Proposed Bus Rapid Transit System

1. Public Hearing Proposed Bus Rapid Transit System Bus Rapid Transit Tier 1 Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) Tier 1Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) Public Hearing 4:30 pm Open House 6:00 pm Formal Presentation 7:30 pm Hearing Closes

2. Public Open House Public Hearing Bus Rapid Transit Tier 1 Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) Bus Rapid Transit Tier 1 Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) Purpose of Tonight’s Public Hearing What? • Potential Environmental and Community Impacts of the proposed bus rapid transit corridor station locations • Following a Record of Decision (ROD), JTA’s intent is to begin to purchase land from willing sellers for station area locations to use as a future match of federal dollars • Open House followed by a Formal Public Hearing • All Comments and Recommendations received will become a part of the permanent record Who? • We want comments from everyone! How? • Speak to a court reporter one on one • Offer comments after the presentation at the microphone • Submit written comments tonight or mail in no later than November 12, 2007

3. Public Hearing Bus Rapid Transit Tier 1 Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) Tier 1 PEIS Available for Review Tier 1 Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) has been available for inspection since September 10, 2007 and will be available through November 12, 2007 5 6 1 4 1. Main Library - 303 Laura St. 2. Southeast Library – 10599 Deerwood Park Blvd. 3. Webb Wesconnett Library – 6887 103rd St. 4. Regency Square Library – 9900 Regency Square Blvd. 3 2 5. Northwest Library – 1755 Edgewood Ave. West 6. JTA Offices – 100 N. Myrtle Ave

4. Public Hearing Bus Rapid Transit Tier 1 Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) Title VI and VIII Compliance Public Participation at this Hearing is solicited without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, handicap, or familial status. Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, “Prohibits Discrimination” Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968, as amended, “Fair Housing Act” Persons wishing to express their concerns relative to adherence with Title VI and Title VIII may do so by contacting: Ken Middleton JTA Contract Compliance Program Manager 598-8728 kmiddleton@jtafla.com 100 North Myrtle Ave. Jacksonville, FL 32204

5. Public Hearing Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (TEA-21) Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy For Users (SAFETEA-LU) Sections: 6002-6005, 6007, 6009, 6010 National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) Federal Aid Highway Act of 1968, as amended - Title 23 Code of Federal Register (CFR) FHWA/ FTA Interim Policy on Public Involvement Title 23 CFR Part 771, “Environmental Impact & Related Procedures” Title 28 CFR Part 36 “Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990” Title 40 CFR 1500-1508 (NEPA/CEQ), “Protection of Environment” Title 49 CFR Part 24 “Uniform Relocation and Real Property Acquisition for Federal and Federally Assisted Programs” Title 49 CFR Part 611 Section 5309 “New Starts” Title 50 CFR, “Wildlife and Fisheries” Executive Order No 11988, “Floodplain Management” Executive Order No 12898, “Environmental Justice” Clean Water Act, 33 U.S.C. § 1251, et seq., , Clean Water Act, 33 U.S.C. § 1251, Endangered Species Act (7 U.S.C. § 136, 16 U.S.C. § 1531 et seq.) of 1973 or ESA, National Historic Preservation Act (Public Law 89-665: 16 U.S.C. 470 et seq.), Section 4(f), 6(f), 106 Governing Federal Regulations Bus Rapid Transit Tier 1 Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Governing Authorities

6. Public Hearing Governing State and Local Regulations Bus Rapid Transit Tier 1 Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) • s. 163.3181(2), F.S. “Comprehensive Planning” • s. 286.011, F.S. “Public Meetings & Records” • s. 334.044(2), 334.048(3), 339.09(2), 339.09(3) and 421.55, F.S. "Right of Way Acquisition and Relocation" • s. 335.02(1), F.S. “Transportation Facility Designation” • s. 339.135, F.S. “Work Program” • s. 339.155, F.S. “Transportation Planning” • s. 339.175, F.S “Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPO)” • s. 341.051 (2), F.S. “Public Transit and Bus Service Programs” • City of Jacksonville Comprehensive Plan • Better Jacksonville Plan • First Coast MPO 2030 Long Range Transportation Plan Cost Feasible Project List Governing Authorities Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) City of Jacksonville and Duval County First Coast Metropolitan Planning Organization (First Coast MPO)

