Meeting Notice and Agenda
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MEETING NOTICE AND AGENDA LOSSAN RAIL CORRIDOR AGENCY JOINT POWERS BOARD The Board may take action on any item appearing on this agenda. Wednesday, November 12, 2008 11:30 am – 1:30 pm Lunch Provided Board Conference Room, 3rd Floor LA Metro One Gateway Plaza Los Angeles, CA SANDAG Staff Contact: Linda Culp (619) 699-6957 [email protected] AGENDA HIGHLIGHTS • ORANGE COUNTY TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY (OCTA) AND CALTRANS LOSSAN CORRIDOR QUICK IMPROVEMENTS IMPLEMENTATION PLAN • LOSSAN CORRIDORWIDE STRATEGIC ASSESSMENT UPDATE • OCTA METROLINK SERVICE EXPANSION PLAN www.lossan.org LOSSAN RAIL CORRIDOR AGENCY JOINT POWERS BOARD Wednesday, November 12, 2008 TAC ITEM # RECOMMENDATION 1. CHAIR’S REPORT Welcome and Introductions 2. PUBLIC COMMENT AND COMMUNICATIONS Speakers are limited to three minutes each. +3. SEPTEMBER 5, 2008, MEETING MINUTES APPROVE The meeting summary is included for approval. +4. TRANSFER OF LOSSAN FEDERAL FUNDS FROM DEL MAR APPROVE BLUFFS PROJECT 2 TO SANTA MARGARITA BRIDGE REPLACEMENT AND DOUBLE TRACK PROJECT (Linda Culp, SANDAG) In 2001, LOSSAN received $2.9 million in federal 5309 funds for the Del Mar Bluffs Stabilization Project 2 in San Diego County, a project completed under budget earlier this year. SANDAG requests LOSSAN approve the transfer of the remaining $430,000 in federal funds to another corridor project in San Diego County, the Santa Margarita Bridge Replacement and Second Track Project, in order to complete final design. Construction funds have already been programmed for this project. 5. UPDATE ON STATE ITEMS: STATE BUDGET, LOSSAN DISCUSSION CORRIDOR PROJECTS, STATEWIDE RAIL PROCUREMENT, AND JOINT AGENCY EFFORTS (Lam Nguyen, Caltrans) Caltrans will provide an update on the funding status of corridor projects and status of the state budget situation. Staff from Amtrak, the three state-supported rail corridors, and the emerging coast rail corridor continue to meet weekly to strategize on joint efforts to maintain and increase rail funding. The next statewide rail board chair and vice chairs meeting is scheduled for Friday, December 12, 2008, at the Capitol Corridor offices in Oakland. 2 TAC ITEM # RECOMMENDATION +6. STATUS OF FEDERAL LEGISLATION (Linda Culp, SANDAG) DISCUSSION HR 2095, the Federal Railroad Safety Improvement Act, was passed and signed in October 2008 and includes a number of opportunities for additional funds for corridor projects through this legislation. There may also be a second economic stimulus bill before the end of the year. Staff will provide additional updates at the meeting. +7. ORANGE COUNTY TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY (OCTA) DISCUSSION AND CALTRANS LOSSAN CORRIDOR QUICK IMPROVEMENTS IMPLEMENTATION PLAN (Linda Culp, SANDAG) The Technical Advisory Committee further refined the quick improvements implementation plan in response to the Board of Director’s review at their September 5, 2008, meeting. 8. LOSSAN CORRIDORWIDE STRATEGIC ASSESSMENT DISCUSSION UPDATE (Darrell Johnson, OCTA) OCTA has contracted with Wilbur Smith Associates to conduct the LOSSAN Corridorwide Strategic Assessment. The project partners are Caltrans, Metro, OCTA, Metrolink, North County Transit District, and San Diego Association of Governments. An onboard survey of Pacific Surfliner, COASTER, and Metrolink riders was recently completed and a resident telephone survey for the entire LOSSAN corridor is planned for the next few weeks. A major task of this assessment will be to analyze a number of service alternatives for the corridor. The Board of Directors will discuss possible alternatives at the meeting. +9. CORRIDOR TRENDS DISCUSSION The latest statistics on corridor on-time performance, intercity ridership, and revenue statistics are attached. 3 TAC ITEM # RECOMMENDATION 10. OCTA METROLINK SERVICE EXPANSION PLAN INFORMATION (Darrell Johnson, OCTA) The Orange County Metrolink Service Expansion Program continues to advance. This program will bring increased train service between Laguna Niguel/Mission Viejo and Fullerton by the year 2010, with trains operating throughout the day and evening. Design is 90 percent complete, with construction expected to begin in early 2009. OCTA is proceeding with necessary right-of- way acquisition for the program and is working with station cities to address parking expansion plans. 11. OCTA PASSENGER FOCUS GROUPS (Ellen Burton, OCTA) INFORMATION OCTA will present the results of recently conducted rider and non-rider focus groups. Two rider and two non-rider focus groups were recently conducted in June and July 2008. A summary of the attitudes/perceptions about existing rail service will be presented. 12. BOARD MEMBER UPDATES INFORMATION 13. 