AC TRANSIT DISTRICT GM Memo No. 05-060 Board of Directors Executive Summary Meeting Date: March 2, 2005 Committees: Planning C
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INFORMATION ITEM AC TRANSIT DISTRICT GM Memo No. 05-060 Board of Directors Executive Summary Meeting Date: March 2, 2005 Committees: Planning Committee Finance Committee External Affairs Committee Operations Committee Board of Directors Financing Corporation SUBJECT: Consider Update on Jack London Square/BART In-fill Station Feasibility Study RECOMMENDED ACTION: Information Only Briefing Item Recommended Motion Fiscal Impact: None Background/Discussion: In 2001, the City of Oakland requested that BART study an in-fill station in the vicinity of Jack London Square on the existing BART train line. BART conducted an Opportunity Scan to examine future land use and transportation opportunities, identify stakeholders, develop project goals and develop a scope of work for further study. After the initial assessment, stakeholders comprised of local business owners, nonprofit agencies, and residents supported BART staff’s effort to seek funding to study the feasibility of an in-fill station in greater detail. In 2003, the City of Oakland and BART obtained funding from the Caltrans Community-Based Transportation Planning Grant Program to conduct the study. The project stakeholders established the following project goals to assist them in the alternatives comparison: BOARD ACTION: Approved as Recommended [x] Other [ ] Approved with Modification(s) [ ] MOTION: BISCHOFBERGER/PEEPLES to receive report as presented (7-0-0-0). Ayes: Directors Bischofberger, Peeples, Jaquez, Kaplan, Hayashi, Vice President Harper, President Wallace - 7 Noes: None - 0 Abstain: None - 0 Absent: None - 0 The above order was passed on March 16, 2005. Rose Martinez, District Secretary By GM Memo No. 05-060 Subject: Jack London Square BART In-fill station Date: March 2, 2005 Page 2 of 3 Examine the feasibility of a BART station in the JLS vicinity to improve regional transit access and intermodal connections Generate new transit ridership on a cost-effective basis, encourage off-peak ridership, and support entertainment uses Enhance the regional image and identity of the entire Jack London District Support mixed-use, higher density development and a pedestrian-friendly environment As evidenced by the established goals, the stakeholders were seeking solutions to economic development issues as much as they were seeking transportation solutions. While BART began the study in 2003 to determine the feasibility of constructing an additional BART station near Jack London Square, ultimately a variety of transit alternatives were considered. These alternatives were then compared to one another based on technical analyses, public input, ridership forecasts, engineering analyses, and construction and operating costs. Four stakeholder meetings were held during the study process, as well as a number of Project Team meetings. AC Transit staff attended the public meetings and was a member of the BART Project Team. Three conceptual alternatives were presented during the first stakeholder meetings: 1) BART In-fill station 2) Underground BART Shuttle 3) Electric Streetcar During the study process, BART investigated the in-fill station alternative at the Jack London location, and found that it could not fit into the existing track geometry without considerable and costly modifications. Consequently, it was not reviewed further. The two other transit alternatives, the underground shuttle and the streetcar, were both carried through further study, which included conceptual alignments, operational and maintenance plans, ridership estimates, and rough capital and operating costs. As the result of further review by the stakeholder policy group, the underground BART shuttle was determined to have long-term possibilities if it were to connect to Alameda, but was not preferred due to its high cost. However, the policy stakeholders also felt that an underground BART connection accessing Alameda was something that should be considered in upcoming studies directed by the city of Alameda as part of the base reuse plan. As a result of the technical analyses and stakeholder input, the streetcar alternative was then further refined as the preferred alternative. A number of alignments were developed along with cost estimates to provide the basis for the final recommendations. GM Memo No. 05-060 Subject: Jack London Square BART In-fill station Date: March 2, 2005 Page 3 of 3 The study concluded by acknowledging that the streetcar is the favored transit mode for the long-term, partly due to its perceived ability to stimulate development and add interest to downtown. A rubber-tire bus or shuttle would be a viable alternative; however, this alternative was less attractive to the stakeholders. The study also identified the following “Next Steps” to keep interest on the streetcar alternative and highlight the issue of access to Jack London Square: City of Alameda, BART, and City of Oakland to consider underground BART shuttle concept as part of Alameda multimodal study City of Oakland to work with the private sector to implement a limited shuttle bus service to the Jack London District Streetcar proponents to consider the creation of Oakland Streetcar nonprofit organization as a focal point to advocate and promote streetcar concept Potential non-profit to work with public agencies to identify funding opportunities Potential nonprofit to seek funding for detailed streetcar feasibility study prior to environmental analysis AC Transit staff has been in contact with staff from both the City of Oakland and BART regarding this project to determine any future steps they may be contemplating. At this time, BART is not considering altering its own expansion plan to include any of the alternatives presented in the study—including the streetcar scenarios. If the future Alameda study proposes a BART alternative that appears feasible, it will be considered at that time. City of Oakland staff has been meeting with the original stakeholders in the area to determine their inclination to form the non-profit group recommended in the study, and to gauge initial support to fund some sort of shuttle service between Jack London Square and 12th Street BART. District staff will be kept informed of any recommendations from these meetings, and will be apprised of the progress of the project. Staff will embrace every opportunity to highlight AC Transit as a potential provider of service between the City Center BART station and Jack London Square. Attachments: Attachment A: Jack London BART feasibility study part 1 Attachment B: Jack London BART feasibility study part 2 Approved by: Rick Fernandez, General Manager Nancy Skowbo, Deputy General Manager Service Development Prepared by: Tina Spencer, Manager of Long Range Planning Date Prepared: Feb. 15, 2005 DECEMBER 2004 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This project was funded by Caltrans through a CONSULTANT TEAM: Community Based Transportation Planning Grant. Daniel Iacofano, MIG, Inc. Rosemary Dudley, MIG, Inc. Paul Tuttle, MIG, Inc. POLICY ADVISORY COMMITTEE: Lou Hexter, MIG, Inc. Nancy Nadel, Oakland City Council Member Danny Wan, Oakland City Council Member Jerry Walters, Fehr & Peers Lynette Sweet, BART Board Member Gregory Saurs, Fehr & Peers Carole Ward-Allen, BART Board Member Robert Rees, Fehr & Peers Eddie Barrios, Fehr & Peers PROJECT TEAM: Natalie Fay, City of Oakland Thomas Matoff, LTK Engineering Services Pamela Kershaw, Port of Oakland John Schumann, LTK Engineering Services Tina Spencer, AC Transit Andrew Thomas, City of Alameda Carolyn Trunnell, Caltrans John Nemeth, BART Val Menotti, BART Marian Lee-Skowronek, BART Jim Gravesande, BART Ric Rattray, BART Sam Lau, BART TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 : INTRODUCTION . .5 Project Background . .6 BART’s Priorities and Project Goals . .6 The Planning Process . .7 2: EXISTING CONDITIONS . .11 Jack London District . .12 Travel Markets . .15 Existing Transit Service . .15 3: ALTERNATIVES CONSIDERED . .17 Infill BART Station . .18 Group Rapid Transit (GRT) . .20 Underground BART Shuttle . .22 Streetcar . .24 Distinctive Bus or Shuttle . .31 4: REFINEMENT OF STREETCAR ALTERNATIVE . .33 Alignment Options . .34 Alignment Conclusions . .39 Streetscape Compatibility . .41 Traffic Impacts . .45 5: STREETCAR FUNDING CONCEPTS . .49 Capital Funding . .50 Operations Funding . .51 6: CONCLUSIONS . .53 Lessons from Other Cities . .54 Next Steps . .55 JACK LONDON BART FEASIBILITY STUDY | 3 “...the connection between downtown Oakland and the Jack London Square District is a necessary component to create the energy that both destinations need to thrive.” 1: INTRODUCTION 5 Project Background 6 BART’s Priorities and Project Goals 6 The Planning Process 7 1: Introduction INTRODUCTION Jack London Square has always been a hub of activity, first as an active seaport and more recently as an entertainment district for Bay Area resi- dents and visitors. Located ten blocks south of the heart of downtown Oakland, Jack London Square (JLS) offers a glimpse into the history of Oakland’s industrial seaport, which has been adapted to provide visitors a unique experience that capitalizes on the port’s identity. The area features a cluster of entertainment venues, including restaurants, bars, performance spaces, and a movie theater. While these activities raise Jack London Square’s profile as a regional destination, the area is separated from downtown by the I-880 freeway and is just far enough away from BART that it requires additional effort to reach, lim- iting its visitors. Given the perception of inaccessibility, stakeholders in the Jack London District, including