL EITHER LATE IN, UH, 24 OR EVEN MAYBE BEGINNING OF 25.

BUT, AND THIS MAY BE TOO EARLY, BUT HOW DO YOU GO ABOUT EDUCATING THE CURRENT RIDERS? LIKE HONESTLY MM-HMM.

, I'M NOT SURE I WOULD KNOW HOW TO RIDE A BUS NOW.

AND SO, YOU KNOW, THE WHOLE PROCESS OF GETTING THE APP AND I MEAN, WHAT, IS THERE A PLAN YET OR, OR WHAT'S BEST PRACTICE? SO THIS IS TWO PART, SO ONE OF THE ITEMS THAT WE DISCUSSED IN HERE IS THE FAIR, THE NEW FAIR BOX SYSTEM.

SO WE'VE BEEN WORKING ON, UM, THE BIDDING FOR THE NEW FAIR BOX SYSTEM, AND WE WANT TO MOVE TO A FAIR VALIDATOR SYSTEM ON THE BUSES, WHICH WOULD ALLOW US FOR OUR WRITERS TO PAY WITH AN APP OR WITH A CARD.

AND SO PART OF THE PROPOSAL FROM THE CHOSEN COMPANY IS THAT THEY WILL DO ON THE BOOTS EDUCATION OR, UH, ON THE GROUND EDUCATION FOR THAT.

AND SO WILL OUR CONSULTANTS.

SO THEY, WE UNDERSTAND THAT THERE'S GONNA BE A HUGE LEARNING CURVE, AND IT'S GONNA START FIRST WITH OUR DRIVERS AND OUR STAFF, SO THEY REALLY UNDERSTAND THE NEW TECHNOLOGY.

BUT I FEEL THAT BRINGING THE FAIRBOX AT THE SAME TIME, IT WILL GET OUR RIDER AND OUR DRIVERS USED TO THE APP AND THE NEW TECHNOLOGY PLATFORM.

COUNCILMAN COOPER, JUST ALONG THE SAME LINES THERE.

MM-HMM.

, UH, IF I'M, IF I RECALL RIGHT, THE CURRENT WRITERS, A LOT OF THEM USE, UM, PASSES.

SO IT'S COMPANIES GIVE THEM, OR AGENCIES MAY GIVE THEM PASSES TO GET ON.

HOW, HOW WILL THAT, UM, CHANGE OVER INTO THE NEW SYSTEM YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT? SO IT CAN HAPPEN THE SAME WAY.

SO, UH, RIGHT NOW WE'RE ALL PAPER.

SO COMPANIES OR AGENCIES WILL PAY US IN CASH OR CHECK, AND THEN WE ISSUE THEM MONTHLY PASSES WITH THE NEW SYSTEM.

THEY CAN CREATE JUST BLANK CARDS THAT WE CAN GIVE THEM THAT AREN'T ASSIGNED TO A PERSON.

AND SO THEY'RE ALMOST LIKE GHOST CARDS.

SO IF THEY HAD A $20 PASS, NOW THEY'LL JUST HAVE A $20 CARD THAT THEY CAN STILL GIVE TO THEM.

OTHER QUESTIONS, PAT? AND, AND WE WOULD USE THE SAME CARDS, UH, FOR RICHLAND COMMUNITY COLLEGE STUDENTS AND DPS 61 STUDENTS THAT WE ARE ALREADY RECEIVING MONEY FROM THOSE SCHOOLS SO THEIR STUDENTS CAN RIDE.

AND THEY WOULD'VE THE SAME CARDS, RIGHT? YES.

PAT? UM, I MAY BE NITPICKING, BUT I KNOW THE PUBLIC.

IS THERE ANY OTHER TERM? YOU CAN GO FROM A MICRO TRANSIT AND THEN YOU HAVE PARATRANSIT.

PEOPLE ARE GONNA GET CONFUSED.

TRUST ME.

THEY WILL.

IS THERE ANOTHER NAME YOU CAN COME UP FOR THE MICRO TRANSIT? SO MICRO TRANSIT WILL BE REBRANDED.

UM, IT'S IN SOME PLACES, YOU KNOW, IN INDIANA THERE'S INDIGO.

UM, I THINK IN VELO, GEORGIA, THEY HAVE A NEW, THEY, THEY JUST REBRANDED THEIR LAUNCH, THEIR MICRO TRANSIT AND THEY CALLED IT VO O.

SO , WELL, I, BUT AS MENTIONED AT, UH, THE MEETING THAT WAS HERE, YOU GOTTA KEEP IT SIMPLE.

YES.

SO PEOPLE CAN REMEMBER NOTHING, NOTHING DIFFICULT.

OKAY.

