Formula Grant CT2022007

APPLICATION PURPOSE: ESTUARY TRANSIT DISTRICT (ETD) REQUESTS $1500000 OF ARP FUNDS FROM THE NOWICH-NEW LONDON URBANIZED AREA TO PREVENT PREPARE FOR AND RESPOND TO CORONAVIRUS. THE NORWICH-NEW LONDON SPLIT LETTER IS ATTACHED. THE REQUESTED FUNDS WILL BE USED FOR THE FOLLOWING ACTIVITIES IN CONTINUING TO PROVIDE TRANSIT SERVICE TO THE PUBLIC DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC: - OPERATING ASSISTANCE; ACTIVITIES PERFORMED: IN ACCORDANCE WITH FTAS CIRCULARS 9040.1G AND 9030.1E PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE ACTIVITIES ARE CONSIDERED OPERATING COSTS. ACTIVITIES IN THIS GRANT BEGAN ON JANUARY 20 2020 AND WILL CONTINUE THROUGH THE PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE. PER ARP THE GRANT REQUESTS 100% FEDERAL SHARE AND THE ACTIVITIES IN THIS APPLICATION ARE NOT REQUIRED TO BE PROGRAMMED IN THE LONG-RANGE TRANSPORTATION PLAN OR STATEWIDE TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM.; EXPECTED OUTCOMES: USTAINED TRANSIT SERVICE DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMICARP OPERATING ASSISTANCE WILL ENABLE ETD TO CONTINUE PROVIDING UNINTERRUPTED PUBLIC TRANSIT SERVICE DESPITE ONGOING PANDEMIC-RELATED IMPACTS ON RIDERSHIP STAFFING AND REVENUE.ENHANCED PUBLIC HEALTH AND SAFETY MEASURESFUNDING WILL SUPPORT ACTIVITIES NECESSARY TO PREVENT PREPARE FOR AND RESPOND TO CORONAVIRUS HELPING ETD MAINTAIN SAFE OPERATING CONDITIONS FOR PASSENGERS AND STAFF THROUGH CLEANING PROTOCOLS PROTECTIVE MEASURES AND OPERATIONAL ADJUSTMENTS.STABILIZED FINANCIAL CAPACITY FOR TRANSIT OPERATIONSARP FUNDS WILL OFFSET THE SIGNIFICANT REVENUE LOSSES AND OPERATING COST INCREASES CAUSED BY THE PANDEMIC ENSURING ETD CAN MAINTAIN ESSENTIAL SERVICE LEVELS WITHOUT REDUCTIONS OR SERVICE CUTS.PRESERVATION OF WORKFORCE AND OPERATIONAL READINESSWITH CONTINUED OPERATING SUPPORT ETD WILL RETAIN STAFF MAINTAIN REGULAR SERVICE SCHEDULES AND AVOID DISRUPTIONS LINKED TO FUNDING SHORTAGES THEREBY PRESERVING RELIABLE MOBILITY OPTIONS FOR THE COMMUNITY.MAINTAINED STATE OF GOOD REPAIR THROUGH PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCEPREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE ACTIVITIES SUPPORTED AS ELIGIBLE OPERATING COSTS WILL KEEP THE ETD FLEET IN A STATE OF GOOD REPAIR REDUCE BREAKDOWNS AND SUPPORT SAFE DEPENDABLE SERVICE DELIVERY.STRENGTHENED REGIONAL MOBILITY AND COMMUNITY ACCESSBY SUSTAINING OPERATIONS ETD ENSURES CONTINUED ACCESS FOR RIDERS TO EMPLOYMENT HEALTHCARE EDUCATION AND ESSENTIAL SERVICES SUPPORTING REGIONAL ECONOMIC STABILITY DURING AND AFTER THE PANDEMIC.COMPLIANCE WITH FEDERAL FUNDING REQUIREMENTS AND AVOIDANCE OF DUPLICATION OF BENEFITSETD WILL MONITOR AND COORDINATE ALL FEDERAL RELIEF FUNDING SOURCES TO AVOID DUPLICATION PROVIDE REQUIRED NOTIFICATIONS AND MAINTAIN COMPLIANCE WITH ARP FEMA AND OTHER FEDERAL REGULATIONS.; INTENDED BENEFICIARIES: TRANSIT RIDERSRIDERS WHO RELY ON ETD FOR DAILY TRANSPORTATIONPARTICULARLY ESSENTIAL WORKERS LOW-INCOME INDIVIDUALS SENIORS AND THOSE WITHOUT ACCESS TO A PRIVATE VEHICLEBENEFIT FROM