[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6668981,"mediaKeyId","2215960-609d126481c82ee2e2b733b10086503d","parentId",2215960,"title","Transit commission hears funding delays, ridership update and residents’ complaints about missing stops; minutes approved","audioSeconds",90,"startMs",372000,"endMs",462000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2215960-609d126481c82ee2e2b733b10086503d&start=372&end=462","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2215960-609d126481c82ee2e2b733b10086503d/thumbnail_372000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6668981/Bullhead-City/Mohave-County/Arizona/Transit-commission-hears-funding-delays-ridership-update-and-residents-complaints-about-missing-stops-minutes-approved","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6668981-e801c3a655f656eeabb099f711cc6045/orig.mp4?Expires=1775189827&Signature=gL7U4ENPN5h5NTmVa-VTjR9Uay8FxsbJZ0lO4CaA5VZMVYj7yjQEwIq1KYuh4EXh~l2sNllFRuhWGTjfMGq6Tw~V8ZjozPzLv7Cplt~y4yjg95mfDCVPNJyIGfbFlI7PL4rUYX4V8bdXM8rKlzipJ5ITlJ22497GOlIyiUsrrwAzXgyz54W3-I9ytRnEShvzF3ythbNnAs47uymKg7HVaAGY1koLalaOCw0e7eB~mv4TGBkPwJExH5Pi4cKL9LTKx-mkBWTi~bNETNsuY5cUQOBEaYYBV~jF8Z9~ynYUVNgahYqzgSPQuYvcrjfWuk3Bu2JaWv8XPbEa5xI25AdF-g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Bullhead City","date","2025-02-03T00:00:00Z","article","Commission staff updated the Bullhead Area Transit Commission on Feb. 3 about funding delays with ADOT’s eGrants system, ridership trends, a transit collision on Dec. 30, 2024, and facility planning; several residents urged restoration or addition of bus stops at major local destinations.

Staff said reimbursements that transit usually submits monthly have been delayed because ADOT was overhauling its eGrants system. “For as long as that takes, we're unable to actually process those reimbursements,” staff told the commission, and staff said it has submitted grant paperwork through May and June for the prior city fiscal year but cannot submit additional months until ADOT’s system allows it. Staff said ADOT has requested an extension from the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) for the affected grant program so agencies statewide are not penalized for the delays.

Financial and operations update: staff reported calendar-year 2024 ridership of about 142,000 trips, compared with a previous peak near 180,000 trips. Ridership declined during the COVID period to roughly 100,000 trips and has been steadily recovering. Staff said, based on historic percent increases since COVID, they project roughly 150,000 trips in the coming city fiscal year if current trends continue. On service planning, staff said an MPO-funded short-range transit plan was submitted for a planning grant and that, if awarded, staff and the commission will work with a consultant to identify service expansions or route changes.

Accident report: staff briefed the commission on a Dec. 30, 2024 collision in which “a transit driver had a medical episode and drove through a barricade, then struck several park construction vehicles when finally ending with a large dump truck.” The driver and two passengers were transported to a local hospital with minor injuries. Staff said they are awaiting the insurance and vehicle-disposition determinations and that the public-information officer’s press release was the source of the summary.

Public comments: multiple residents urged changes to stops and routing. A frequent commenter asked that the bus stop near Rio Grande and the DMV be reinstated, saying restoring that stop would cut walking distance and help riders who must use city services. Another resident said the hospital and some Miracle Mile stops effectively receive no service, forcing riders to transfer and pay an extra fare. One commenter demanded more information about the Dec. 30 crash and criticized city communications about the incident; staff said the text in the meeting came from a press release by the city’s PIO, Mackenzie Covert.

Facility planning: staff said the transit facility design is delayed but near completion of furnishings and fixtures; once final architectural plans and NEPA environmental clearance are complete, staff will pursue federal capital grants for construction. Staff said the project aims to be shovel-ready but cautioned that federal grant timelines and application windows determine construction timing.

Action taken: the commission voted to approve the minutes of the Nov. 4 meeting. A motion to accept the minutes was made and seconded and was approved (recorded as three ayes in the meeting transcript). No other formal policy actions were recorded during the meeting.

Why it matters: ADOT system delays affect cash flow for operations; ridership levels and an upcoming short-range plan will shape future service changes; the Dec. 30 crash and public requests for added stops speak to rider safety and access concerns that the commission and staff said they will continue to address.

