Application for TIGER II Discretionary Grants Program

City of Hercules, Hercules Intermodal Transit Center (Hercules ITC)

Contact: Lisa Hammon, Assistant City Manager City of Hercules 111 Civic Drive Hercules, CA 94547 510.799.8251 [email protected]

TABLE OF CONTENTS Hercules ITC TIGER II Application Overview ...... 3 I. Project Description ...... 4 II. Project Parties...... 12 III. Grant Funds and Sources/Uses of Project Funds ...... 14 IV. Selection Criteria ...... 16 a. Long-Term Outcomes ...... 16 i. State of Good Repair ...... 16 ii. Economic Competitiveness...... 16 iii. Livability...... 17 iv. Sustainability...... 18 v. Safety...... 19 b. Job Creation and Economic Stimulus...... 19 c. Innovation ...... 20 d. Partnership ...... 21 V. Project Readiness and NEPA ...... 22 VI. Federal Wage Rate...... 25 VII. Changes from Pre-Application ...... 25 Appendix A: Additional Information on Benefit-Cost Analysis ...... A-1 Appendix B: Letter from City Manager- Federal Wage Requirem ...... B-1 Appendix C: Index for support letters, documents and websites...... C-1

Hercules Station building circa early 1900’s

Hercules ITC Page 2 Hercules ITC TIGER II Application Overview

Project Type The Hercules, California Intermodal Transit The Hercules Bayfront Transit Village Center is a planned, multi-modal center with project, location of Hercules ITC, was bus, train, and ferry service at the same loca- one of only six projects in the the state tion, and traversed by the Bay Trail that was selected as a California Catalyst for bicyclists and walkers. The station will serve Community under the State Department intercity rail (), WestCAT of Housing and Community Development local and regional buses, and a Water Emergency Catalyst Projects for California Sustainable Transportation Authority (WETA) high-speed Strategies Pilot Program. ferry service to San Francisco. The project is The purpose of the program is to incen- truly “intermodal.” tivize sustainable communities and test innovative strategies designed to enhance Project Location transportation modal choices; increase The Hercules Intermodal Transit Center will be housing supply and affordability; improve located at the heart of the 42-acre Hercules jobs and housing relationships; stimulate Bayfront transit-oriented development project. job creation and retention; promote public The facility will be in Hercules, California in the health; reduce greenhouse gas emissions; 7th Congressional District (George Miller) and in and increase energy conservation and Senator Boxer and Senator Feinstein’s State. independence. Demographics and Unique History The City of Hercules is located on the southern shore of San Pablo Bay, 22 miles northeast of San Francisco and 57 miles southeast of Sacramento. The area around the City of Hercules includes cit- ies in Contra Costa, Solano, and Alameda Counties and is centrally-located adjacent to Interstate 80 (I-80) and State Route 4 (SR4). Incorporated in 1900 for the California Powder Works, the City was the site of a nationally significant factory for explosives and specialty chemicals until the mid-1960s. In the early 1970s, the former company town changed course to become a residential suburb, growing along with the rest of the Bay Area. The city limits encompass eight square miles of the Refugio Valley watershed, with the remnants of the decommissioned manufacturing facilities occupying a few dozen acres along the bay front. The entire city was master-planned in the early 1970s, and subsequently developed with predominantly single-family housing and a business park. Isolated locations near the Bay and lower Refugio Valley, designated “brownfields”, required remediation and soil stabilization, and so were developed after 2000, along with a former oil refinery site. Today, the City has a notably diverse population of approximately 25,000 and continues to grow incrementally, focused on commercial, biotechnology and retail.

TIGER Funds Requested The City of Hercules is respectfully requesting $11,180,400 through the TIGER II Discretionary Grant Program. This request will complete the funding of the Hercules Intermodal Transit Center. The total Hercules ITC project cost is $50,200,000. The EIR/EIS for the Project is scheduled for completion by the end of 2010 with a construction duration of eighteen to twenty-four months.

Hercules ITC Page 3 I. Project Description The Hercules Intermodal Transit Center project (Hercules ITC) is at the center of a transit-orient- ed, mixed-use development on approximately 40 acres of vacant land. Over the past few years, the City of Hercules has been planning and engineering the Hercules ITC which will be the first train, bus, and ferry terminal in the Western United States, providing alternative transportation modes for commuters, residents, and recreational users. The Hercules ITC consists of: roads and bridges for automobiles and buses to access the transit uses, train track and signal improvements, a station building fashioned after the historic train sheds of Europe with expansive views of the San Pablo Bay, parks and open spaces, and bicycle and pedestrian facilities including approximately one mile of Trail. Surround- ing the Hercules ITC will be 1,400 residential units, retail, and commercial office space.

Hercules ITC Station and Plaza rendering with Train, Bus and Ferry

Project Location The City of Hercules, California is in the heart of the , approximately sixteen miles north of Oakland and 57 miles southeast of Sacramento, bisected by the Interstate 80 freeway. Traffic congestion on I-80 has been the worst in the Bay Area for the past six years. Hercules is also served by State Route 4, a four lane expressway for east-west travel through Contra Costa County. The Hercules ITC is ideally situated in the I-80 corridor and the transit alternatives planned for the station would allow commuters from east of the project location to easily access buses, trains, or ferries and thereby decrease auto congestion on the freeway. Interstate 80 traffic is severe. Over 182,000 vehicles use this freeway on a daily basis. Traffic congestion south of Hercules continues to worsen as cars near the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge. State Route 4 carries 37,000 vehicles per day. The major arterial to I-80 is San Pablo Avenue, a mostly 4-lane “Route of Regional Significance” that traverses communities along the corridor including Crockett, Rodeo, Hercules, Pinole, San Pablo, Richmond, and El Cerrito and on into downtown Oakland.

