AC TRANSIT DISTRICT Board of Directors Executive Summary
GM Memo No. 09-036 Meeting Date: February 11, 2009
Committees: Planning Committee External Affairs Committee Rider Complaint Committee Board of Directors
Finance and Audit Committee Operations Committee Paratransit Committee Financing Corporation
SUBJECT: Feasibility of Providing Transbay Service to Areas of Richmond Other Than Hilltop RECOMMENDED ACTION: Information Only
Briefing Item
Recommended Motion
Consider receiving report. Fiscal Impact: None at this time. Future Board memos will assess potential new markets for Transbay service in the Richmond area, and costs and prospective funding sources will be identified. Background/Discussion: History of Transbay Service in the City of Richmond and its Vicinity Prior to the District’s service reductions in 2003, AC Transit operated a number of Transbay bus lines which served the City of Richmond and vicinity. These lines included: • H – Arlington Boulevard, Barrett Avenue • HX – Arlington Boulevard, Barrett Avenue • L – Pierce Street, San Pablo Avenue, Del Norte BART Station • LA – Richmond Parkway Transit Center via I-80 • LB – San Pablo Avenue, San Pablo Dam Road, May Road, Appian Way, Hilltop Drive, Hilltop Park & Ride • LB1 – San Pablo Avenue, San Pablo Dam Road, Valley View Road, Appian Way, Hilltop Drive, Hilltop Park & Ride • LC – Pierce Street, San Pablo Avenue, Moyers Road, Hilltop Park & Ride • LD – Carlson Avenue, Macdonald Avenue, Point Richmond
BOARD ACTION:
Approved as Recommended [ ] Approved with Modification(s) [ ]
Other
[ ]
The above order was passed on: . Linda A. Nemeroff, District Secretary By
GM Memo No. 09-036 Meeting Date: February 11, 2009 Page 2 of 3 Unfortunately, due to budget constraints, the District reduced or eliminated service on lines with low passenger productivity, or where there was duplicative service. The total reduction was equivalent to 13% of the District’s bus service. As a result, AC Transit eliminated service on the HX, LB, LB1, LC and LD routes. To compensate for the loss of service on the LB, LB1 and LC routes, the District extended the L Line along San Pablo Avenue to Church Lane and Princeton Plaza in El Sobrante. Additionally, the District extended Line 74 to cover most of Line 69 and serve the Orinda BART Station via San Pablo Dam Road and Camino Pablo. This change enabled Transbay passengers in El Sobrante and portions of Richmond to travel to Orinda via local bus service and transfer to a San Francisco-bound BART train in order to reach their destination. With the elimination of the LD Line, Transbay passengers in Point Richmond, Marina Bay, Downtown Richmond and along Carlson Boulevard were left to take underlying local service to either the Richmond BART Station or the El Cerrito Del Norte BART Station in order to reach their destination in San Francisco via train or Transbay buses along San Pablo Avenue. Prior to 2003, there was no Transbay bus service for the North Richmond area where Line 76 local service currently operates. West County Service Plan (WCSP) The WCSP was developed to address route restructuring, run times, and the needs of riders in the Western Contra Costa County area. A two-phase plan was adopted in 2006. Significant portions of the first phase of the plan were implemented in 2007 including the elimination or rerouting of unproductive service, and adjustments to running times, as well as the re-instatement of some discontinued routes, primarily due to community demand. Additionally, more services were routed to terminate at the Richmond Parkway Transit Center. Phase 2 of the WCSP Plan includes increasing services along the San Pablo and Macdonald corridors. This phase also includes extending San Pablo services to the Richmond Parkway Transit Center. The second phase is estimated to require an additional $1.75 million dollars, and implementation is pending availability of these funds. Additional Transbay Service Currently, West County has Transbay service on Lines LA (serving Hilltop Drive, Richmond Parkway, Hilltop Green) and Line L (serving Pierce Street, San Pablo Avenue, El Portal, Church Street and Rollingwood Drive). These areas have sustained Transbay ridership. Also, Regional Measure 2 funds support the Line LA midday. As necessitated by fiscal challenges in 2003, local services in the West County area were focused primarily on providing commute service to BART, in addition to providing local circulation around the West County area in general.
GM Memo No. 09-036 Meeting Date: February 11, 2009 Page 3 of 3 Additional service for the Richmond area will be considered during the programmed update of the WCSP, currently slated for completion in fiscal year 09/10. During this process, staff will identify and assess potential new markets for Transbay riders including Marina Bay, Macdonald Avenue, and North Richmond. As part of this exercise, staff will evaluate need, usage, and possibilities for Transbay service expansion or redistribution, and will seek to identify costs and funding sources for implementation. Prior Relevant Board Actions/Policies: GM Memo 04-288: Consider Staff’s Initial Proposal and Process for the West County Service Plan, September 15, 2004 Attachments: N/A Approved by:
Rick Fernandez, General Manager Nancy Skowbo, Deputy GM, Service Development Cory LaVigne, Service Planning Manager
Prepared by:
Puja K. Sarna, Transportation Planner Robert del Rosario, Senior Transportation Planner
Date Prepared:
January 28, 2009
