EL CAMINO REAL BUS RAPID TRANSIT PROJECT Would upgrade the current 522 Rapid Bus to BRT status by making changes to El Camino Real and The Alameda that make transit FAST, FREQUENT AND RELIABLE and make WALKING and BICYCLING along the corridor SAFER.
EL CAMINO REAL BUS RAPID TRANSIT PROJECT Making Stops Faster BRT stations would function like light rail stations, allowing passengers to purchase fares or tap Clipper Cards at stations and board through all three doors. Increasing Transit Travel Speeds In some parts of the corridor, a general use lane could be converted into a bus-only lane, allowing the BRT to bypass traffic. Transit signal priority would allow an approaching BRT bus to hold a green light.
EL CAMINO REAL BUS RAPID TRANSIT PROJECT Making Bicycling and Walking Safer El Camino Real is designed d for cars and can be a scary and dangerous place to bicycle or walk. Many bicycle and pedestrian collisions occur each year and some are fatal. In parts of the corridor with bus-only lanes, bicycle lanes could be installed (if the city approves). Crossing distances would be shortened and new intersections, signals and crosswalks can be added to make El Camino Real less of a barrier between neighborhoods. Median BRT stations would act as pedestrian refuges.
EL CAMINO REAL BUS RAPID TRANSIT PROJECT How Bus-Only Lanes Work In some parts of the corridor, the bus-only lane would be in the center of the street, adjacent to the median. BRT stations would be in the middle of the street. The eastbound and westbound stations would be on opposite sides of the intersection. WB BRT Station Bus-Only Lanes
EL CAMINO REAL BUS RAPID TRANSIT PROJECT How Bulbout Stations Work In parts of the corridor with bulbout stations, the curb would be extended out to the travel lane. The BRT would stop in the travel lane while passengers board approximately approximately a 20- second duration. Bulbout BRT Station BRT stops in lane
EL CAMINO REAL BUS RAPID TRANSIT PROJECT Project Alternatives and Environmental Analysis Seven project alternatives ranging ti i from doing nothing to building 14 miles of bus-only lanes are currently being studied by VTA. A Draft Environmental Impact Report (DEIR), which analyzes the impact that the project will have across 17 categories will be released in late Summer, 2014. VTA s Board of Directors will choose a locally preferred alternative after the public comment period for the DEIR.
EL CAMINO REAL BUS RAPID TRANSIT PROJECT Public Outreach and City Coordination 2010 to present Monthly meetings with city staff Summer, 2011 Fall, 2011 Spring, 2012 Fall, 2012 February, 2013 City Council, committee presentations Open House community meetings City Council, committee presentations VTA Board of Directors workshop, mtg. Environmental Scoping meetings
NORTH CENTRAL COUNTY BUS IMPROVEMENT PLAN PURPOSE The planned Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) services on El Camino Real and Stevens Creek may change travel demand on local bus routes that cross these corridors. Additionally, the cities in this area (Mountain View, Sunnyvale, Santa Clara and Cupertino) are intensifying land uses in areas that are not easily accessible by BRT so it may be necessary to make changes to local bus service to meet a changing rider demand. The Plan will make recommendations that will flow into VTA s scheduled service adjustment process. GOALS Improve connectivity of local routes with the BRT routes Explore whether new service types or new routes are needed Improve overall transit service in the study area while being cost effective Collect input from the communities in the study area
NORTH CENTRAL COUNTY BUS IMPROVEMENT PLAN STUDY AREA
TRANSIT PASSENGER ENVIRONMENT PLAN Prioritizing Improvements Rider Surveys Most of VTA s bus riders come from a small percentage of stops. 21% of bus riders come from the top 1% of bus stops. 50% of bus riders come from 5% of bus stops. That tells us we need to prioritize improvements to high-ridership stops to ensure the maximum rider benefit per dollar spent. New Bus Stop Designs Easy To Work With rcentages Ridership Pe Stop Percentiles
Basic Stop Less than 40 weekday boardings Core Stop 40 to 200 weekday boardings Major Stop More than 200 weekday boardings Community Destination Stop Special designation for civic/health/school sites
TRANSIT PASSENGER ENVIRONMENT PLAN Prioritizing Improvements Rider Surveys In the past, decisions about how to improve bus stops were made with good intentions, but not with data regarding which bus stop amenities riders value most. VTA surveyed riders in the summer of 2013 and found that transit information is the most desired amenity, followed by shelter and seating. This information will inform which types of improvements are installed. New Bus Stop Designs Easy To Work With
TRANSIT PASSENGER ENVIRONMENT PLAN Prioritizing Improvements Many of VTA s boxy, blue shelters are approaching the end of their 20-year lifetime. They will need to be replaced in the coming decade so we re looking at new, more functional, more aesthetically ti pleasing shelter designs. Rider Surveys New Bus Stop Designs Easy To Work With
TRANSIT PASSENGER ENVIRONMENT PLAN Prioritizing Improvements Rider Surveys In the past, VTA s thinking about bus stop design has been somewhat rigid and it hasn t been easy for cities, developers and the public to know how to work with VTA. The Transit Passenger Environment Plan explains all of VTA s policies about bus stops and makes it easy to work with us. New Bus Stop Designs Easy To Work With