Title
Provide Comments on the Draft Transportation Choices Plan
Body
To: Honorable President and Members of the Planning Board
From: Jennifer Ott, Base Reuse and Transportation Planning Director
Gail Payne, Transportation Coordinator
Date: September 25, 2017
Re: Provide Comments on the Draft Transportation Choices Plan
BACKGROUND
Purpose
The City is tackling transportation issues with a comprehensive citywide plan to provide more transportation options for Alamedans with the goal of reducing thousands of drive alone trips at the crossings and through Alameda over the next 15 years. The purpose of the Transportation Choices Plan is to help ensure that the City sustains its high quality of life during a time of current and anticipated population and employment growth throughout the Bay Area region. During this 18-month citywide planning effort, the City and the consultant team identified opportunities for strategic transportation investment and coordination with transit operators to provide Alamedans with enhanced transportation options while reducing congestion, our carbon footprint and air pollution.
At over 75,000 residents, Alameda is served by numerous regional transportation options, with two high volume ferry terminals in town, several highly utilized AC Transit local and Transbay bus lines, the San Francisco Bay Trail and other local bikeways and walkways. Alamedans take advantage of these options: for example, only 22 percent of the 7,200 commuters to San Francisco drive alone. That said, according to surveys related to this planning effort, more Alamedans would take advantage of transportation options other than driving alone if the choices were expanded.
Goals
The Transportation Choices Plan provides an implementation-focused blueprint for how the City can improve transportation infrastructure and services in Alameda over the next 15 years to achieve the two goals discussed below:
• Estuary Crossings: Decrease drive alone trips at estuary crossings, especially in the peak period. By implementing the Plan’s proposed projects and programs, it is expected that drive alone trips at estuary crossings will decrease from the 2030 baseline of 14,400 drive alone trips in the morning peak hour to 12,700, which is a 12 percent decrease.
• Within Alameda: Increase the share of walking, bicycling, bus and carpool trips within Alameda. The Plan’s projects and programs are expected to increase non-drive alone trips by almost 14 percent from the 2030 baseline, an increase from 24,200 non-drive alone trips to 27,500 non-drive alone trips throughout a typical weekday.
Implementation of this Plan will improve transportation options for residents, employees and visitors, and will:
• Decrease the number of people who drive alone by 12 percent across the estuary in the morning peak by 2030.
• Increase walking, bicycling, bus and carpool trips within Alameda throughout the day by 14 percent by 2030.
• Reduce drive alone trips, vehicles on roadways, congestion, travel time and parking demand over what is expected from growth in 2030.
• Reduce greenhouse gas emissions from a 2.7 to 6.6 percent reduction from 2010 levels of carbon dioxide produced by reducing solo driving and vehicle miles traveled by 2030.
• Mitigate impacts of new growth by continuing peak hour trip reduction requirements, standardizing requirements for new developments and requiring participation in the Alameda Transportation Management Association.
• Improve access to transportation for areas with higher concentrations of minority or low-income populations - a total of 52 percent of the proposed projects meet this goal.
• Improve safety with a total of 33 percent of the proposed projects meeting this goal, and all proposed projects will comply with best practices for safety in design standards and with the Americans with Disabilities Act accessibility standards and guidelines.
Community Outreach
Since 2015, the Transportation Choices Plan effort has involved the community in an extensive outreach process as follows:
• On January 21, 2015, the City Council directed staff to begin efforts to conduct a holistic approach to transportation citywide.
• On April 1, 2015 and September 15, 2015, the City Council directed staff to move forward with a refined approach and a Request for Proposals for the citywide transportation planning effort after input from the Planning Board and the Transportation Commission.
• On January 19, 2016, the City Council approved the CDM Smith consulting team, which began this planning effort with data collection/review, existing conditions analysis, goals/objectives and the first round of outreach, which included:
o Web page: <https://alamedaca.gov/transportation-choices-plan> - Ongoing
o Transportation Commission - March 23, 2016
o Organizational Advisory meeting - April 20, 2016
o Community Workshop - May 5, 2016
o Transportation Commission - May 25, 2016
o Commission on Disability Issues - June 8, 2016
o Web Survey - June to August 2016
o Meetings with the Chamber of Commerce, Greater Alameda Business Association (GABA), West Alameda Business Association and the Alameda Realtor Association - Summer 2016
o Planning Board - June 27, 2016
o Public Opinion Survey - August to September 2016
• On September 6, 2016, the City Council reviewed the existing conditions and goals and objectives, and was briefed on the initial stages of the consulting team’s effort to prepare draft strategies, projects and actions and the second round of outreach, which included:
o Web Survey - September to November 2016
o Organizational Advisory meeting - October 13, 2016
o Community Workshop - October 19, 2016
o Youth Transportation Survey - October to November, 2016
o Economic Development Advisory Panel - November 2, 2016
o Transportation Commission - November 16, 2016
o Planning Board - December 12, 2016
o Commission on Disability Issues - December 14, 2016
o Business meetings with the Chamber of Commerce, GABA and the Downtown Area Business Association - early 2017
• On January 17, 2017, the City Council reviewed the draft strategies, projects and actions.
