TO: AC Transit Board of Directors
FROM: Michael A. Hursh, General Manager/Chief Executive Officer
SUBJECT: External Planning Processes Update
BRIEFING ITEM
AGENDA PLANNING REQUEST: ☐
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
Title
Consider receiving the report on the District’s involvement in external planning processes.
Staff Contact:
Ramakrishna Pochiraju, Executive Director of Planning & Engineering
Body
STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE:
Goal - Strong Public and Policymaker Support
External planning activities develop public and policymaker support by facilitating dialogue and consensus among AC Transit, cities and other stakeholders about their proposals affecting transit. The District’s participation in these activities is intended to improve or maintain service quality. Proposals by cities and other entities can improve operating conditions for AC Transit service or degrade them if not monitored closely.
BUDGETARY/FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no direct budgetary/fiscal impact associated with this report. Some projects sponsored by others may affect the District’s operating costs by reducing or increasing transit travel times or by changing the general operating environment. Participation in external planning processes requires an expenditure of staff time.
BACKGROUND/RATIONALE:
AC Transit’s operations and services are strongly affected by planning conducted by state, regional, county, and city agencies. These agencies’ plans and actions can affect AC Transit positively or negatively in funding, policymaking, roadway design, transit performance, and land use. The District seeks to monitor and affect other agencies’ plan-making on an ongoing basis. Resources permitting, the District seeks to take an active role in these planning processes. District activities include participating in Technical Advisory Committees (TACs); providing comments on plans, designs, and other documents; submitting letters and speaking before governing bodies and their advisory commissions.
New or re-started Plans
1. Regional Senate Bill 743 Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) Mitigation Strategy - Strategies include tolling, managed lanes and public transit improvements on the state highway network.
2. Oakland Alameda Access Project (OAPP) - This project will improve access to and from the Webster and Posey Tubes, improving on the congested access that exists today through Oakland’s Chinatown.
3. Bi-County Travel Model - Alameda and Contra Costa counties are developing a new transportation activity model to assess transportation projects.
4. Dumbarton Corridor Improvements - This is a suite of projects along the Dumbarton Corridor slated for some Regional Measure 3 funding. Projects include rail, bus and roadway improvements.
Plans Completed or Approved
None to report this quarter.
ADVANTAGES/DISADVANTAGES:
Participating in external planning processes provide AC Transit with opportunities to influence decisions by cities, counties, and other agencies that affect roadway design, transit, and land use. In addition, our participation ensures transit service plans can anticipate and adjust to meet the needs of the community. The disadvantage is that participation in external planning processes can be time-consuming with no guarantee of positive results for the District.
ALTERNATIVES ANALYSIS:
Because this report does not recommend and action, there is no alternatives analysis.
PRIOR RELEVANT BOARD ACTION/POLICIES:
Board Policy 522 - Policy for Transit-Oriented Development and Transit-Supportive Land Use
ATTACHMENTS:
1. External Planning Tracker
Prepared by:
Jim Cunradi, Transportation Planning Manager
In Collaboration with:
Michael Eshleman, Transportation Planning Manager
Approved/Reviewed by:
Robert del Rosario, Director of Service Development and Planning
Ramakrishna Pochiraju, Executive Director of Planning & Engineering