1. Public transit in Indiana – the path forward November 2012

2. HEC:
Partner in Indiana Citizens’ Alliance for Transit

3. Once a leader in public transportation…
Hsr studies

5. Times have changed…..
Suburban sprawl

6. …and traffic congestion
Metro Area
Peak commuter average cost
Indianapolis
$506
Louisville metro
$477
Chicago metro-NWI
$1,568

7. Transit connects people and places, makes life accessible without a car
Mobility & choice
Job creation/job access
Energy savings
Reduced air pollution and carbon emissions

8. Environmental benefits

9. Reduced dependence on oil
Transit use saves 4.2 billion gallons of gas a year
Gulf oil spill reinforces drawbacks of oil use

10. Fewer greenhouse gases
CO2 from Transportation:
41 million metric tons released in Indiana in 2009

11. Cleaner air
60% of ozone pollution in central Indiana from motor vehicles

12. The state of transit in Indiana
66 transit agencies
Urban bus systems – fixed route and demand response
Rural transit – demand response
One commuter rail system

13. Urban bus systems
18 large and medium sized systems: Indy, South Bend, Bloomington, Columbus, Terre Haute

14. Rural on-demand providers
Counties
Area Agencies on Aging
Senior services organizations

15. Commuter rail
South Shore (NICTD) operates trains from South Bend to Millennium Station in Chicago

16. High gas prices & recession-driven decline in driving

17. Changing demographics, high gas prices =
Aging baby boomers – 1/5 of Hoosiers 65+ in 2030
Millennials losing interest in drivers’ licenses and cars – 15% fewer 18 year-olds with licenses
Population migration back to urban areas
VMT reached peak, leveled off

18. =more people riding transit
IndyGo: up 11% through August 2012
South Shore: up 5% over 2011
Indiana 4% increase from 2010 to 2011
U.S billion trips in 2011– 2nd highest level ever

19. Do our state policies reflect the demand for transportation alternatives?

20. Our transportation system is out of balance….
97% of $2.4 billion annual state transportation spending goes to roads
Over one half of “major moves” spending going to new roads
Minimal state investment in public transit
No state investment in passenger rail

21. Challenges facing Indiana transit systems
Central Indiana
IndyGo barely avoided major service cuts last 2 years
NW Indiana
Regional Bus Authority operations ceasing
Statewide
Local funding options limited

22. How is transit funded in Indiana?
Fares: 15%
Local assistance (property taxes, general taxes) : 36%
Federal assistance: 26%
State assistance: 22%

23. State support for transit
Public Mass Transportation Fund (PMTF) adopted in % share of Indiana sales tax
Percent share declined when sales tax rate increased
Rate in %

24. State funding – 2011-13 budget
2011 –House proposed cutting PMTF 17.7% for FY 2012 and FY 2013
2011 – Final budget maintained current PMTF funding level, but eliminated sales tax dedication
$42.5 million for 2012
$44.5 million for 2013

25. 2013-15 Budget bill goal Restore the PMTF’s sales tax dedication
Maintain state share of public transit funding at appropriate level

26. Transit in Central Indiana
A Closer Look at
Transit in Central Indiana

27. Peer cities outpacing Indianapolis

29. Timeline February 2010 CITTF regional transportation plan released
Public input through IndyConnect partners
December 2011
Final revised regional transit plan released

30. The plan Bus service doubled in first 10 years 5 express bus routes
4 Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) lines
NE corridor rail service
Light rail in future
Bike and pedestrian trails

32. BRT
Dedicated lanes or mixed traffic lanes with signal priority, queue jumps
Permanent stations
7.5 minute intervals – peak
15 minute intervals – off-peak

33. Revenue and costs $1.259 B capital cost (10 years)
$133 M annual operating cost (2021)
$152 M annual revenue (2021)
State PMTF
Local – property taxes, RTA tax
Fares

35. Funding the plan
Local revenue source needed: .3% (three-tenths of a percent) increase in the local option income tax in Marion and Hamilton counties
For a family of four earning $50,000 a year, this would cost about $10 per month.

36. In the legislature….
Indiana General assembly must authorize voter referenda on dedicated local transit tax, and enable Regional Transit Authority
In 2012:
HB 1083—fell short by one vote in committee
Caught up in other issues

37. 2013:
Bipartisan support
Leadership questions
Coalition building
Grassroots outreach

38. For more information: Tim Maloney tmaloney@hecweb.org