Title
Review and Comment on the Bus Service Changes Proposed by AC Transit in its Realign Draft Plan (Discussion)
Body
To: Honorable Chair and Members of the Transportation Commission
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The AC Transit Realign Draft Plan includes major changes to bus service in Alameda, some of which will be detrimental for Alameda bus riders. The Draft Plan is available here: <https://www.actransit.org/realign/scenario-DB>.
City of Alameda (City) staff request that the Transportation Commission review and comment on the AC Transit Realign Draft Plan (Draft Plan). This discussion will inform the contents of a letter to the AC Transit Board of Directors for its meeting on June 5, 2024.
All interested Alameda community members are encouraged to share their feedback with AC Transit via AC Transit’s public workshop on May 23, the AC Transit Board of Directors meeting on June 5, and the Realign feedback form. Details are in the Discussion section below and can be found at <https://www.actransit.org/realign>.
A summary of AC Transit’s proposed changes to Alameda bus service, and City staff feedback, follows. (Note that Realign Draft Plan proposed lines are listed with “DB” in front of the line numbers to denote the current draft. When new service begins, these letters will drop.)
• Replace Line 51A with new Line DB6 via Telegraph in Oakland. The 51A is Alameda’s most important bus line, serving nearly half of all bus rides in Alameda. Replacing the 51A with Line DB6 eliminates frequent, direct service to Kaiser Oakland, and staff worry that AC Transit may not prioritize Line 6 at the same level as the 51.
• Extend Line DB19 to Piedmont Area via Broadway in Oakland. Line 19 connects the Northern Waterfront PDA to Oakland. Routing this 60-minute service further north in Oakland via Broadway is a moderate benefit but the northern alignment and low frequency is insufficient to replace the one-seat ride to Kaiser Oakland currently offered on the 51A. Also, to make transit ridership viable for residents on the Northern Waterfront, City staff would like to explore options for increasing Line DB19’s frequency, possibly by leveraging funds from the Alameda TMA.
• Line DB96 to Include Service to Brooklyn Basin. Line 96 provides important service to Alameda Point and the Naval Air Station Alameda PDA. Staff hope that AC Transit and the Alameda TMA can collaborate to provide high-frequency service to Alameda Point, improving service to the area and making the it competitive for affordable housing funding.
Line DB20 Opportunity for More Service to Alameda Point. Aligning this southern Alameda route further west is a wonderful opportunity to bring a crosstown route to Alameda Point, but staff strongly encourage AC Transit to route this line on Pan Am Way or Orion St rather than Main St.
• Line DB21 Eliminate Service to the Oakland Airport. This line would still connect Bay Farm Island to Oakland and BART, but service to the Oakland Airport is eliminated due to low ridership.
• Transbay Service - Continue Line O, Consolidate Lines OX and W. The transbay service changes will increase the length of the trip for some riders. Staff ask that AC Transit expand the morning service hours on the proposed DBW from 7:00-8:00 am to 7:00-9:00 am, and ensure sufficient capacity so West End riders will be able to get seats.
BACKGROUND
AC TRANSIT REALIGN - BUS SERVICE UPDATES
AC Transit is a regional transit agency serving Alameda and Contra Costa counties, and its Realign project is a comprehensive review of its bus network to respond to major shifts in travel patterns and to maximize efficiency given significant budget constraints and bus operator shortages. More information is at <https://www.actransit.org/realign>.
AC Transit’s Realign Draft Plan is the result of a year of planning. During this process, AC Transit staff presented to the City of Alameda’s Transportation Commission (8/23/2023 and 11/11/2023), Commission on Persons with Disabilities (12/13/2023), City Council (12/5/2023), the City of Alameda-AC Transit Inter-Agency Liaison Committee (ILC, 5/17/2023, 1/30/2024), and a public workshop held during the ILC time slot (4/18/2024).
The City of Alameda responded to AC Transit’s Realign Draft Service Scenarios with a letter submitted to the AC Transit Board of Directors for its meeting on December 13, 2023. The current Draft Service Plan has new elements that were not considered in the Draft Service Scenarios, so City staff will be drafting a new letter. Some new Draft Plan elements were introduced at the AC Transit Board of Directors meeting on January 24, 2024. That night, City of Alameda staff provided public comment and a number of Alameda residents gave strong testimonies.
