Coordinated Transit Plan draft available for public comment

HTML Version

NIRPC is pleased to announce the Coordinated Transit Plan draft is now available for public comment from October 1^st through October 30^th. This plan is a federal requirement in order to receive funding for the Federal Transit Administration program 5310, “Enhanced Mobility of Seniors and Individuals with Disabilities.” This federal funding program provides resources for eligible transit operators to improve the mobility for people who have disabilities, people who are elderly, and people who are low-income. Funding provided by this program can be used to pay for transit services, purchase new equipment such as buses and vans, update old equipment, or even manage programming designed to engage with individuals who need mobility support. Annual funding for this program in Lake and Porter County is approximately $500,000.

The development of this plan was the product of public outreach and technical input from a steering committee made up of disability advocates, social service agency representatives, transit operators, and more. The communication and input gathered was provided by various members of the public as well as several valued partner agencies. Outreach techniques were comprised of formal and informal methods. The input solicited utilizing a formal method was provided through the use of the steering committee, as well as working groups, surveys, and public meetings. The input solicited utilizing an informal method was provided via in-field visits, interviews, and one-on-ones with regional and local advocates of various affiliated causes. In the end, this plan received input from over 300 participants, identifying needs and gaps in our current transit network, and recommending solutions to better connect people to resources and opportunities across the region.

During the public comment period, comments until October 30, 2018 may be submitted in the following ways:

• Email: comments@nirpc.org
• Phone: 219-763-6060 (160)
• United States Postal Service: NIRPC, 6100 Southport Road, Portage, IN 46368

The draft of the Coordinated Transit Plan can be found here:  PDF |  HTML

Requests for alternate formats, such as large print or recorded materials, please contact Mary Thorne at NIRPC at (219) 763-6060 extension 131 or at mthorne@nirpc.org. Individuals with hearing impairments may contact us through the Indiana Relay 711 service by calling 711 or (800) 743-3333.