• On October 17, 2017, City staff will request the City Council to review and approve the Draft Transportation Choices Plan after receiving input from the Planning Board on September 25, 2017, and the Transportation Commission on September 27, 2017.
Next Steps
The next steps involve implementing the Plan, which already is partially funded through grants and local monies in the two-year budget and the Capital Improvement Program totaling $61 million (Table 1). These funded projects mainly include the Cross Alameda Trail, dedicated bus lanes on Appezzato Parkway, Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan updates, Central Avenue safety improvements, Otis Drive traffic calming, a transportation awareness campaign, and monitoring/evaluation. Staff will be working on these funded projects and programs and will be seeking funds with its partner agencies - AC Transit, Water Emergency Transportation Authority (WETA), Caltrans and the Alameda Transportation Management Association (Alameda TMA) - to implement the remaining projects and programs that are listed in the Plan.
Table 1: Plan Implementation - Funded Projects and Programs
|
Project # in Plan |
Projects/Programs |
Fiscal Years 2017-19 |
Fiscal Years 2019-21 |
Total Budget |
|
7 & 19 |
AC Transit EasyPass Program Expansion |
$100,000 |
NA |
$100,000 |
|
15 |
Appezzato Parkway Bus Lanes |
$1,350,000 (Preliminary Engineering) |
$7,650,000 (Construction) |
$9,000,000 |
|
2, 3, 7, 16, 31 & 32 |
Bicycle Parking |
$30,000 |
NA |
$30,000 |
|
1 & 5 |
Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan and Guidelines Update / Vision Zero Safety Policy/Plan |
$300,000 |
NA |
$300,000 |
|
2 |
Bus Stop Improvements |
$10,000 |
NA |
$10,000 |
|
27 |
Central Avenue Safety Improvements (Pacific Ave/Main St to Sherman St/Encinal Ave) |
$557,000 (PE) |
$11,644,000 (CON) |
$12,200,000 |
|
27 |
Clement Avenue Complete Street (Grand Street to Broadway) |
$641,000 (PE) |
$5,027,082 (CON) |
$5,668,082 |
|
27 |
Clement Avenue / Tilden Way - Union Pacific purchase - Complete Street Extension |
$2,282,000 (PE/ROW) |
$7,200,981 (CON) |
$9,482,981 |
|
16 |
Cross Alameda Trail (Appezzato Pkwy and Gap Closure to Jean Sweeney) |
$5,186,119 (PE/CON) |
NA |
$5,186,119 |
|
27 |
Otis Drive Traffic Calming and Bikeway (Westline - Grand Street) |
$500,000 (PE/CON) |
NA |
$500,000 |
|
24 |
Seaplane Lagoon Ferry Terminal (assumes Site A moves forward) |
$2,500,000 (PE) |
$15,700,000 (CON) |
$18,200,000 |
|
14 |
Transportation Awareness Campaign |
$250,000 |
NA |
$250,000 |
|
Implement-ation Chapter |
Transportation Monitoring and Evaluation |
$75,000 |
NA |
$75,000 |
|
|
Total |
$13,781,119 |
$47,222,063 |
$61,002,182 |
Note: “NA” is denoted in subsequent fiscal years because the City only has approved a two-year budget cycle through June 30, 2019.
Besides the grants and funded projects/programs listed in the below table, other on-going City actions include the following:
• Improving access to the ferry terminals in concert with WETA and AC Transit (Projects #31 and #32);
• Launching a bike share pilot program (Project #8);
• Expanding the Alameda TMA to include other geographic areas (Project #29);
• Working with a parking consultant to ensure the 85 percent occupancy goal is met (Project #3);
• Monitoring the potential for shared ride services such as UberPOOL and Lyft Line for seniors and people with disabilities (Project #13); and
• Coordinating with key stakeholders on long-term projects (Projects #34-38).