2009 MEETING SCHEDULE APPROVE The Board of Directors is asked to approve the 2009 meeting schedule Wednesday, January 28, 2009 Wednesday, April 29, 2009 Wednesday, September 9, 2009 Wednesday, November 18, 2009 + next to an item indicates an attachment 4 Los Angeles – San Diego – San Luis Obispo Rail Corridor Agency JOINT POWERS BOARD November 12, 2008 AGENDA ITEM NO.: 3 Action Requested: APPROVE SEPTEMBER 5, 2008, MEETING MINUTES File Number 4000106 Attendance The LOSSAN Board of Directors met on September 5, 2008, in Santa Barbara, CA. In attendance were: Art Brown, OCTA, Chair Salud Carbajal, SBCAG Jacki Bacharach, Metro, Vice Chair Lam Nguyen, Caltrans Beatrice Proo, Metro Lou Bone, SCAG Julianne Nygaard, NCTD Brian Humphrey, VCTC Richard Dixon, OCTA Joe Kellejian, SANDAG Jerry Rindone, MTS Fred Munroe, SLOCOG Meeting Summary CHAIR’S REPORT Salud Carbajal (SBCAG) welcomed the board to Santa Barbara, thanked SBCAG staff for hosting the meeting, and also introduced the Honorable Grant House, Councilmember from the City of Santa Barbara. Chairman Art Brown (OCTA) also welcomed the Board and introduced Mr. Lam Nguyen, acting chief for the Caltrans Division of Rail. Chairman Brown also recognized the Honorable Bruce Horton, Councilmember from the City of Santa Barbara later in the meeting. PUBLIC COMMENT AND COMMUNICATIONS Mr. Paul Dyson (RailPAC) reiterated his past opposition to adding stops to Pacific Surfliner trains in Orange County and cited several reasons, including the current on-time performance of trains, added dwell times and fuel costs, and the potential negative impacts on long-distance intercity passengers. Mr. Dyson is advocating for a complete review of all passenger train schedules in the corridor and urged the Board to support Proposition 1A. 5 FEBRUARY 6, 2008 AND MAY 7, 2008 MEETING MINUTES Vice Chair Jacki Bacharach (Metro) suggested the May 7, 2008, Meeting Minutes be referred to as Meeting Notes, as the meeting had no quorum of the Board and had one correction on page 10, “Ms. Bacharach suggested that each of the LOSSAN agencies could have one brainstorming session …” Both meeting minutes were approved with these changes. ORANGE COUNTY TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY AND CALTRANS LOSSAN CORRIDOR QUICK IMPROVEMENTS STUDY AND IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY Abbe McClenahan (OCTA) summarized the purpose of the quick improvements study, to develop a list of potential corridor improvements that could be completed relatively quickly and with minimal cost. She noted the comments made by LOSSAN were incorporated into the final report. The OCTA Board of Directors approved the study in June 2008 and directed staff to work with the LOSSAN Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) on an implementation schedule. Ms. McClenahan also discussed recent focus groups of Orange County riders and nonriders that were conducted as a followup to the study and suggested that OCTA make a more detailed presentation to the Board at their next meeting. Linda Culp (SANDAG) summarized the initial work of the TAC to develop an implementation strategy. Each of the 21 improvements were categorized by three criteria: (1) level of required action (Staff, Board, or Special Task Force), (2) Relative Cost (Low, Medium, High), and (3) Relative Timetable (Short, Mid, Long). The TAC also identified a next step for each of the improvements. Ms. Culp called the Board’s attention to 10 of the 21 improvements that the TAC feels can be completed at the staff level, at relatively low cost and over a short-term period of time. Of these 10, three tasks had already been included in the scope of work of a grant application submitted to Caltrans by SANDAG on behalf of LOSSAN. Agencies normally receive word on awards once the state budget has been approved. The remaining 7 will be headed up by an individual TAC member, who will organize the appropriate staff and determine a course of action. Ms. Bacharach suggested that Table 1 of the staff report should include a lead agency column and that a TAC member be assigned to all 21 improvements. In terms of the proposed improvement for WiFi at all stations, she asked if advertising would be able to pay for this. The Board’s discussion concluded that the TAC should investigate the possibility of putting ads on the static WiFi station signs as a potential revenue source. Ms. Bacharach also asked if there is a standard for times between connecting trains, as the report recommends 30 minutes as an appropriate amount of time. Pat Merrill (Caltrans) noted there is no industry standard but depends in part on the market. Jonathan Hutchison (Amtrak) also noted that it also depends on track capacity. Fred Munroe (SLOCOG) commented that station amenities make it easier for passengers to wait on connecting trains. Ms. Bacharach inquired as to why the improvements to airport connections item was not on the list of ten improvements. Mr. Munroe noted