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09-667� Presented by 0 1 VJHEREAS, under the federal SAFETEA-LU Transportation Act enacted in 2005, Minneapolis and 2 adjoining communities have been allocated funds under the Non-Motorized Transportation Pilot Program; 3 and 4 5 WHEREAS, the Non-Motorized Transportation Pilot (NTP) Program is designed to test how infrastructure 6 improvements, combined with planning, public education, and promotion, can increase the number of 7 people bicycling and walking and reduce driving, with a focus on connections in and out of Minneapolis; 8 and 10 WHEREAS, St. Paul Smart Trips is a 501(c)(3) non-piofit organization that improves access and mobility 11 for those who travel in and around St. Paul who has applied for funding from the Non-Motorized 12 Transportation Pilot Program; and 13 14 WHBREAS, Transit for Livable Communities is administering the NTP Program and has awazded St. Paul 15 Smart Trips a grant of $112,000 to fund a Smart Trips Union Park residential social marketing program for 16 the summer and fall of 2009 that will build on the success of the pilot program last year in Summit- 17 University; and WHEREAS, the Smart Trips Union Park program targets the approximately 7,100 households in the Union Park District of St. Paul with the goai of changing their travel behavior; and WHEREAS, the Minnesota Department of Transportation must act as fhe City of Saint PauPs agent in accepting the federal aid that has been awarded for this project; and WHEREAS, the City of Saint Paul as a taxing authority is eligible Yo act as a fiseal agent pass-ihrough for St. Paul Smart Trips to accept the federal grant that has been awarded; and WHEREAS, the Mayor, pursuant to Section 10.07.1 of the Charter of the City of Saint Paul, does hereby certify $112,000 in funds aze available for appropriation in excess of those estimated in the 2009 budget and recommends the following changes to the 2009 budget: Current Amended Budget Chanees Budget 39 FINANCING PLAN 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 WHEREAS, the Smart Trips Union Pazk program will use individualized social marketing techniques to get peopte out of their cars and choosing sustainable altetnatives such as transit, biking and walking, utilizing direct mailings, delivery of materials, and free events to engage interested households and provide them with the information they need to make changes in how they get around; and $112 000 $112 000 Councii File # 09-667 Green Sheet # 3p715�2 RESOLUTION CITY OF SAINT„PAUL, MiNNESOTA 40 NTP Grant for Smart Trips Union Park 41 101-363(13-054 7-61 75 0 42 Total Financing $ -0- $112,OQ0 $112,000 09-667 43 44 SPENDING PLAN 45 NTP Grant for Smart Trips Union Park 46 101-36303-0547-61750 $112.000 $112,000 47 TotalFinancing $ -0- $ll2,000 $112,000 48 49 NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that pursuant to Minnesota Stat. Sec. 161.36, the 50 Commissioner of Transportation be appointed as Agent of the City of Saint Paul to accept as its agent, 51 federal aid funds which may be made available for eligible transportation related projects. 52 53 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the City Council of the Ciry of Saint Paul approves the above changes 54 to the 2009 budget. 55 56 BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED, the Director of the Department of Planning and Economic Development, 57 Cecile Bedor, is hereby authorized and directed for and on behalf of the City to execute and enter into an 58 agreement with the Commissioner of Transportation of the Minnesota Department of Transportation and 59 the Executive Directar of St. Paul Smart Trips. Requ�De�rt �f: ��-� r l / Adoption Cert �if ,/ ied� by Cou 'I Secretary gY� // //lv� �L�1�SlL. _ Approved b Date Mayor. � � ��U Adopted by Date Council: �/e2�/��/ gy��ec�n— 09-667 Green Sheet Green Sheet Green Sheet Green Sheet Green Sheet Green Sheet � )epartrnenUpffic¢lCounciL: Date inkiated: l/ "' PE—PlanningBEconomic Green Sheet NO: 3071502 ne,,.,i,......�_. 