AMADOR COUNTY TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION

Mel Welsh, 11400 American Legion Drive, Jackson, CA, 95642

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Mel Welsh, Amador County Transportation Commission, 209-267-2282

Public Asked to Share Ideas to Improve Transportation Services for Amador County Older Adults, People with Disabilities and Low-Income Residents

Amador County Human Service-Public Transportation Coordination Plan Community Workshops

Jackson Tuesday May 13, 2008, 1:30 PM

Amador Senior Center

229 New York Ranch Rd

Jackson, CA 95642

Pine Grove Tuesday May 13, 2008 5:30 PM

Town Hall Highway 88, Pine Grove, CA 95665

Refreshments will be provided.

The Amador County Transportation Commission, in cooperation with Caltrans, is sponsoring transportation workshops for Amador County organizations and residents. Project planners invite organizations and residents to discuss strategies to improve transportation services for low-income residents, as well as seniors and people with disabilities.

The workshops are being held as part of the Amador County Human Service-Public Transportation Coordination Plan. Sponsored by Caltrans, the Plan’s goal is to improve mobility for county residents through better coordination of services among transportation providers and human service agencies in Amador County. The Plan will address transportation improvements so residents can get to medical appointments, classes, day care and jobs. The Coordination Plan will also identify transportation services needed to help people run errands and go shopping, as well as connect to other transportation services, like Sacramento RT or Amtrak.

Each workshop is scheduled to last up to two hours. Planners will share results of recent meetings, surveys and data analysis. Workshop participants will be asked to help prioritize transportation needs and strategies. A broad discussion is planned so community members can explore different ways to improve local transportation services.

For agencies seeking federal transportation funds, information will be available at the workshops about three types of federal funds: Job Access Reverse Commute (JARC), New Freedom, and the Elderly and Disabled Transportation Assistance Program (5310 Grant Funds).

The Human Service-Public Transportation Coordination Plan is a required document for local organizations and the Transit Agency to apply for certain types of federal funds. These dollars can be used to add new transit service, replace buses or purchase new equipment like bus shelters or dispatch software.

The workshops will allow planners to develop transportation strategies based on community priorities.

Caltrans commissioned the Human Service-Public Transportation Coordination Plan on behalf of the Amador County Transportation Commission to find transportation needs and gaps, and define opportunities for better coordination. An Existing Conditions Report was prepared in March 2008, which provides findings from interviews with planners, community representatives and political leaders; an analysis of community demographics and transportation data; and a review of regional issues.

For more information about the Amador County Human Service-Public Transportation Coordination Plan and the community workshops, please call Mel Welsh at the Amador County Transportation Commission, 209-267-2282.