Hercules ITC Page 4 Hercules Intermodal Transit Center and Hercules Bayfront Village

Project Location

Hercules ITC

Hercules Bayfront Transit Oriented Development

Hercules ITC Page 5 Current Passenger Rail Issues and Solutions The (UPRR) , is a the final segment of the origi- nal transcontinental rail route, connecting Oakland, including the , with the Union Pacific lines in California via Martinez. The Martinez Subdivision runs along the San Pablo Bay waterfront through the City of Hercules. In addition to the UPRR long-haul freight operations, the line is used by extensive passenger rail operations. Passenger services include long-distance, intercity Amtrak trains providing daily service between the Bay Area, the Pacific Northwest, Chicago, and Los Angeles; and the 32 daily intercity Capitol Corridor trains providing service between Sacramento and San Jose. Passenger and freight trains operate in mixed flows on the same double track route, an arrangement that poses capacity conflicts. The Hercules ITC project will provide a third mainline track for the UPRR, a significant improve- ment in this section of the rail corridor, as it will allow a full-length train that is disabled or need- ing to pull onto a siding track to use this third mainline track. Currently, the UPRR tracks in Hercules are unprotected from casual pedestrian access. Tres- passing is common, with persons crossing tracks to access the margin of the Bay. Very nearby, trespassing persons have been killed by oncoming trains. The Hercules ITC project will provide a grade-separation from the tracks for the entire length of the project, approximately one mile. Retaining walls and fencing will provide this grade separation, which will discourage or prevent trespassing.

Hercules ITC • 32 trains daily linking Bay Area with Sacramento/ Auburn • Major transcontinental freight corridor for UPRR serving Port of Oakland • Connections with local WestCAT transit transfer facility • Park and Ride Facilities • Regional bike path and connection to the Bay Trail

Hercules ITC Page 6 California has the highest Amtrak usage of any State. The Capitol Corridor service is the third- busiest corridor operated by Amtrak. The Capitol Corridor hub, Sacramento, is the 7th busiest station in the national Amtrak System. At Hercules, the provision of a new station and stop on the Capitol Corridor line will provide commuters, residents, and recreational users an option to ride the train instead of driving in the highly congested I-80 corridor. More capacity on I-80 also enables increased and faster goods movement through the corridor. More than 600 daily riders are projected to use the Capitol Corridor service.

Transit Hercules Connectivity ITC

• Direct Capitol Corridor service • Connecting service to Amtrak Long Distance services (CCJPA to Martinez, Emeryville) • BART destinations (via CCJPA Rich- mond) • SFO and OAK Airports (CCJPA and BART service)

Hercules ITC Page 7 Current Bus Transit Issues and Solutions The local bus provider, WestCAT, does not currently serve this area west of Interstate 80. The Hercules ITC project, however, will provide for dedicated bus access to the station building and connections to the train and ferry. Bus transit connectivity at the Hercules ITC will be a critical component of the transit system and will provide local and regional service accessing the other modes. Additionally, future plans include shuttles to the North Shore Business Park – home to the world headquarters of the Bio-Rad Laboratories, which employs nearly 2,000 workers and is within one-half mile of the Hercules ITC.

Bus drop-off area adjacent to Transit Loop Drive

Circulation/Pedestrian access to Hercules ITC

Hercules ITC Page 8 Current Water Transit Issues and Solutions The Water Emergency Transporta- tion Authority (WETA) (formerly the Water Transit Authority or WTA) is dedicated to providing a ferry sys- tem in the San Francisco Bay Area that will not only meet the needs of commuters and recreational users, but will provide a means of access- ing goods, services, and employment in the case of a natural or man-made disaster. The Hercules ferry is a part of this Bay Area-wide system and will have a direct connection to the Hercules ITC station structure. The third station tower, and access to the ferry pier via a stairwell and ramp structure, will be constructed so that access to the ferry will only need a pier and docking facility, which will be funded and constructed by WETA.

The Intermodal Transit Center Hercules to San Francisco Ferry Route Map Solution Once the Hercules Intermodal Transit Center is constructed, it will immediately address the following issues in the Bay Area transportation system: • Increased use of alternative transportation modes with seamless connectivity between bus, rail, and ferry. • Completion of a one mile gap of the and access to the Hercules ITC via bicycling and walking. • A safer rail corridor with the UPRR separated from the station and the transit-oriented development by a six to eight foot retaining wall and fencing. • The construction of a new railroad bridge and raising the tracks by approximately one foot; and widening/restoring Refugio Creek upstream and into the Bay via the railroad bridge to accommodate a 100-year flood event, will eliminate flooding of the UPRR tracks and addresses San Pablo/San Francisco Bay sea level rise issues. • Passengers utilizing the Hercules ITC will be able to transfer from pedestrian or auto- mobile travel to local buses, intercity buses and rail, and even the San Francisco and Oakland airports via direct access to BART at the Richmond BART/Amtrak station. The Hercules ITC will change the way the Bay Area uses and accesses public transportation!

Hercules ITC Page 9 - Transit investment has double the economic benefit to a city than does highway investment. - Transit can enable a city to use market forces to increase densities near stations, where most services are located, thus creating more efficient subcenters and minimizing sprawl. - Transit enables a city to be more corridor-oriented, making it easier to provide infrastructure. - Transit enhances the overall economic efficiency of a city; denser cities with less car use and more transit use spend a lower propo- tion of their gross regional product or wealth on passenger transportation.

- Taken from Sustainability and Cities, by Newman & Kenworthy

The Hercules ITC will be a benchmark for sustainable design through its certification as a LEED Silver project, an innovation for intermodal transit center projects. The Hercules ITC and surrounding 42-acre development was selected as a LEED – Neighborhood Development (LEED- ND) pilot project. The Hercules ITC will be energy-neutral, meaning that the wind turbines and solar panels will provide all of the power necessary for the operation of the facility.

