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Red Apple Transit Study Public Meeting October 6, 2010 Farmington Civic Center David Krutsinger with LSC presented the major elements of the Technical Memorandum which provided a peer review analysis of the Red Apple Transit system and an analysis of the service concept alternatives. The purpose of this meeting was to review and explain the various service options, to determine a preferred option for the regional routes and the Farmington routes, and to consider when and how to implement the changes described by the preferred options. Two alternatives were provided for the regional routes and four alternatives were provided for the Farmington routes. Another map illustrated the accessibility of routes based on the spacing of bus stops. For each alternative, statistics on estimated ridership, costs, and fleet capacity were given. A brief description of each option is as follows: • Regional Option Short Turn – An allday route would run from Flora Vista to Farmington along East Main and then loop around the southeast part of Farmington, using Browning Pkwy, Wildflower Pkwy, Andrea Dr., and US 64. An Aztec to Bloomfield route would be added during peak hours. The three regional routes to Aztec, Bloomfield, and Kirtland would not change and would continue to operate three times daily. • Regional Option Limited Service – Two routes would operate all day: one from Flora Vista west through Farmington to Troy King Road and one from McGee Park west to the Farmington Civic Center. Three routes would extend from the external points to serve Aztec, Bloomfield, and Kirtland three times daily. An Aztec to Bloomfield route would be added during peak hours. • Farmington Option Central Hub – Using a location at a place along 20 th Street, seven routes would meet at this centralized hub and serve the various sections of the city. • Farmington Option Split Loops with Trunk Line – Both the current Red and Green routes would be divided with two separate arcs for a total of four routes. A fifth route would circulate from downtown to 20 th Street to improve transfers among all of the routes. • Farmington Option Linear – Five routes would take a more direct approach and would principally serve major destinations northsouth and eastwest. Multiple transfer points would be created. • Farmington Option TwoHub – Most routes (three of five) would begin and end at the Civic Center and San Juan College (or the Animas Valley Mall) as they serve various parts of the city. After presenting and explaining the alternatives, the public was asked to vote for their preferred alternative. Each participant was asked to give one vote for the regional options and three votes for the Farmington options. Regional Option #2 and Farmington Option #4 received the most votes. The options were discussed once again as a group to ensure these were the preferred ---PAGE BREAK--- options and to incorporate as many of the positive aspects of other options into the option that will move forward. General Comments • A stop at the fire station in Flora Vista is greatly needed • Spencerville along NM 516 needs a stop • Flora Vista and Spencerville have no real good connection into the existing system other than traveling into Aztec or into Farmington. • The medical facilities around 30 th and Farmington Ave need a stop • Improved connections between Navajo Transit and Red Apple Transit are needed, especially around Kirtland and west Farmington. o These connections should review timing and possibly aligning stops to help create informal transfer points while ensuring federal funding is not compromised. • Consider extending Red Apple service to Waterflow and Hogback • A route should run from Shiprock to Farmington along US 64 and then circle back using N36 to serve residences along that road. • Consider a loop route from Aztec to CR 350, east to Bloomfield, and back north to Aztec • The southern route, as shown in Regional Option may be changed to provide service to the Sycamore Center and to the Crouch Mesa area. • The brown line in Farmington Option #4 overlaps the dark blue route shown in Regional Option The difference is the regional option goes further out to west Farmington. The group also discussed the tentative date of November 10 th from 11:00am to 1:00pm as the next public meeting.