Community Transit 12/3/2021 (2) - Laserfiche WebLink

DocuSign Envelope ID.387EE05B-E2A3-4543-899A-3C4712464DC6 SCOPE OF WORK AND JOINT STUDY FRAMEWORK FOR CONSIDERATION OF CONSOLIDATED TRANSIT SERVICES Purpose The City of Everett and Community Transit have established a shared priority of providing the best possible transit future for all of Snohomish County, including Everett and the Public Transportation Benefit Area (PTBA). Both agencies recognize that Everett residents are Community Transit customers, and PTBA residents are Everett Transit customers. The agencies agree that the highest value and level of long-term sustainable, equitable transit service in the City may best be achieved by the City of Everett joining the Community Transit PTBA, thereby merging Everett Transit with Community Transit as envisioned by the Growth Through Consolidation option. Consolidated transit service would provide a significantly higher level of mobility throughout Everett's neighborhoods as well as seamless, equitable connectivity and access to surrounding communities. This integrated transit system would provide the level of service and sustainability Everett requires for mobility and opportunity today and connection to light rail in the future. This proposal, developed jointly by Everett Transit and Community Transit executive leadership, provides a recommended framework for developing a consolidation implementation plan to move forward to the respective governing bodies for further consideration. Background In 2019, Everett's City Council initiated the evaluation of transit services provided by Everett Transit. Over the course of 2019-2021, the City of Everett engaged in a series of ReThink Transit workshops to study and consider three options for future provision of transit service in the City: Status Quo (no change), Growth, and Growth Through Consolidation. Community Transit provided technical support to this work, including conceptual development of the Growth Through Consolidation option. At their June 9, 2021 meeting, the Everett City Council reviewed reporting on community input regarding ReThink Transit. Results indicated strong public support for improved transit service. After discussion, the Council directed Everett City staff to develop and bring back for Council's consideration a proposal outlining a City of Everett and Community Transit joint study framework to further develop the "Growth Through Consolidation" option. City officials then reached out to Community Transit for mutual discussion on how to design this collaborative study process. The objective of the joint study framework is to define a mutually agreeable integration plan for Everett to join the PTBA at a sufficient level of detail to inform decision making by the Everett City Council. The joint study would inform a potential ballot measure for Everett voters to consider approval to move forward with the Growth Through Consolidation option. 3