HomeMy WebLinkAboutagenda.council.worksession.20160223
CITY COUNCIL WORK SESSION
February 23, 2016
4:00 PM, City Council Chambers
MEETING AGENDA
I. Park's Projects Review
II. Mobility Goals Update
III. We-Cycle Update
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Dynamic Parking Update
Powerpoint Templates Page 1Powerpoint Templates
Dynamic Parking Update
Parking & Transportation
February 23, 2016
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DYNAMIC PARKING PLAN
• Summer trial
▪Premium pricing in the core.
▪Trial during peak months: June-August.
•Goals
▪Encourage trip reduction.
▪Increase availability of core parking.
Powerpoint Templates Page 2
•Premium pricing
▪1st hour: $ 3.00
▪2nd hour: $ 7.50
▪3rd hour: $13.50
▪4th hour (max): $21.00
•Revenues, estimated at $150,000.
•Revenue to fund trip reduction programs.
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TRIP REDUCTION PROGRAMS
Item Includes Budget
Commuter
programming and
incentives
-Drive Less promotion
with marketing, tools
and incentives for
those pledging to drive
less.
$75,000
On-demand Placeholder for $50,000
Powerpoint Templates Page 3
On-demand
improvements (in-town)
Placeholder for
possible on-demand
services.
$50,000
Employer programming Increased grant
funding for TOP
employer program,
aimed at targeting
current drive-alone
employees.
$25,000
TOTAL $150,000
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DRIVE LESS
• Returns funds to those who drive less.
•Pledge to drive less.
•Receive tools and incentives.
▪Educational materials
▪Choice of incentives:
WE-cycle season pass
Powerpoint Templates Page 4
♦WE-cycle season pass
♦CAR TO GO coupon
♦RFTA value card
♦Bike tune coupon
♦Pedestrian/bike gear (gift card)
•Report back.
▪Report activity to enter for grand prize.
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MARKETING & METRICS
•Marketing
▪Newspaper ▪Employers
▪Utility bills ▪Parking meters
▪Door-to-door ▪ACRA
▪VMS ▪City newsletter
▪Carpool kiosk ▪Websites
Powerpoint Templates Page 5
•Metrics
▪Core counts
▪Garage counts
▪Traffic counts
▪Transit ridership
▪Bike share usage
▪Drive Less participation
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QUESTIONS
Powerpoint Templates Page 6
QUESTIONS
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DRIVE LESS BUDGET
Item Includes Budget
Commuter
programming and
incentives
WE-cycle passes
RFTA value cards
Gift certificates (bike
tunes, walk/bike gear)
Marketing
CAR TO GO coupons
17,000
15,000
15,000
15,000
$2,500
Powerpoint Templates Page 7
CAR TO GO coupons
Events
$2,500
$10,500
TOTAL $75,000
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SAMPLE PLEDGE FORM
Powerpoint Templates Page 8
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AGENDA ITEM SUMMARY
WORK SESSION DATE: February 23, 2016
AGENDA ITEM TITLE: Remote Parking Management and Capital Improvement
Plan
STAFF RESPONSIBLE: John Krueger, City of Aspen Transportation Director
Mitch Osur, City of Aspen Parking Director
David Peckler, TOSV Transportation Director
Brian Pettet, Pitkin County Public Works Director
________________________________________________________________________
ISSUE STATEMENT
The public parking areas at Buttermilk and the intersection of Brush Creek Road and State
Highway 82 are underutilized. There are a number of possible changes to how these lots
could be managed and capital improvements that could be made to improve Roaring Fork
Valley mobility, while increasing overall use and effectiveness of the two parking facilities.
BACKGROUND
The following is background to the Remote Parking Capital Improvement and Management
Plan for lots at Buttermilk and the Brush Creek Road Intercept Lot:
Problem Statements
Underutilized Parking Areas
There are 347 parking spaces at the Pitkin County owned Buttermilk lot and
approximately 1300-1800 (200 paved, 200 recycled asphalt and between 900-1400 grass
field) parking spaces at the State owned and City of Aspen/RFTA leased Intercept Lot at
Brush Creek Road and SH82. Both parking areas are underused.