The Hercules ITC project will include the following: 1. A 13,500 square foot station structure including three towers – one on the land side for access to the plaza, one on the center-boarding platform to access the trains, and one on the water-wide for access to the ferry pier and dock. The station will be anchored by a café building and over 1,400 residential units, retail, and commercial office space in the surrounding transit oriented development. The City of Hercules offices may occupy a civic building directly across from the station, thereby allowing the public officials and employees to utilize the transit facilities, Bay Trail, parks, and services. 2. A temporary surface parking lot approximately one block from the station will be construct- ed that will include disabled parking spaces, electric vehicle hook-ups, and “Flex Car” par- ing. In the future, an adjacent multi-story parking garage will meet full build out parking demand and will be “wrapped” with retail and residential uses. The Hercules ITC parking needs will be accommodated in the surface and structured parking to eliminate impacts on the surrounding residential developments. 3. An 800-foot center boarding platform will be constructed once the UPRR tracks are sep rated to accommodate the 35-foot platform width. A curve in the tracks will be slightly straightened to increase train speeds. As noted above, a third track will be constructed adjacent to the existing tracks, which is a benefit to the both passenger and freight trains . 4. Pedestrian and bicycle access as well as a bicycle “garage” for bike parking will be constructed.

Hercules ITC Page 10 5. All areas of the Hercules ITC including the plaza entrance to the station, passenger waiting areas, and restroom facilities will be completely ADA accessible. 6. Public parks, pocket parks, and a 10-acre passive park on Hercules Point (adjacent to the station) will be constructed. 7. Refugio Creek will be widened approximately 200 feet, and three new bridges will be constructed at Bayfront Boulevard, Transit Loop, and the UPRR. This widening and restoration will align with the upstream improvements already constructed as part of the adjacent housing development. All necessary creek mitigation will be accomplished within the existing Refugio Creek watershed in the vicinity of the Hercules ITC.

The Hercules ITC will be a strong source of short-term and long-term jobs, strengthening the local and regional economy. The project can be under construction soon after receiving the TIGER funds. The local economy will be stimulated immediately with the addition of approxi- mately 568 construction jobs and in the future by local business opportunities and transit jobs. Hercules ITC and Beyond From 1881 until 1955, the California Powder Works, and later the Hercules Powder Company, was the largest explosives factory on the West Coast. In World War I, it was the largest explo- sives factory in the world. It supplied black powder, dynamite and TNT essential for mining of ores, construction projects such as the Panama Canal and numerous railroads, and gunpowder for the military. Shipments by rail and water were essential, hence its location on the main transcontinental rail route. The company shifted to specialty chemicals, such as fertilizers, after World War II. After operations ceased in the mid-1960s, the central factory site was remedi- ated, and the peripheral valley was sold for residential development. The Transit-Oriented,

Hercules ITC Page 11 Mixed-Use Development on the waterfront, which includes the Hercules ITC, is the final piece of restored brownfield site remaining from the Hercules Powder Company and fertilizer factory days. The Hercules ITC is the anchor of the TOD. In 2000, a city-wide charette process took place, involving hundreds of residents, which ulti- mately helped design the future of the City of Hercules. Following the charette process, the information guided the development of the Waterfront District Master Plan. The Hercules ITC and transit-oriented development is furthering the vision of Hercules’ future as a walkable, sustainable, livable community. The City is using electric vehicle charging stations, which are already installed at City Hall and will be installed adjacent to the Hercules ITC. In addition, car-share parking spaces will be pro- vided in the HITC area and the City is coordinating with 511 Contra Costa, the County rideshar- ing agency, to provide incentives to use transit.

“Transit Oriented Development as an approach to combat traffic congestion and protect the environment has caught on all across the country. The trick for real estate developers has always been identifying the hot transportation system. Today, highways are out; urban transit systems are in.”

-The Urban Land Institute (ULI)

II. Project Parties

The Hercules Intermodal Transit Center brings together many partners at the federal, state, re- gional, and local level. Organizations partnering with the City of Hercules on this facility include: The Federal Government: Congressman George Miller secured an appropriation of just over $1M for the Transit Loop component of the project. Congressional staff have visited the site and City elected officials have presented information to the Senate and House of Representa- tives’ staff in Washington, DC on the project. State of California: The State is an important funding partner. Additionally, City staff work with the California Department of Transportation’s (Caltrans) Department of Rail and Department of Mass Transit on the various components of the project. Amtrak and Capitol Corridor: The City is working closing with Amtrak, the operator of the Capitol Corridor service, on bringing the service and a station stop to the City of Hercules. Ad- ditionally, the Capitol Corridor staff has reviewed and commented on the plans and drawings for the Hercules ITC and will give final approval for the station stop in Hercules.

Hercules ITC Page 12 Western Contra Costa Transit Authority: WestCAT, the local bus operator, is very excited about the project and the bus connections. WestCAT is also our partner on the Federal funding since the funds are in the “Bus and Bus Transit” program and require a public transit operator sponsor. Regional Park District: EBRPD is the City’s partner on the San Francisco Bay Trail that runs through the center of the Hercules ITC project. The two agencies have partnered on fund- ing, design, engineering, and construction of the trail providing completion of a critical link. West Contra Costa Transportation Advisory Committee: WCCTAC Is the regional transportation planning committee for the area which includes the cities of Hercules, Pinole, Richmond, San Pablo, and El Cerrito; Contra Costa County; and the transit agencies (BART, AC Transit, WestCAT) Metropolitan Transportation Commission: MTC is the transportation planning, coordinating, and financing agency for the nine-county San Francisco Bay Area. MTC together with the Asso- ciation of Bay Area Governments and the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, have desig- nated the Hercules Waterfront District, site of the Hercules ITC, as a Priority Development Area. Contra Costa Transportation Authority: CCTA is a public agency formed by the Contra Costa voters in 1988 to manage the county’s transportation sales tax program and to do countywide transportation planning.