IDE OTHER QUESTIONS FROM COUNCIL? OR ARE YOU PRETTY, UM, OKAY.

WITH THIS CONCEPT AND EVERYBODY, I THINK WE CAUGHT RIGHT ON.

SEE EVEN, YOU KNOW, EVEN THOUGH IT WASN'T THAT SIMPLE, PAT, SO OH, OKAY.

WITH THE CONCEPT? YES, WE, WELL, WE WILL KEEP YOU UP TO SPEED.

I'M UP TO DATE, BUT OKAY.

WITH THE CONCEPT, AGAIN, I THINK IT'S WRITTEN, BUT AGAIN, PUT YOUR MIC ON PAT.

CERTAIN THINGS YOU, YOU KNOW, NAMES MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

WELL, IT CHANGE IS HEART, SO YOU KNOW IT'S GONNA TAKE A WHILE.

NO, IT'S MORE THAN THAT THERE.

WELL, IT'S MORE THAN THAT.

LA LAST QUESTION AT THE AIRPORT, YOU'RE GONNA HAVE A SIGN OUT THERE WHEN SOMEBODY GETS OFF THE PLANE.

CALL THIS NUMBER FOR PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION.

[00:20:01]

HOW THAT'S GONNA, SO THE BIG QR CODE THAT LINKS RIGHT TO THE APP TOO.

OKAY.

THEY, THEY WOULD'VE TO DOWNLOAD THE APP TO THEIR PHONE, RIGHT? MM-HMM.

.

YEAH.

MM-HMM.

.

YEAH.

THAT'S A PROBLEM.

THEY DON'T LIVE HERE.

.

MM-HMM.

.

I, I DON'T, THERE OUGHT TO BE JUST A PHONE NUMBER THEY COULD CALL OR SOMETHING.

I MEAN, IS THAT POSSIBLE OR, YES, THERE'LL BE A PHONE NUMBER AND A QR CODE SO THAT THEY HAVE OPTIONS.

I MEAN, IF THEY HAVE A QR SCANNER ON THEIR PHONE, THEY'LL PROBABLY HAVE THAT, BUT THEY, THEY'RE NOT GONNA HAVE TO DOWNLOAD A WHOLE APP, ARE THEY TO THE FIRST TIME? WILL THEY HAVE TO DOWNLOAD AN APP? WELL, YES, THAT'S A ROADBLOCK.

I MEAN, I'M NOT SAYING IT'S A DEAL BREAKER, BUT I, I SEE IT AS A ROADBLOCK.

I MEAN, YOU ARRIVING AT 10 O'CLOCK AT NIGHT OR SOMETHING.

WELL, BUT EVEN LIKE AT THE, UM, AMTRAK STATION IN CHAMPAIGN, WHERE IT'S AMTRAK AND THE CITY'S PUBLIC PARKING, YOU HAVE TO DOWNLOAD THE CITY'S PUBLIC APP TO BE ABLE TO LEAVE YOUR CAR IN THAT LOT.

AND YOU PAY BY THE HOUR.

I MEAN, IT'S NOT, IT'S, IT'S JUST HURDLE.

BUT YEAH, IT'S, YOU KNOW, I, I LEARNED HOW TO DO SCAN AND GO AT SAM'S AND I WAS PRETTY PROUD OF MYSELF.

SO, , ANY OTHER QUESTIONS AT THIS POINT? .

OKAY.

IF THERE'S NO OTHER QUESTIONS ON THE MICRO TRANSIT SIDE, OF COURSE WE CAN GO BACK TO THAT IF YOU WANT.

THE, THE, THE OTHER PIECE THAT I WANTED TO, TO, TO COVER, UM, IS THE, UH, IS THE NON-MOTORIZED PIECE.

AND, UH, I GUESS ASSESS COUNCIL'S WILLINGNESS TO, UH, TO EXPERIMENT WITH A COUPLE OF, UH, UH, SELECTIVELY IN CERTAIN SPOTS, PROBABLY IN DOWNTOWN AREA OR NEAR THE CAMPUS, CERTAIN COMMERCIAL AREAS, OR THE RED OR THE RED STARS ON THIS MAP.

THE, THE, UH, THE SECONDARY HUBS WHERE WE WOULD WORK WITH A PRIVATE COMPANY WHO PLACES THE SCOOTERS OR BICYCLES, UM, AS YOU PERHAPS HAVE SEEN IN, IN SOME OF THE COMMUNITIES, MAKE THAT SOMETHING THAT'S UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE TRANSPORTATION SERVICES DEPARTMENT.

UM, LACEY'S TEAM, AS WELL AS SOME OTHER, UH, PEDESTRIAN SAFETY ENHANCEMENTS.

UH, ALL OF WHICH ARE FUNDABLE THROUGH SOME OF THESE FUNDING SOURCES.