DISCUSSION
The purpose of this meeting is to solicit input on the Draft Transportation Choices Plan (Exhibits 1 and 2). As a result of technical analysis of existing conditions and community involvement, the Draft Transportation Choices Plan provides recommendations on how to improve access within Alameda and to/from BART, Oakland and San Francisco. A summary of existing conditions and recommendations are provided below, and are shown in more depth in the draft Plan (Exhibit 1).
Existing Conditions
Although the City’s population, housing levels and actual volume of vehicles leaving Alameda during the morning commute have not changed significantly over the past several years, the increased traffic and construction on the freeways and the increase in employment rates have increased commute times, congestion and the community’s interest in improving the City’s transportation system. Key existing conditions data are as follows:
• Delay from region wide congestion has surpassed 2006 levels and has increased 70 percent since 2010.
• Alamedans are less apt to drive alone to work at 60 percent of commuters than the Bay Area at 67 percent.
• 78 percent of inner East Bay commuters drive alone compared to 22 percent of San Francisco commuters.
• 61 percent of public opinion survey respondents stated that congestion at island crossings at rush hour is an issue.
• 58 percent of respondents want to make it easier to walk, bicycle or take transit rather than relying on a car.
• Over the next ten years if all expected new development is constructed, new development will account for an additional 2,260 housing units and 7,909 jobs in Alameda, which is slower than the expected average Bay Area growth rate for housing units and higher than the Bay Area’s growth rate for jobs.
Recommendations
The year 2030 was identified as a time frame for which most recommended improvements could be implemented. The projects and programs are grouped into the following priority strategies:
Estuary Crossing Goal:
1) Expand transit, bicycling and walking to/from Oakland and BART: Downtown Oakland is the destination for a high percentage of drive-alone trips from Alameda. More than 3,000 Alamedans travel to downtown Oakland for work, of which approximately 70 percent drive alone. Additionally, there are currently more than 20,000 people who commute to Alameda for work or school, of which 76 percent drive alone. Because Oakland and Alameda are close, the travel time to/from Oakland by transit, walking and bicycling can be short enough to encourage people to shift modes. Out of 38 recommended projects and programs, 22 address this priority strategy by offering faster and more reliable and frequent buses, safer bicycling and walking, and expanded access to discounted bus passes and information on existing transportation options.
2) Expand transit and carpools to/from San Francisco: The high level of transit service to/from San Francisco is an amenity that draws many people to live, work and play in Alameda. For example, almost 80 percent of Alamedans commuting to/from San Francisco use transit. Nevertheless, ferry and BART parking facilities and Transbay buses are at capacity so investing in improved access to ferry terminals and BART stations, increased carpooling options and improved speed and reliability for AC Transit Transbay service will result in transit ridership growth and will capture new residents and employees as riders. Out of 38 recommended projects and programs, 24 address this priority strategy.
Within Alameda Goal:
3) Expand transit and achieve a low-cost or “free” rider experience within Alameda: Improving bus service contributes to a higher quality of life for people who live, work, learn and visit Alameda, and improves mobility for those who do not have a car or may not have the ability to drive such as youth, seniors and people with disabilities. Improved bus service also can encourage trips to business districts, which can be congested or have limited available parking. Providing bus pass discounts creates a low-cost or “free” rider experience. Out of 38 recommended projects and programs, 14 address this priority strategy.
4) Improve bicycle and pedestrian safety within Alameda: The perception of safety for bicycling is that most Alamedans are interested but concerned due to the lack of bicycling infrastructure. The safety concerns for people walking relate mainly to street crossings at intersections with visibility issues and speeding by motorists as common complaints. Out of 38 recommended projects and programs, 8 address this priority strategy by improving safety, closing gaps in bikeways and walkways and facilitating travel for people with disabilities.
5) Improve mobility for all modes within Alameda: This strategy relates to issues that impact mobility for more than one mode within Alameda, including traffic calming, safe routes to school, transportation technology and parking management. Out of 38 recommended projects and programs, 12 address this priority strategy.