BUS SERVICE IS CRITICAL IN ALAMEDA
Bus transit is a critical transportation choice in Alameda, providing a low-cost travel option that reduces congestion and greenhouse gas emissions. AC Transit bus service is by far the most frequently taken form of public transit in Alameda:
• In 2023, there were over 3 million weekday boardings on AC Transit buses in Alameda city, according to extrapolations from fall 2023 ridership.
• The participants in the City of Alameda’s Free Bus Pas Program (serving low-income seniors and people with disabilities) took 164,000 bus rides in 2023.
By far the most popular bus line serving Alameda is the 51A, the 12-15 minute frequency trunk line. In fall 2023, 47% of all weekday boardings in Alameda were on the 51A. The next most ridden lines were Line 20 (15%), Line 96 (11%), Line 21 (10%), and the transbay Line O (8%), all of which currently offer 30-minute headways.
Average Weekday AC Transit Bus Boardings in Alameda, Fall 2021 - 2023
Average Weekday AC Transit Bus Boardings in Alameda, Fall 2021 - 2023
|
Line |
2021 |
2022 |
2023 |
|
51A |
4,860 |
5,580 |
5,890 |
|
20 |
1,610 |
2,060 |
1,940 |
|
96 |
900 |
1,070 |
1,370 |
|
21 |
1,250 |
1,450 |
1,260 |
|
O |
760 |
950 |
1,050 |
|
631 |
90 |
160 |
240 |
|
19 |
210 |
230 |
220 |
|
687 |
60 |
150 |
170 |
|
W |
70 |
120 |
130 |
|
851 |
70 |
80 |
90 |
|
OX |
50 |
90 |
90 |
|
663 |
30 |
50 |
90 |
|
78 |
110 |
160 |
0 |
|
TOTAL |
10,070 |
12,150 |
12,540 |
Data is rounded to the nearest 10 for comprehensibility
SERVICE TO ALAMEDA’S PRIORITY DEVELOPMENT AREAS
The Alameda City Council Strategic Plan includes the following action: “Advocate for AC Transit service enhancements for Alameda Point and Northern Waterfront (currently partially served by Line 96 and 19).”
To address regional sustainability and housing goals, Alameda has two designated Priority Development Areas (PDAs) in Plan Bay Area: the Northern Waterfront PDA and the Naval Air Station Alameda PDA on Alameda Point. Over 85% of the new housing and over 95% of the new deed-restricted affordable housing constructed over the next ten years in Alameda will be in these two PDAs. Thanks to the actions taken by the Alameda City Council over the last 15 years, all new housing and all major new businesses in the two PDAs pay an annual assessment to fund supplemental transportation services. As Alameda grows, the funds collected increase. The Alameda Transportation Management Association (Alameda TMA) administers these funds.
In addition, to receive competitive State Affordable Housing & Sustainable Communities funding for housing development and transportation infrastructure, locations must be served by frequent transit service (at least every 15 minutes in peak hours on a single transit line). While the Realign Draft Service Plan does not include 15-minute service to Alameda’s PDAs, City staff and the Alameda TMA look forward to working with AC Transit to find financially viable solutions to solve this problem.
DISCUSSION
PROPOSED BUS SERVICE CHANGES IN ALAMEDA
AC Transit released its Realign Draft Service Plan around May 9, 2024. See Exhibit 1 for details on all proposed changes on bus lines serving Alameda, as provided at <https://www.actransit.org/realign/scenario-DB>.
Note that Realign Draft Plan proposed lines are listed with “DB” in front of the line numbers to denote the current draft. After a Final Plan is adopted and new service begins, these letters will drop. For instance, “Line DB19” will continue to be called simply “Line 19”.
Replace Line 51A with new Line DB6 via Telegraph in Oakland
Summary: The 51A is Alameda’s most important bus line, serving nearly half of all bus rides in Alameda. Replacing it with Line DB6 eliminates frequent, direct service to Kaiser Oakland, and staff worry that Line 6 may not be prioritized at the same level as the 51.
