VTA North County Open House Presentation April 2014

Light Rail Efficiency ProjectMountain View Double Track Project

Mountain View Local Projects Open House

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2017 Service Plan

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Mountain View Double Track Project

Phase I: Adds a second main line LRT track (approximately 1,400) feet between Mountain View Transit Center and State Route 85

Caltrain Realignment: Shifts existing Caltrain track to create space for second light rail track

Phase II: Extends second main line LRT track over a distance of approximately 3,000 feet from State Route 85 to Whisman LRT Station

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Why Are We Doing the Project?

Double Track will allow VTA to:

• Introduce new service from Mountain View to Alum Rock

• Increase connectivity with Caltrain and the future Milpitas BART station

• Serve growing residential and commercial development

• Respond to demand at Levi’s Stadium

• Improve system-wide on-time performance, reduce train bunching

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Mountain View Double Track – Phase IPhase I: Construction will occur between mid 2014 to mid

2015. No major impacts to service will occur during this period.

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Caltrain Realignment

Caltrain Realignment: Existing Caltrain Tracks will need to be realigned between Evelyn Station and Highway 237. Construction will occur between mid 2014 to late 2014.

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Mountain View Double Track – Phase II

Phase I: Construction will occur between early 2015 to late 2015. Will require Closure of Evelyn Station.

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Evelyn Station Closure

Evelyn is located where second light rail track will be constructed

Discontinuation of service will begin January 2015

Average Daily Weekday Boardings: 66 (2nd lowest of 59 stations)

EL CAMINO REAL BUS RAPID TRANSIT

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.

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.


Making Bicycling and Walking Safer

El Camino Real is designed 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.


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 .

Bus-Only Lanes

WB BRT Station


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 a 20-second duration.

BRT stops in lane

Bulbout BRT Station


Project Alternatives and Environmental Analysis

Seven project alternatives—ranging 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.


Public Outreach and City Coordination

2010 to present Monthly meetings with city staff

Summer, 2011 City Council, committee

presentations

Fall, 2011 Open House community meetings

Spring , 2012 City Council, committee

presentations

Fall, 2012 VTA Board of Directors workshop,

mtg.

February, 2013 Environmental Scoping

meetings


Silicon Valley Express Lanes

City of Mountain ViewOpen House Council Meeting

April 9, 2014

What are Express Lanes?

• Express Lanes are converted carpool lanes that offer solo drivers the opportunity to use carpool lanes for a fee.

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Why are Express Lanes being developed?

• To provide congestion relief through more effective use of existing roadways (e.g., use of existing carpool lanes)

• To provide commuters with a new mobility option• To provide a new source of funding for transportation

improvements including public transit

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Who can use Express Lanes?

• SOLO DRIVERS can use Express Lanes for a fee.• CARPOOL USERS Eligible vehicles with two or more

people per car (in addition to transit and motorcycles) travel in Express Lanes FREE of charge.

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Why drivers use Express Lanes• Drivers choose to use Express Lanes for a variety

of reasons at different times, but the most reported reasons are:

• Time Savings• Ease of Commute• Convenience

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FasTrak

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NO TOLL BOOTHS

FEES AUTOMATICALLY DEDUCTED FROM

ACCOUNT

FASTRAK

TRANSPONDER

ATTACHES TO WINDSHIELD

How Much Do Solo Drivers Pay?• Range of cost on SR 237 has been

between $0.30 and $4.75, with an average toll less than $2.00

• Pricing changes as the number of drivers increases and decreases to ensure a free flow of traffic

• When more cars are on the roadway, the price to enter express lanes is higher. When there are fewer cars driving, the cost is lower

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Digital Signage and Pricing

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How Do I Pay?

• Step 1: Visit bayareafastrak.org to learn about FasTrak

• Step 2: Purchase a toll tag through FasTrak or at retail locations

• Step 3: Register your new toll tag immediately to a new or existing FasTrak account online or by phone at (877) 229-8655.

• Step 4: After you have completed the registration process, mount toll tag in your vehicle and begin enjoying the benefits of FasTrak.

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How Are Toll Revenues Used? • Operations, maintenance and

enforcement• Revenue to stay within corridor • Any remaining revenues to be used

for transportation improvements including transit

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Where /When Can I Use Express Lanes?

• SR 237 Express Lanes• Phase 1 (in operation March 2012)• Phase 2 (2016 pending funding)

• SR 85 Express Lanes - 2017 pending funding• US 101 Express Lanes - 2017 pending funding

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SR 237 Express Lanes Data• Up to 10,000 solo drivers use the SR 237 Express

Lanes each week• Solo drivers have saved up to 20 minutes • Drivers in the general purpose lanes are saving up to

seven (7) minutes

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SR 237 Express Lanes – Phase 2

• Project Description• 1-lane Express Lane (convert 1-lane HOV lane from

existing Phase 1 terminus to approximately Mathilda Ave.)• Project length: 4 miles

• Environmental Clearance• Summer 2014

• Project Opening• Targeting 2016, funding dependent

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SR 85 Express Lanes• Project Description

• 1-lane Express Lanes (convert 1-lane HOV lane from US 101 interchange in San Jose to US 101 interchange in Mountain View)• 2-lane Express Lanes (add another lane between the

SR87 and I-280 interchanges)• Project length: 24 miles

• Environmental Clearance• Circulation December 2013• Approval Fall 2014

• Project Opening• Targeting 2017, funding dependent

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US 101 Express Lanes• Project Description

• 1-lane Express Lanes (convert 1-lane HOV lane from Cochrane Rd. in Morgan Hill to SR85 interchange in Mountain View)• 2-lane Express Lanes (add a new lane between Dunne

Ave. and SR85 interchange in San Jose, between Blossom Hill Road and Mathilda Dr. in Sunnyvale; and convert 2-lane HOV lanes from SR85 interchange in Mtn View to the county line in Palo Alto)• Project length: 36 miles

• Environmental Clearance - Fall 2014 • Project Opening - Targeting 2017, funding dependent

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NORTH CENTRAL COUNTY BUS IMPROVEMENT PLANPURPOSE

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 PLANSTUDY AREA

NORTH CENTRAL COUNTY BUS IMPROVEMENT PLANSCHEDULE

2014

April Existing Conditions Analysis

May Development of Draft Recommendations

June Review Draft Recommendations with City Staff

July Community and City Council Meetings

August Final Recommendations released

2015

VTA’s Biennial Service Changes

2018

Service Changes relating to opening of BRT routes

Rider Surveys

New Bus Stop Designs

Easy To Work With

TRANSIT PASSENGERENVIRONMENT PLAN

Prioritizing Improvements

Stop Percentiles

Rid

ers

hip

Perc

enta

ges

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.



Easy To Work With


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.


Easy To Work With


Rider Surveys


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

pleasing shelter designs.



Rider Surveys


Easy To Work With

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.

VTA North County Open House Presentation April 2014

Government & Nonprofit

Transcript of VTA North County Open House Presentation April 2014