Lack of User Amenities
There have been few capital improvements completed at both lots. Investment in these
sites could: increase user safety, enhance user comfort and provide a more appealing
parking experience that could potentially increase remote parking use.
Entrance to Aspen and Brush Creek Road Traffic Congestion
Traffic volumes in and out of Aspen are trending upward. Peak daily traffic volumes
reached 32,108 vehicles per day on July 1, 2015 with average daily traffic volumes at
23,169 for 2015. These volumes are approaching the Record of Decision 1993 Entrance to
Aspen maximum daily vehicle trips (23,675) and are causing significant delays in and out
of Aspen during the peak morning and afternoon commute times. Additionally, Brush
Creek Road is averaging 7,800 vehicles per day with daily traffic volumes peaking at
10,300.
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Community Parking Demands
There are demands for parking beyond transit users in the Community. Recreational
access (trailhead), commercial/construction staging, extended parking for public and
private special events, long-term vehicle parking, RV parking and (potential) long-term
airport parking are needs in the community. These competing uses are (for the most part)
not well-managed or addressed in the Aspen/Snowmass area.
Remote Parking Area Narrative
This Remote Parking Capital Improvement and Management Plan has been developed for
two parking areas: Pitkin County owned lots at Buttermilk and the State owned (RFTA
and City of Aspen Leased) Intercept Lot at Brush Creek Road and SH82. The Plan has
been developed to more fully utilize existing parking, address community parking needs
and to reduce traffic volumes into Aspen and the Town of Snowmass Village.
Buttermilk Parking Areas
In the year 2000 the Colorado Department of Transportation and Pitkin County
condemned 23.4 acres near the Buttermilk Ski Area for the purposes of expanding
transportation infrastructure in service to and for State Highway 82. The Stapleton Lots
were specifically condemned for multimodal transit and recreation facility parking
purposes. Pitkin County recently gained sole ownership of the parking areas. The lots
were recently paved, which provided 347 parking spaces. The Lots are signed for day
parking only.
The parking areas are used primarily in the winter time for skiers accessing Buttermilk
Ski Area and for skiers using the Highlands Shuttle. During X-games the lots are used to
help host the operational needs of that special event. The lots are not significantly used
for transit oriented purposes. Between April and November the lots are mostly vacant
with about 20 to 30 vehicles consistently using the lot for transit purposes. Recently,
more people are using the lot as trailhead parking for mountain biking opportunities at
Sky Mountain Park. Because of inconsistent enforcement, most of the use has been
unauthorized; commercial/construction staging/storage, long-term Burlingame
resident/visitor extra vehicle parking, RV storage and camping. These are also common
parking requests for this lot throughout the year.
Brush Creek Intercept Lot
The Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT) purchased 27.2 acres at the
intersection of Brush Creek Road and State Highway 82 during the expansion of State
Highway 82 for the purposes of parking. RFTA and the Elected Officials Transportation
Committee improved the areas to accommodate transit use, commuter use and special
event parking. The City of Aspen and RFTA lease the property from CDOT.
Additionally, RFTA, Pitkin County, Town of Snowmass Village and City of Aspen have
an intergovernmental agreement on how the parking area is to be managed through the
City of Aspen Parking Department.
There are 200 paved parking spots near the transit station, approximately 200 recycled
asphalt spaces and approximately 900 to 1400 unimproved grass-field parking spaces
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extending north and west. The paved spaces are highly used by workday commuters and
skiers in the wintertime. The unimproved areas are used for special event staging and
attendee parking with X-games and Snowmass Fall Concert Series usually filling up the
lot. Other special events like; Aspen Food and Wine, Pro-challenge Bike Race and
TOSV’s Tough Mudder have also used the parking areas. There are many requests to use
this parking area for purposes beyond special events and transit use.
