1. NYMTC Coordinated Plan Workshop
Suffolk County
NYMTC Coordinated Plan Workshop
Sponsored by:
New York Metropolitan Transportation Council
With assistance of:
WSP – Parsons Brinckerhoff
Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates
InGroup
October 31, 2016

2. Introductions New York Metropolitan Transportation Council staff
Gerry Bogacz, Project Manager
Project consultants
Patti Monahan, Nelson\Nygaard
David Perlmutter, Nelson\Nygaard
Coordinated Plan Advisory Group
Maria Garcia

3. New York metropolitan transportation council

4. What is nymtc?
Metropolitan Planning Organization for New York City, suburban Long Island and the lower Hudson Valley
Regional council comprised of nine voting and seven advisory members
Required for federal funding of transportation improvement projects
Three geographically-based Transportation Coordinating Committees

5. NYMTC’s Planning Area

6. Membership
Advisory members: New Jersey Transit, North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority,
Federal Transit Administration, Federal Highway Administration,
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, NYS Department of Environmental Conservation 6

7. Workshop Agenda “Top-of-mind” issues Background presentation
Discussion
Kevin Maddox

8. “Top-of-mind” issues

9. Background presentation

10. Fast Act – Enhanced Section 5310
49 C.F.R. Section 5310
Meeting the transportation needs of older adults and people with disabilities when the transportation service provided is unavailable, insufficient, or inappropriate to meeting these needs.
Recipients can include states or local government authorities, private non- profit organizations, and/or operators of public transportation.
For 2016, New York State DOT has announced the availability of approximately $10 million in funding for the NYMTC planning area
Programmatic changes from previous federal legislation
The program was modified to include projects eligible under the former Section 5317 New Freedom program, described as capital and operating expenses for new public transportation services and alternatives beyond those required by the ADA, designed to assist individuals with disabilities and seniors.
Stand Alone Plan
Federal Share:
Federal share is 80 percent for capital projects.
20 percent local match.
Federal share is 50 percent for operating assistance.
50 percent local match.

11. Eligible projects TRADITIONAL NON-TRADITIONAL Buses and vans
Vehicle access improvements (Wheelchair lifts, ramps, and securement devices)
Transit-related IT systems (Scheduling/routing/one-call)
Mobility management programs
Acquisition of transportation services
NON-TRADITIONAL
Accessible paths of travel to transit (curb ramps, sidewalk improvements, APS, etc.)
Improved signage / way-finding technologies
Travel training / volunteer driver programs
Stand Alone Plan
Federal Share:
Federal share is 80 percent for capital projects.
20 percent local match.
Federal share is 50 percent for operating assistance.
50 percent local match.

12. Examples of Funded projects
ADELANTE of Suffolk County, Inc.
1 vehicle
Federation of Organizations NYS Mentally Disabled
5 vehicles
Head Injury Association, Inc.
4 vehicles
Independent Group Home Living Program, Inc.
Suffolk County DPW – Transportation Division
Operating assistance
UCP Association of Greater Suffolk, Inc.

13. the Coordinated Public transit-human services transportation Plan (coordinated plan)
All projects selected for Section 5310 funding must be “drawn from a Coordinated Plan”
To do this, the Coordinated Plan will:
Create an inventory of community transportation services
Identify where “the transportation service provided is unavailable, insufficient, or inappropriate to meeting needs”
Develop and prioritize strategies and actions
Stand Alone Plan
Federal Share:
Federal share is 80 percent for capital projects.
20 percent local match.
Federal share is 50 percent for operating assistance.
50 percent local match.

14. Key inputs into THE plan
Previous NYMTC Coordinated Plans (2004, and 2013)
NYMTC Regional Transportation Plans (current and next)
Other relevant resources:
OneNYC
NYCDOT Initiatives for People with Disabilities
NYCDOT Mobility Management Resource Guide (2015)

15. Example of services to be considered
Public transportation
LIRR, Suffolk County Transit (SCT), Huntington Area Rapid Transit (HART), NICE Bus, ferries
Paratransit services from Suffolk County Accessible Transit (SCAT)
Other public transportation providers
Colleges & universities (e.g. Stony Brook University, Dowling College)
Suffolk County DPW, Transportation Division
Privately-owned transportation
Regional bus operators, e.g. Shortline/Coach USA, Adirondack Trailways, Greyhound
Taxi cabs, livery services, Uber/Lyft, etc.
Commuter vans
Medicaid medical transportation (non-emergency) via Suffolk County Department of Social Services
Other human services transportation
Developmental Disabilities Institute, Homeworks of Suffolk, etc.
Update

16. Other Human Services Transportation
Agencies that provide specialized transportation typically targeted to meet specific client needs, such as:
Transporting program participants to and from agency programming or services
Estimates suggest there are at least 33 agencies countywide
Hospitals & clinics
Community centers
Residences
Update

17. UNMET Needs Service Delivery Gaps
Longer distance and inter-jurisdictional trips, service frequency, and span issues
LIRR service can be infrequent, oriented to Manhattan-bound trips with few options for N/S travel.
Frequency of some public bus routes is 1-2 hours
ADA paratransit services cover wide service areas with longer span of service, but only available for ADA-eligible individuals
Municipal paratransit services provide travel options for older adults, but with limited span of service and only for trips within town/village boundaries
Community transportation services provide mobility for low-income people, older adults, and people with disabilities – but service is available only to agency clients or program participants

18. UNMET Needs (CONTINUED)
Spatial Gaps
SCT has service area gaps in eastern portion of Suffolk County
Mismatch between route origins, destinations and many employment centers, especially for low-income workers; many popular trips require transfers as a result
Insufficient north-south travel options; most routes oriented east-west
Temporal Gaps
Evening and weekend spans of service of public transit providers are inadequate – no Sunday service or service after 8 PM is available. Service, retail, hospital workers may not be accommodated.

19. UNMET Needs (continued)
Institutional Gaps
Scheduling coordination between agencies to reduce need for transfers
Knowledge and Information Gaps
Long hold times with customer service for paratransit reservations
Improved signage needed at bus stops
Technology Gaps
Fare integration across County transit providers and new fare media needed
Schedule and website information inaccessible to riders with visual impairments (e.g. PDF documents cannot be accessed with screen-reading applications)
Accessibility Gaps
Several LIRR stations on Babylon Branch are not ADA-accessible.
Bus stops often lack sidewalks, shelters, nearby crosswalks

20. Targeted populations
Survey Purpose

21. Strategies and actions
Examples of strategies identified in 2013 Coordinated Plan
Accessible taxi program
Bicycle amenities at transit facilities, on-board transit vehicles
Consistent user policies for demand-response services – e.g. standardized policies for wait times, dwell times, no-shows/late arrivals
Coordination between paratransit providers to ensure more seamless transfers between jurisdictions
Mobility managers – information, outreach and trip planning
Paratransit feeder services to fixed-route stops and stations
Publicize existing online trip planners
Real-time transit information (SCT buses)
Reverse commute strategies – “last mile” fixed-route, demand-response shuttle services to/from rail stations or bus stops
Taxi/community car subsidy programs
Travel voucher program

22. You can help us with the following . . .
Service inventory
Unmet needs
Coordination
Strategies & actions

23. discussion

24. Contact information
Gerry Bogacz
Planning Director
New York Metropolitan Transportation Council
25 Beaver Street, 2nd Floor
New York, N.Y w
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