STIF Discretionary and Statewide Transit Network Application: FY 2021-23 Applicant Information Agency Legal Name Hood River Transportation District Agency Legal Address PO Box 1147, Hood River, Oregon 97031 Application Contact Name Application Contact Title Patricia F. Fink Executive Director Application Contact Email Address Application Contact Phone Number [email protected] (503) 793-1256 Name of Person Signing Agreement Title of Person Signing Agreement Patricia Fink Executive Director Email Address of Person Signing Agreement Phone Number of Person Signing Agreement [email protected] 5037931256 Agency Information 1. Transit Agency Type Transportation District 1.A Does the agency have any existing grant agreements with ODOT? Yes 2. What is the main type of service that will be supported by this award? Fixed Route 3. Would this award support ongoing operations of an existing service? Yes 3.A Operations costs of Page 1 of 12 previous quarter $195,635.00 3.B Brief history of current project/service. What, if any, elements of the proposed project differ from existing efforts and services? Operating Costs were January - March, and reflect pre-COVID expense (does not include marketing or capital) does include pm & administrative time. CAT does not plan any significant changes to the existing service. CAT is, however, working closely with MCEDD/LINK services to increase access within The Dalles and Wasco County communities and enhance the customer experience in the Hood River - The Dalles segment. This may include a pass-through of the funds to MCEDD for the provision of some Hood River - The Dalles trips. Risk Assessment Information 4. Did your agency have any turnover of management or financial staff in the last two years? No 5. Does your agency have an accounting system that allows you to completely and accurately track the receipt and disbursement of funds related to the award? Yes 6. What type of accounting system does your agency use? Combined 7. Does your agency have a system in place that will account for 100 percent of each employee's time? Yes 8. Did your staff members attend required training and meetings during the previous biennium? Yes 9. Was your agency audited by the federal government in the past two years? No 10. Did your agency stay on budget in the past two years? Yes Agency Qualifications 11. Describe how your agency has the legal, managerial and operational capacity to perform and report on project progress within the scope, schedule and budget of the anticipated grant agreement. (Description of operational capacity should apply specifically for the workload of projects in this application.) Currently, the District is fully staffed with transit professionals. The Executive Director has over 25 years and the Operations Manager over 5 years of experience in the transit field and two field supervisors with over 30 years of combined experience. The district has a Planning & Grant Manager who works with an outside accounting firm to ensure our books meet State and Federal grant accounting requirements. Finally, we have an extensive training program for our Drivers & Dispatch to ensure that we are meeting all FTA requirements. CAT staff has successfully managed the CGE service over the past year and it is a well-established part of the workload for staff. 12. Certification of Compliance Page 2 of 12 By checking this box, the applicant certifies that if they are awarded funding, they will meet and ensure compliance for the term of the agreement with applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations including, and not limited to, those pertaining to passenger transportation, civil rights, labor, insurance, safety and health. Yes 13. Do you plan to use a Sub-Recipient or contractor to implement the grant supported activity? No 14. If you seek the 10 percent match reduction, does the project meet one or more of the four factors identified in OAR 732-044-0005(4)(a)? Select each factor that you believe is exemplified by the proposed project. Predominantly serves or provides access to and from rural communities Serves an area outside of the applicant’s geographic jurisdiction Fills a significant gap in the Statewide Transit Network Provides statewide benefits to multiple Public Transportation Service Providers outside of the area where the proposed project will be located 15. Will federal funds be used to complete this project? No Project Information 16.A Project Title Columbia Gorge Express - I84 Corridor Service 16.B Describe the project to be funded. Clearly describe what the requested fund award would be used to accomplish, detailing the specific tasks and deliverables. Where relevant, identify the origin and destination of the proposed service as well as each municipality visited along the route. Please see page 22 of program guidance for additional guidance on writing a project description. The Columbia Gorge Express (CGE), I-84 Corridor request is for funding for the operation, administrative and preventative maintenance necessary to preserve existing transit service levels in the I-84 from Portland to The Dalles including (8 RT during weekdays; 6 RT during weekends) from Hood River to Portland and (5 RT weekdays; & 2 RT weekends) from Hood River to The Dalles. This application is one of three complimentary STIF applications supporting mobility in the Gorge (Columbia Gorge Express/ I-84 Corridor; Marketing Regional Transit through GOrge Pass; Gorge Mobility Management). CGE service will provide connections to these key destinations and transit hubs: Gateway Transit Center - Connecting with TriMet, Portland Airport & other areas of the Portland/Vancouver Metro area; Multnomah Falls (MF) at Exit 31 – Connecting with a highly visited site & supporting the ODOT Multnomah Falls Shuttle; ongoing collaboration with partners on the implementation of a reservation system that manages access to the site & incorporates CGE intercity & MF shuttle service; Cascade Locks: Connecting to the Pacific Crest Trail, Historic Highway State Trail,and Skamania & Klickitat Counties in Washington (July 2021); Hood River: Connecting to local Hood River Routes, Upper Valley communities (Odell & Parkdale), seasonally to Mt Hood (2021/22, Government Camp) and to Bingen/White Salmon in Washington; Mosier (2X daily): Connecting to Mosier & the Historic Highway State Trail; Page 3 of 12 The Dalles: Connecting to local The Dalles Route; Celilo Village (an indigenous community) and other Wasco areas east and south of river. The Columbia River Gorge (Gorge) is a bi-state region composed of multiple counties in Washington and in Oregon, all bordering the Columbia River. These counties share a common workforce and a common economic foundation. Residents may live in one community but must access essential services in other Gorge communities across the river or in the greater Portland metropolitan area. CGE is the backbone for transit service in this bi-state region. CGE provides important and reliable connections between Gorge communities and from these communities to specialized services in the Portland Metro area. In the reverse, its frequent and convenient service also provides urban dwellers with access to jobs, open space, outdoor & recreational opportunities in the Gorge. CGE, as the 2020 CGE Performance Report shows, provides car-free travel options which in turn : • Provides necessary and efficient connections between urban/rural areas • Reduces car-centric traffic • Increases community access to higher education, jobs, medical services • Diverts vehicles from the Multnomah Falls parking lot (estimated 20,750+ vehicle trips 2016-19). • Reduces congestion to Multnomah Falls despite increased traffic volume (annual vehicle hours of delay dropped by 70% 2015 – 2019) • Increases ridership (exceeded original 4-year projections and doubled intercity ridership before COVID). • Demonstrates to the Columbia Gorge Commission, land managers, and government officials an integrated urban/rural transit program can effectively meet local and statewide goals of access, mobility, climate change, congestion relief. In November 2019, CAT successfully launched CGE service, after assuming operational control from ODOT. CAT also expanded focus to serve commuter, tourist and residents’ needs through increased frequency of service (priority for transit connections & ridership). CAT also successfully decreased costs (key element for funding partners) while stimulating investment in local transit services on both sides of the river (key benefit for Gorge residents). CAT exceeded initial ridership targets and was well-positioned to meet its 2nd quarter ridership goals when COVID hit. Despite the pandemic and subsequent operational adaptations (reservations, masking), CAT has maintained ridership throughout the crisis with ridership steadily increasing over the summer, showing the critical need of the program. While no one anticipates a return to pre-pandemic ridership levels until early summer of 2021, CGE will continue providing essential service for both residents and tourists CGE is shaping how land use and economic development occurs within Gorge communities. The Gorge partners have begun developing a regional transit strategy, are working with land managers on innovative access management options & addressing regional sustainability & natural resource protection goals. Existing transit service levels are a key part of this plan. In short, by fully funding the CGE & the 2 MCEDD projects, the State can maintain a key intercity link, offer