Remote Parking Plan
The following is Staff’s recommended, prioritized and phased approach to more fully
utilize the remote parking areas to reduce traffic into Aspen and the Town of Snowmass
Village, enhance overall Roaring Fork Valley mobility and provide additional staging and
parking that is being demanded by the community beyond currently allowable
regulations. This proposal makes recommendations for capital improvements to enhance
remote parking facilities to create a more user friendly experience. It also makes
recommendations for operational changes, as well as what types of parking should be
allowed. The proposed management changes would not preclude transit and special
event parking as the primary purpose of both lots.
Additionally, at this stage, this proposal is meant to help determine community support
and political will for the proposed changes. Once priorities are established, further study
and refinement will be needed including; capital cost estimates, operational cost
increases, parking duration requirements, capital improvement schedule and parking
revenue estimates, as well as land use limitations and determining the required process
with local and State agencies.
The Brush Creek Intercept lot
Phase 1: Immediate options
Capital improvements
•Pave and stripe an additional 200 spaces
•Relocate City of Aspen Airport Kiosk to provide carpool passes and act as an
arrival center to Aspen/Snowmass.
•Install EV charging stations
•Extend WIFI
•Set up a variable messaging sign just before the Intercept lot to communicate to
drivers in real time how long the trip into Aspen is compared to taking the free
bus from the Intercept lot.
Management changes
•Provide RV parking for a fee
•Accommodate short-term large vehicle commercial/construction staging for a fee
•Accommodate short-term small vehicle commercial/construction staging for a fee
•Provide for outfitter companies’ pick up and drop off: Rafting, Hot air balloons,
Snowmobiles
•Designate trail head parking
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Phase 2: Near future options (5 years)
Capital improvements
•Establish a coffee cart
•Construct ski and bike lockers
•Extend utilities and construct bathroom facilities
•Increase security lighting
•Increase landscape screening
•Provide secondary depot for school bus pick up/drop off and special event set up
Management changes
•Accommodate long-term Airport parking
•Provide long-term general vehicle storage
Future considerations
•Above ground parking structure
•Other customer amenities
•Intersection improvements
Buttermilk
Phase 1: Immediate options
Capital improvements
•Improve and enhance pedestrian connection from parking lot to up-valley bus
stop
•Design and construct SH82 Pedestrian Underpass
Management Changes (between April and October annually)
•Accommodate short-term large vehicle commercial/construction staging for a fee
•Accommodate short-term small vehicle commercial/construction staging for a fee
•Provide long-term general vehicle parking
•Designate trail head parking
•Provide RV parking for a fee
Future considerations
•Above ground parking structure
•Other customer amenities
BUDGETARY IMPACT
None at this time. An operational proforma will be completed and capital improvement
cost estimates will be completed once program priorities are determined.
RECOMMENDED ACTION
Consider the proposed changes and provide feedback to staff on priorities and what
management and capital improvements should receive further refinement.
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BrushCreek
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of the features depicted and is not a legal
representation. The accuracy may change
depending on the enlargement or reduction.
Copyright 2015 City of Aspen GIS
Brush Creek Park
and Ride 2014
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TO: Aspen City Council
FROM: Mirte Mallory, WE-cycle, Co-Founder and Director
DATE OF MEETING: February 23, 2016
RE: Clarifying WE-cycle relationship with City of Aspen
MEETING OUTCOME GOALS
1) Clarify and clearly define WE-cycle’s relationship with the City of Aspen.
2) Identify appropriate long-term funding sources from the City of Aspen to support bike
transit services in Aspen in the form of underwriting WE-cycle passes for constituents
as part of the City’s “fare-free” multi-modal transportation system, to support operating
costs and expansion and replacement infrastructure.
3) Approve funds in 2016 for the above purposes, based on Council priorities.
HISTORY
WE-cycle, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, introduced bike share to Aspen in 2013 as the first mountain
town and first rural bike share system in North America. WE-cycle was founded as a
public/private partnership. The City seeks out, and values public/private partnerships, as a
collaborative means of helping achieve City stated goals. Founding Partners of the WE-cycle
Aspen System include: The Aspen Institute, Aspen Meadows Resort, Aspen Skiing Company,
Aspen Valley Hospital, City of Aspen, Genshaft Cramer LLP, Nick DeWolf Foundation,
TheMyersRobertsCollective, Pitkin County, and the Roaring Fork Transportation Authority.