LIKE, UM, IN FACT, I THINK, UH, COUNCILMAN CULP, YOU AND I HAVE DISCUSSED RAISED, UH, MORE ELABORATELY RAISED, UH, PEDESTRIAN CROSSWALK AREAS, UH, SELECTIVELY IN PLACES WHERE WE, UH, REALLY NEED TO DO MORE TO PROTECT, UH, PEDESTRIANS, ESPECIALLY YOUNGER ONES.

UM, AND OR HAVE OTHER SORTS OF, OF, UM, SIGNAGE, UH, OR, UM, MAPS OR WHATEVER FOR THE OFF-ROAD TRAIL SYSTEMS THAT ARE BEING DEVELOPED OVER TIME.

UH, RATHER THAN JUST HAVING THESE BE A PART OF PUBLIC WORKS, HAVE IT BE A PART OF A, OF, OF AN INTEGRATED NON, UH, MOTORIZED TRANSIT SERVICES RUN BY, BY LACEY'S DEPARTMENT.

THOUGHTS ABOUT THAT? COUNCILMAN MCG GREGORY? I'M JUST KIND OF CURIOUS, HOW DOES THE CONSULTANT GO ABOUT DETERMINING WHERE WOULD BE THE BEST PLACE OR PLACES IN THE COMMUNITY TO PLACE BIKES OR SCOOTERS? SO THAT IS DETERMINED BY THE WALKABILITY OR THE, UM, THE NON-MOTORIZED TRANSPORTATION, THE BIKEABILITY OF THE AREA, AS WELL AS THE POPULATION OR THE DEMOGRAPHICS THAT WOULD UTILIZE IT.

YOU KNOW, WE GET A LOT OF COMPLAINTS FROM, UH, CITIZENS ABOUT THESE KIDS OR YOUNG PEOPLE ON THESE MOTORIZED LITTLE, I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'RE GO-KARTS, MOTORCYCLES OR WHAT HAVE YOU.

AND THEY'RE DANGEROUS BECAUSE, I MEAN, THEY'RE ZIPPING OUT INTO TRAFFIC.

HOW, HOW IS ALL OF THIS GONNA MAKE THAT BETTER? WELL, THESE GO SIGNIFICANTLY SLOWER THAN THE OFF-ROAD VEHICLES THAT YOU'RE DESCRIBING.

I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT.

THOSE ARE ALMOST LIKE, UH, DIRT BIKES.

AND SO THOSE CAN GO REALLY FAST.

THESE, HOWEVER YOU WOULD WANT THEM IN DESIGNATED BIKE LANES, THAT'S WHAT'S GONNA BE SAFEST.

UM, BUT IN THE BIG CITIES, YOU KNOW, YOU SEE 'EM ALL THE TIME.

THEY'RE ON THE, UM, SIDEWALKS IN THE BIKE PATHS.

THEY USE THEM A LOT.

I THINK THAT THEY CAN BE GOVERNED DOWN TOO, AS FAR AS SPEED GOES.

AND THAT'S MORE FOR A LIABILITY AND AN INSURANCE PERSPECTIVE FROM THE COMPANY THAT PUTS THEM OUT.

COUNCILMAN COOPER? YEAH, IT'S JUST ON THE, UH, THE MOTORIZED BIKES.

UM, AND A LOT OF CITIES HAVE THEM.

MM-HMM, .

AND, AND I'VE BEEN IN A LOT OF CITIES THAT HAVE THEM.

I THINK THEY'RE CRAZY .

THEY'RE LAYING, THEY'RE LAYING ALL OVER OVER THE PLACE.

'CAUSE OBVIOUSLY ONCE THE TIME RUN OUT, NO MATTER WHERE YOU AT, IT STOPS AND YOU GOTTA LAY IT DOWN.

THAT'S WHERE IT'S AT.

AND IN A LOT OF CITIES, I'VE BEEN THERE.

I MEAN, THEY JUST LAND ALL OVER THE PLACE.

AND I THINK IT'S, I THINK IT'S CRAZY, UM, FOR A TOWN OUR SIZE, UH, I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH USE THEY WOULD EVEN GET IN OUR CITY IF A COMPANY COMES IN AND WON'T EVEN PUT 'EM IN HERE.

BUT I THINK THEY'RE JUST A NUISANCE.

AND I THINK IT'D BE MORE OF A NUISANCE FOR DECATUR.

WHAT WOULD YOU DO ALONG WITH WHAT COUNCILMAN COOPER IS SAYING? LIKE START

[00:25:01]

AND I DON'T KNOW IF THE MORE POPULAR PLACE WOULD BE BY MILLIKEN, IF THAT'S A, YOU KNOW, I OBVIOUSLY THAT'S A CONSULTANT'S PERSON, UH, OR ABILITY TO KNOW STUFF.

