Big Blue Bus expanded service and an associated fare hike will be a top item at City Council's meeting Tuesday night.
It is a relatively calm agenda, prior to the likely storm coming during next week's (possibly final) debate of the updated Zoning Ordinance.
Aside from the BBB changes, and an ordinance regulating short term rentals that the Daily Press wrote about on Monday, council will consider next steps in a process that would result in property owners on parts of Lincoln Boulevard and Colorado Avenue to pay for upgraded services in their area.
An appeal, which the Daily Press wrote about last week, involving the landmarking of a set of courtyard apartments has been delayed at the request of the appellant.
BBB expanded service and fare hike
Big Blue Bus plans to boost its services hours by 11 percent in order to better integrate with the incoming Expo Light Rail and, as a result, they are proposing a fare hike, starting in January, from $1 to $1.25 per ride (a 25 percent increase).
Fares for seniors and people with disabilities wouldn't change.
Last year, BBB did away with the discount provided to riders who make transfers. Transfers previously cost 50 cents.
BBB's grand plan will create more north-south service to complement the east-west light rail. They're eliminating redundant routes and stops covered by other transit systems. First- and last-mile connectivity will become a focus.
Additionally, BBB promised to keep local passengers in mind — a concern that some council members shared at a meeting about BBB changes in December.
Many of the plans are similar to those proposed in December. Initially, the fare increase was proposed for July 2016, but that has moved up to January in the recent report because the jump in annual revenue service hours was proposed at 9 percent and is now proposed at 11 percent.
If all goes according to plan, service could changes would start in August of this year and be completed a year later.
BBB would study the impacts of the changes and report back to council in 2017.
Lincoln and Colorado upgrades
More than half of the property owners on the portions of Lincoln and portions Colorado slated for a Property Based Assessment District (PBAD) and overly district respectively, have signed petitions allowing plans to move forward.
Only 40 percent of owners were required to sign the petitions in order to get the changes on a ballot but 53 percent of the Lincoln property owners and nearly 63 percent of the Colorado property owners gave their John Hancocks.
Council will be asked to set a public hearing, setting the stage for the property owners to vote on the issue at a later date.
If approved, the property owners in the two areas will be required to pool their money for improvements and extra services in the area.
Lincoln Boulevard is not currently a part of the Downtown PBAD. Property owners will decide whether to create a PBAD on Lincoln from the Interstate 10 freeway to Wilshire Boulevard.
On Colorado, where the incoming Expo Light Rail will run, the overlay would add ambassadors and enhanced maintenance between Seventh Court and Ocean Avenue.
dave@www.smdp.com