In its three years of operations, WE-cycle has proven itself as an integral part of Aspen’s multi-
modal transportation system. In 2015, WE-cyclers completed over 21,000 rides, double that of
its first year. 62% of these rides were completed by season passholders, valley residents, who
use WE-cycle to get in and around town and as a first/last mile connection to the bus. The
minority of WE-cycle rides are completed by visitors.
WE-cycle has been a leader of innovative transportation solutions first by bringing bike share
to Aspen and most recently by introducing Transit App to the valley, a mobile application that
integrates WE-cycle bike availability and locations and point of payment, real-time RFTA
schedules, and the ability to hail an Uber. WE-cycle is leading the initiative to expand the
offerings of Transit App to integrate the City of Aspen’s Car To Go vehicles and offer “Transit
Social,” a platform to notify all app users of select transportation, traffic, and parking
alerts/updates/offerings. WE-cycle and Transit App are committed to remaining at the forefront
of aggregating transit data and incorporating single-payment systems as the technologies
become available.
Other communities in the Roaring Fork Valley have taken note of WE-cycle’s success and
valuable service as an on-demand, user-driven, 24/7, flexible mode of first/last mile travel. The
Basalt Town Council resolved: “The Basalt Town Council hereby supports establishing WE-
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cycle as Basalt’s first public transportation system as it is aligned with Basalt’s goals.”1 As a
demonstration of their commitment, the Town of Basalt has contributed over $100,000 in 2016
to fund WE-cycle Basalt’s capital and operating costs. WE-cycle will open in Basalt, Willits, and
El Jebel in the spring of 2016. Glenwood Springs City Council recently unanimously supported
bringing WE-cycle to Glenwood Springs as part of the mitigation to the Grand Avenue Bridge
construction and to further the bike and pedestrian culture of the community. WE-cycle is
scoping the feasibility of this system and identifying possible funding sources.
WE-cycle remains committed to its founding mission of being an effective public/private
partnership. WE-cycle provides a public service in the form of a bike transit. The public sector
values this service as bike share is an added amenity to its constituents and serves a valuable
niche in the multi-modal transportation system. Meanwhile, the public sector does not have to
operate the service nor fund the system’s entire costs. The private sector values this service as
bike share adds to the vitality of the town, helps protect the community’s value proposition as a
non-urban mountain town, and is an opportunity to support and align oneself with a purpose-
driven, community-building initiative. To this end, on an annual basis, WE-cycle counts
upwards of 50 partners, public and private, local and national.
In three short years, WE-cycle has established itself as part of the valley’s transportation
system. WE-cycle is enthusiastic about the expansive possibilities of its future, provided it has
a clearly defined and collaborative relationship with, and dedicated funding from, the City of
Aspen.
At a work session in October 2015, City Council asked WE-cycle to return in early 2016 with an
overview of its short and long-term system plans and to discuss options for long-term City of
Aspen funding of the bike share public transit amenity.
WE-cycle will present on the below topics at the February 23 meeting. Below are introductory
comments and background information to facilitate to the discussion.
CLARIFYING RELATIONSHIP
As WE-cycle anticipates the opening of its fourth season, WE-cycle asks City Council to clarify
the WE-cycle/City of Aspen relationship by affirming that WE-cycle is one of the City of
Aspen’s valued transportation providers by serving the community with bike transit services.
WE-cycle asks the City Council to adopt a resolution of partnership with WE-cycle
acknowledging the following:
o The City of Aspen is a Founding Partner of WE-cycle.
o Bike share is a transportation service that the City of Aspen is committed to
providing to its residents, workforce, and visitors as an efficient, healthy, and car-
free mode of getting around and conducting business in Aspen.
1 Resolution No. 46, Series of 2015.
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o Bike share is aligned with the City of Aspen goals as defined in the Aspen Area
Community Plan and the Canary Initiative’s Community Goal to reduce carbon
emissions
o The City Council values WE-cycle, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, as an important partner
and transportation provider in helping achieve its 2015/2016 Top 10 goals.