10JUN-09 Contact Person & Phone: Christina Morrison 266-6546 Must Be on Council Agenda by (Date): 24JUN-09 Doc. Type: RESOLUTION E-Dxument Required: Y Document Contact Donna Drummond Conpct Phone: 266-6556 y Assign Number For Routing Order ToWI # of Signature Pages _(Clip AII Lowtions for Signature) � _ .. _.._ ' �`` J�N 1 � 20U9 S � �(,(A c Pass a Council resolution to accept a federal grant and enter into a contract with Saint Paul Smart Trips for their Union Pazk Residen6al Social Ma;keting prograui. The resolurion would allow the City to act as a fiscal agent for federal funds on their behaif and to enter into an agrency agreement with MnDOT as the adminishator of the funds. Recommendations: Approve (A) or Reject (R): Planning Comrriission CIB Committee Civil Service Commission Personal Service Contracts Must Answer the Following Questions: t. Has this personlfittn ever worked under a contrad for this department? Yes No 2. Has this person/firtn ever been a city employee? Yes No 3. Does this personlfirtn possess a skill not normally possessed by any current city employee? Yes No Explain all yes answers on separote sheet and attach to green sheet. Initiating Problem, Issues, Opportunity (Who, What, When, Where, Why): Saint Paul Smart Trip was awazded $112,00 through the federal Non-Motorized Transportation Pilot program. A resolution must be passed for the Ciry to ast as a fiscal agent betcveen MnDOT and St.Paul Smart Trips. Advantages If Approved: Work on the program can proceed, Union Pazk residents will benefi[ from the targeted mazketing program. Disadvantages If Approved: None DisadvanWges if NotApproved: Contract can not be finalized with MnDOT and the Smart Trips will not be eligible fox the grant without a tasing authority to act as a fiscal agent. The program will not be done without tlus funding. . Total Amount of $112,000.00 Trensaelion: F�na�ny so�rce: federal Non-Motorized TranspoAation Pilot project Financial Information: Federal Cnant {F�cptaio) Cost/Revenue Budgeted: Y U lanning&_EconomicDevelopm (°%..�5(-rHp /IAcV.iS :+� �1�(�/d� .4ctivityNumber: �01-36303-0547-61750 June 10, 2009 4:03 PM Page 1 9 09-667 Smart Trips Union Park - Funding Request St. Paul Smart Trips is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that improves access and mobility for those who travel in and around St. Paul. Smart Trips Union Park is a residential social marketing progrem which uses individualized techniques to get people out of their cars and choosing sustainable alternatives such as transit, biking and walking. The progrem targets the approximately 7,100 households in the Union Park neighborhood of St. Paul. Smart Trips Union Park is the second program of this type conducted by St. Paul Smart Trips, the first being Smart Trips Summit-U which occurred over the summer of 2008. The Smart Trips Union Park program contains several elements including materials outreach, events and evaluation. We are requesting $96,200 from Bike Walk Twin Cities to support this programming. Program Goal Encourage residents of Union Park to walk, bike, take transit and carpool for everyday errands and trips and reduce their drive-alone travel. Program Objectives • Increase walking, bicycling, transit and carpooling trips • Decrease VMT by 3% • Reach all residents of target area three times • Reach interested residents of target area who don't supply emails six times • Reach interested residents of target area who supply emails eight times • Involve 10% of residents in the progrem through ordering of materials and events Program Description The outreach program will consist of newsletters and a mailed orderform (also available online), which will provide people with the option to order any and all of the following materials: • Additional Smart Trips Union Park Newsletters • Neighborhood maps • Walking packet • Cycling packet • Transit packet • Events schedule (walks, rides, classes) • Metro Transit schedules and information • HOURCAR brochure • Carpool information • Incentives (Neighborhood coupon book, pedometer, refledive arm/leg band, Twin Cities Bike Map, reusable tote bag, free ride coupons) April 27, 2009 1 09-667 Smart Trips Union Park Newsletters Five newsletters in total will be produced, with the first two going to all residents of the target area and the last three only going to program participants. The first newsletter will introduce people to the program and will include key messages related to barriers to travel behavior change (which were identified in a phone survey of the neighborhood in 2008). The second newsletter will be an order form, which people can use to order Smart Trips Kits (see below). The third newsletter will focus on the unique challenges and opportunities forfamily travel, particularly related to the start of the school year. The fourth newsletter will address the barriers that non-auto travelers face in the colder months. The fifth and final newsletter will wrap up the program and include messaging about sustaining new behaviors beyond the program. A few weeks after the second newsletter/order form is sent a reminder postcard will be mailed to all households. The reminder card will feature a mini-order form, which will feature more limited options than the full order form, but can be used if the first form has been lost. Participants will also be able to order materials online. Smart Trips Kits The Smart 7rips Kit is the customized set of materials that each household