OFFICE OF COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
Michael Levier, Director
City of Opelousas
318 North Court Street
Opelousas, LA 70570
Office: 337-948-9035
Fax: 337-948-5205
Email: mlevier@cityofopelousas.com
2007-2008 REPORT: Public Transportation
Opelousas Community Development workers are pooling efforts with State/City officials and local businesses who are passionate about combating poverty issues that plague our city.
At the top of the war on poverty list is providing a "deviated fixed route" public transit system that will connect St Landry Parish citizens to Lafayette. To that end, the Opelousas Office of Community Development in an ongoing relationship with Solutions to Poverty and Nadine Dunbar, Transportation Coordinator for the Gov's Office of Disability Affairs has received a Resolution of Support from St Landry Parish Council to provide a feasibility study for St Landry parish public transportation. The group contracted the assistance of Community Transportation Association of America to conduct the feasibility study.
In April Nadine Dunbar of Governor's Office of Disability Affairs and the Opelousas Office of Community Development will join Irma Bourgeois, Director of Field Operations for SMILE; Peggy Steily, President/Program Coordinator of Acadiana Chapter of Affiliated Blind; Carole Glover, State President of Meaningful Minds of Louisiana to attend the Easter Seals Project ACTION renowned Mobility Planning Service Institute in Washington, D.C. Easter Seals offer this seminar conducted by "People on the Move… Using all Transportation options (ADA and beyond…)" will train the trainers in the areas of Coordination, Funding/Financing and Complimentary Para-transit Options that are needed to expand community transportation options.
Transportation Plan Drafted by City
A team has been formed and efforts are under way to improve access to public transportation for people with disabilities and the general public in Lafayette Parish and St Landry Parish.
The Louisiana team whose members link the interests of transit and disability in Lafayette and St Landry Parish, consists of Irma Bourgeois, Director of Field Operations, SMILE Community Action Agency; Nadine Dunbar-Gills, Human Services Transportation Coordinator, Governors Office of Disability Affairs; Carole Glover, State President, Meaningful Minds of Louisiana; Lessie Handy, Director of Community Development, City of Opelousas, and Peggy Stelly, President; Lafayette Parish Awareness Committee for Citizens with Disabilities.
The team were among 22 teams from throughout the U.S. who participated in the sixth annual Mobility Planning Services Institute of Easter Seals Project ACTION in Washington, D.C. The Institute was April 21-24 at the Renaissance Hotel Washington. The local team, whose expenses were supported by ESPA, was accepted through a competitive application process in which a commitment to improving accessibility had to be expressed.
The plan will begin with the City of Opelousas establishing a deviated fixed route transit system with connections to Lafayette for employment, healthcare, & educational opportunities.
Participating in the MPS Institute were teams of between three and five people from Berkshire County, Mass.; Black Hills of south Dakota; Brookings County, S.D.; Brownsville, Texas; Central Florida; Central Iowa; Central Yavapai MPO, Ariz.; District of Columbia; Fort Wayne/Allen County, Ind.; Haywood County, N.C.; Lane County, Oregon; Low Country, S.C.; Manitowoc County, Wisc.; Middlesex County, N.J.; Nashville, Tenn.; Northwest Ohio; Rides for all Georgians; Rochester, N.Y.; Taxi NYC; Vicksburg, Miss.; Western Wisconsin.
For more information, contact Nadine Dunbar-Gill, Gov's Office of Disability Affairs at 225-219-9866 or Lessie Handy, Opelousas Community Development at 337-948-9035.
St. Landry Parish Public Transit System gainS momentum!
The Office of Community Development under the direction of Mayor Donald Cravins Sr. is spearheading a parish wide public transit initiative.
The St. Landry Parish Public Transit System will have "fixed bus route" in St. Landry Parish with connections to Lafayette.
St Landry Parish Community Action Agency is the public transportation provider for this area. The agency has pioneered many successful services that assist economically disadvantaged families and continues to "Help Families, Change Lives" for the citizens of this parish. It only make good business sense that we ask Community Action to expand their transportation services and include "fixed bus routes". With Community Action operating as the central hub and shuttle services operating at specific intervals, every 30 minutes, passengers will arrive on time to work, school or to the doctor.
Community Actions' public systems operates on a demand respond basis, which mean that a call has to be made at least 24 hours in advance to schedule an appointment. We are asking Community Action to add fixed routes of 30 minutes stops to their operation. A call to Community Action will no longer need the 24 hour advance notice. You can schedule your ride with one call on the same day.
The St. Landry Parish Community Action Agency fees for public transit are $5.00 for the Opelousas area, $10.00 outside of the city limits and $20.00 to Lafayette. We are asking Community Action to add fees for public transportation that can also include patient rides at $1.00 for a bus ride, $.50 for a transfer and $10.00 for a weekly bus pass.
Community Development contacted "United We Ride," (UWR) a national initiative launched to implement an Executive Order from The White House regarding human services transportation. The Executive Order mandates all transit systems to "Enhance access to transportation to improve mobility, employment opportunities, and access to community services for persons who are transportation-disadvantaged." The mandate further stipulates that "persons with mobility limitations related to advanced age, persons with disabilities, and persons struggling for self-sufficiency, transportation within and between our communities should be as available and affordable as possible."
Since the inception of UWR, 40 States now have United We Ride State Coordinated Transportation Plans; and thousands of transportation providers, human service agencies, and consumers have participated in identifying local needs and strategies.
Community Development hosted the first meeting with United We Ride the mayors of St Landry Parish and community leaders on August 8th to address the proposed public transit system.
The next meeting will be held in September to implement the next phase of the transportation initiative.
Please contact your Public Officials, St. Landry Community Action Agency, Parish Council, Community Leaders and Opelousas Community Development in support of the St. Landry Parish Public Transit System.
TOGETHER WE CAN MAKE IT HAPPEN!
Michael Levier,
Director of Community Development
Updated: 08/15/2008