Specifically,
§ Council Goal #1: Bring “next generation” mobility technology to Aspen.
WE-cycle has already implemented innovative mobile transit applications
in a fast and collaborative manner.
§ Council Goal #2: Reduce Traffic. WE-cycle’s bike share transit service, by
virtue of offering bikes for quick in and around town trips and as a first/last
mile connector to bus service, helps reduce traffic and is a visible
demonstration of the City’s commitment to achieving this goal. According
to WE-cycle passholders, 36% of WE-cycle trips replace car trips.
o The City of Aspen values bike share as an important component of its multi-
modal transportation system. By partnering with WE-cycle, the City of Aspen
does not need assume the full costs of purchasing and operating its own bike
share system.
o To this end, the City of Aspen financially supports WE-cycle, as it does its other
modes of transportation, in the form of underwriting passes for constituents as
part of the City’s “fare-free” multi-modal transportation system, operating costs,
and expansion and replacement infrastructure.
o The City of Aspen contracts with WE-cycle as its bike share vendor to provide
reliable, safe, and convenient bike transit services per the terms in Vending
Agreement (Resolution No. 53 of 2015.)
o As WE-cycle does not operate solely in the City of Aspen, and as it is committed
to offering valley-wide service, WE-cycle does not see its future as part of the
City of Aspen’s Transportation Department.
SYSTEM PLANS – WITHIN ASPEN AREA
The on-demand transportation sector is rapidly transforming, and bike share is no different. In
partnership with its infrastructure and innovation partner, PBSC Urban Solutions, WE-cycle
remains at the forefront of the quickly growing bike share industry. With the enhancement of
mobile technologies and emerging forms of power storage, bike share infrastructure will evolve
to become more user-friendly, nimble, and cost-effective.
WE-cycle remains committed to serving the Aspen community with fast, convenient, and on-
demand pedal-powered transportation. As it has demonstrated to date, WE-cycle will continue
to optimize its service to accommodate as many constituents as possible while operating in a
financially responsible manner.
Service Area – WE-cycle is a cost-effective means of providing first/last mile connectivity to
the Highway 82 transit corridor, as serviced by RFTA. Below is WE-cycle’s anticipated
complete service area in the Aspen vicinity.
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Current System Map – WE-cycle opened in 2013 with 13 stations. By 2015, it responded to
rider requests and added stations in important locations, totally 16 stations.
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High Priority Service Area – WE-cycle is focused on securing funding for stations in the
below high priority areas as they would help complete the service area and serve more riders.
Optimization of System – True to its innovative precedent, WE-cycle is working with its
manufacturer, PBSC Urban Solutions, to design and debut Satellite Stations that are intended
to more conveniently serve less-dense residential neighborhoods.
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WE-cycle into the UGB – Aspen’s traffic challenges begin in the Urban Growth Boundary.
WE-cycle can help reduce cars coming through the UGB and into Aspen by offering quick, on
one’s own schedule connectivity to the RFTA corridor, or a pleasant bike ride into town.
LONG-TERM FUNDING SOURCES FOR BIKE TRANSIT
The large majority of the City of Aspen’s transportation system including “fare-free” service,
operations, administrative staff, and capital is funded through the Transportation Fund. As WE-
cycle offers another mode of service within the City’s multi-modal transportation system, it
would be aligned to fund WE-cycle from the Transportation Fund. However, WE-cycle is
acutely aware of the challenges of funding public transportation and that the Transportation
Fund is fully-allocated, currently and in the future, towards providing fixed route bus service
and car share. In no way does WE-cycle seek to reduce funds budgeted to these services and
is thereby seeking to identify public funding sources that do not impact the existing
Transportation Fund.
Unlike the City of Aspen’s other transportation services, WE-cycle is not anticipating the City of
Aspen to fund the complete operational and capital costs of operating the public bike share
service. WE-cycle was founded as a public/private partnership, as a community-supported
transit system, to diversify its funding streams and to create broad participation in funding this
public service.
