Attachment A - Palo Alto Transit Vision - City of Palo Alto

City of Palo Alto

(ID # 7374)

City Council Staff Report Report Type: Action Items

Meeting Date: 4/17/2017

Summary Title: VTA Next Network Final Plan & Palo Alto Shuttle Vision Plan Title: Review the Valley Transportation Authority Next Network Initiative Final Plan and the Draft Palo Alto Transit Vision Plan and Direct Staff to Pursue Funding from VTA to Backfill Service Reductions with Local Shuttle Service From: City Manager Lead Department: Planning and Community Environment Recommendation Staff recommends that Council review the Valley Transportation Authority’s Next Network Initiative Final Plan, which is schedule for a VTA Board vote in May, review the draft Palo Alto Shuttle Vision Plan, and: 1) Direct staff to pursue VTA funding to backfill planned reductions in bus service with local shuttle service; and 2) Direct Staff to develop a finance and implementation plan for possible future extensions to the existing Crosstown Shuttle and Embarcadero Shuttle routes as well as a new branding and marketing strategy for the Palo Alto Free Shuttle Program. These actions would be contingent on future funding.

Executive Summary VTA is planning reductions in bus service in Palo Alto at the same time that Palo Alto has been planning potential expansions in local shuttle service. Expansion of local shuttle service is contingent on funding. This evening’s agenda item allows for a discussion of both planning efforts and suggests that the City advocate for VTA funds to backfill bus service reductions with local shuttle service. City staff is also requesting direction to develop a finance and implementation plan for additional shuttle service expansions as well as a new branding and marketing strategy for the Palo Alto Free Shuttle. Funding may be available from County Measure B and other sources, and would

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be a pre-requisite for shuttle service enhancements.

Background The 1998-2010 City of Palo Alto Comprehensive Plan identified “Goal T-2: A Convenient, Efficient, Public Transit System that Provides a Viable Alternative to Driving.” This goal led to the establishment of the Palo Alto Shuttle in 1999. The City of Palo Alto has historically provided free public transit service via a shuttle program that included two routes: the Crosstown and the Embarcadero. In 2014, the Palo Alto Free Shuttle Program introduced a new shuttle route in partnership with the City of East Palo Alto, bringing the total number of shuttle routes in the program to three. However, this third route was discontinued by the City of East Palo Alto on September 30, 2016. The Palo Alto Free Shuttle service complements transit services provided by the Valley Transportation Authority (VTA), as well as shuttle services provided by Stanford University, private companies and other transit operators. The Crosstown Shuttle provides a north-south connection from the Palo Alto Transit Center to Crescent Park, Midtown, the Charleston Road area, and several community centers, libraries, senior centers, neighborhoods and schools in between. The north-south connection is also supported by the VTA route 21, which follows Middlefield Road from the Palo Alto Transit Center to the Mountain View city limits, continuing on to downtown Mountain View. The Crosstown Shuttle route is funded 100% by the City’s General Fund and operates Monday through Friday during the daytime period, excluding some holidays. The Embarcadero Shuttle provides an east-west connection from the Palo Alto Transit Center to the businesses located in the Baylands at the east end of Embarcadero Road. The City currently contracts with the Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board (PCJPB) to operate the Embarcadero Shuttle, which is a part of the Caltrain peak-hour commuter shuttle program and subsidized 46.5% by the PCJPB. The remaining 53.5% is funded by the City of Palo Alto General Fund. The shuttle operates Monday through Friday at peak periods only, excluding some holidays. In 2015, with the vision of expanding mobility options for Palo Alto residents, employee and visitors of all ages and abilities, staff retained Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates, Inc. to develop the Palo Alto Transit Vision Plan (Attachment A). In January 2017, VTA released its Next Network Initiative Draft Plan (Attachment B), which included modifications and proposed elimination of several transit routes in Palo Alto. Addressing gaps which would result from the VTA fixed-route transit service changes in Palo Alto was a key consideration in the development of transit route concepts in the Palo Alto Transit Vision Plan. VTA is expected to release their Next Network Initiative Final Plan on April 7, 2017 and it will likely include changes to the draft plan proposal for VTA service in Palo Alto.

Discussion

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In 2015, Staff engaged Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates, Inc. to develop the Palo Alto Transit Vision Plan. This study was intended to move the vision of a citywide fare-free transit network forward by developing an expanded system concept for consideration by elected officials and residents alike. The plan is intended to serve as a blueprint for implementing new transit services within Palo Alto that connect residential areas to key employment, shopping, recreation, and school destinations. The vision outlined within the plan also seeks to improve regional connectivity with linkages to Caltrain and other transit providers (e.g. VTA, SamTrans, AC Transit), and take appropriate measures to address and fill gaps which may be presented by the elimination or modification of some VTA transit service in Palo Alto. This Palo Alto Transit Vision Plan was developed in close consultation with current shuttle users, residents, commuters and visitors. The planning process included the following phases:  Community Engagement and Market Analysis (October 2015 to January 2016) - market demand analysis, community survey and community meeting  Route Concept Development (January 2016 to March 2016) - development of universe of route concepts derived from community goals and objectives, community meeting, and high-level operational analysis  Route Concept Screening and Service Plan Development (February 2016 to March 2016) - screening of universe of route concepts against goals and service criteria and development of a five-year service plan including phased implementation of additional service  Monitoring VTA Next Network Initiative (April 2016 to January 2017) – study paused while Staff engaged in advocacy and coordination around the proposed route restricting by VTA  Route Concept Development Phase 2 (January 2017 to March 2017) – route concepts refined based on VTA Next Network Initiative draft plan and pre-release discussions around the final plan VTA Next Network Initiative Update In January 2017, VTA released the Next Network Initiative Draft Plan, which focused on a reduction in coverage-based transit service in order to provide more robust and frequent service to higher ridership routes within the VTA service area. This draft plan included a service concept that was 90% focused on high-ridership routes and 10% oriented toward providing service coverage to other areas. In early April, after the preparation of this staff report, VTA released the Next Network Initiative final plan, which is likely to propose 83% of operating funding be used to improve higher ridership routes, and 17% of funding for routes serving coverage goals. Based on discussions with VTA staff, the Next Network Initiative Final Plan will propose modification to fixed-route service in Palo Alto as described in Table 1 below: Table 1: VTA Next Network Initiative Final Plan - Projected Impacts to Palo Alto