orders. Kits come in a reusable tote bag and are delivered to households by bike. Kits may include biking packets, walking packets, transit packets, carpooling information, etc. All kits also include a neighborhood coupon book, with deals at local businesses. Events (guided walks, guided rides and classes) In conjunction with iocal partners, St. Paul Smart Trips will host 10-15 bike rides, walks and classes to encourage people to explore their neighborhood and to learn more about options for getting around. Events will be free and open to the general public and will include incentive gifts, such as free bike lights or cookies, to encourage participation. Event topics may include a group transit ride to Highland Village, bike rides of historic architecture and classes on bike mechanics. They will focus on experiential learning and barrier reduction, and may incorporate skills tips and safety elements into themed events, such as offering a children's helmet fitting clinic before a family bike ride or discussing bag/cart options for carrying groceries before a guided walk. St. Paul Smart Trips will partner with the local district council and the Bike WalkTwin Cities Ambassadors, along with other community groups, to deliver these events. Measurement tools Phone survey The primary program evaluation tool will be a baseline phone survey, a three-month follow-up phone survey, a winter- travel survey and a one-yearfollow-up phone survey of residents interested in participating in the Smart Trips Union Park program. The same survey would also be conducted in a control neighborhood. For the baseline survey, which will be conducted in lune 2009, the consultant will contact households by phone and complete surveys with adult residents, up to a total of 300 interviews for each group (test and control). The survey instrument will also include screening questions that ask respondents if they would be interested in receiving information and incentives related to transportation a{ternatives. Respondents who express interest will be asked to report on all the trips they took the previous day, including what mode they used (the trip diary)- In October 2009, the consultant will re-contact respondents in the test and control groups who participated in the baseline survey and expressed interest in the program and attempt to complete follow-up surveys (we estimate there may be approximately 100 respondents in each neighborhood who fit this criteria). These follow-up surveys will include the same trip diary that was used for the baseline surveys, and will also include a few additional questions about April 27, 2009 09-667 SmartTrips Union Park whether they participated in the program and what they thought of it. The primary purpose of these follow-up surveys is to measure any changes in trave{ mode among people exposed to the Smart Trips Union Park program compared to the control. The winter travel survey, which will be conducted in January 2010 will be either a phone or Internet survey and will measure participanu' travel behavior in the colder months. Results will indicate how their winter and summer travel patterns differ and what their unique seasonal barriers are to non-drive-alone travel. Finally, the one-year follow-up survey will be conducted around October 2010 to evaluate whether there has been any lasting behavior change in the program neighborhood, compared to the control. Focus Groups Focus groups will also be part ofthe formative research and evaluation program for Smart Trips Union Park. We will conduct two focus groups in June 2009 with (1) mothers of young children and (2) members of underrepresented racial/ethnic groups to identify their barriers to using transportation alternatives. We will conduct three focus groups after the program period with (1) people who participated in the program and changed behavior, (2) people who participated in the program and did not change behavior, and (3) people who did not participate in the program. Focus groups would contribute to a deeper understanding about what factors motivate peopVe to request a Smart Trips Kit, and also what factors motivate people who receive a kit to change their travel behavior. In conjunction with the winter travel survey, we will also conduct several focus groups in January 2010 related to the barriers and motivations for winter non-drive-alone travel. These focus groups will provide some qualitative background and will complement the survey. Participant surveys St. Paul Smart Trips will conduct an online survey of participants after the program has concluded to get feedback on progrem details and materials. Results will provide information on the strength of our messages and areas that could be improved in future years. Survey of