City staff have major concerns about AC Transit’s proposal to replace the workhorse Line 51A in Alameda with Line DB6 serving Telegraph Ave. The line would serve the same route as the current 51A from Fruitvale BART, through Alameda, to 12th St BART. However, after 12th St BART it would then route up Telegraph Ave in Oakland rather than Broadway.
The 51A is Alameda’s most critical and popular bus line, with 5,900 daily weekday boardings in Alameda in fall 2023 - nearly half of all bus boardings in Alameda. The 51A is also the top choice among City of Alameda’s Free Bus Pas Program participants.
Alameda staff and concerned residents oppose losing direct service between Alameda and the Kaiser medical complex at Broadway and Macarthur Blvd. When this change was first proposed at the January 24, 2024, AC Transit Board meeting, staff and many community members spoke about this issue. Members of the public also spoke at length about it at a public workshop held during the ILC time slot on April 18, 2024 (the ILC meeting was canceled due to lack of quorum, but a public workshop was held instead).
In addition, City staff are concerned that AC Transit will not prioritize Line DB6 as highly as it has prioritized the 51A. This is indicated by the draft list of bus lines recommended for increased frequency by AC Transit staff if more funding becomes available in the future. While the proposed DB51 (re-routed away from Alameda) was included in this list, the new Line DB6 (now routed through Alameda) was not. In addition, the DB6 proposal would begin service at 6:00 am instead of 5:00 am, a small reduction in service.
Extend Line DB19 to Piedmont Area via Broadway in Oakland
Summary: Northern Waterfront PDA to Oakland. Routing this 60-minute service further north in Oakland via Broadway is a moderate benefit but the northern alignment and low frequency is insufficient to replace the one-seat ride to Kaiser Oakland currently offered on the 51A. Also, to make transit ridership viable for residents on the Northern Waterfront, City staff would like to explore options for increasing Line DB19’s frequency, possibly by leveraging funds from the Alameda TMA.
AC Transit is proposing to partially address Alameda’s concerns about connecting to Kaiser Oakland by extending the once-per-hour Line DB19 service further up Broadway to 41st Street. While extending Line 19 up Broadway to Oakland’s Piedmont district will be nice for some riders, City staff do not see 60-minute service along northern Alameda as a replacement for the 12-minute service of Line 51A in a more centrally located street.
City staff would like to explore options for increasing Line DB19’s frequency, possibly by leveraging funds from the Alameda TMA. AC Transit’s January 2024 draft service plan included increasing Line 19’s current 60-minute frequency to 45 minutes, with a detour to serve the Main St. Ferry Terminal. City staff were excited about the increased frequency and the possibility of even more frequent service with TMA funds. However, while serving our West End ferry terminals is a longstanding goal, staff felt interrupting the direct connection between the Northern Waterfront and Downtown Oakland was not the right way to provide a ferry connection, especially since the Main St ferry terminal does not provide direct commuter service to San Francisco (that service is from Seaplane Lagoon ferry terminal).
Line DB96 to Include Service to Brooklyn Basin
Summary: Line 96 provides important service to Alameda Point and the Naval Air Station Alameda PDA. Staff hope that AC Transit and the Alameda TMA can collaborate to provide high-frequency service to Alameda Point, improving service to the area and making the it competitive for affordable housing funding.
The current plan proposes no substantial changes to Line 96 within Alameda, with only a modification of the route to serve the new Brooklyn Basin neighborhood in Oakland. DB96 is proposed to continue the current 30-minute frequency. Alameda staff continue to seek opportunities to collaborate with AC Transit and the Alameda TMA to find a way to provide high-frequency transit to our most transit-dependent neighborhood at Alameda Point. Additionally, attaining 15-minute frequency to Alameda Point is key to being competitive for affordable housing funding opportunities necessary to deliver projects like RESHAP.
Line DB20 Opportunity for More Service to Alameda Point
Summary: Aligning this southern Alameda route further west is a wonderful opportunity to bring a crosstown route to Alameda Point, but staff strongly encourage AC Transit to route this line on Pan Am Way or Orion St rather than Main St.
City staff are excited that Line DB20 is proposed to bring better crosstown service to Alameda and enhance service to the Equity Priority Community of Alameda Point. However, DB20 proposes extend the route to Main St, and City staff strongly recommend replacing the Main St segment to Pan Am Way or Orion St to better serve destinations like Alameda Point Collaborative, the RESHAP site, the Seaplane Lagoon Ferry Terminal, and Spirits Alley.
