Sustainable Transportation Plan
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EMERYVILLE PLANNING COMMISSION STAFF REPORT Agenda Date: March 24, 2011 Report Date: March 17, 2011 TO: Emeryville Planning Commission FROM: Diana Keena, Associate Planner Planning and Building Department SUBJECT: Draft Sustainable Transportation Plan LOCATION: Citywide PROJECT Study session to review a draft Sustainable Transportation Plan to DESCRIPTION: implement General Plan Transportation policies RELEVANT Goals T-G-3 multi-modal transportation, T-G-4 walkable city, T-G-5 GENERAL PLAN bicycle system, T-G-6 transit system, T-G-8 balanced parking supply, POLICIES: T-G-11 transportation demand management PROPOSAL The draft plan includes strategies to improve transit service, SUMMARY: transportation demand management, parking management, pedestrian and bicycle connectivity, and wayfinding. ENVIRONMENTAL This plan is covered by the Environmental Impact Report for the STATUS: General Plan that was certified by the City Council on October 13, 2009. BACKGROUND In 2007 the City Council approved a contract with Nelson\Nygaard for a comprehensive analysis of public transit improvements and incentives for non-vehicle forms of transportation and to develop an Alternative Transportation Plan. In 2008 the Council requested an analysis of traffic mitigation measures for four major development projects and a study of Horton Street and Emery Station West circulation. In 2009 Nelson/Nygaard conducted stakeholder interviews and completed an Existing Conditions Report and Needs Assessment. In 2010 the consultants presented draft strategies at an open house in May of 2010. City staff and the consultants have responded to public comments made at the open house, updated the existing conditions and checked for consistency with the 2009 General Plan to complete the draft plan. DISCUSSION The draft plan describes existing conditions, a summary of needs identified by stakeholders, sustainable transportation strategies, implementation, and funding. A list of recommended strategies is shown on page ES-6, in the Executive Summary. The plan recommends the following strategies: V.A. Planning Commission Staff Report Sustainable Transportation Plan Study Session March 24, 2011 Page 2 Transit: Emery Go-Round should establish a route over the railroad tracks, coordinate schedules with BART, post on 511.org, put AC Transit and Nextbus information on the map, expand and update displays, update signs, and improve data collection. AC Transit should extend service to downtown Berkeley and from 40th/San Pablo west. The City should improve the 40th/San Pablo bus hub, improve signal priority, consider bus-only lanes on Hollis, and study streetcar service. Transportation Demand Management: The City should expand casual carpool and car sharing, demonstrate employee bike sharing, and promote AC Transit Easy Pass. Retailers should consolidate delivery. Parking: The City should reduce parking maximums and establish minimums, incentivize in-lieu fees and shared parking, charge for public parking, implement an efficient parking permit program, establish parking benefit districts, unbundle parking, and require employers to cash out parking subsidies. Pedestrian Connectivity and Safety: The City should develop a street design manual, evaluate ability to maintain or enhance pedestrian facilities, review maintenance protocols, use online tools for reporting problems, repurpose underused right-of-way for pedestrian amenities, establish festive and safety programs, and build pedestrian-bicycle bridges over the railroad tracks and freeway. Bicycle Connectivity and Safety: The City should install bicycle boxes and advanced stop bars, install bicycle-only signal phases with actuators, expand public bicycle parking, establish bicycle stations, provide land use specific bicycle parking standards, improve signage and intersection crossings, reduce speed limits on bicycle boulevards and Class III routes, implement diverters and other traffic calming devices, and consider in the bicycle pedestrian plan ensuring that bicycle streets are safe, installing barrier separated bicycle lanes, coloring bike lanes, and establishing dedicated funding. Wayfinding: The City should install bicycle signs and markings consistent with neighboring cities, provide bus shelters with maps and displays, consider neighborhood walking maps for pedestrians, mark gateways, and continue signs across borders. Shopping center owners should build the image of retail centers. Staff seeks the Commission’s comments on the plan, especially the proposed strategies. The next step will be a City Council study session. Attachment: Draft Sustainable Transportation Plan FINAL REPORT MARCH 2011 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS AND TABLE OF FIGURES TABLE OF CONTENTS Executive Summary ................................................................................................................ ES-1 Study Overview ......................................................................................................................................... ES-1 Goals and Objectives ................................................................................................................................ ES-1 Demographics and Land Use .................................................................................................................... ES-2 Existing Transportation Network ............................................................................................................... ES-2 Transportation Priorities ............................................................................................................................ ES-4 Summary of Sustainable Transportation Strategies .................................................................................... ES-4 Chapter 1. Introduction ............................................................................................................1-1 Existing Travel Modes and Shift to Sustainable Transportation Modes ........................................................ 1-2 Study Process ............................................................................................................................................. 1-6 Report Organization .................................................................................................................................... 1-6 Chapter 2. Existing Conditions .................................................................................................2-1 Demographics and Land Use ...................................................................................................................... 2-1 Planning Context ......................................................................................................................................... 2-4 3-Ds of Travel Behavior .............................................................................................................................. 2-8 Circulation and Parking Network ............................................................................................................... 2-14 Existing Transit Services ........................................................................................................................... 2-22 Transportation Demand Management ....................................................................................................... 2-33 Chapter 3. Stakeholder Interviews and Summary of Needs .....................................................3-1 Stakeholder Interviews ................................................................................................................................ 3-1 Summary of Needs ..................................................................................................................................... 3-7 Chapter 4. Sustainable Transportation Strategies ...................................................................4-1 Transit Services ........................................................................................................................................... 4-2 Transportation Demand Management ........................................................................................................ 4-11 Parking Strategies ..................................................................................................................................... 4-22 Off-Street Parking Standards ..................................................................................................................... 4-24 Pedestrian Connectivity and Safety ........................................................................................................... 4-40 Bicycle Connectivity and Safety ................................................................................................................. 4-51 Wayfinding ................................................................................................................................................ 4-60 EMERYVILLE SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORTATION PLAN • FINAL REPORT i Chapter 5. Implementation and Funding ..................................................................................5-1 Implementation Considerations ................................................................................................................... 5-1 Funding Considerations ............................................................................................................................... 5-1 Appendix A. street typology ...................................................................................................