Regional Transportation Authority of Pima County RTA

1
Getting the Green Light on Transportation
Initiatives
Drafting Successful Ballot Measures Center for
Transportation Excellence Conference June 12,
2007
Gary Hayes, Executive Director Pima Association
of Governments/Regional Transportation
Authority Katrina Heineking, General Manager Sun
Tran/Van Tran
2

• Pima County Profile
• 1 million population in Pima County
• 32 Hispanic
• 52 White/Non-Hispanic
• 3 African American
• 13 Other
• 54 of county residents live in Tucson
• University of Arizona
• No cross-town freeway

3
78 of population located in Pima and Maricopa
Counties.
4

• Pima County Government Profile
• Eight jurisdictions
• Cities and town administered by Strong City
  Manager
• Two Tribes governed by councils with a tendency
  of rapid turnover

5

• Past Transportation Initiatives
• In the last 20 years, four transportation
  initiatives have failed.
• 1986 County-wide loop freeway FAILED 57-43
• 1989 County-wide general road improvement/
  transit enhancement plan FAILED 61-39
• 2002 City of Tucson initiative with
  grade-separations on main arterials FAILED
  69-31
• 2003 City of Tucson initiative with a
  light-rail focus FAILED 63-37

6

• Starting Fresh with a New Plan
• Legislature granted permission to develop plan
  and funding
• RTA serves eight local jurisdictions
• RTA Board consists of one elected official from
  each jurisdiction and an governors appointee
• 20-year regional transportation plan developed
  with assistance Citizens Advisory Committee and
  Technical Management Committee

7

• Creating a Successful Strategy
• Overcame lack of trust in government
• Engaged the diverse stakeholders
• Worked with local media and met regularly with
  editorial boards
• Gained buy-in not only from all Board members but
  all local elected officials
• Polled, surveyed and reacted

8

• Creating a Successful Strategy
• Conducted extensive public involvement
• 27 Open Houses
• 400 Presentations to civic, neighborhood groups
  and other organizations
• 3 major news conferences
• Booths at malls, home shows, etc.
• Three phases of feedback
• Developed and implemented Marketing Plan

9

• Creating a Successful Strategy
• Used simple, consistent messages
• Tax equal to a mere penny for every 2 spent
• Everyone contributes
• Improvements enhance regional mobility
• Where are we if the plan fails?
• Separated government from the campaign to ensure
  integrity
• Sought buy-in from business leaders, who in turn
  raised 1.1 million in support for the campaign

10

• The Ballot Measure
• 2.1 billion, 20-year multi-modal plan
• Funded by county-side half-cent sales tax
• Plan elements
• Roadway, 58.5
• Safety, 9.0
• Environmental Economic Vitality, 5.8
• Transit, 26.7

11

• Getting the Green Light

May 16, 2006 Pima County voters
approve county-wide RTA Plan by 3-to-2 margin
12

• Transit Element Details
• 20-year plan divided into 4 periods, with transit
  improvements beginning in 1st period
• Eight transit projects
• Extended weeknight service
• Extended weekend hours
• Added frequency/area expansion
• Special needs/paratransit
• Express service enhancements
• Modern streetcar
• Neighborhood circulators
• Park-and-Ride lots

13

• Transit Project Status
• One year after the vote
• Plugs During rush hours added buses assigned to
  busiest routes
• Weeknight service extension on two of three
  phases

14
Total RTA Plan Project StatusOne year after the
vote

• 119 million in RTA funding has been committed
• 91 projects have been approved for funding
• 68 projects in the planning design phase
• 15 projects under construction
• 2 transit projects have been implemented
• 6 projects have been completed

15

• www.RTAmobility.com