Long-Range Regional Transit Plan

Project Overview

The purpose of the project is to provide strategic guidance to Salem-Keizer Transit (SKT) for transit services for the next 20 years. This project will examine how transit service can be improved to meet the needs of citizens living in the mid-Willamette Valley today and 20 years from now.  This plan also will serve as the basis for the transit element of transportation system plans adopted by local jurisdictions, such as Salem, Keizer, and Marion and Polk Counties within Salem-Keizer Transit's service area, and provide guidance to these jurisdictions for their efforts to increase transit use and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Project Objectives

The objectives of the project are to:

• Expand and better integrate public transportation services throughout the mid-Willamette Valley;
• Preserve the function of the state highway system by expanding regional public transit availability and reducing the number of single occupancy vehicles on the road;
• Encourage transit-supportive land uses along future transit corridors;
• Encourage multiple travel options for students; and
• Contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the mid-Willamette Valley.

This project is partially funded by a grant from the Transportation and Growth Management (TGM) Program, a joint program of the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) and the Oregon Department of Land Conservation and Development (DLCD). This TGM grant is financed, in part, by federal Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU), local government, and the State of Oregon funds. The contents of this website do not necessarily reflect views or policies of the State of Oregon.

Project Study Area

The project study area includes Marion County, Polk County, and southern Clackamas County. Major hubs for Salem-Keizer Transit service include Salem and Keizer, Stayton, Woodburn, Silverton, Dallas, Grand Ronde, and Wilsonville. Other points of connection between Salem-Keizer Transit services and other transit providers include McMinnville and Albany.

Key Project Work Products

• Product #1: Existing System. This memo will document the nature and extent of SKT and non-SKT-provided transit services in Marion and Polk counties and adjacent counties, assess strengths and limitations of SKT and non-SKT-provided transit service, define and identify existing transit markets, and assess unmet intercity and intra-city existing and future transit markets in urban and rural areas and for transit-dependent people. Expected to be complete in March 2012.
• Product #2: Land Use Impact on Future Transportation Needs. This memo will propose up to 10 high-volume transit corridors within the Mid-Willamette Valley based on planned future land uses and transit markets. Expected to be complete in June 2012.
• Product #3: Evaluation Framework. This memo will establish an evaluation framework to prioritize future service opportunities. Expected to be complete in October 2012.
• Product #4: Future Service Opportunities. This memo will identify ways that Salem-Keizer Transit can provide better transit service to communities within the study area and improve coordination with other transit providers both within and adjacent to the study area. Expected to be complete in October 2012.
• Product #5: Updated Goals, Policies, and Practices. This memo will review existing goals, policies, and practices in Salem-Keizer area Transportation Study Metropolitan Planning Organization and SKT plans and documents, identify those needing to be updated, and propose updates and revisions. Expected to be complete in December 2012.
• Product #6: Future Service Opportunities Evaluation and Prioritization. This memo will prioritize the future service opportunities listed in Memo #4 using the evaluation framework provided in Memo #3. Expected to be complete in December 2012.
• Product #7: Transit Benchmarks. This memo will establish benchmarks suitable to be used to measure progress on the goals and policies recommended in Memo #5 and to measure progress on transit requirements related to the statewide Transportation Planning Rule. Expected to be complete in January 2013.
• Draft and Revised Plan. The draft plan will communicate key recommendations and information from Memos 1-7 for review and approval by the project Advisory Committee. The revised plan will respond to comments received from the public and the project Advisory Committee and will be submitted to the Salem-Keizer Transit Board of Directors for adoption. Expected to be complete in April 2013.

Project Advisory Committee

The first Advisory Committee meeting will be on April 12, 2012 from 10:00 AM until 12:00 noon and will include an opportunity for the public to make comments.

Advisory Committee Members:
Dennis Kilfoil representing transit dependent individuals
Kim Rogers representing Grand Ronde Tribe
Pat Wronski representing commuters
Karen Odenthal representing Marion County
Cathy Hemshorn representing rural communities
Barry Hoffman representing Albany Transit
Richard Schmid representing the Mid-Willamette Valley Council of Governments
Jen Akeroyd representing alternative transportation modes
Austin McGuigan representing Polk County
Tonya Saunders representing Yamhill County
Louise Giordano representing commuters
Carrie Philips representing individuals with disabilities

Other Ways to Get Involved

• Attend a Public Event. The project team will be providing information about this plan at several public events in 2012 and early 2013. Check back to this page to find out where we’ll be.

For More Information

Mona West, Project Manager
Planning & Development Specialist
Salem-Keizer Transit
503-588-2424
westm@cherriots.org

If you need help understanding this information, please call: 503-588-2424.
Si necesita ayuda para comprender esta informacion, por favor llame 503-588-2424.