Ridgecrest,Ridgecrest, CACA TTransportationransportation DevelopmentDevelopment PlanPlan FINAL REPORT Prepared for TRANSPORTATION CONSULTANTS, INC. Ridgecrest Transportation Development Plan Final Report Prepared for: Kern Council of Governments 1401 19th Street, Suite 300 Bakersfield, CA 93301 (661) 861-2191 Prepared by: LSC Transportation Consultants, Inc. 516 North Tejon Street Colorado Springs, CO 80903 (719) 633-2868 LSC #064150 June 12, 2007 TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter Title Page I INTRODUCTION .......................................................................................... I-1 II PREVIOUS TRANSPORTATION PLANS AND STUDIES ................................. II-1 Introduction ............................................................................................... II-1 Study Area Location .............................................................................. II-1 Regional Rural Transit Strategy (2003)................................................... II-1 Economic and Growth Strategy 2005-2010, A Five-Year Analysis ........... II-2 Eastern Sierra Public Transportation Plan (2004)................................... II-3 Triennial Performance Audits (2000, 2003) ............................................ II-4 City of Ridgecrest Transit Development Plan (1998)................................ II-5 III EXISTING TRANSPORTATION RESOURCES .............................................. III-1 Introduction .............................................................................................. III-1 City Transit Services.................................................................................. III-1 Description of Transportation Services.................................................. III-1 Scheduling and Dispatching............................................................ III-3 Fares .............................................................................................. III-4 Ridership Patterns................................................................................ III-5 Ridership Trends............................................................................. III-5 Ridership by Market Segment.......................................................... III-6 Staff .................................................................................................. III-6 Vehicle Fleet......................................................................................... III-6 Facilities .............................................................................................. III-7 Financial Status................................................................................... III-7 Revenues ........................................................................................ III-7 Expenses ........................................................................................ III-8 Cost Allocation Model ...................................................................... III-9 Performance Measures ....................................................................... III-10 Other Transportation Providers and Resources ........................................ III-11 Homemaker Services of Indian Wells Valley ........................................ III-11 Desert Area Rehabilitation and Training (DART).................................. III-11 CREST ............................................................................................... III-12 Community Resource Center .............................................................. III-12 Community Connection for Child Care................................................ III-13 Kern Regional Transit (KRT)................................................................ III-13 Salvation Army................................................................................... III-13 Sage Medical Center ........................................................................... III-13 IV COMMUNITY CONDITIONS ....................................................................... IV-1 Community Description............................................................................. IV-1 Study Area Location ............................................................................. IV-1 Transportation System Overview........................................................... IV-3 Highways ........................................................................................ IV-3 Airports........................................................................................... IV-3 Major Transit Destinations ................................................................... IV-3 Major Employers .................................................................................. IV-5 Study Area Demographics ......................................................................... IV-7 - ii - 1990-2006 Population .......................................................................... IV-7 Population Density ........................................................................ IV-10 Population Projections ........................................................................ IV-12 Transit-Dependent Population Characteristics .................................... IV-15 Elderly Population......................................................................... IV-17 Mobility-Limited Population........................................................... IV-19 Low-Income Population ................................................................. IV-21 Zero-Vehicle Households ............................................................... IV-23 Youth............................................................................................ IV-25 Economy ................................................................................................ IV-27 Travel Patterns ........................................................................................ IV-28 Work Transportation Mode ................................................................. IV-28 Summary ................................................................................................ IV-29 V TRANSIT NEEDS ASSESSMENT ................................................................. V-1 Introduction ............................................................................................... V-1 Rural Transit Demand Methodology............................................................ V-1 Rural Transit Model – Non-Program Demand ......................................... V-2 2006 Existing Need Estimates .......................................................... V-4 2006 Calibrated Demand Model........................................................ V-6 2010 Demand Estimates .................................................................. V-8 2020 Demand Estimates ................................................................ V-10 Program Demand ................................................................................ V-12 Summary of TCRP Methodology ........................................................... V-12 Estimated Fixed-Route Model .............................................................. V-13 Greatest Transit Need Analysis ................................................................. V-17 Methodology........................................................................................ V-17 Results................................................................................................ V-19 Ridership Trend........................................................................................ V-21 Summary .................................................................................................V-22 VI ONBOARD SURVEY RESULTS................................................................... VI-1 Introduction .............................................................................................. VI-1 Methodology.............................................................................................. VI-1 Survey Findings ........................................................................................ VI-1 Demographic Characteristics................................................................ VI-1 Age and Gender.................................................................................... VI-2 Vehicle Availability ............................................................................... VI-2 Annual Household Income.................................................................... VI-4 Occupation........................................................................................... VI-5 Ethnicity.............................................................................................. VI-7 Source of Information........................................................................... VI-7 Trip Characteristics.............................................................................. VI-8 Blocks Willing to Walk.......................................................................... VI-9 Perceptions about Ridgecrest Transit .................................................... VI-9 Ridership Frequency........................................................................... VI-10 Reason for Riding ............................................................................... VI-11 Scheduled Service .............................................................................. VI-12 Additional Comments ........................................................................