7. Public Hearing Bus Rapid Transit Tier 1 Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) Purpose and Need • The region’s population is growing – Jacksonville grew by 6.1% between 2000 and 2005 and the region is expected to grow by 50% by 2030. • Roads are congested – by the year 2030, even with planned roadway improvements, many of our roads will be graded as “failing”. • Jobs and homes are far apart – creating more and longer commutes – the average commute time in 2000 was 25.2 minutes. • Many are without easy access to cars – 9.1% of households do not have access to a vehicle; 38.4% have access to one vehicle; 22% of the work age population has a disability and 61% of these persons are employed. • Transit service is not frequent and convenient enough for many people to use as an alternative to driving – the transit network serves a fraction of the built area. Therefore • People cannot easily get to work, school, shopping or medical care • The majority of people drive because they consider it their only choice

8. Public Hearing Bus Rapid Transit Tier 1 Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) Types of Alternatives • Preferred Alternative - represents proposed station locations based on: •  Corridor evaluation of environmental and community impacts •  Identification of environmental and community features within proposed station area parcels •  City of Jacksonville Transit-Oriented Development Ordinance •  Public and regulatory agency comments • Build Alternative - the proposed BRT system of bus lanes and express travel North, Southeast, East and • Southwest Corridors • No-Build Alternative - assumes that only existing or funded transportation improvements would get built  Considers what would happen to the community and environment if nothing new were done to address transportation needs and identifies potential community and environmental impacts and ways to address them • Baseline Alternative - "best that can be done" to improve transit service in the corridor without major capital investment in new infrastructure  Baseline Alternative not developed because public transportation in study corridors is already provided and adding buses that will operate in congestion with cars will not address the transportation need

9. Public Hearing Bus Rapid Transit Tier 1 Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) The Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) System From the Alternative Analysis studies, the First Coast Metropolitan Planning Organization adopted: • the mode – BRT, and • the BRT Corridors The BRT Systems extends • North to Lem Turner / Norwood Ave. • Southeast to Baymeadows • East to Regency Square Mall • Southwest to103rd St.

10. Public Hearing Bus Rapid Transit Tier 1 Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) Bus Rapid Transit Design Features • Reduced travel time • More convenient and frequent service • Transit vehicles with quicker and easier boarding • Exclusive lanes for transit vehicles • Traffic signal priority • Coordinated neighborhood shuttles and feeder bus system • Enhanced transit stop locations with reliable real-time schedule/arrival Enhanced Stops Traffic Signal Priority Real time Information Exclusive Transit Lanes

11. Public Hearing Bus Rapid Transit Tier 1 Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) Tier 1 PEIS Study Purpose • Get public input on potential impacts of proposed BRT station locations • Identify potential community and environmental impacts and ways to address them • Identify properties that may be required for the BRT right-of-way • Begin purchasing prioritized properties from willing sellers after receipt of Record of Decision (ROD) 2007 Study Process January Notice of Intent to Prepare PEIS advertised in Federal Register Jan-Feb Round 1 Public Meetings Apr-May Round 2 Public Meetings May-Aug Submitted Draft PEIS to the FTA and EPA October - November Conduct Public Hearings, Document All Comments and Submit Final PEIS Receive Approved PEIS from FTA and EPA January-May Document and Analyze Potential Social, Economic, Environmental and other Impacts in BRT Corridors Receive Record of Decision (ROD) and begin Purchasing needed Right-of-Way from Willing Sellers

12. Public Hearing Bus Rapid Transit Tier 1 Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) Study Changes Since the April Meetings Focus on Stations- The study has shifted from a Corridor Level Analysis to Station Location Analysis with all environmental and community impacts examined on a parcel by parcel basis for each station location. Alternatives Eliminated- The Hamilton Street/ Shirley Avenue Alternative in the SW Corridor has been eliminated due to public opposition. The Hogan/1st St/ Jefferson St Alternative has been eliminated due to its proximity to a historic district and roadway capacity constraints.

13. Public Hearing Bus Rapid Transit Tier 1 Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS) Your Role • We need to know what you think: • Please provide input or comments - verbally, in writing today or by mail • We have a court reporter to take verbal comments. A sign language and a Spanish language interpreter are available to assist you. Una lengua de la muestra y una lengua española el intérprete está disponible para asistirle. • All comments will be recorded and placed in the Final PEIS Document for FTA review • Visit www.jtafla.com for more information or contact Winova Hart, JTA Public Relations at (904) 630-3185, whart@jtafla.com or 100 North Myrtle Ave., Jacksonville, FL 32204