BUT, UM, I HAVE SOME CONCERNS TOO, CHUCK.

I, I, INITIALLY I'M ALL FOR THIS, BUT COUNCILMAN COOPER'S, RIGHT? BECAUSE I'VE BEEN, HE IS, HE IS.

RIGHT.

I'VE BEEN IN A LOT OF CITIES.

I SEE THESE THINGS LAYING ALL OVER THE PLACE.

I KNOW CITIES THAT HAVE PUT 'EM IN AND TAKEN 'EM OUT.

MM-HMM.

.

AND SO I GUESS MY QUESTION IS, IF WE COMMIT TO IT, UM, CAN YOU COMMIT, LIKE THE MAYOR SAID TO A PILOT PROGRAM FOR ONE YEAR OR SOMETHING? I MEAN, IT MAKES SENSE TO HAVE IT OVER BY FAIRVIEW PARK OR SOMETHING WHERE PEOPLE COULD RENT A BIKE AND RIDE THROUGH THE PARK AND ON THE TRAILS.

THAT MAKES A LOT OF SENSE.

BUT SOME OF OUR STREETS ARE, YOU KNOW, BUT I'VE ALSO BEEN IN CITIES AND COUNTRIES WHERE THEY GOT SCOOTERS GOING IN AND OUT OF TRAFFIC.

SO IT'S NOT UNUSUAL, YOU KNOW, , , WELL, I HATE TO BE A SKEPTIC, BUT THIS, UH, PROGRAM DOES NOT SOUND GOOD AT ALL.

.

UH, I'M JUST, UH, SO FROM THE RISK ASSESSMENT SIDE, HOW ARE, HOW ARE THEY, IS THIS A LITHIUM CHARGED BICYCLE OR IS THEIR CHARGING STATIONS, AND I'M CURIOUS ABOUT THE, UH, BACKGROUND, THESE THINGS.

SO LET ME START.

WE WOULD PUT OUT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FROM DIFFERENT COMPANIES AND WE WOULD BE ABLE TO SCOPE THAT HOW WE WANTED.

SO WE WOULD BE ABLE TO SAY, WE WANT A SMALL PILOT IN THIS AREA, OR WE WOULD WANT THE COMPANY TO COME IN AND TELL US WHERE THEY THINK THEY WOULD BE BEST AND LET US BE ABLE TO SCOPE THAT OUT WITH THEM.

SECOND, A LOT OF THE ONES THAT I'VE SEEN AND USED IN OTHER COMMUNITIES ARE SOLAR CHARGED.

UM, THERE ARE DESIGNATED, UH, CHARGING STATIONS FOR THEM USUALLY.

UM, BUT MOST OF THEM HAVE A LITTLE SOLAR CHARGING PANEL SO THAT THEY'LL PARK 'EM IN THE SUN AS FAR AS THEM LAYING EVERYWHERE.

I SEE THAT A LOT IN THE BIG CITIES.

AND I THINK THAT THEY HAVE SO MANY THAT IT'S PROBABLY HARDER TO BE ABLE TO PICK THEM UP OR THEY HAVE A MUCH WIDER, UH, GEOGRAPHIC AREA FOR THEM TO COVER.

I THINK WITH US, WE WOULD START SO SMALL THAT WE WOULDN'T SEE A LOT OF THOSE PROBLEMS. AND, UM, JOHN BROUGHT UP THAT WE CAN GEO-FENCE WHERE THEY'RE ABLE TO TRAVEL SO YOU WOULDN'T SEE 'EM DOWN IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS OR THINGS LIKE THAT.

I DO THINK THAT MILLIKEN WOULD BE A NATURAL FIRST PLACE, A GOOD PLACE TO TRY TO PUT ONE.

UM, I AGREE ABOUT THE PARKS, ESPECIALLY WITH THE EXPANSION OF THE BICYCLE PASS AND HOW THEY'RE CONNECTING.

UNLESS YOU HAVE THESE DESIGNATED BIKE LANES OR BIKE PASS AND STATIONS FOR THEM, I, I CAN'T SEE ANYTHING GOOD COMING OUT OF THEM.

SCOOTING DOWN SIDEWALKS, ESPECIALLY DOWNTOWN OR IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS AND SO FORTH.

SO THAT, THERE'S A LOT OF LOGISTICAL CONCERN FOR THESE FROM ME ANYWAY, PAT, I COULD BE WRONG, BUT I'M NOT .

UH, MOTORIZED VEHICLES ARE ILLEGAL IN THE PARKS ON THE TRAILS NOW.

OF COURSE THE ROADS ARE, YOU KNOW, BUT THEY'RE ILLEGAL.

