Telegraph- International-East 14th- Bus Rapid Transit March 2006 Jim Cunradi [email protected] or 510-891-4841 Curitiba, Brazil Vancouver, Canada Jerusalem, Israel Eindhoven, Netherlands Rouen, France Corridor Characteristics »18 miles through 3 Cities - UC Berkeley campus to downtown Oakland, primarily along Telegraph Avenue, continuing to the Bay Fair BART station in San Leandro, along International/East 14th Street. »High densities of employment and housing »30,000+ daily ridership »BRT in Corridor is high priority project in Alameda Countywide Plan »Track 1 project in 2030 RTEP and Regional Transit Expansion Plan Progressive Implementation » Rapid Bus components implemented first by 2006 • New express service • New low-floor, low emission buses • Shelters • NextBus signs • Traffic Signal Priority » Full BRT project built as funding is available and based on results of EIS • Construction to begin in 2008 »Bus-only lanes proposed for most of route, except: • Broadway in downtown Oakland • East 14th Street in downtown San Leandro • Lake Merritt Dam »Transit signal priority for most of route, except • Broadway in downtown Oakland »Rail-like stations with boarding platforms level with the bus, shelters, real-time information, fare vending machines »Proof-of-Payment ticketing & multi-door boarding Major Investment Study begun in 1999 –completed 2001 Over 50 public and agency meetings in 2004 3 cities, Caltrans, dozens of neighborhood and merchant groups 700 possible design variations 2 operating plans »Greatly increases corridor transit ridership »Reduces auto trips »Improves air quality »Reduces energy use »Increases operating efficiency »Supports Transit-Oriented Development »Improves pedestrian environment »Auto congestion at some intersections »Loss of parking near BRT stations »Left-turn restrictions at some minor streets 18.00 16.00 14.00 Do nothing Rapid in 2005 12.00 BRT in 2005 10.00 8.00 Year th rd Notes: SR-185, South Area Redevelopment, Storm Block th rd »Estudillo Pedestrian Plaza, a partnership between AC Transit and the City of San Leandro »Mixed-flow operations »BRT-based Transit Oriented Development study, the first of its kind in the Bay Area th th »Notes: Community relations, medians, culture, bus ridership, “wobble”, transit village Notes: Transfer point for 3 BRT lines & BART, Uptown, Theater District, Streetscape, fast track const’n st Notes: “Pill Hill”, BRT design variation st »Notes: neighborhood commercial, on street parking »Notes: Alta Bates Hospital »Pedestrian-bus Zone »Large numbers of pedestrians »Merchant opposition »Polarized politics »Many design options under review Notes: UC Berkeley, 30,000 students, 10,000+ faculty & staff, 5,000 daily riders projected »Notes: BART connection, 16,000 workers, Transit plan study »Spring 2006 – Release Draft Environmental Impact Statement »Spring 2006 – Public hearings, public & agency comments, neighborhood workshops »Spring 2007 – Final EIS/EIR, Final Design, mitigation program, ROD »Winter 2008 – Begin Construction »Summer 2009 – Open Initial Segment .