Map with Freeways and Major Arterials for Site Access

Hercules ITC Page 13 III. Grant Funds and Sources/Uses of Project Funds

The City of Hercules and its partners have developed an innovative, and complex, funding plan for the Hercules ITC. The plan incorporates federal, state, regional, and local funding that has already been secured and partially expended, and calls for additional local Redevelopment Agency funds and federal TIGER funding to complete the financing package. The City of Hercules respectfully requests $11,180,400 – or 22% of the total project cost – in TIGER II funds. The City has secured 78% of the funding from other sources, well above the required match. The Hercules ITC financial plan which is detailed below:

Project Components:

Train Station $19,040,000 Retaining Walls $ 3,240,000 Railroad Realignment $ 5,010,000 Relocate Utilities $ 5,010,000 San Francisco Bay Trail $ 4,000,000 Soil Nail Retaining Wall $ 3,500,000 Railroad Bridge $ 2,790,000 Creekside Park $ 1,200,000 Railroad Platform Support $ 970,000 Transit Loop Drive $ 1,420,000 Transit Loop Bridge $ 1,310,000 Fencing $ 1,040,000 Promenade $ 850,000 Lighting $ 820,000

Total Project Expenditures $50,200,000

Hercules ITC Page 14 Project Funding Sources *Indicates funds have been secured

Federal High Priority Project Appropriation (FTA)* $ 1,251,000 Federal Appropriation 2011 $ 3,120,000 SAFETEA-LU Reauthorization $ 8,057,000 TIGER II Grant $11,180,400 Total Federal Contribution $23,608,400 (47% of Total Project Cost)

State of California Transportation Congestion Relief Program* $ 3,000,000 STIP – Transportation Enhancement * $ 8,000,000 STIP – Transportation Enhancement* $1,097,000 STIP – Transportation Enhancement* $ 862,000 Total State Contribution $12,959,000 (26% of Total Project Cost)

Regional Measure J Transportation Sales Tax* $5,891,000 Measure WW Bond Local (Bay Trail)* $ 900,000 Measure AA Bond (Bay Trail)* $ 1,400,000 Measure WW Bond Regional (Bay Trail)* $ 367,000 Bay Trail Grant (ABAG)* $ 198,000 Total Regional Contribution $8,756,000 (17% of Total Project Cost)

Local Redevelopment Agency Bonds to be Issued $ 4,876,600 (10% of Total Project Cost)

TOTAL PROJECT REVENUES $50,200,000

The funding for the Hercules ITC project is very complex and is an example of an exemplary partnership, intergovernmental cooperation, and coordination. Funding from the federal gov- ernment and the State of California is critical to the project. With the TIGER II grant and local redevelopment bonds, the project is fully funded and can be delivered within the next twenty- four months. The Project Managers for the Hercules ITC have over thirty years of combined experience man- aging multi-modal transportation projects with several funding sources. This experience will lend itself to successful use of the grant funding and tracking the expenditures with the appro- priate project component.

Hercules ITC Page 15 IV. Selection Criteria a. Long-Term Outcomes

i. State of Good Repair The Hercules ITC will be a new facility, thus it is not necessary to bring it into a state of good repair. Long-term, however, the City of Hercules will be responsible for maintaining the station area and other public improvements in the transit-oriented development. It is also anticipated that a “Business Improvement District” will be initiated in the Hercules Bayfront area, which will collect fees to fund the maintenance of the Hercules ITC, including the land scaping and public areas.

ii. Economic Competitiveness • Goods Movement – The Hercules ITC project will provide several benefits to the UPRR rail corridor, which serves the Port of Oakland on the “Martinez Subdivision,” the fifth busiest container port in the United States and in the top twenty world-wide. A third mainline track will be constructed as part of the Hercules ITC project which will allow a full length train to pull onto the siding track if it is disabled, a freight train needs to pass a passenger train (or vice versa), or is waiting to access a station north or south of Hercules. In the future, the entire Martinez Subdivision is planned to have a third main line track, which will already be in service in Hercules. In addition, the track curves near the will be adjusted to allow an increase in passenger and freight rail speeds. • People Movement – The Hercules ITC project will increase the availability of transit options for workers coming to Hercules or commuting outside of Hercules and will increase transit ridership, thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Train and ferry ridership projections for the Hercules ITC are approximately 1,000 passengers per day. Currently, there is no transit service available to the site which is vacant land. With the construction of the project, intercity train, water ferry, and bus can be accessed by vehicle, walking, or bicycling, and transfers between modes will be seamless. • Enhanced economic competitiveness with “Environmental Sustainability” – The Hercules ITC will be built to at least LEED Silver standards. The project will be “energy neutral,” meaning that the solar and wind power that is part of the station design will general enough power (and likely excess power) for the entire station and plaza. • Total cost of the Hercules ITC and the surrounding 43-acre development is in excess of $100M. The project is truly a “public-private partnership” between the City of Hercules, the Hercules Redevelopment Agency, and the private developer (Hercules Bayfront LLC).

Hercules ITC Page 16 Hercules ITC

Neighboring Cities of Rodeo, Pinole, San Pablo, and Richmond; and further out counties of Solano, Central Contra Costa, and the Berkeley/Albany area of Alameda County.

iii. Livability The Hercules ITC will greatly enhance the livability of the City and the region by providing three transit modes and pedestrian/bicycle access to the Hercules waterfront area. The above site map shows the various areas that the Hercules ITC will serve. The following transportation options will be available at the Hercules ITC: Intercity Rail (Capitol Corridor service operating 32 trains between Sacramento and San Jose); WestCAT bus service with at least 20 minute headways during peak hours; and ferry service to San Francisco at least hourly during peak hours and “bus bridge” service via WestCAT during non-peak periods. Bicycle and pedestrian access will be via the San Francisco Bay Trail and the Creekside Trail. Infrastructure improvements for access to the Hercules ITC include: completion of John Muir Parkway Phase II, construction of Transit Loop Drive and Bridge, construction of the Bayfront Bridge, and temporary and long-term parking. The construction of the adjacent Transit-Oriented Development will provide a unique wal able community with housing, retail, commercial office space, and restaurants. The area is anticipated to become a vibrant “new urbanist” development anchored by the Hercules ITC.