THEY'RE NOT ALLOWED.

LISA, I'M A LITTLE MORE OPEN-MINDED, LACEY .

I THINK THIS IS AWESOME.

I THINK WE OUGHT TO DO IT ON TRIAL RUN, UM, YOU KNOW, ON CHUCK'S BIKE PATHS AND STUFF LIKE THAT IF WE'RE ALLOWED.

BUT, YOU KNOW, YEAH, I, I DON'T HAVE A PROBLEM WITH DOING A PILOT ON IT, BUT, YOU KNOW, JUST TO, BEFORE WE GET TOO FAR INTO THIS TO MAKE SURE IT'S NOT SOMETHING THAT'S JUST GONNA BE A BIGGER PROBLEM.

COUNCILMAN HORNE.

I'LL COMBINE, UH, THIS TOPIC WITH OUR, OUR LAST TOPIC AND JUST SAY, UH, FIRST OF ALL, UH, KUDOS TO THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT FOR BRINGING MICRO TRANSIT TO DECATUR.

UM, LIVE ON THE WEST END, BEEN THERE FOR 19 YEARS AND FOR 19 YEARS I'VE SEEN A VERY LARGE BUS DAY AND NIGHT TRAVEL NEARLY EMPTY.

AND THERE IS AIR POLLUTION THAT IS EMITTED.

THERE IS A HEAVY VEHICLE THAT MAY INCREASE, UH, TEARING UP THE ROADS AND IT'S UNNECESSARY.

AND WHAT WE ARE DOING IS WE ARE PROVIDING MORE CONVENIENCE FOR THE PEOPLE WHO RIDE CURRENTLY IN A VEHICLE THAT IS MUCH MORE SUITED FOR THE NEEDS OF BOTH THE CITIZEN AND FOR THE NEEDS OF THE CITY.

SO KUDOS FOR THAT AS IT PERTAINS TO, UM, UH, AN OPPORTUNITY TO UTILIZE BIKES TO MOVE FROM PLACE TO PLACE.

UM, BEING A MILLIKEN PROFESSOR, THERE'S BEEN A BIKE LANE NEAR MILLIKEN UNIVERSITY FOR YEARS.

IT ESSENTIALLY GOES UNUSED.

WE HAVE SPENT HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS ON SOMETHING THAT I HAVE NOT SEEN THE USAGE ON.

WE'VE GOT BIKE LANES PLANNED FOR 51 REDEVELOPMENT.

WE'VE TALKING ABOUT BIKE LANES ON JASPER STREET.

[00:30:01]

AND, UH, IT'S A MUCH, UH, GREENER SOLUTION.

AND SO, UM, IF YOU WANNA BE EVEN MORE EFFICIENT AND USE SOMETHING THAT MILLIKEN UNIVERSITY STUDENTS MIGHT USE, I THINK HAVING A BIKE STATION RIGHT AT MILLIKEN WOULD BE A EVEN BETTER SOLUTION, UH, FOR THOSE STUDENTS THAN PERHAPS EVEN THE MICRO TRANSIT OPPORTUNITIES.

THERE ARE COMMUNITIES RIGHT NOW THAT HAVE TAKEN THREE LANES IN EACH WAY OF TRAFFIC FOR CARS AND CONVERTED ONE TO BIKE LANES AS A WAY TO ENCOURAGE PEOPLE TO, TO BIKE.

AND WE JUST NEED TO GIVE THEM THAT OPPORTUNITY.

OTHER COMMENTS? PAT, UH, YOU BROUGHT UP EARLIER, UM, ABOUT THE SIZE AND WHAT THESE MOTORIZED BIKES ARE.

MM-HMM.

IF, UH, I THINK THE POLICE OFFICERS AGREE WE HAVE A REAL PROBLEM WITH THESE SMALL BIKES ON THE ROAD, WHICH THEY SHOULD NOT BE.

SO THAT'S ANOTHER THING TO, I'M NOT TRYING TO BE NEGATIVE, I'M JUST BEING REALISTIC.

GO AHEAD THERE.

THERE'S NO WAY THIS ISN'T HA GONNA HAVE SOME CONTROVERSY TO IT.

ABSOLUTELY, FOR SURE.

BUT I, I, I'M WILLING TO TRY IT, BUT I WANT TO HAVE A, I WANNA HAVE AN OUT IN CASE IT'S NOT WORKING, SO I DON'T WANT LIKE A THREE YEAR COMMITMENT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

I DON'T KNOW.

DO YOU KNOW WHAT THEY'RE LOOKING FOR RIGHT NOW? WELL, WE CAN ALWAYS PUT OUT AN RFP, LIKE I SAID, AND DO A ONE YEAR PILOT.

YEAH.

