TO: AC Transit Board of Directors
FROM: Kathleen Kelly, Interim General Manager/Chief Executive Officer
SUBJECT: External Planning Quarterly Report
BRIEFING ITEM
AGENDA PLANNING REQUEST: ☐
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
Title
Consider receiving a report on the District’s involvement in external planning processes.
Staff Contact:
Ramakrishna Pochiraju, Executive Director of Planning & Engineering
Body
STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE:
Goal - Convenient and Reliable Service
Initiative - Service Quality
External planning activities facilitate dialogue and consensus among AC Transit, local jurisdictions 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 external entities may affect the District’s operating costs by reducing or increasing transit travel times or by changing the general operating environment. Other projects may improve bus operating conditions or improve the experience of bus riders. Participation in external planning processes requires an expenditure of staff time.
BACKGROUND/RATIONALE:
AC Transit’s operations and service are strongly affected by planning conducted by state, regional, county, and local agencies. These agencies’ plans and actions can affect AC Transit positively or negatively via funding, policymaking, roadway design, 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 External Planning Processes
Local jurisdictions initiated two new plans this quarter:
• Hayward Community-Based Transportation Plan
• San Leandro Community-Based Transportation Plan
Community Based Transportation Plans (CBTPs) help the Alameda County Transportation Commission (ACTC) understand the transportation needs within the County’s low-income and minority communities, identify ways to improve access for these communities, and incorporate recommendations into the next update of the Countywide Transportation Plan (CTP). Staff will participate on the steering committee for both plans.
Oakland Alameda Access Project Update
Staff has been an active stakeholder in the development of the Oakland Alameda Access Project (OAAP) since scoping in 2009. It is a significant project that will improve vehicle access to and from the Alameda tubes and Interstate 880. OAAP construction is expected to start this summer and will have impacts on the roadway network surrounding the project.
Substantial progress has been made on OAAP to address construction impacts. Oakland has agreed in concept to mitigation measures to address the congestion and delays that would be caused by the closure of traffic lanes in the Posey and Webster Tubes connecting Oakland and Alameda. The measures would include bus-only lanes on 7th Street between Broadway and Webster and restricting the left turn at Broadway and 7th Street to buses only. Further collaboration is ongoing to develop measures to minimize delays on the Park Street Bridge/29th Avenue, a corridor expected to experience some added congestion due to traffic diverting to avoid the lane closures in the tubes.
ADVANTAGES/DISADVANTAGES:
Participating in external planning processes provide AC Transit staff with opportunities to influence decisions that affect our riders and operations. In addition, our participation allows the District’s service planning efforts to anticipate and adjust to meet the needs of riders and 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 an 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:
Howard Der, Acting Transportation Planning Manager
Approved/Reviewed by:
Ramakrishna Pochiraju, Executive Director of Planning & Engineering
Robert del Rosario, Director of Service Development & Planning