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Though a public/private partnership, to date, the private sector has disproportionately funded
WE-cycle’s annual operations. For example, in 2015 the City of Aspen contributed $3,000 to
WE-cycle, 1% of its revenue and private sponsorships alone accounted for $128,000 or 48% of
its revenue. Below illustrates WE-cycle’s 2015 operating revenue sources:
WE-cycle is working to identify the most sustainable balance of long-term funding between the
public and private sectors. With only three years of revenues, expenses, and ridership data to
work from, at this point in time, WE-cycle would like to strive for a 1/3 pass sales, 1/3 public
funding, 1/3 private funding distribution. One important note, the City of Aspen has set a
precedent of offering “fare-free” service on its City of Aspen bus routes and the EOTC funds
“fare-free” bus transit between Aspen and Snowmass Village. Given this established transit
paradigm and corresponding transit user expectation, it will be very challenging for WE-cycle to
generate 1/3 of its revenue from pass sales.
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With the Transportation Fund, the City of Aspen operated transportation services, and those
contracted to RFTA, have an anticipated multi-year funding mechanism and budget. As it
enters its fourth year of operations, WE-cycle is committed to securing long-term funding
sources such that it can plan to offer a safe, reliable, and integrated bike transit service into the
future. Some of WE-cycle’s creative funding ideas that do not impact the Transportation Fund
follow. WE-cycle is eager to hear City Council’s ideas for other funding sources.
• Begin an On-Demand Transportation Fund - ODTF
o It is a historical precedent within the City of Aspen that surpluses from the
Parking Fund contribute to the Transportation Fund’s budget to be used for City
of Aspen transportation services. These funds have been used to support “fare-
free”, scheduled bus service on fixed routes within the City of Aspen, as
contracted with RFTA.
o As part of its Mobility Management initiatives, the City of Aspen has agreed to
implement Dynamic Pricing for parking in Aspen’s core. Dynamic Parking is
designed to keep occupancy rates below 85% and encourage longer-term
parking and transportation alternatives instead of congestion /parking in the core.
§ Dynamic Parking is essentially a “fee” to discourage a behavior that is not
desired.
§ Paying to park in downtown Aspen and paying the cost of parking as
established by Dynamic Parking is essentially voluntary, one can choose
to park in the parking garage, other non-downtown locations, or use public
transit.
o Funds collected from implementing Dynamic Pricing could go into the ODTF.
These funds could be specifically allocated to on-demand transportation modes,
to possibly make them “fare-free” and to pay for infrastructure and operations.
On-demand transportation modes are defined as user-oriented modes of transit
characterized by flexible routing and scheduling, according to the passengers’
needs. These services are often shared and smaller vehicles or bikes.
o WE-cycle meets all the requirements of on-demand transportation and could be
recipient of these funds on an annual basis.
o Of note, as these funds do not currently exist they are not already ear-marked for
a specific budget and hence can be used to encourage the transportation choices
the City wants to encourage without impacting current transportation services.
o This model is very similar to the Renewable Energy Mitigation Program (REMP)
wherein a fee is collected for energy-consumptive building projects (behavior the
City of Aspen wants to discourage) and the funds are re-allocated to renewable
energy projects (behavior the City wants to encourage) through the Community
Office for Resource Efficiency (CORE) grants.
• Elected Officials Transportation Commission - EOTC
o In 1993, Pitkin County voters approved a half-penny sales and use tax to fund
regional transit as overseen by the EOTC. The funding is meant to help keep
traffic levels across Castle Creek Bridge in Aspen below 1993 levels.
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o Of the collected revenue, 81% goes directly to RFTA to fund regional bus service.