UM, WITH OPTIONAL EXTENSIONS.

SO THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE HAVE DONE LIKE THAT BEFORE, LIKE WITH THE SUNDAYS, UM, WITH OUR TRANSPORTATION AGENCY.

YOU KNOW, WE DID A ONE YEAR PILOT WITH THAT SO THAT IF IT DIDN'T WORK, UM, WE COULD PULL IT BACK.

YEAH.

HAVE WE HAD ANY DISCUSSIONS WITH THE PARK DISTRICT? BECAUSE IT SEEMS LIKE THIS WOULD BE A NATURAL PARTNER WITH THEM PARTNERSHIP, BECAUSE IF, IF IT IS ILLEGAL TO HAVE THESE MOTORIZED BIKES IN THE PARKS ON THE, ON THE BIKE PATHS.

ON THE BIKE PATHS, BUT, YOU KNOW, MAYBE IT'S SOMETHING THEY NEED TO LOOK AT AND MAYBE IT'S A, SOME SORT OF PARTNERSHIP WE OUGHT TO BE LOOKING AT.

SO ALSO THE E-BIKES, THEY LOOK LIKE NORMAL BICYCLES AND THEY HAVE THE OPTION TO OPERATE AS A REGULAR BIKE.

SO THEY DON'T AL THEY AREN'T ALWAYS MOTORIZED.

AND I JUST WANTED TO CLEAR UP THE MISCONCEPTION.

IT'S NOT GONNA BE LIKE ONE OF THE DIRT BIKES THAT ARE FLYING 40 DOWN MLK, BUT THEY ARE MOTORIZED THEY CAN BE.

YES.

WELL, IS THAT UP TO WHO'S RENTING THEM? YES.

.

WELL THEN THAT CREATES A PROBLEM THERE.

SORRY, I'M JUST BEING REALISTIC FOLKS.

BUT IT'S PROBABLY WORTH A DISCUSSION WITH THE PARK DISTRICT BECAUSE IF THEY'RE OUT THERE, THEY'RE GONNA END UP IN THE PARKS.

AND THEN WE'RE, YOU KNOW, I, I HAVE HAD CONVERSATIONS WITH, UH, MY COUNTERPART AT THE PARK DISTRICT AT THE VERY, AT THIS VERY CONCEPTUAL LEVEL.

I FELT LIKE WE NEEDED TO SEE WHAT YOU HAVE A, A COMFORT LEVEL WITH BEFORE WE, WE GO THERE.

I MEAN, THEY'RE THE PRINCIPAL DEVELOPER OF THE STEVENS CREEK TRAIL, UM, AND, UM, AND SOME OTHER TRAIL SECTIONS.

UM, THEY CAN'T PIECE IT ALL TOGETHER THOUGH WITHOUT THE HELP OF THE CITY BECAUSE SOME OF THEM HAVE TO USE CITY RIGHT OF WAYS TO DO THAT.

IT'S BEEN MY OBSERVATION, MAYOR AND COUNCIL, THAT IN OTHER COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE BUILT THEIR TRAIL NETWORK, LIKE ALL OF THEM HAVE TO PIECEMEAL OVER TIME.

YOU CAN'T JUST CAN'T DO IT ALL AT ONCE.

UH, THAT, UH, RIDERSHIP OR USERSHIP OF SOME OF THESE LANES IS, IS THIN FOR A WHILE UNTIL YOU GET 'EM ALL CONNECTED UP.

THEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE WILL, WILL USE THEM.

AND SO HAVING A PILOT PROJECT AND LIMITING THAT PILOT PROJECT TO THE AREAS WHERE YOU ALREADY HAVE, UM, UH, EITHER A CONCENTRATION OF LIKELY USERS LIKE AT THE UNIVERSITY OR DOWNTOWN AND WHERE THE, AND ADJACENT TO OFF-ROAD CORRIDORS AS WE'RE BUILDING THEM OR AS THEY CURRENTLY EXIST, MAKES PERFECT SENSE.

AND THOSE ARE THE PARAMETERS THAT WE NEEDED TO HEAR.

THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT THE STUDY SESSION IS FOR.

AND I APPRECIATE THE FEEDBACK THAT YOU'VE GIVEN.

I UNDERSTAND THE, I UNDERSTAND YOUR RELUCTANCE WELL, I, I ALSO, I I THINK DR.

HORNET IS RIGHT.

I THINK MILLIKEN WOULD BE THE LEG MAKE THE MOST SENSE BECAUSE BETWEEN STUDENTS THAT, YOU KNOW, ARE GONNA BE PROBABLY MORE ACTIVE THAN SOME OF OUR MORE SENIOR RESIDENTS AND THE ABILITY TO GO DOWNTOWN AND BACK WITH THOSE AND OR TO FAIRVIEW PARK IF THAT'S ALLOWED.

