Fiscal Note
This grant, in the estimated amount of $111,839, would pay for 50% of the net operating cost of providing new commuter service between Madison and Verona for a two year period beginning in August, 2005. The balance of net service cost would be paid for by the City of Verona, through a separate contractual agreement with the City of Madison. There would be no net cost impact to Metro Transit or the City of Madison.
Title
Authorizing the Transit General Manager to prepare and file an application for a Reverse Commute grant with Wisconsin Department of Transportation in connection with proposed commuter service to the City of Verona, and authorizing the Mayor to sign the application.
Body
Many employees of Epic Systems, a large computer software company with over 1,000 employees currently located at 13 sites within the City of Madison, are currently served by various Metro Transit routes. In anticipation of the move by Epic Systems to Verona, Verona officials initiated discussions with Metro Transit's General Manager several years ago. Metro Transit staff have been regularly meeting with City of Verona and Epic officials since then to discuss and develop a transit service to meet the reverse commute needs of Epic employees, as well as Verona commuters to Madison. A service proposal, approved by the City of Verona, has been developed to begin this new reverse commute and regular commute service on the day Epic employees begin work in Verona in August, 2005. This will be a limited stop service during morning and evening commute hours, with three trips in the morning and three in the evening connecting the West Transfer Point and designated stops in Verona.
Under USC, Section 3037 of the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century, federal funds are available to initiate transit services for reverse commute workers at suburban job sites (Reverse Commute grants). These funds may be used for up to 50 percent of the expenses of an authorized project. As noted in the Fiscal Note above, the balance of net cost during the term of the grant will be borne by the City of Verona. This grant resolution is intended to expedite the application process for a "Reverse Commute" federal grant through the auspices of the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, for the first two years of service.
A second resolution concerning a contract between the Cities of Verona and Madison will be forwarded to the Common Council shortly. The objective of the contract will be to institutionalize the cost arrangements between the two cities for this initial service with special grant assistance, and to express the desire and intent by both parties to continue Metro Transit service through a standard purchase of service agreement at the end of the pilot period, wherein the City of Verona would pay the Metro Transit (the City of Madison) for the full cost of service, less a credit for passenger revenues. It is anticipated that the City of Verona would be eligible for direct State funding assistance beginning July, 2007 to help offset its cost of transit service.
WHEREAS, Epic Systems, a large computer software company with over 1,000 employees currently located in the City of Madison, is relocating in August of 2005 to a site in the City of Verona.
WHEREAS, Epic's new corporate complex in Verona is in an area not served by transit, and whereas the City of Verona and Epic Systems recognize the importance of making transit service available to employees commuting to the new site and of promoting regional transportation goals of reducing automobile congestion.
WHEREAS, Metro Transit has extensively surveyed Epic employees, found strong interest by those employees in using the service, and designed service according to input by Epic employees as well as Verona and Epic officials;
WHEREAS, under USC 49, Section 3037, federal funds are available through Reverse Commute grants to initiate transit services for workers at suburban job sites;
WHEREAS , the City of Verona will fully fund the local share of costs associated with providing services to the Epic campus and the City of Verona;
Now therefore be it resolved that the Transit General Manager is authorized to prepare and file an application for a Reverse Commute grant with the Wisconsin Department of Transportation in connection with the first two years of proposed commuter service to the City of Verona, and the Mayor is authorized to sign the application.