Optimizing Transportation Investments Within the Lac Courte Oreilles (LCO)/Sawyer County (SC) Transit System

Research Project:      Optimizing Transportation Investments Within the Lac Courte Oreilles (LCO)/Sawyer County (SC) Transit System                   

P.I.:                             Amber Marlow
                                    Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwa Community College
                                    13466 W. Trepania Road
                                    Hayward, WI  54843
                                    (715)634-4790 x156
                                    email:  marlowa@lco.edu

Project Objective:     To assess the Lac Courte Oreilles and Sawyer County community’s transportation research needs, strengthen collaboration between Sawyer County and Lac Courte Oreilles community and determine opportunities for optimizing local and regional transportation investments.

Project Abstract:       Utilizing Lac Courte Oreilles (LCO) Casino revenue, the LCO Transit Committee has worked with Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwa Community College (LCOOCC) students and other community partners/volunteers to implement a joint mass transit system in conjunction with the surrounding Sawyer County Transit (SCT).  The system has now been in operation for 9 months and serves over 1200 community members per month.  Because the LCO Transit side has been completely funded by Casino revenue and managed/operated by a group of volunteers, no formal analysis of the system has occurred. In an effort to sustain and improve the current successful system, the LCO/SC Transit Committee is exploring federal and state aid in order to improve the efficiency of operation by expanding collaboration between LCO and SC.  More efficient ways to manage its assets and integrate this mode into local and regional transportation plans is needed.  LCOOCC faculty and students will work in consultation with various transportation agencies to assess community transportation needs, compile accurate demographic and economic profiles for the LCO and SC community, assess transit modes within other tribal communities, and identify the benefits of a formal collaboration between Sawyer County and Lac Courte Oreilles. 

Task Descriptions:     Task 1: Establish the research advisory team

Task 2a: Conduct comprehensive transit needs assessment for the Sawyer County and LCO community; conduct survey; compile demographic and economic profiles for the LCO and SC community; compile Transit ridership data

Task 2b: Research existing transit models at other reservation communities; literature review; identify potential transit model or further develop LCO/SC Transit into a new model

Task 3: Identify opportunities for optimizing transportation investments (decreasing economic, social, environmental inefficiencies) within the LCO/SC Transit System; analyze transportation needs; determine ways to increase accessibility, improve safety, reduce environmental impacts; prepare final report

Milestones, Dates:     Project start date: 9/1/01, Final report by 8/31/02

Yearly Budget:            $34,095

Total Budget:              $34,095

Student Involvement: An undergraduate hourly student will be hired to work on this project 

Relationship to Other Research Projects: Not related to existing MRUTC research projects

Technology Transfer Activities: Preliminary reports and/or quarterly reports will be submitted electronically.  The final report will be submitted by project end.

Potential Benefits of the Project: This proposal focuses on analyzing Sawyer County and LCO community transportation resources and sets forth a plan for creating a more efficient system.

TRB Keywords:          Asset Management, Transit

Primary Subject:          Optimizing Transportation Investments

Modal Orientation:      Transit