SBCAG Network Integration Plan Tier 2
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Network Integration San Luis Obispo to Moorpark Prepared for: Santa Barbara County Association of Governments DRAFT April 2021 LA19-3070.01 Table of Contents Executive Summary ........................................................................................................................................ 1 Project Goals and Purpose ........................................................................................................................................................................... 1 Summary of Existing Services ...................................................................................................................................................................... 2 Challenges to Integrating Existing Services ............................................................................................................................................ 3 Recommendations ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 5 Existing Intercity Transit Service .................................................................................................................. 6 Introduction ....................................................................................................................................................................................................... 6 Regional and Intercity Transit Operators in the Study Area............................................................................................................. 7 Defining Regional and Intercity Transit Service for Network Integration ................................................................................... 9 Summary of Study Area Routes ............................................................................................................................................................... 10 Local Bus Service ........................................................................................................................................................................................... 20 Fare Structures ............................................................................................................................................................................................... 21 Intercity Service Needs and Market Assessment ...................................................................................... 24 Policies and Plans Review Summary ...................................................................................................................................................... 24 Travel Market Analysis for Intercity and Intraregional Travel ....................................................................................................... 32 Challenges in Coordinating Intercity Bus and Rail Services .................................................................... 39 Existing Transfer Points Between Intercity Services .......................................................................................................................... 40 Connecting Other Urban Centers ........................................................................................................................................................... 42 Existing Schedule Connections Between Intercity Buses ................................................................................................................ 43 Other Challenges in Connecting Intercity Services ........................................................................................................................... 49 Opportunities for Network Integration ..................................................................................................... 53 Tier 1: Expand Through-Trips from Existing Services ....................................................................................................................... 54 Tier 2: Camarillo to Goleta Commuter Rail Service........................................................................................................................... 61 Tier 3: Improving Connectivity with New Service .............................................................................................................................. 89 Governance and Oversight of Regional Integrated Services .................................................................. 96 Existing Governing Bodies ......................................................................................................................................................................... 97 Addressing the Challenges ...................................................................................................................................................................... 100 Recommendations ..................................................................................................................................... 103 Appendices .................................................................................................................................................. 104 Sources and References ............................................................................................................................................................................ 104 Stakeholder Interview Summaries ........................................................................................................................................................ 104 61 Tier 2: Camarillo to Goleta Commuter Rail Service Tier 2 examines the feasibility and potential structure of a commuter rail system connecting West Ventura County to South Santa Barbara County. It begins with a description of the existing rail and transit conditions in the corridor, followed by a conceptual overview of a commuter rail system that would serve residents of Ventura, Oxnard, and Camarillo who commute to employment locations in Santa Barbara and Goleta, and concludes with recommended next steps to move towards implementing the service, which is central to SBCAG’s “Lane and a Train” strategy to address traffic congestion in the US-101 corridor between Ventura and Santa Barbara counties. Existing/Planned Rail and Transit Conditions Ventura and Santa Barbara counties are connected by a single highway connection, US-101, and a single rail line, the Santa Barbara Subdivision rail corridor owned by Union Pacific Railroad (UP). Santa Barbara Subdivision Overview The Santa Barbara Subdivision was constructed in 1900 by the Southern Pacific Transportation Company as part of a larger railroad between Burbank, California and the San Francisco Bay Area, roughly following the Pacific Coast. The Santa Barbara Subdivision is primarily single-track, with limited sidings in the study area to allow for trains to pass, as shown in Figure 24. There are connections to Port Hueneme in Oxnard and to the Metrolink station in East Ventura (which allows Metrolink to store three trains off the main line overnight and reverse service). The rail corridor between Moorpark and San Jose is owned by Union Pacific and sees limited freight rail service. Freight trains are typically local, empty bare table, and empty autorack trains. 62 Figure 24 Santa Barbara Subdivision Layout 63 A limited number of rail capacity-expansion infrastructure projects are currently planned in the corridor. A new siding and second platform at Carpinteria is partially funded through the Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program, although most of the funding for this project has been transferred to bridge replacements in North Santa Barbara County. The Carpinteria capacity expansion projects are anticipated for completion after 2030. Rail Stations and Planned Improvements The rail corridor in the study area is served by three passenger rail services: the fully state-funded Pacific Surfliner intercity service, long distance Amtrak Coast Starlight service, and the Metrolink Ventura County Line commuter rail service. The stations served by these routes are shown in Figure 25. There following improvements planned for stations in the corridor include: • Goleta – Goleta Train Depot Project – Construction of a new train station next to the existing passenger platform in Goleta is scheduled to begin in 2022. The new station will include expanded parking capacity and sheltered waiting areas. • Carpinteria – Second Track/Platform – A single-track platform with plans to construct a second 700-foot platform and approximately 1.2 miles of double track due to track geometry. The additional 2nd platform will allow for additional operational flexibility in the area, with northbound and southbound trains able to serve the station simultaneously. A detailed overview of the platform is displayed below in Figure 26. • Camarillo –Pedestrian Undercrossing– While there are currently two platforms at the Camarillo station, moving between the grade separated platforms requires passengers to travel a lengthy pedestrian bridge, which does not allow sufficient time to board a train on the opposite platform. A pedestrian undercrossing is planned to allow for meets between opposing trains at the station as originally designed and improve corridor capacity and operational flexibility. 64 Figure 25 Existing Station Locations Map Source: Fehr & Peers, STV 65 Figure 26 Carpinteria - Second Track/Platform - Detail Source: Fehr & Peers, STV 66 Rail Operations