Staff said they will update the commission at the next meeting if the MPO planning grant is awarded and when ADOT’s eGrants availability allows the agency to resume back-billing reimbursements.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Bullhead City - Bullhead Area Transit System BATS Commission Meeting - Feb 03, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Staff reported ADOT eGrants delays affecting reimbursements, presented 2024 ridership totals (about 142,000 trips), described a Dec. 30 transit crash tied to a driver medical episode, and commission approved minutes from Nov. 4. Public commenters urged added stops at DMV, hospital and Miracle Mile.","taxTitle","Bullhead City, Mohave County, Arizona","taxId",54694,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6668987,"New Bullhead-area MPO readies work program, seeks consultant for 20-year plan",130,70000,200000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2215960-609d126481c82ee2e2b733b10086503d&start=70&end=200","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2215960-609d126481c82ee2e2b733b10086503d/thumbnail_70000.jpg","/articles/6668987/Bullhead-City/Mohave-County/Arizona/New-Bullhead-area-MPO-readies-work-program-seeks-consultant-for-20-year-plan","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6668987-272eefa024f67b3499b9dbdf62c0e5b9/orig.mp4?Expires=1775189827&Signature=Bkf2nl~-nPtMIAxztfR6BiGaIVhWmh3i8OjkDsrbIzibjWCUPvj~Rc5Ep7jzQhPS3EyQnwOp2xxVYe0Lqok8FD4a0yltloDU6~NcTUpuMNEwPRc6p-Sq8e0AvQj5Dd40ttopsEDjN1eMaciQLjiPRaWJw6gI4WHprjNQ743uLqr8SW8FIWNbPwtut404PLYPAk0ebuKdSsvKbtO4Prr1QPJGEFlcrsTOAbI1~kayZEAa2cdiTnMVhm21b9J7zDsB6bY98ds6b5joUXcD3arSSRxiZ9bF86P~xlg-pWPBpaFMiR9nuouI8eAGDk1AJad-VqWq0sbxfk-2q96A8buApg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Johnny Loera, interim executive director of the newly formed metropolitan planning organization (MPO) for the Bullhead City area, told the Bullhead Area Transit Commission on Feb. 3 that the MPO is now staffed and beginning core planning tasks. “We are now fully staffed. We're a staff of 2 people, myself and we have a staff member that just came on,” Loera said.

Loera said the MPO’s immediate priorities are administrative setup, preparing a Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP), developing a public-participation plan and a Title VI civil-rights plan, and contracting a consultant to produce a 20-year long-range transportation plan. That long-range plan will be followed by a Transportation Improvement Program (TIP) that lists specific projects for state and federal funding. “Our first real task is to produce a work program. It's called a Unified Planning Work Program,” he said.

The MPO has an office at Monarch Plaza (the transcript gives the location as “Monarch Plaza”; a specific street number was not specified). Loera said staff have attended meetings with other MPOs and councils of governments to learn required processes, and that this MPO is the only newly formed MPO in Arizona following the 2020 Census. He described the long-range planning process as taking 12 to 18 months after a consultant is selected, and said the MPO will present progress updates to its executive board and advisory committee.

Loera told the commission the long-range study will examine transit service, road conditions and potential capital upgrades such as turn lanes and signals. After public outreach and executive-board direction, projects from the long-range plan will be considered for inclusion in the TIP and then submitted to ADOT and federal highways for funding. “That process takes 12 to 18 months once we choose a consultant for them to study our transit system, study the condition of the roads,” Loera said.

Commissioners asked whether the MPO’s documents will be available to the public. Loera said the MPO will create a separate website and post committee reports and draft plans there for public review and comment. “We will create a website. And when these reports get presented to our committee, they will be posted online as well for the public to look at and to comment on,” he said.

Why it matters: the MPO will set the policy and project list that determine which Bullhead-area transportation projects are eligible for state and federal funding. The scope and schedule of the UPWP and long-range plan will shape project priorities, grant eligibility and future capital requests.

Loera said meeting schedules for the MPO’s advisory committee and executive board will begin in March, and that public participation will be emphasized when draft plans are ready for review. He also noted required civil-rights and public-engagement work will be completed before major plan approvals.

The MPO update did not include any formal actions by the commission; it was presented as an informational item and followed by questions from commissioners about public access to documents.","Interim MPO director said the newly formed metropolitan planning organization is staffed, beginning a Unified Planning Work Program and will seek a consultant for a 20-year long-range transportation plan and a Transportation Improvement Program.","actionData","errors"]

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Transit commission hears funding delays, ridership update and residents’ complaints about missing stops; minutes approved

New Bullhead-area MPO readies work program, seeks consultant for 20-year plan