Consideration of and action on authorization of a Interlocal Agreement with Fort Bend County, Texas, to accept up to $1,500,000.00, for the Microtransit Pilot Program; and authorization of a Budget Amendment in the amount up to $1,500,000.00 to revenues and expenditures.

The City’s Mobility Master Plan establishes several Core Values that define the Comprehensive Plan’s vision of Superior Mobility, support the Transportation-Connected and Convenient Strategic Outcome, and answers the community’s call for new and bold direction for mobility investments in Sugar Land.
 
The City applied for and received federal grant funding through the H-GAC Congestion Mitigation Air Quality (CMAQ) Commuter and Transit Services Pilot Program to pilot a Microtransit service. This on-demand, shared public transit service uses smaller vehicles (vans/minivans) to operate within a designated zone within the city limits. The program supports the development of effective and sustainable pilot projects. The program provides funding to develop effective and sustainable pilot projects. The Pilot Program shall assist in the development of various alternative travel modes that will reflect the emerging changes of the Houston-Galveston region moving into the future.
 
These federal grant funds will cover 80% of the total cost to operate the service for three years. Additional funding was requested from Fort Bend County during the 2023 Mobility Bond in order to provide the required 20% local match over the course of the three-year-long pilot, and to supplement funding for consecutive years, or expansion of the service as necessary. The purpose of the agreement is to enter into an Interlocal Agreement (ILA) with Fort Bend County to obligate the Mobility Bond funds.
 
The Engineering Department recommends that the City Council approve the interlocal funding agreement with Fort Bend County to receive funds of up to $1,500,000.00 for the Microtransit Pilot Program and approve a budget amendment to revenues and expenditures equal to this amount.