Of the remaining funds, two-thirds are invested in savings for substantial capital
infrastructure for the Entrance to Aspen and one-third in a discretionary fund for
future transit projects.
o In 2014, EOTC voted to fund “no-fare” RFTA service between Aspen and
Snowmass in perpetuity, to be established as part of its annual budget. Begun as
an experiment in 2008, this “no-fare” service between Aspen and Snowmass was
a great success and became an expectation of riders.
o WE-cycle is an established, and relied-upon, part of the City of Aspen and Pitkin
County’s transportation system. WE-cycle passholders affirm that 36% of their
WE-cycle rides replace car trips. With expanded WE-cycle service into Aspen’s
Urban Growth Boundary, WE-cycle has an increased opportunity to help
constituents shift their transit mode from single occupancy vehicles to a
combination of bus and bike ridership.
o As WE-cycle can help the EOTC achieve its goal of keeping traffic levels across
Castle Creek Bridge below 1993 levels, WE-cycle could be a recipient of EOTC
funds for system infrastructure and replacement as well as offering certain “no-
fare” passes to eligible constituents.
o WE-cycle recognizes that EOTC funds are overseen by the elected officials of
the City of Aspen, Pitkin County, and Snowmass Village and welcomes an
opportunity to present to this commission in the very near future.
• Roaring Fork Transportation Authority - RFTA
o RFTA was WE-cycle’s first Founding Partner and has been a generous and
consistent financial and collaborative partner to date.
o WE-cycle and RFTA are naturally aligned with mutually supportive goals. RFTA’s
mission is “to pursue excellence and innovation in providing preferred
transportation choices chat connect and support vibrant communities.” WE-
cycle’s mission is “to provide easily accessible and affordable bicycles within
Aspen and the Roaring Fork Valley to be used for in and around town
transportation and to facilitate seamless first/last mile connections to other
transportation options. WE-cycle’s vision is one in which increased bike and
multi-modal transportation use fosters a more livable, vibrant, healthy, and
environmentally-engaged community.”
o WE-cycle and RFTA continue to work collaboratively on WE-cycle’s valley-wide
services with RFTA recently committing financial support to the Basalt System
and verbally endorsed the Glenwood Springs system.
o Together, WE-cycle and RFTA can strive for a seamless bike and bus integration
to create frictionless rider experiences and to reduce pressure on circulator bus
systems.
o RFTA has financially supported WE-cycle’s Nights and Weekends Operations in
2015 ($20,000) and 2016 ($25,000).
o Nationwide, more and more bike shares are part of Regional Transit Authorities,
to this end, WE-cycle will continue to explore long-term partnerships with RFTA.
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INVESTING IN COUNCIL GOALS THROUGH BIKE TRANSIT
As demonstrated, WE-cycle can be a nimble and collaborative transportation provider to the
City of Aspen. Bike share is a quickly-implemented and cost-effective transit offering that can
help City Council make measurable progress towards its stated goals of reducing traffic within
the next two years and improving the downtown experience by implementing “next generation”
mobility technology. Why wait two years? WE-cycle is already rolling and building momentum.
With City Council’s financial support, together, the City of Aspen and WE-cycle can make
tangible progress towards these goals in the summer of 2016.
At the February 23 meeting, WE-cycle:
• Asks City Council to approve a process by which the City of Aspen will financially
support bike transit services in Aspen, as provided by WE-cycle, on an annual basis.
• Asks City Council to appropriate funds in 2016 to several of the following opportunities
to further integrate and solidify bike share as part of the City’s supported transportation
system within the coming months.
2016 Funding Committed: $25,000
• Support hard operational costs of WE-cycle stations adjacent to City of Aspen
bus stops. WE-cycle provides an on-demand, 2/47 transit service to these important
routes. Hard costs include cellular connectivity, software license fees, insurance, station
set-up/take-down.
• City Council approved these funds in October 2015. WE-cycle had requested $38,000.
Per Council’s request, WE-cycle has since worked to secure private sponsors and is
pleased to have retained its lead private sponsors for 2016.
Funding requests of City Council to optimize bike transit services by adding additional
infrastructure:
• The impact of these additional stations will be measured as follows:
o Number of rides to and from stations, at what times of day, and divided between
season and day passholders.
o Surveying riders who use these stations throughout the season as to:
§ Why do they use WE-cycle?