I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY THE, HE'S RIGHT.

THAT'S PROBABLY THE BEST PLACE TO LOOK AT LEAST ONE OF THE TOP SPOTS.

JACK.

WE WANNA MAKE THE CITY FOR THE YOUNG TOO.

THIS IS KIND OF A YOUNG PERSON'S THING.

IT'S NOT THAT I WOULDN'T RENT A BIKE, BUT I DON'T KNOW IF I'LL RENT A SCOOTER, BUT I'M ALL FOR ANYTHING THAT'LL MAKE OUR CITY MORE ATTRACTIVE TO YOUNGER PEOPLE.

AND THIS IS DEFINITELY ONE OF 'EM.

ABSOLUTELY.

OTHER COMMENTS, HAVE I CORRECTLY SUMMARIZED WHAT YOU'RE WILLING TO CONSIDER CONCEPTUALLY THE PILOT PROJECT ON THESE CORRIDORS? UM, AND FURTHER DISCUSSION WITH THE PARK DISTRICT, FURTHER DISCUSSION WITH THE PARK DISTRICT IS, AND, AND IF WE ENTER INTO A CONTRACT WITH, WITH A VENDOR THAT IT'S, YOU KNOW, THAT IT'S SHORT LIVED SO THAT YOU WE'RE NOT TOO FAR INTO ANY KIND OF A, OF A COMMITMENT.

JUST, UH, ONE, ONE OTHER QUESTION.

HAVE YOU HAD ANY

[00:35:01]

I THINK THAT'S PROBABLY A GOOD PLACE TO START BECAUSE, YOU KNOW, IF THERE ARE PROBLEMS IT'S GONNA LAND ON HIS LAP AND NOT LIKE HE HAS ANYTHING ELSE TO DO, SO.

RIGHT.

SO, UM, THAT COVERS EVERYTHING I THINK, EXCEPT FOR THE PEDESTRIAN SAFETY ASPECTS THAT I'D ALSO APPENDED TO THAT NON-MOTORIZED SECTION.

UM, IF WE'RE GONNA DO A PILOT PROJECT AND WORK WITH THE PARK DISTRICT ON HOW THEY DO, UH, SIGNING AND SAFETY FOR THEIR OFF-ROAD TRAILS, IT'S PROBABLY, UM, AN OBVIOUS YES.

UM, UM, THE, UM, I INCLUDED ONE ILLUSTRATION IN THE PACKET MATERIAL ABOUT RAISED CROSSWALKS.

UM, THESE HAVE TO BE DONE, UH, CAREFULLY BECAUSE WE DON'T WANNA CREATE PROBLEMS FOR OUR OWN FIRST RESPONDERS.

UM, THEY ARE USED IN OTHER COMMUNITIES.

UM, BUT THE, UM, UH, BOTH AS A WAY OF SLOWING VEHICLES DOWN IN PLACES WHERE THERE IS A SPEED PROBLEM, UH, IN BE MAYBE 'CAUSE THERE'S TOO FAR BETWEEN REGULATED INTERSECTIONS AND OR WHERE THERE'S A LOT OF PEDESTRIANS TRYING TO CROSS.

I DON'T THINK THAT THERE'S A LOT OF LOCATIONS IN THE CITY WHERE IT JUST MEETS ALL THE NECESSARY REQUIREMENTS.

BUT THERE ARE A FEW.

AND, UM, AND SO THIS, THIS, I OFFER THESE TWO THINGS.

UM, TRAIL SPECIALIZED TRAIL SIGNAGE AND MARKETED OR LOGOED TRAIL SIGNAGE AND RAISED CROSSWALKS AS A COUPLE OF ASPECTS I'D LIKE TO GET THE TRANSPORTATION SERVICES DEPARTMENT INVOLVED IN AS LONG AS YOU WERE FINE WITH MOVING FORWARD WITH THAT, WITH SOME OF THEIR IDEAS.

AGAIN, I WOULD LIKE TO HEAR, UM, THE POLICE CHIEF AND THE FIRE CHIEF THEIR THOUGHTS ON THIS BECAUSE USUALLY, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF TIMES, UH, A NEIGHBORHOOD OR SOMEBODY WHO LIVES ON A BUSY STREET WILL SAY, WELL, WE NEED SPEED BUMPS.

AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT FIRST RESPONDERS HAVE ALWAYS FOUGHT.

I MEAN, BUT THERE ARE PLACES THAT THIS TO ME MAKES PERFECT SENSE.

AND ANOTHER ONE IS ON FAIRVIEW.

I MEAN, THERE ARE CROSS, THERE'S A CROSSING, UH, CROSS FAIRVIEW THAT IS HEAVILY TRAFFICKED BY MILLIKEN STUDENTS.

