Agenda Item #4.2 EL CAMINO REAL BUS RAPID TRANSIT (BRT) PROJECT VTA BOARD WORKSHOP MAY 1, 2015
ABOUT THIS PRESENTATION CONTEXT Existing conditions and planning for growth WHAT IS THE PROJECT? Project alternatives Benefits Results of environmental analysis WHAT WE HEARD Public comments, city positions, questions HOW WILL VTA PROCEED? 2
CONTEXT 3
WHAT KIND OF STREET DO WE WANT? SAN JOSE, CA SUNNYVALE, CA SANTA CLARA, CA LOS ALTOS, CA MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA PALO ALTO, CA 4
INTERSECTIONS EL CAMINO REAL TODAY Vehicle delay, measured by level of service (LOS), is within acceptable levels. Only two intersections at LOS F. 30 25 LOS LOS A Average Delay Less than 10 seconds 20 LOS B 10 to 20 seconds 15 LOS C 20 to 35 seconds 10 LOS D 35 to 55 seconds 5 0 LOS A LOS B LOS C LOS D LOS E LOS F LOS E LOS F 55 to 80 seconds Over 80 seconds AUTO LEVEL OF SERVICE, PM PEAK PERIOD 5
PLANNING FOR PROJECTED GROWTH 2040 Santa Clara County projection: +546,000 residents, +226,000 jobs Growth targeted for Priority Development Areas City plans endorse bicycle, pedestrian and transit accommodations BRT provides a transit alternative to accommodate growth 3,000,000 2,500,000 2,000,000 1,500,000 1,000,000 500,000 0 TODAY Population Jobs 6
CITY APPROVED PROJECTS/CONSTRUCTION ON EL CAMINO REAL Commercial R&D/Office Mixed Use Multi Family Single Family VTA Light Rail Caltrain PDA 7
EXAMPLE OF GROWTH ALONG EL CAMINO REAL SAN ANTONIO CENTER, MOUNTAIN VIEW 8
WHAT IS THE PROJECT? 9
WHAT IS THE PROJECT? Upgrade the current 522 Rapid Bus to BRT, resulting in: Fast, frequent and reliable transit on El Camino Real Transit that is competitive with automobile travel times Increased transit ridership Increased cost-effectiveness Implementation of Grand Boulevard Initiative and city planning goals 10
EXAMPLES OF BRT IN THE UNITED STATES EUGENE, OR LOS ANGELES, CA BOSTON, MA 11
FUTURE BRT IN THE BAY AREA OAKLAND SAN FRANCISCO SAN JOSE 12
VTA BRT PROGRAM BRT vehicles begin operating on El Camino Real/SC-AR corridor in 2015 13
BRT IN CONTEXT OF TRANSPORTAION CAPITAL PROGRAM $13.3B over the next 25 years $7.5B for Rail $3.1B for Highways $2.1B for Local Streets, Bike, Ped $0.5B for BRT $0.5B $7.5B $3.1B $2.1B Highways Local System Streets, Bike, Ped Rail BRT 14
WORK TO DATE CONCEPTUAL PLAN/ENG ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS VTA DECISION 2010-2013 2013-2015 COMMUNITY OUTREACH NOVEMBER 2012 FEB MAR 2013 OCT 2014 JAN 2015 SUMMER/FALL 2015 VTA Board directs staff to evaluate multiple alternatives Scoping period for public comments Public comment period for Draft Environmental Impact Report VTA Board of Directors chooses an option for how to proceed 15
BRT IS AN UPGRADE OF THE 522 RAPID BUS 522 Limited stop service 15-minute frequency BRT Limited stop service 10-minute frequency 22 Local service 12-minute frequency 22 Local service 15-minute frequency LINE EXISTING NO BUILD 2018 2040 MIXED FLOW 2018 2040 DEDICATED LANE 2018 2040 522/BRT 3,287 8,159 10,576 9,223 11,736 13,104 21,071 22 9,234 6,429 11,102 6,080 10,492 5,512 9,266 16
TWO BRT STREET CONFIGURATIONS DEDICATED LANE MIXED FLOW WITH BULBOUTS 17
ALTERNATIVE 1 NO PROJECT 18
BUS RAPID TRANSIT ALTERNATIVE 2 ALL MIXED FLOW 19
ALTERNATIVE 3A SHORT DEDICATED LANE, NO PROJECT WEST OF HALFORD AVE 20
ALTERNATIVE 3B SHORT DEDICATED LANE, MIXED FLOW ELSEWHERE 21
ALTERNATIVE 4A LONG DEDICATED LANE TO HIGHWAY 85 22