§ With access to WE-cycle, are they more inclined to ride WE-cycle vs drive
into and around Aspen?
§ If they combine WE-cycle with another form of public transit, what mode?
§ By WE-cycling, are they more inclined to ride other forms of public transit,
if so, which ones?
§ By choosing to WE-cycling, what mode of transit are they replacing?
o WE-cycle is pleased to collect other metrics, as practical, per Council’s request.
• WE-cycle Station at Rio Grande Parking Garage - $21,567
o Encourages parking in Garage and riding WE-cycle around town for errands, to
work, etc rather than parking downtown and moving the vehicle regularly. Aligns
with goals of Dynamic Parking experiment and encourages greater utilization of
Parking Garage.
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o Re-designed Galena Plaza already planned for a WE-cycle station. This 11-dock
station is 26% less-expensive than others as utilizing Satellite Station technology
and an optimization/re-allocation of existing system assets.
• Permanent WE-cycle Station at Truscott | Aspen Golf Club - $12,579
o WE-cycle has had a temporary station at Truscott for the last two years for part of
September and October. Residents express frustration that the station only
arrives at the onset of fall cold and shorter days and not at the beginning of
spring such that they could have used the bike transit service all season and
become bike share commuters.
o This 7-dock station is 20% less-expensive by using Satellite Station technology.
• Use Federal CMAQ funds, allocated to City of Aspen, to purchase WE-cycle
stations for Burlingame – Approximately $100,000
o The City of Aspen previously used CMAQ funds for 1 WE-cycle station.
o Given Burlingame’s need for increased transit service, WE-cycle is a cost-
effective option to providing residents with 24/7 connectivity to the RFTA corridor.
o The current CMAQ funding cycle would be an excellent opportunity to fund WE-
cycle stations at Burlingame and the Buttermilk BRT stop.
o WE-cycle would implement Satellite Stations such that stations could be
conveniently distributed around Burlingame and not impact parking spots. To be
effective, WE-cycle proposes stations at the approximate locations:
o Adding bike share to the scheduled bus service gives Burlingame residents
increased options. They can take the scheduled bus service, hourly or twice an
hour, or they can hop a WE-cycle whenever they want and pedal to the
Buttermilk BRT stop where buses pass in both directions on a 10 - 15 minute
basis. Vice versa also applies.
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Fund for “fare-free” WE-cycle pass experiment, as part of the City of Aspen’s
Commuter Programming Incentives:
The concept is to bundle “fare-free” WE-cycle passes with other transit offerings and incentive
programs to encourage constituents to find the convenience in combining multiple modes of
pubic transit. With their “fare-free” pass, users would be able to integrate WE-cycle into their
transit mode choice and be offered yet another form of flexibility in lieu of a single occupancy
vehicle. This experiment would be to offer WE-cycle for “free” to transit users thereby aligning
WE-cycle’s service with the City of Aspen’s “free” transportation services.
The bundling of these “fare-free” passes would be funded through the Commuter Programming
Incentives (see accompanying memo from City of Aspen) and managed through the 2016
Drive Less Campaign, a collaboration between City of Aspen’s Transportation and Parking
Departments and WE-cycle, and possibly other partners.
• “Fare-free” WE-cycle Season Passes for transit riders - $13,000
o WE-cycle season passes to be offered to all RFTA summer season Zone
Passholders, Car to Go members, and TOP-eligible employees, and Drive Less
participants, approximately 1,730 individuals.
o Pass would be redeemed by individual.
o WE-cycle would only charge for redemptions and strive for a 15% redemption.
NOTE: If City Council chooses to fund a WE-cycle station at the Rio Grande Parking Garage,
WE-cycle recommends bundling “fare-free” WE-cycle passes as an incentive to use the
Parking Garage, similar to the proposed “fare-free” jitney service from the Parking Garage.
* * *
WE-cycle is working diligently towards helping achieve City Council Goals and Aspen’s stated
traffic reduction objectives. We thank the City of Aspen for having been a Founding Partner of
this public transit service and look forward to a collaborative partnership with the City of Aspen
into the future.
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