Line DB21 Eliminate Service to the Oakland Airport
Summary: This line would still connect Bay Farm Island to Oakland and BART, but service to the Oakland Airport would be eliminated due to low ridership.
Line DB21 would remove service along Maitland Drive and to the Oakland Airport. This segment of Line 21 has low ridership: on weekdays in fall 2023, riders took an average of 67 rides to Oakland Airport (and 66 rides from Oakland Airport), spread among 58 Line 21 trips per day.
While City staff understand the tradeoffs AC Transit faces, we have received community feedback highlighting the value of maintaining this direct connection to the airport, especially as both the region and the airport continue to grow.
Transbay Service - Continue Line O, Consolidate Lines OX and W
The transbay service changes will increase the length of the trip for some riders. Staff ask that AC Transit expand the morning service hours on the proposed DBW from 7:00-8:00 am to 7:00-9:00 am, and ensure sufficient capacity so West End riders will be able to get seats.
Line DBO is proposed to maintain existing weekday 30-minute service but reduce weekend service to every 60 minutes. Lines OX and W are proposed to be consolidated into a single modified Line DBW serving Bay Farm and Alameda’s southern shoreline. The latter change will increase the length of the trip for some riders. City staff ask that AC Transit ensure sufficient capacity so West End riders will be able to get seats, since both lines begin on the east side of town. We also recommend expanding the morning service hours on the DBW from 7:00-8:00 am to 7:00-9:00 am. This will provide greater flexibility and enable caregivers to take this bus after dropping off children at school.
HOW THE COMMUNITY CAN PROVIDE INPUT
All interested Alameda community members are encouraged to share their feedback with AC Transit via the opportunities below.
• AC Transit Realign Public Workshop, May 23, 6:00 pm, via Zoom. https://www.actransit.org/realign#Meetings <https://www.actransit.org/realign>
• AC Transit Board Meeting - Realign Workshop, June 5, 5:00 pm, 1600 Franklin St, Oakland, CA or via Zoom. The public can speak in the meeting or submit written feedback to myvoice@actransit.org <mailto:myvoice@actransit.org> or via the “eComment” option at this link after the agenda is posted: <https://actransit.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx>
• AC Transit Realign feedback form: <https://actransit.surveymonkey.com/r/ACT-realign-phase4-website>
AC Transit Realign is planning the following next steps:
• May 10-June 5: Draft Service Plan public feedback
• August-September: Final Service Plan public feedback
• October 9: AC Transit Board of Directors votes on Final Service Plan
Unfortunately, AC Transit’s public input period for the Realign Draft Service Plan is too short to allow a City Council discussion. City staff hope to be able to hold a City Council discussion when AC Transit releases its Realign Final Service Plan.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
There is no financial impact for the City.
MUNICIPAL CODE/POLICY DOCUMENT CROSS REFERENCE
The Alameda City Council Strategic Plan has this action: “Advocate for AC Transit service enhancements for Alameda Point and Northern Waterfront (currently partially served by Line 96 and 19).”
The General Plan (2021), Climate Action & Resiliency Plan (2019), and Transportation Choices Plan (2018) prioritize public transit as an important transportation choice in Alameda.
The Transportation Choices Plan (Project 22) calls for a crosstown route serving Alameda Point through the northern section of the island and to Bay Farm.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
This discussion does not constitute a “project” as defined in California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Section 15378 and therefore no further CEQA analysis is required.
CLIMATE IMPACT
Convenient, reliable bus lines serving Alameda is important to reducing vehicle miles traveled and transportation-related greenhouse gas emissions.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the Transportation Commission review and comment on the bus service changes proposed by AC Transit in its Realign Draft Plan. This discussion will inform the contents of a City of Alameda letter to the AC Transit Board of Directors for its meeting on June 5, 2024.
Respectfully submitted,
Allen Tai, Planning, Building, and Transportation Director
By,
Lisa Foster, Acting Transportation Planning Manager
Brian McGuire, Planner II
Exhibit:
1. AC Transit Realign Draft Service Plan - Alameda Route Profiles