ALTERNATIVE 4B LONG DEDICATED LANE TO SHOWERS DRIVE 23
ALTERNATIVE 4C LONG DEDICATED LANE TO PALO ALTO 24
BENEFITS 25
BENEFITS OF BUS RAPID TRANSIT 2018 BRT TRAVEL TIME FOR 17 MILE CORRIDOR (MINUTES) CURRENT (2013) ALT 1 NO PROJECT ALT 2 MIXED FLOW ALT 4C DEDICATED LANE BRT 85 87 81 48 Car 41 41 41 44 AVERAGE WEEKDAY BOARDINGS (RIDERSHIP) CURRENT (2013) ALT 1 NO PROJECT ALT 2 MIXED FLOW ALT 4C DEDICATED LANE 2018 12,512 14,588 15,303 18,616 2040 12,512 21,678 22,228 30,336 26
BENEFITS OF BUS RAPID TRANSIT Annual operating cost decreases as fewer buses are needed to maintain same frequency of service The portion of the cost of providing the trip that is funded by fares (farebox recovery) increases ALT 1 NO PROJECT ALT 2 MIXED FLOW ALT 4C DEDICATED LANE Capital Cost $0 $91M $233M Operating Cost $20.4M $18.5M $12.1M Farebox Recovery 15.5% 19.4% 42.3% 27
REMAKING EL CAMINO REAL AS A COMPLETE STREET Supports Grand Boulevard Initiative Transforms a car-centric street to a people-friendly street Improves bike and pedestrian facilities and safety Increases pedestrian safety with shorter crosswalks Improves corridor with beautification and landscaping, streetscape improvements VTA funds corridor transformation with possible Federal Small Starts funds 28
COMPLETE STREETS REQUIRE TRANSIT 29
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) analysis Aesthetics, Air Quality, Biology, Cultural Resources, Environmental Justice, Energy, Geology, Hazardous Materials, Hydrology/Water Quality, Land Use, Noise And Vibration, Socioeconomics, Transportation and Traffic, Utilities Transportation and Traffic Transit Ridership, Travel Speed, Farebox, Operating Cost Level of service on El Camino Real Level of service on off-corridor streets Traffic diversion 30
VTA TRAFFIC MODEL Standard model used by all cities in Santa Clara County to project impacts of projects Model Years: Current (2013), 2018 and 2040 Factors: Used for: Land uses, roadway and transit networks, BRT alternatives Traffic projections, mode split, auto trip diversion 31
COMPREHENSIVE TRAFFIC ANALYSIS Studied traffic impacts on over 240 intersections 82 intersections and potential intersections on El Camino Real 165 intersections off El Camino Real 32
INTERSECTIONS OVER 8,000 LEVEL OF SERVICE CALCULATIONS 247 intersections, AM + PM, 3 years, 7 alternatives 2018 PM Level of Service of Intersections on El Camino Real 35 30 25 Alt 1 No Project Alt 2 All Mixed Flow Alt 3 Dedicated Lane LOS LOS A Average Delay Less than 10 seconds 20 15 LOS B LOS C LOS D 10 to 20 seconds 20 to 35 seconds 35 to 55 seconds 10 LOS E 55 to 80 seconds 5 LOS F Over 80 seconds 0 LOS A LOS B LOS C LOS D LOS E LOS F 33
INTERSECTIONS OVER 8,000 LEVEL OF SERVICE CALCULATIONS 247 intersections, AM + PM, 3 years, 7 alternatives 2018 PM Level of Service of Intersections off El Camino Real 60 50 40 Alt 1 No Project Alt 2 All Mixed Flow Alt 3 Dedicated Lane LOS LOS A LOS B Average Delay Less than 10 seconds 10 to 20 seconds 30 LOS C 20 to 35 seconds 20 LOS D LOS E 35 to 55 seconds 55 to 80 seconds 10 LOS F Over 80 seconds 0 LOS A LOS B LOS C LOS D LOS E LOS F 34
TRIP DIVERSION ANALYSIS Trip Diversion is any vehicle trip that no longer occurs on El Camino Real if dedicated lanes are installed. Vehicle trips on other streets (2/3) Transit trips on El Camino Real (1/6) Bike/walk trips or trips made outside peak hour (1/6) Trip diversion is measured by the projected change in vehicle volumes on alternate routes along a specific cross street. 35