Hercules ITC Page 17 v. Sustainability The Hercules ITC has achieved LEED Silver certification, and may reach LEED Gold certifica- tion, a more rigorous standard that the base certification. The surrounding Hercules Bay- front transit-oriented development was a pilot project for the LEED-ND designation and in January 2010, the Project was awarded a LEED Gold rating for the LEED-ND Pilot Program. The following are some of the sustainable features of the Hercules ITC and adjacent build ings and open spaces: • Green Power Sources: Substantive solar panels on the roof of the station building and eight helical wind turbines on the train platform will provide enough power generation for the station and surrounding public spaces, including the station plaza and café building. It is likely that the power generation will support other uses, possible a civic building across Bayfront Boulevard from the plaza.

• Water Efficiency: Water efficient landscaping and facility water use reduction will be built into the project. The project will assist in providing improved water quality by its design to allow the stormwater within impacted areas to be directed to the bioreten- tion areas on the project site. The bioretention areas are being designed to provide treatment for 90% of the annual average rainfall from impervious surfaces within the impacted wetlands, waters, and 100-foot buffer areas. • Construction Materials: Construction materials will be low-waste, recycled, and locally sourced to the extent possible. • Aternative Transportation Modes: Increased transit ridership is anticipated with the intercity train, ferry, and bus located at one station, and easily accessed by bicycling and walking. This will substantially reduce the environmental impacts and emissions of automobiles.

Hercules ITC Page 18 v. Safety The Hercules ITC project has several safety features: • Completely separating the railroad right-of-way from the adjacent transit-oriented devel- opment for approximately one mile. Currently, pedestrians walk onto and across the tracks to go fishing in San Pablo Bay. This will not be possible after construction of the Hercules ITC. • Building a new railroad bridge and two vehicle bridges over a significantly widened Refugio Creek. These improvements will meet the 100 year flood requirement and keep the railroad bridge from flooding during a storm event. The project also addresses the sea level rise issue. • Increased security at the station. The station building tower contains a police substation that can have “eyes on the street” and create a sense of security. • Active uses in the Hercules ITC area and the surrounding transit-oriented development create a “sense of place” by attracting more people to the area.

b. Job Creation and Economic Stimulus Jobs – The Hercules ITC project will generate approximately 568 person-year jobs in the short- term for a $50.2M project. The Hercules ITC station will be unstaffed, but the café building in the plaza will employ food service workers. Additionally, City staff will maintain the station building and plaza. In the long-term, the surrounding transit-oriented development will employ staff in office and retail uses, and potentially in home-based businesses in the 1,400 residences. When applicable, small, disadvantaged and women-owned businesses will be encouraged to open their doors here.

Based on the Simple rule for Estimating Job-Years Created by Government Spending model from the Executive Office of the President , Coun- cil of Economic Advisers May 2009 Memorandum on “Estimates of Job Creation from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009

Non-discrimination Policy– The City’s policy is not to discriminate on the basis of age, gender, race, disability, or national origin, which is consistent with the TIGER II requirements. Using low income, small/disadvantaged business enterprises, and community based organiza- tions in connecting disadvantaged workers with economic opportunities – The City supports all types of business and within the transit-oriented development adjacent to the Hercules ITC there will be opportunities for businesses of different size and commodity. Additionally, restau- rants and other service businesses will be encouraged. A “Community Based Transportation Plan” for the Hercules/Rodeo/Crockett area is anticipated to be initiated in the next few months that would involve a local community based organization or non-profit group.

Hercules ITC Page 19 c. Innovation The Hercules Intermodal Transit Center project is innovative in design; sustainability; use of open spaces within an urban, transit-oriented development; and as a true public-private partnership.

1. Design – The Hercules ITC project is the first in the Western United States to combine bus, rail, and ferry transit modes in one accessible station with an immediately adjacent bicycle and pedestrian trail. The design captures the look of the historic “train sheds” of Europe and provides an open, glass structure with expansive views of the San Francisco Bay and beyond as far as Mt. Tamalpais. The San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission has lauded the design in keeping with its standard for sight lines and access to the Bay. LEED standards have been included and we believe this is the first intercity rail station that will include small, helical wind turbines on the platform to provide power. 2. Use of Open Spaces – The Hercules ITC project includes a large civic plaza at its “front door” – suitable for small music concerts or weekend Farmers Markets. Adjacent to the st tion will be the restored and widened Refugio Creek with its Creekside Park and trail. Similarly, throughout the transit-oriented development there are three pockets parks. The City has plans to complete the remediation of the 10-acre Hercules Point property and con- struct a mostly-passive park on the site with grade-separated access over the railroad tracks. 3. Public-Private Partnership – The City of Hercules and the Hercules Redevelopment Agency are working with the private developer, Hercules Bayfront LLC on the Hercules ITC and the surrounding residential, retail, and commercial space adjacent to the station.

Hercules Bayfront Open Spaces (Hercules ITC is located adjacent to Civic Plaza)

Hercules ITC Page 20 d. Partnership The Hercules ITC is a model project for collaboration among local, regional, state, and federal stakeholders. Throughout all stages of the project – from conceptual design through construc- tion – the project sponsors and participating agencies have worked with the City of Hercules to create a truly cost-effective and model intermodal transit center that will make the Hercules waterfront a vibrant, more livable community. The partnership has extended through the funding sources that have been secured for the project as outlined previously. Currently, the project sponsors have obtained more than a dozen fund sources.