AND MOST OF THE TIME PEOPLE SLOW DOWN FOR THE FLASHING THINGS, BUT NOT ALWAYS.

AND YOU KNOW, I THINK THAT'S ONE OF THE MORE DANGEROUS AREAS BECAUSE I THINK KIDS HAVE BEEN TRAINED BETTER THAT THE CARS MAY NOT ALWAYS STOP.

SO BE AWARE.

BUT, YOU KNOW, I, I REALLY WANT TO WANT THE CHIEFS TO WEIGH IN.

OH, THAT'S A STATE ROAD.

WELL, TRUE.

BUT I, THAT WAS MORE OF AN EXAMPLE OF I UNDERSTAND.

YEAH.

BUT I JUST COUNCILMAN DANIEL'S POINT IS WELL TAKEN.

IT, IT'S, IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO DO THESE THINGS ON STATE ROUTES.

I CHUCK, I MEAN, I LIKE THE IDEA, BUT I, I DON'T WHERE GIMME AN EXAMPLE OF WHERE YOU'D PUT ONE OF THESE.

DO YOU HAVE ONE PLACE IN TOWN ON THE TOP OF YOUR HEAD THAT YOU WOULD DO THIS? KING STREET? YEAH, KING STREET IS THE ONE THAT, UH, IS ONE OF SEVERAL LOCATIONS THAT I'VE THOUGHT OF.

UM, KING STREET BETWEEN MARTIN LUTHER KING AND WATER STREET, UH, WAS RECENTLY PAVED AS A PART OF ALL THE WORK THAT WAS DONE THERE A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO FOR THE CROSSING PROJECT.

THERE'S NO, UM, REGULATED INTERSECTION BETWEEN MLK AND WATER STREET.

UH, BUT THERE ARE A LOT OF, UH, JUVENILES IN THAT AREA, SOME OF WHOM, UM, ARE GOING EVEN ACROSS TO GET MEDICAL CARE.

UM, IN BETWEEN BABY TALK AND, AND UH, HEAD START AND THEN ACROSS KING STREET, UH, I'VE, IDENTIFYING THE BEST PLACE FOR THEM TO, TO CROSS, UM, IS STILL A LITTLE BIT PROBLEMATIC, BUT THAT'S A, THAT, THAT'S A PLACE THAT SEEMED LOGICAL TO ME.

IT'S OFF THE STATE ROUTE SO I DON'T HAVE TO DEAL WITH IDOT.

UM, IT GETS A, IT IT'S FAST BECAUSE PEOPLE GO FAST ON IT BECAUSE, BECAUSE OF THE, UM, BECAUSE IT'S NICE NEW ASPHALT.

UM, AND IT'S A PLACE WHERE THERE'S A LOT OF SAFETY HAZARDS PRESENT BECAUSE OF JUVENILES.

THE, SO I DON'T THINK THERE'S A LOT OF LOCATIONS WHERE ALL OF THOSE ARE COMBINED TO, TO MAKE IT A LOGICAL ONE.

BUT THAT'S ONE ILLUSTRATION.

UM, ARE THERE CITIES AROUND OUR AREA THAT HAVE DONE THIS OR PLACES THAT THIS WORKED? I, I GUESS I'M LOOKING FOR BEST PRACTICES AND WHAT'S WORKED, WHAT HAS, AND IN ADDITION TO REALLY WANTING TO SOME INPUT FROM THE POLICE CHIEF AND THE FIRE CHIEF, I, I CERTAINLY RECALL HAVING DRIVEN OVER THESE IN OTHER PLACES IN CENTRAL ILLINOIS, THOUGH I DON'T, I DIDN'T KEEP TRACK OF EXACTLY WHERE THEY ARE.

UM, THERE'S BASICALLY TWO WAYS TO DO THESE.

UH, THE FIRST IS YOU BUILD THEM.

UM, YOU, YOU, YOU PUT THE, THE RAMPS AND THE MASONRY IN PLACE AND THE OTHER WAY YOU CAN ACTUALLY BUY THE COMPONENTS FOR THIS AND JUST SET THEM ON TOP OF THE EXISTING STREET SURFACE.

UM, AND, UH, WE HAVEN'T DONE THE RESEARCH TO FIGURE OUT WHICH ONES ARE, ARE THE MOST FIRST RESPONDER, UH, FRIENDLY, WHICH ONES ARE THE CHEAPEST AND SO FORTH.

BECAUSE AGAIN, THIS IS A CONCEPTUAL MEETING.

WANTED TO SEE WHERE YOU WERE AT GENERALLY BEFORE WE GOT TOO MUCH FURTHER DOWN THE ROAD.