County seeks transit study funding; warns $800,000 in federal urban transit funds may be at risk
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Summary
County staff requested $250,000 (80/20 federal-local match) for an MPO-led transit study to evaluate Mountain Mobility service expansions and coordination with the city's transit study; staff warned roughly $800,000 of urban (5307) funds is at risk of federal rescission and will return to the board in two weeks for action.
William High, introduced by the chair, told the board Buncombe County submitted an application to the French Broad River MPO for a county transit plan and budgeted $250,000 to begin next year, with an 80% federal/20% local match and $50,000 of local planning match already included in the county budget.
High said the study would review service outside the ART service area, evaluate expanded weekend service on the Inca Candler route and examine the implications of higher service levels that could trigger additional federal regulatory requirements. He said the plan would also consider fleet right-sizing and potential regional service options between Asheville and Hendersonville.
On federal funding, High explained how 5307 urban transit funds must be spent within the urbanized area and said Buncombe County receives roughly one-third of local dollars while the city receives nearly half. "As of now, we are not able to expend the totality of our annual allocation," he said; High said that a prior rescission returned $864,000 to the city across two programs and that about $800,000 in one program is at risk of being called back by the Federal Transit Administration if not programmed.
High told commissioners the MPO and city are in the process of updating studies and an RFP for a transit provider; he said county staff will coordinate and expects an MPO presentation in two weeks. He advised the board that staff will bring a recommended approach for rescission conditions and possible negotiations with the city back to the board for formal action in two weeks.
Commissioners asked about negotiating guardrails and the possibility the city might contract or change the network. High said negotiation language could restrict the city from requesting additional funds for changes the county did not approve and reiterated that the city appears more likely to contract than expand its network at this time.
The board did not take a final vote on programming or rescission conditions at this meeting; staff plans to return with recommended language and a formal action item.