The partnership extends past funding. The City of Hercules is working with more than eight agencies and over six permitting agencies to complete the project. The City has also worked very diligently – starting from the Charette process in 2000 in which several hundred residents provided input into the City’s future vision – to include the public in the project. In summer 2009, over six public meetings were held to receive public input on various components of the project including the design of the station building, the creek restoration plans, and integration of the history of the City into a public art and interpretive program for the Hercules ITC and surrounding area. The Hercules Historical Society is an active partner in planning and integrat- ing the rich history of the City of Hercules into the Hercules ITC and Hercules Bayfront develop- ment. Hercules ITC partners include: Metropolitan Transportation Commission; California Depart- ment of Transportation; Contra Costa Transportation Authority; East Bay Regional Park District; Western Contra Costa Transit Authority; West Contra Costa Transportation Advisory Committee; Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority; Union Pacific Railroad; Contra Costa County; Federal Transit Administration; Amtrak.

Hercules ITC Page 21 V. Project Readiness and NEPA

Project Schedule – Major Milestones: EIR/EIS Certified in December 2010 Final Design in December 2010 Permits – December 2010/January 2011 First construction award in First Quarter 2011 Significant State funding allocated by June 30, 2011 Construction timeline – 18 to 24 months Revenue service on the Capitol Corridor trains in 2012/13

Schedule – An EIR for CEQA and an EIR/EIS for NEPA (co-lead is the Federal Transit Adminis- tration) are being prepared for the Hercules ITC. The Notice of Determination and Record of Determination are anticipated by December 30, 2010. Environmental approvals – The Hercules ITC project requires a permit or approval from the following agencies; US Army Corp of Engineers, Regional Water Quality Control Board, Environ- mental Protection Agency, the US Fish and Wildlife Service, the Bay Conservation and Develop- ment Commission, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and California Depart- ment of Fish and Game. The Draft EIR/EIS should be available on the City’s website by August 30, 2010 at www.ci.hercules.ca.us.

Hercules ITC Page 22 Required Agencies and Reviews, Permits, and Consultations Legislative Approvals– The West Contra Costa Transportation Advisory Committee, Contra Costa Transportation Authority, Western Contra Costa Transit Authority, and Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Agency are in support of the HITC project. Letter of support from Congressman George Miller is attached. State and Local Planning – The Hercules ITC project is in the Metropolitan Transportation Com- mission’s STIP and TIP. Technical and Financial Feasibility: The Hercules ITC team has been working on the project for over two years on the design, engineering, and architecture of the project, and meets on a bi-monthly basis. A cost estimator reviewed and confirmed the costs. In Spring 2010, a “Value Engineering Report and Recom- mendations” was completed that included eleven final recommendations on the train station, retaining walls, railroad alignment, utilities, Bay Trail, railroad bridge, Creekside Park, railroad platform, Transit Loop Drive and Bridge, fencing, and lighting. The plans are nearing 90%

Hercules ITC Page 23 completion. The Union Pacific Railroad has approved the track alignment and signal improve- ments. There are no technical issues with the project that have not been resolved through the design and engineering process to date. The City has aggressively and consistently applied for and received grant funding over the past five years. The project is fully funded with a combination of Federal, State, Regional, and City/ Redevelopment Agency funds. The TIGER II grant will complete the funding required. The City will be issuing five construction packages for the Hercules ITC project that align with the funding timelines and scope. Prior to the Hercules ITC construction, infrastructure improve- ments will be constructed including the Bayfront Bridge, Bayfront Boulevard extension, John Muir Parkway Phase II, rough grading of the project site, and utility installation.

The Five Hercules ITC construction packages are: • Package 1: Portion of the Bay Trail, upper retaining walls, lower Bay Trail, lighting, railing, fencing, fill walls, Emergency Vehicle Access road to the platform, and the foot path through railroad plaza. • Package 2: Utility relocation. • Package 3: Transit Loop Drive and Bridge, temporary parking lot, Bay Trail promenade, Creekside Trail, Creekside Park Phase 1, and restoration/realignment of Refugio Creek. • Package 4: UPRR track and signal work, soil nail walls, railroad bridge, grading and drainage, station foundation and structure, railroad platform, Refugio Creek grading. • Package 5: Transit/civic plaza, café-retail building, interpretive and public art.

Financial Feasibility – Please refer to Section III. Grant Funds and Sources/Uses of Project Funds. No-Build Scenario Under the “no build scenario,” conditions in the Hercules Bayfront area (currently 40 acres of undeveloped land) would remain vacant. There would be no bus, train, or ferry service, and without these alternative transportation modes, freeway congestion would likely increase. Roadways would remain in their present state with no new improvements. John Muir Parkway Phase I would remain in an unfinished state with no connection except to a local arterial. Im- provements to Refugio Creek to address flooding would not occur, and park and open space facilities would not be constructed. A one-mile gap in the San Francisco Bay Trail would remain which would deter bicycle and pedestrian modes of travel.

Hercules ITC Page 24 VI. Federal Wage Rate Certification [See Attachment B, Letter from City Manager]

VI. Changes from Pre-Application • Expanded the scope to include the overall Hercules Intermodal Transit Center project instead of just the Hercules Intermodal Transit Center Station Building. • The expanded scope of the project changed the total amount of the project from just the Station Building at $18,634,000 to $50,200,000 (the entire Hercules ITC project).

Hercules ITC Page 25 Appendix A: Additional Information on Benefit-Cost Analysis

Evaluation of Expected Project Costs and Benefits Benefit-Cost Analysis Due to the fact that the Hercules Intermodal Transit Center project is a “smaller” project, the benefit-cost analysis is more general. Additionally, because the Hercules ITC is an intermodal project, the benefit-cost analysis is not as straightforward as other types of projects. The pro- posed capital costs are identified previously, but summarized below.