Projects and programs were identified to support the priority strategies by increasing transportation choices, reducing drive alone trips, and ultimately, meeting the goals of this Plan (Table 2). Completion time frames and priority projects were identified to provide City staff with direction on which projects to focus on moving forward. Projects with higher than average scores for mode shift from drive alone to other modes, ability to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, safety, equity, and cost effectiveness were considered high priority and projects with lower than average scores were identified as medium priority. Three time frames for completion are identified:
• Near-Term Completion: 1 to 3 Years (14 projects)
• Mid-Term Completion: 3 to 8 Years (19 projects)
• Long-Term Completion: 8 + Years (5 projects)
Each near-term and mid-term project was identified as either:
• High Priority (20 projects)
• Medium Priority (13 projects)
• Long-term projects will need further analysis for an assessment of priority (5 projects)
Table 2: Summary of Projects and Programs
|
# Projects and Programs |
Priority |
|
Near-Term Completion (1 - 3 years) |
|
1 |
Bicycle Master Plan and Design Guidelines Update and Vision Zero Safety Policy/Plan |
High |
|
2 |
Bus Stop Improvements |
High |
|
3 |
Parking Management and Demand Pricing |
High |
|
4 |
Parking Policies for New Development |
High |
|
5 |
Pedestrian Master Plan and Design Guidelines Update and Vision Zero Safety Policy/Plan |
High |
|
6 |
Transit Signal Priority and Adaptive Traffic Signal Control |
High |
|
7 |
Transportation Partnerships with Existing Businesses and Residences |
High |
|
8 |
Bike Share |
Medium |
|
9 |
Casual Carpool Additional Pickup Locations |
Medium |
|
10 |
Constitution Way Carpool Lane |
Medium |
|
11 |
Estuary Water Shuttle Crossing or WETA Ferries to Oakland |
Medium |
|
12 |
Island Drive and Westline Drive Bus Lanes |
Medium |
|
13 |
Shared Ride Service for Seniors and People with Disabilities |
Medium |
|
14 |
Transportation Awareness Campaign |
Medium |
|
Mid-Term Completion (3 - 8 years) |
|
15 |
Alameda Point Bus Rapid Transit Service |
High |
|
16 |
Bicycle and Pedestrian Corridor Improvements |
High |
|
17 |
Citywide Safe Routes to School Audits and Improvements |
High |
|
18 |
Crosstown Express Bus Service |
High |
|
19 |
EasyPass Expansion |
High |
|
20 |
Increase Frequency and Span of Service for Ferry Service |
High |
|
21 |
Increase Frequency and Span of Service for Local Bus Routes |
High |
|
22 |
Increase Frequency and Span of Service for Transbay Bus Service |
High |
|
23 |
Miller-Sweeney Multimodal Lifeline Bridge |
High |
|
24 |
New Seaplane Lagoon Ferry Terminal & Service |
High |
|
25 |
Regional Transit Hub Connector Bus Service |
High |
|
26 |
TDM Ordinance Update |
High |
|
27 |
Vision Zero Safety Improvements and Traffic Calming |
High |
|
28 |
Bikes in Buses through Webster/Posey Tubes |
Medium |
|
29 |
Citywide Transportation Management Association |
Medium |
|
30 |
Faster Line 51A Bus Service |
Medium |
|
31 |
Harbor Bay Ferry Terminal Access and Parking Management Improvements |
Medium |
|
32 |
Main Street Ferry Terminal Access and Parking Management Improvements |
Medium |
|
33 |
New Technologies and Innovations |
Medium |
|
Long-Term Completion (8+ years) |
|
34 |
BART to Alameda |
n/a |
|
35 |
Comprehensive Congestion Management, (Citywide EasyPass Expansion, Increase Frequency to 15-minute Maximum for Local Bus Routes) |
n/a |
|
36 |
New Transit/Bike/Pedestrian Lifeline Tube |
n/a |
|
37 |
Webster/Posey Multimodal Lifeline Tubes |
n/a |
|
38 |
West End Bicycle/Pedestrian Crossing |
n/a |
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
As a planning-level document, the adoption of the proposed Plan by itself is not anticipated to have significant environmental impacts. When individual projects are advanced in the implementation process, a more detailed, project-specific analysis will be conducted to determine if there are any significant environmental impacts requiring mitigation. More generally, the proposed Plan is anticipated to reduce the number of motor vehicle trips, so should have environmental benefits, such as improvements to air quality and fewer greenhouse gas emissions. Thus, this action is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15061(b)(3), which states “The activity is covered by the general rule that CEQA applies only to projects which have the potential for causing a significant effect on the environment. Where it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility that the activity in question may have a significant effect on the environment, the activity is not subject to CEQA.”
RECOMMENDATION
Provide Comments on the Draft Transportation Choices Plan.
Respectfully submitted,
Jennifer Ott, Base Reuse and Transportation Planning Director
By,
Gail Payne, Transportation Coordinator
Exhibits:
1. Draft Transportation Choices Plan
2. Errata sheet
3. Public comment