Chautauqua Hop route over for summer

Chautauqua Hop route over for summer
Free ride to park may not return next summer

By Amy Bounds
Monday, August 25, 2008

Sarah Krakoff and her 8-year-old daughter, Lucy Carlson-Krakoff, didn't have to fight Sunday for a scarce parking spot at Chautauqua Park's trailhead, instead taking a bus for a free ride to the popular hiking destination.

They got in that ride, their first on the new "HOP 2 Chautauqua" bus service, just in time. Sunday was the last day of the service for the season -- and possibly the last day for the foreseeable future.

"We wanted to support the bus," Krakoff said. "I know we would use it next summer."

More than 20,000 passengers and almost 200 dogs took free, air conditioned rides to Chautauqua during the service's three-month summer pilot, which started May 10. But there's no guarantee there will be money to keep the Chautauqua route next summer.

Go Boulder, a department of Boulder's city government dedicated to helping people drive less, decided to create a Chautauqua shuttle using reallocated money from the Hop bus, which sees a decrease in riders during the summer when students leave the University of Colorado campus.

The reallocated dollars covered the majority of the Hop 2 Chautauqua's $145,000 cost, but as a result, the regular Hop bus ran slightly less often -- every 15 minutes instead of every 12 minutes during the summer.

Contributing about $32,000 was the Colorado Chautauqua Association, the Colorado Music Festival, the Downtown and University Hill Management Division/Parking Services, the Boulder Convention and Visitor's Bureau and the Boulder History Museum.

Though the service was free, passenger donations also added up to about $2,200.

But Go Boulder TransportationPlanner Cris Jones said increasing fuel costs have created a shortfall in the city's transit budget, prompting the decision to cut the service in 2009.

"It was successful, but it was a premium product," he said. "It was the most logical thing to cut."

He said Go Boulder considered charging for the service, but it determined that it was unlikely enough riders would be willing to pay to cover the costs. With about 20,000 riders, the cost comes out to $7 a person.

Instead of full service, he said, Go Boulder and the other partner organizations plan to look for ways to provide the route "in some fashion next year." One idea is to only provide the route on Chautauqua concert nights, which counted the most ridership this summer.

The bus, operated by Special Transit, ran every 15 minutes between noon and 10 p.m.

The route started downtown at 13th and Pearl streets, headed south on Ninth Street to Chautauqua and then went east on Baseline Road to 27th Way. On concert nights, the route was extended to the Williams Village east parking lot at CU.

Jenny Honeycutt, on a return trip from a Chautauqua hike with a friend visiting from Dublin, said she's taken advantage of the free ride at least 10 times this summer.

"It's easy," she said. "We live close enough that we don't want to drive."

Contact Camera Staff Writer Amy Bounds at 303-473-1341 or boundsa@dailycamera.com.

Proposed RTD Revisions and Comment Period

Hello Neighbors,

I received the [below] note yesterday from Theresa, the RTD liaison
for the EcoPass program.  In summation, RTD is recommending the
following changes to the neighborhood EcoPass program:
1) a total of a 19% price increase
2) a moratorium on new or expanded EcoPass districts (that is, if
your block is not part of the program now, you won't be allowed to join)
3) a $5 fee [each way] for riding the SkyRide to DIA.

RTD is currently hosting a public comment period.  There will be a
public hearing in Boulder as follows:
Boulder
Thursday, September 18
Colorado University
Glenn Miller Ballroom
6pm
University Memorial Center
1669 Euclid Avenue
Boulder, CO  80309

If you can't make the meeting, please at least send a note to
RTD.  I'm guessing the rate increases are going to happen no matter
what.  However, I'm also guessing that if enough people object to the
$5 SkyRide surcharge and the moratorium on growth that we may be able
to scuttle those off of the agenda.  Ideally, we would all attend the
meeting and send a letter.  However, I realize not everyone can do
that (I'm still not entirely sure if I can make the Thursday meeting,
I'm going to have to shuffle some things to do it).  That said, if we
want to see EcoPass continue as a viable transportation option within
our community, we should all take a few minutes to respond.

Tom, if you think some of the WNCA folks would be willing to write a
letter (especially regarding program growth), it would be great if
you could pass along this information to them.

best,
Kariane

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Dear Neighborhood Eco Pass Coordinator:

Due to the increasing cost of fuel and other operating costs, and
lower than anticipated sales tax revenue, the RTD Board of Directors
has directed staff to solicit public comment regarding a proposed
price increase and changes to the Eco Pass Program and other fare categories.

The specific recommendations for the Neighborhood Eco Pass program are:
   * Increase per household rates by 14 percent in every rate
category on accordance with overall fare increase.
   * Increase per household rate by additional five percent in every
rate category due to program ridership increases.
   * Implement a moratorium on new or expanded Neighborhood Pass
contracts until smart card data is available.
   * Implement a $5.00 skyRide fee from all stops except Stapleton
and 40th/Airport.

If you wish to submit a comment regarding these proposals, there are
a number of ways you may do so. A total of 16 public hearings are
scheduled throughout the RTD district. A list of dates and times is
shown on the back of this letter. You may also submit comments by
email to farecomments@rtd-denver.com or
fax comments to 303-299-2008.

Comments must be received by 5 p.m. on Friday, September 19, 2008 in
order to be included in the summary of public input to be presented
to the RTD Board of Directors.

Thank you,


Theresa Sabrsula
Employer Outreach Manager

Article in Yesterday's Daily Camera

RTD approves fare, Eco Pass rate increases

Employees of small businesses could lose bus passes altogether

By Zak Brown
Tuesday, August 19, 2008

DENVER — More than 130 businesses in Boulder could face a 19 percent rate increase for the Eco Passes they provide their employees — and some bus riders could lose their passes altogether — under a proposal that took a step forward Tuesday night.