Project Summary

• Current infrastructure baseline: The project site is currently undeveloped land bordered by existing residential development, the first phase of John Muir Parkway and Bayfront Boulevard, the UPRR railroad tracks and San Pablo Bay. Refugio Creek runs through the middle of the project and currently has a man-made dogleg as it enters the Bay. The two sets of railroad tracks are currently immediately adjacent to each other and the signal equipment is near Hercules Point.

• Change to project baseline: The Hercules ITC project would change the current baseline by adding the access infrastructure (roads, bridges), the station building, parking, transit plaza, Bay Trail, and Creekside Trail. Refugio Creek will be straightened, restored, reme diated, and widened by approximately 200 feet. The UPPR tracks will be spread to allow for construction of the 800 foot by 35 foot platform. The signal equipment will be relo cated so as not to conflict with the new passenger platform per UPRR standards.

• Project justification: The Hercules ITC project is needed for the following reasons: provides alternative transportation modes which will reduce congestion and greenhouse gas emissions; uses good planning practices by constructing an intermodal transit center with three transit modes at the heart of a transit-oriented development; the project leverages many federal, state, regional, and local funds and well-exceeds the matching funds requirement; intermodal projects such as the Hercules ITC meet the goals of the administration by building livable, walkable, mixed-use developments.

• Who would benefit from the project? Residents, employees, and visitors from: City of Hercules, neighboring jurisdictions of Crockett, Rodeo, and Pinole; and the greater Bay Area; commuters in cities to the north in Solano County, to the south in Alameda County and to the west in central Contra Costa County,.

• Economic Benefits: Job creation; increased home values in the region due to the prox imity to an intermodal transit center; investments in parks and open spaces; improved goods movement in the Interstate 80 corridor in the Bay Area by providing public transit options which will reduce automobile traffic on the roadway system; and improved health due to increased walking and use of public transit, and reduced carbon emissions which will reduce health care costs.

Hercules ITC Page A - 1 Hercules ITC BENEFITS:

A. State of Good Repair - The City Public Works Department and contractors will maintain the station building. The estimated City cost is $219,000 per year or $8,760,000 over a 40-yer lifespan of the project. The City anticipates a Business Improvement District in the Hercules Bayfront area to assist with the maintenance costs of the Hercules ITC. New roads, bridges, and other infrastructure will also be maintained by the City.

B. Safety 1. Rail safety improvement – One mile of grade-separated track will eliminate train/ pedestrian conflicts in this area.

2. General Safety – Construction of bike lanes on access roads and bicycle/pedes trian trails throughout the project providing safe travelways for bicyclists and pe destrians. The Hercules ITC has been designed with pedestrians and accessibility in mind and reflected in the project. Walking, cycling, and public transit use increase overall security and reduce crime rates by providing more monitoring of city streets and transit walking area (Hillier and Shabaz 2006).

C. Environmental Sustainability

1. Reduction in vehicle miles traveled – Three transit modes and bicycling/walking to the station will reduce vehicle trips on Interstate 80, the most congested freeway in the Bay Area in the morning commute hours. The California Department of Trans portation’s (Caltrans’) Bay Area 2006 monitoring program found that traffic delay on I-80 from Hercules to the San Francisco Bay Bridge increased by sixteen percent between 2001 and 2005. The Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) ex pects that due to high housing costs, many more Bay Area workers will be living far from their jobs resulting in more commuting time and air pollution. Construction of the Hercules ITC will improve commuting time and reduce air pollution by providing transit options close to homes. Ridership forecasts for the Hercules ITC for 2025 forecast a total of 1,124 daily intercity train boardings, which will result in a signifi cant number of cars being removed from the freeway system.

2. Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reductions – The City of Hercules supported an independent investigator (J. Malaczynski, 2009) to review a project of similar scale and design in Hercules (“Hercules New Town Center”) to quantify reductions in greenhouse gas emissions compared with “business as usual.” The investigation concluded that the similar project will reduce Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) by 33 percent from business as usual. The investigation estimated an annual VMT reduc tion of 58.1 million miles resulting in an annual reduction of at least 11,904 mtCO2e

Hercules ITC Page A - 2 (Metric Tonne (ton) Carbon Dioxide Equivalent – the standard measurement of the amount of CO2 emissions that are reduced from the environment) and up to 33,961 mtCO2e if regional mode-choice effects are included. The Hercules ITC project’s VMT reductions are expected to be similar to the New Town Center’s performance, due to the similarity of the projects in their urban design and proximity to transit 3. Annual Benefits of More Residents Living in a TOD – Todd Litman from the Victoria Transport Policy Institute, in his “Evaluating Public Transportation Health Benefits (June 2010) reports that TOD benefits in a city of one million residents (arguably much larger than the City of Hercules) can be quantified as follows: Vehicle ac cident reduction - $55, 377,185; Emission reductions - $3,340,009; Walking health benefit - $11,457,049; and Cycling health benefit - $798,000. Additionally in a com prehensive analysis, Litman concludes that benefits from Planning Objectives such as congestion reduction, roadway cost savings, reduced traffic accidents, energy con servation, reduced sprawl and increased physical activity and fitness improve across the board when public transportation is provided. D. Livability The Hercules ITC is the “t – transit” in the transit-oriented development. TOD’s are liv able, walkable, mixed use projects. The City of Hercules has policies in place to encour age and foster this type of development including: the use of “form based codes,” the Waterfront District Master Plan and Waterfront NOW Initiative that outline the build ing type, density, height, and architectural design of developments on the waterfront including the Hercules Bayfront development. The Hercules ITC is a replicable model for transit-oriented development that can be used in other urban settings throughout the United States. E. Improved operation of the UPRR Track realignment, new railroad bridge constructed, third main-line track added. The benefits include elimination of track congestion with freight and passenger rail due to the addition of the third track. The existing railroad bridge will be replaced because it does not meet current 50-year or 200-year storm event design criteria, and because it redirects surface water runoff into Refugio Creek. F. National-Scale Benefits reported by the American Public Transit Association: 1. Access to bus and rail lines reduces driving by 4,400 miles per household annually. 2. Americans living in areas served by public transportation save 646 million hours in travel time and 398 million gallons of fuel annually in congestion reduction alone. 3 Without public transportation, congestion costs would have been an additional $13.7 million. 4, Households that are likely to use public transportation on a given day save over $9,000 every year. 5. One person switching to public transit can reduce daily carbon emissions by 20 pounds, or more than 4,800 pounds in a year.