TRIP DIVERSION ANALYSIS 36
EXAMPLE TRIP DIVERSION 2018 PM Peak Hour Eastbound Santa Clara No Project Alternative El Camino Real: 1,480 car trips Dedicated Lane Alternative El Camino Real: 1,064 car trips +121 BRT trips Other Streets: +206 car trips Bike/Walk/Time: +90 trips -416 +121 31 78 6 16 16-5 53-4 7 2 6 37
ROADWAY CAPACITY TRAFFIC, GROWTH AND DIVERSION VEHICLE VOLUMES ON PARALLEL ROUTES AT SAN TOMAS EXPRESSWAY EASTBOUND PM PEAK HOUR (2018) 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% DIVERSION GROWTH 2013 10% 0%
TRIP DIVERSION: SANTA CLARA BRT 39
WHAT WE HEARD 40
COMMUNITY OUTREACH 2010 to present Over 60 public meetings Public presentations and outreach to city officials, key stakeholders, residents and businesses Four scoping meetings, four public hearings, 700+ comment letters, response cards, and Draft Environmental Impact Report/Environmental Assessment statements collected 41
PUBLIC COMMENTS SUMMARY Category No Project Dedicated Lane/BRT Mixed Flow No Preference Total Public (written) 192 366 7 41 606 Public (hearing speaker) 64 34 7 105 Organization 3 12 1 16 Local (cities) 2 1 1 2 6 Business 2 1 3 State 2 2 County 1 1 2 Federal 0 TOTAL 263 414 8 55 740 42
AVERAGE WEEKDAY BOARDINGS IS EL CAMINO THE RIGHT PLACE FOR TRANSIT IMPROVEMENTS? Yes. 22/522 is VTA s highest ridership corridor. 5,885 on 522 Eastridge to Palo Alto 14,511 on 22 Eastridge to Palo Alto VTA BUS ROUTES
IS EL CAMINO THE RIGHT PLACE FOR TRANSIT IMPROVEMENTS? Yes. Cities are planning growth along the corridor. MOUNTAIN VIEW 44
Total Travel Time (minutes) CAN WE HAVE EFFECTIVE BRT WITHOUT DEDICATED LANES? 120 100 80 60 40 Speed is the key to attracting riders, increasing cost-effectiveness 87 102 102 103 103 105 106 81 78 74 68 41 41 41 41 42 59 43 48 109 44 BRT Local Bus Auto 20 0 Alt 1 Alt 2 Alt 3a Alt 3b Alt 4a Alt 4b Alt 4c 45
WILL CARS BE ABLE TO MAKE LEFT TURNS? Yes. Some turns will occur downstream, if unsignalized intersections are closed. Signalized intersection Left turn and crosswalk are signalized Signal allows left turns, safe dedicated lane BRT operation Stops through traffic while allowing turns Unsignalized intersection Left turn is closed Right-in/right-out access only No pedestrian crossing Closed median prevents turning conflicts, improves safety Turns will be made downstream at signalized intersections Landscaping installed 46
SHOULD WE INVEST IN NORTH/SOUTH ROUTES INSTEAD OF EL CAMINO REAL? Cross-town routes being upgraded El Camino Real BRT will complement upgrades 47
WEEKDAY BOARDINGS SHOULD WE INVEST IN NORTH/SOUTH ROUTES INSTEAD OF EL CAMINO REAL? North/south routes show lower potential for ridership, cost-effectiveness 20000 18000 16000 14000 12000 10000 8000 6000 4000 2000 0 22/522 22/522 ROUTES 54/354 54/354 ROUTES EL CAMINO REAL MATHILDA AVE Current 2018 48
HOW WILL VTA PROCEED? 49
WHAT KIND OF STREET DO WE WANT? THE ALAMEDA & JULIAN ST, SAN JOSE EL CAMINO REAL & HOLLENBECK AVE, SUNNYVALE EL CAMINO REAL & SCOTT BLVD, SANTA CLARA EL CAMINO REAL & SHOWERS DR, MOUNTAIN VIEW 50 EL CAMINO REAL & CALIFORNIA AVE, PALO ALTO
NEXT STEPS April 22 April 24 May 1 VTA Advisory Committees Joint Workshop VTA El Camino Real Policy Advisory Board VTA Board Workshop Summer 2015 Peer Review of Modeling Results Fall 2015 Board of Directors Decision 51
QUESTIONS? 52