A Regional Transportation District proposal moved forward despite objections from Boulder’s representative on the transit authority board.

The RTD staff has suggested the 15-member board of directors approve changes to the structure of the Eco Pass program, which allows employers to buy annual transit passes for employees. The agency is facing a projected $35.6 million deficit for 2009 as a result of rising gas prices and slumping sales-tax revenue, and officials say the changes to the Eco Pass program would save about $3 million.

Part of the proposal is a 19 percent fare increase for the Eco Pass, higher than the 14 percent increase suggested across the board for bus and light-rail tickets.

Companies with fewer than 50 employees also would not be able to participate in the program, and neighborhoods not already in the Eco Pass program wouldn’t be able to join.

A $5 fare would also be added to the SkyRide route, which is now free to Eco Pass users.

At its monthly meeting Tuesday night, the RTD Board of Directors voted to allow the proposed changes to be opened to public comment; details of the commenting process will be announced next month. The decision did not approve the recommended changes.

RTD board member John Tayer moved to reject some of them.

Tayer, whose district includes Boulder, proposed an amendment Tuesday night asking the board to remove the 50-employee limit, the neighborhood moratorium and the $5 SkyRide fee.

“You have seen the e-mails, and you have heard the testimony tonight,” Tayer said. “These changes will have a devastating impact on riders.”

Tayer’s motion was defeated 9-5. The motion to allow for public comment on the entire proposal was approved 13-1 — with Tayer the only dissenting vote.

After public input, the RTD staff will present a final recommendation to the board by its October meeting.

Several board members referred to the Eco Pass as a “Boulder program” or a “Boulder problem.” Board member O’Neill P. Quinlan, who represents the Interstate 25 corridor and adjacent portions of Arapahoe and Douglas counties, said the Eco Pass mostly benefits the Boulder area and that the board shouldn’t “favor Boulder in spite of our other districts.”

Boulder County residents, workers and government officials spoke before the board to denounce the changes. Boulder County Transportation Director George Gerstle, Go Boulder program manager Martha Roskowski and the University of Colorado’s David Cook all asked the board to reject the changes except for the 14 percent fare increase.

Cook, CU’s transportation modes coordinator, read a statement from the school’s vice chancellor for administration, Frank Bruno.

“We accept management’s request for the across-the-board fare increase resulting from increased fuel costs,” said Bruno, former Boulder city manager. “But rather than levy this increase at once, we would strongly urge you to stagger the increase over a three-year period.”

Sean Bell, of Louisville, is trying to start an Eco Pass program in his neighborhood. Bell spoke before the board and asked for the moratorium to be rejected. He said the fare increases are acceptable, but other changes are “structural.”

“Slipping in major structuring changes is kind of like back-dooring a policy that really takes away an incentive that people like,” Bell said.

This article appeared in yesterday's Denver Post.

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RTD fare hikes proposed

Report urges the increases

By Steve Graff
The Denver Post

RTD staff is recommending a 14 percent increase for most fares — a hike that would cost riders an extra 25 cents for local cash fares, 50 cents for express and regional and $1 for skyRide.

The recommendation is part of a draft proposal sent to the Regional Transportation District board of directors last week.

The proposal, as well as another to kick off a pay-to-park plan, will be finalized Tuesday by RTD committees and presented to the board — which will vote on the matter — at its Aug. 19 meeting.

Board-approved recommendations would then go to public hearings.

Changes, if any, wouldn't take effect until Jan. 1, 2009.

"It's too early to tell," said Scott Reed, an RTD spokesman. "It could range from no change to an increase. But given the budget we are facing, it's likely there will be some change."

Escalating fuel prices this year have hit RTD, which anticipates $18 million less in sales-tax collections for 2008.

"I understand that it coincides with gas prices," said Megan Littlejohn, 30, while waiting for the bus at 17th and California streets in Denver on Saturday. "I'll just take it and pay the fare."

If the fare increases are implemented, RTD would see an additional $13.2 million in 2009.

"If that's how you have to pay for mass transit, then 25 cents is nothing," said Peter Hynes, 35, an architect in Denver who uses light rail.

The draft report, which lists several options but highlights the 14 percent increase as the recommended alternative, also calls for the same increase in Eco Pass fares. Monthly pass rates would go up by amounts ranging from 12 percent to almost 17 percent.

The $60 monthly rate for local fares would jump to $68; express passengers would pay $126 instead of $108.

A second report is asking the board to green-light the much-debated parking-fee plan for about 40 of the park-n-Ride facilities.

Those who live in the eight-county RTD district would receive free parking for the first 24 hours but would have to pay $2 a day thereafter.

Users who don't live in the district would pay $4 a day for parking.

Student and "senior/disabled/Medicare" RTD riders would have to reach a little deeper into their pockets too.

An RTD committee is recommending an increase in those rates by 15 cents for local fares, 25 cents for express and regional, and 50 cents for skyRide.

Ilce Guillen, a 20-year-old mother who works at Good Times on the 16th Street Mall, relies on the bus to get to and from work.

"I don't feel like they should raise the prices. The only reason I don't have a car now is because of gas prices," said Guillen, holding her 6-month-old son, Guillermo, on the 16th Street Mall on Saturday. "If they're going to raise the prices more, I'll have to start walking."

No decisions will be final until after public hearings, stressed Daria Serna, an RTD spokeswoman.

"If (the board) says there needs to be changes to the recommendations, then the staff will have to go back and make changes," she said.

Fifteen public hearings will be scheduled, one in each board district, according to one of the reports.

Last year, riders dealt with a 25-cent increase for local, regional and express fares. SkyRide rates went up $1.

Staff writer Jeffrey Leib contributed to this report. Steve Graff: 303-954-1661 or sgraff@denverpost.com