Hercules ITC Page A - 3 Hercules ITC COSTS:

Planning and preliminary design $1,000,000 including consultants and project management Environmental Clearance $450,000 for CEQA/NEPA Final Design $1,500,000 Construction (see breakdown below) $50,200,000 Maintenance (over 40 years) $8,760,000

Construction Costs:

Train Station $19,040,000 Retaining Walls $ 3,240,000 Railroad Realignment $ 5,010,000 Relocate Utilities $ 5,010,000 San Francisco Bay Trail $ 4,000,000 Soil Nail Retaining Wall $ 3,500,000 Railroad Bridge $ 2,790,000 Creekside Park $ 1,200,000 Railroad Platform Support $ 970,000 Transit Loop Drive $ 1,420,000 Transit Loop Bridge $ 1,310,000 Fencing $ 1,040,000 Promenade $ 850,000 Lighting $ 820,000 Total Project Expenditures $50,200,000

Hercules ITC Page A - 4 Performance/analysis measures:

a. The Hercules ITC project is designed to facilitate alternative modes of transportation and is pedestrian and bicycle-oriented. It promotes public health and healthy communities, including walkable communities immediately adjacent to the HITC. The City of Hercu les has worked with Contra Costa Health Services (CCHS) on “Safe Routes to School” and “Safe Routes to Transit” programs over the past several years. The City will work with CCHS on programs to promote walking to transit or jobs, promoting and advertising “healthy communities,” and on wellness programs in the waterfront area and the com- munity. Additionally the City of Hercules coordinates with the County rideshare agency – 511 Contra Costa – on commute alternatives and incentives for employees, students, and residents to try public transit, carpooling, vanpooling, walking, and biking. 511 Contra Costa monitors and reports on all incentive programs.

b. As part of the LEED certification process, LEED standards will be evaluated and measured by the City of Hercules or its LEED consultant, HDR Environmental.

c. Air quality improvements due to the Hercules ITC location in the heart of a transit- oriented development will be measured by the UC Berkeley Institute of Urban and Re gional Development (IURD). The IURD has worked with the City on other projects to study the effects of increased transit ridership and the resultant reduction in vehicle trips, and the same methodology and study criteria will be used to analyze the Hercules ITC once it is operational.

Hercules ITC Page A- 5 Appendix B Federal Wage Rate Requirement

Appendix C Index of Websites and Other Supporting Information

Congressman George Miller, 7th District California – Support Letter Capital Corridor, Joint Powers Authority – Support Letter West Contra Costa Transit Authority – Support Letter California Sustainable Strategies Pilot Program, California Department of Housing and Community Development – Award Letter

City of Hercules - Intermodal Transit Center - http://www.ci.hercules.ca.us/index.aspx?page=226 City of Hercules - Waterfront Project - http://www.ci.hercules.ca.us/index.aspx?page=229 Hercules ITC Value Engineering Report - http://www.ci.hercules.ca.us/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentid=2554 Capitol Corridor - http://www.capitolcorridor.org/ WestCAT - http://www.westcat.org Water Emergency Transportation Authority - http://www.watertransit.org/proposedRoutes/hercules_overview.aspx San Francisco Bay Conservation and Development Commission’s (BCDC) Design Review Board http://www.ci.hercules.ca.us/index.aspx?page=23&recordid=408&returnURL=%2findex.aspx%3 fpage%3d1

£TATE DE G.8.1 !EQRN18 _Sf ISINESS TRANSPORI.8IlQN AND HOI ISING_AGENCY DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT OFFICE OF THE DIRECTOR 1800 Third Street, Room, 450 Sacramento, CA 95811 (916) 445-4775 Fax (916) 324-5107 W'WW.hcd.ca·90v

August 18, 2010

Ms. Lisa Hammon Assistant City Manager City of Hercules 111 Civic Drive Hercules, CA 94547

Dear Ms. Hammon:

The Department of Housing and Community Development (Department) is pleased to announce the City of Hercules has been selected as a California Catalyst Community for the Hercules 8ayfront Transit Village project under the Department's Catalyst Projects for California Sustainable Strategies Pilot Program.

Catalyst Projects have been selected based on their commitment to incentivize sustainable communities and test innovative strategies to increase housing supply and affordability, improve jobs and housing relationships, stimulate job creation and enhance transportation modal choices to promote environmental objectives. Selected Catalyst Projects display a commitment to both State and federal planning priorities including federal Department of Transportation, Housing and Urban Development and Environmental Protection Agency's Partnership for Sustainable Communities.

This serves as a commitment on behalf of the Department to provide and facilitate technical resources in support of the Hercules Bayfront Transit Village project. Additional detail on the award and available technical assistance resources will be provided in the coming weeks.

The Department looks forward to working with the City and project developer. Staff will be contacting you shortly to provide greater detail on the benefits of the Catalyst designation. If you have any questions, please contact Jennifer Seeger, Program Manager, at [email protected] or (916) 322-4263.

Sincerely,