partners and sponsors Staff will conduct an informal survey of business partners to get feedback to improve the program in the future. Bike counts Staff and volunteers will count cyclists at key intersections in the neighborhood, and in a control neighborhood, during selected hours before and after the program. Our intent is to coordinate bike counts with the Bike Walk Twin Cities Program to maximize usability of the data. April 27, 2009 09-667 SmartTrips Union Park Partnerships and Stakeholders Metro Transit Staff wi11 work with Metro Transit to prwide transit materials to households, to supply free ride passes, to develop transit-related messages in the newsletters, to plan transit-related events and to coordinate on the Bike26enefits bicycle commuting program. Media St. Paul Smart Trips will produce press releases and article submissions related to program events and activities. Local media and neighborhood outlets will be targeted with messages. Key media outlets will also receive the Smart Trips Newsletters. Businesses Staff will contaM relevant neighborhood business associations to alert them to events and activities and invite participation in the coupon book. Businesses will also be encouraged to participate by serving as starting points for walks or rides or sponsoring specific events. Community groups Neighborhood and community groups will be contacted throughout the program period to encourage partnerships, solicit ideas and feedback, and plan events. Targeted outreach with the Union Park District Council will invite participation in message development, map creation and program direction. Bike WalkTwin Cities Ambassadors Staff will partnerwith the Bike Walk Twin Cities Ambassadors to develop and deliver events. Opinion makers and leaders Major employers; educational institutions; business associations; advocacy leaders in land use, transportation and the environment; and local politicians will be kept informed on program progress and will be invited to get involved in events, newsletters and program-related promotions. April 27, 2009 09-667 Smart Trips Union Park Resources Smart Trips Ambassador Volunteers Volunteers wiil be solicited from the neighborhood and existing contacts to participate as Smart Trips Ambassadors. Smart Trips Ambassadors will receive three hours of training in lune to familiarize them with transportation options and the goals of the Smart Trips Union Park program. Approximately 190 Ambassador hours are expected to be used for the program. • Event door hangers (15 hours); Bike ride assistants (20 hours); Guided walk assistants (20 hours); Materiafs delivery (100 hours]; Bike counts (20 hours); Class assistants (15 hours) Program Budget Item . , _� ... . .. �. ..:'.�, �. $11n7ourYt:. �... �"'..; Program Evaluation 63,000 3-month Focus groups (x3) 6,000 3-month survey (participants & control) 10,000 Winter Focus groups (x3) 6,000 Winter travel survey 20,000 One-year survey (participants & control) 10,000 Focus group incentives ($20/person) 1,000 Report 10,000 Print Materials 3,600 Reminder card 400 Newsletter 3 400 Newsletter 4 400 Newsletter 5 400 Events 2,000 Postage/Mailing 2,600 Reminder card 2000 Newsletter 3 200 Newsletter 4 200 Newsletter 5 200 �ncentives 5,000 Events 6,000 Staff (.25 FTE equivalent) 16,0�0 TOTAL 96,200 Requested Support St. Paul Smart Trips is requesting funding from Bike WalkTwin Cities to support Smart Trips Union Park progrem expenses that occur between July ot 2009 and October of 2010. Under the proposed budget, including a one-year follow-up survey and three post-focus groups, we request $96,200. April 27, 2009 . Smart Trips Union Park Timeline May 2009 Develop program website Plan events Draft contents for materials Hold volunteer training sessions Begin baseline survey and focus groups June 2009 Hold volunteertraining sessions Complete baseline survey and focus groups Materials printed and assembled July 2009 Send l� Newsletter (start of month) Send 2 Newsletterand orderform mailer Distribute requested materials Bike rides/walks/classes Distribute event door hangers August 2009 Send reminder postcard Distribute requested materials Bike rides/walks/classes Distribute events door hangers September 2009 Send 3` Newsletter pistribute requested materials Bike rides/walks/classes Distribute events door hangers October2009 Send 4`" Newsletter Distribute requested materials Bike rides/walks/classes Distri6ute events door hangers Conduct 3-month survey Conduct 3-month focus groups Tabufate results 09-667 November 2009 Send 5` Newsletter Program wrap-up January 2009 Conduct winter survey and focus groups Write final report Hold presentation(feedbacksession October 2010 Conduct 1-year follow up survey Report on results April 27, 2009 6