THE CONTINUED AVAILABILITY OF SAFE AND RELIABLE TRANSIT SERVICE DURING THE PANDEMIC.INDIVIDUALS WITH DISABILITIESMAINTAINING UNINTERRUPTED SERVICE ENSURES THAT PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES HAVE CONTINUED ACCESS TO ADA-COMPLIANT TRANSPORTATION FOR MEDICAL APPOINTMENTS EMPLOYMENT AND ESSENTIAL ACTIVITIES.ETD WORKFORCEOPERATORS MAINTENANCE STAFF DISPATCHERS AND ADMINISTRATIVE PERSONNEL BENEFIT FROM STABILIZED FUNDING THAT SUPPORTS JOB RETENTION SAFE WORKING CONDITIONS AND CONSISTENT OPERATIONAL SUPPORT DURING COVID-19.LOCAL COMMUNITIES AND REGIONAL ECONOMYCOMMUNITIES WITHIN THE ESTUARY TRANSIT DISTRICT BENEFIT FROM SUSTAINED MOBILITY OPTIONS THAT ALLOW RESIDENTS TO ACCESS JOBS HEALTHCARE EDUCATION AND ESSENTIAL SERVICES HELPING SUPPORT ECONOMIC STABILITY DURING THE PANDEMIC.HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS AND ESSENTIAL SERVICESCONTINUATION OF TRANSIT SERVICE HELPS ENSURE THAT PATIENTS CLIENTS AND WORKERS CAN REACH HOSPITALS CLINICS GROCERY STORES AND OTHER ESSENTIAL LOCATIONS CRUCIAL DURING COVID-19.PARTNER AGENCIES AND MUNICIPALITIESMUNICIPAL AND REGIONAL PARTNERS BENEFIT FROM ETDS ABILITY TO CONTINUE OPERATING RELIABLY WITHOUT SERVICE INTERRUPTIONS THAT MAY IMPACT COORDINATED MOBILITY SERVICES AND REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLANNING.; SUBRECIPIENT ACTIVITIES: MAINTAIN AND OPERATE TRANSIT SERVICETHE SUBRECIPIENT WILL CONTINUE TO OPERATE FIXED-ROUTE DEMAND-RESPONSE AND SUPPORTING TRANSIT SERVICES TO ENSURE UNINTERRUPTED MOBILITY FOR THE PUBLIC DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.CONDUCT CORONAVIRUS PREVENTION PREPARATION AND RESPONSE ACTIVITIESACTIVITIES INCLUDE ENHANCED VEHICLE CLEANING FACILITY SANITIZATION DRIVER AND STAFF PROTECTIVE MEASURES OPERATIONAL ADJUSTMENTS TO REDUCE EXPOSURE RISK AND ANY OTHER ELIGIBLE COVID-19 RESPONSE ACTIVITIES.PERFORM PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE ON TRANSIT VEHICLES AND EQUIPMENTIN ACCORDANCE WITH FTA CIRCULARS 9040.1G AND 9030.1E THE SUBRECIPIENT WILL CARRY OUT PREVENTATIVE MAINTENANCE ACTIVITIES CLASSIFIED AS ELIGIBLE OPERATING EXPENSES TO KEEP THE FLEET IN A STATE OF GOOD REPAIR.MANAGE STAFFING AND WORKFORCE SUPPORT NEEDED FOR OPERATIONSTHE SUBRECIPIENT WILL ALLOCATE OPERATING FUNDS TO COVER OPERATOR WAGES DISPATCH MAINTENANCE LABOR AND OTHER STAFFING ESSENTIAL FOR DELIVERING RELIABLE TRANSIT SERVICE DURING THE PANDEMIC.MONITOR AND REPORT USE OF ARP FUNDSTHE SUBRECIPIENT WILL TRACK EXPENDITURES MAINTAIN DOCUMENTATION SUBMIT REQUIRED REPORTS TO FTA AND ENSURE COMPLIANCE WITH ALL ARP AND FTA GRANT REQUIREMENTS.COORDINATE FEDERAL RELIEF FUNDING TO AVOID DUPLICATION OF BENEFITSTHE SUBRECIPIENT WILL REVIEW AND MONITOR ANY FEMA INSURANCE OR OTHER FEDERAL ASSISTANCE RECEIVED AND NOTIFY FTA OF ANY OVERLAP TO PREVENT DUPLICATION OF BENEFITS CONSISTENT WITH FEDERAL REGULATIONS.SUPPORT PUBLIC COMMUNICATION AND RIDER INFORMATIONTHE SUBRECIPIENT WILL PROVIDE RIDERS WITH UPDATES ON SERVICE AVAILABILITY COVID-19 SAFETY MEASURES AND OPERATIONAL CHANGES TO SUPPORT SAFE AND INFORMED TRAVEL.