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Route Number 21 (New)

Description of Change

Routing Change The existing routes 35 and 32 would become route 21 NO and connect the Palo Alto Transit Center with San Antonio Shopping Center, San Antonio Caltrain Station, Downtown Mountain View, Downtown Sunnyvale and the Santa Clara Caltrain Station. 22 NO Route will remain but frequency will be reduced. 35 Current route 35 will be discontinued and replaced with YES new Route 21. 88/288 Current routes 88, 88L and 88M will be replaced with YES three new routes 288, 288A and 288B that will only run (New) once in the morning and twice in the afternoon. One bus on each of the three routes will travel to Gunn High School and the VA Medical Center in the morning and one bus on each of the three routes will depart the school at dismissal time. One bus on one route will depart at a later time to be determined jointly by the school administration, PTA, greater school community, City and VTA. 89 Route 89 will continue to operate as is between the NO California Avenue Caltrain Station, Stanford Research Park and VA Medical Center. 102/103/10 No changes to express routes proposed at this time. NO Subject to change pending outcome of upcoming study. 4/182 522 Route will remain with increased frequency proposed to NO begin in April 2017. VTA has agreed to analyze the addition of more stops within Palo Alto. Paratransit Paratransit service area will likely contract with the YES reduction in fixed-route service, increasing the fare for Service paratransit service for residents along the west side of the US 101 freeway on the east side of Palo Alto. The elimination of the all-day route 88 service will move these residents from the standard paratransit area to the extended paratransit service area. These residents could see their paratransit fare increase from $4.00 to $16.00 per trip. Source: Planning and Community Environment Department, March 2017

Frequency Change NO

YES YES YES

NO

NO YES

NO

At the January 24, 2017 City Council meeting, VTA staff presented the Next Network Initiative Draft Plan and received feedback from the Councilmembers. Subsequent to the meeting, both the Mayor and City Manager drafted letters to the VTA Chair and Executive Director, respectively. These letters are included as Attachment C. City of Palo Alto

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Throughout the last phase of the development of the Palo Alto Transit Vision Plan, Staff has worked to identify solutions to the proposed reduction in fixed-route transit service for Palo Alto residents. In order to address this, the plan identifies specific expansion opportunities for the Palo Alto Free Shuttle Program. Currently, 74% of Palo Alto residents are within walking distance (1/4 mile) of fixed-route transit service. Under the Next Network Initiative Final Plan, it is anticipated that this would be reduced to 61% of Palo Alto residents (Note: this amount increased slightly between the draft and final plans). With the implementation of the recommendations of the Palo Alto Transit Vision Plan, 77% of Palo Alto residents would be within walking distance (1/4 mile) of fixed-route transit service. This exceeds the mobility goal of 75% within the draft Sustainability and Climate Action Plan. Palo Alto Transit Vision Plan Recommended Shuttle Route Modifications and Extensions Based on current transit coverage in Palo Alto and gaps in coverage identified through the transit walkshed analysis, proposed changes to the VTA network, and community needs as expressed through the outreach process, a full set of route concepts were developed and screened as part of the visioning process. The outcome developed proposed route modifications to the Crosstown and Embarcadero routes, as well a new South Palo Alto route. The recommended route modifications and extensions seek to enhance coverage, frequency, and span within the Palo Alto Free Shuttle Program, while addressing the VTA reduction in fixed-route and paratransit services. South Palo Alto Shuttle The Palo Alto Transit Vision Plan identifies a new route: the South Palo Alto Shuttle (Attachment A, pages 43-44). The South Palo Alto Shuttle would begin at the California Avenue Caltrain Station and terminate at the VA Medical center, serving schools and other destinations along Colorado Avenue, Louis Road, Fabian Way, East Charleston Road, West Charleston Road, Arastradero Road, and Miranda Avenue along the way. A special school run in the morning and afternoon would extend from the California Avenue Caltrain Station to Palo Alto High School, connecting the small sliver of the school’s attendance zone south of Oregon Expressway to the school. This route would provide replacement service for the areas currently served by VTA Route 88, with much more direct and seamless connections to local services and the regional transit network. Implementation of this route in coordination with the new VTA route 288/288L/288M could enable residents, employees and students along the route to depend much more regularly on transit, and increase overall transit utilization along the corridor. Staff recommends that this route be implemented initially through a financial partnership with the Valley Transportation Authority at the same time the Next Network Initiative route changes take effect (currently estimated to be December 2017). Crosstown Shuttle Staff recommends the implementation of Crosstown Variant B (Attachment A, pages 39-40), City of Palo Alto

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which would run primarily on Middlefield Road. This overlaps the proposed VTA Route 21 within Palo Alto and, with coordination, could result in 15-minute headways all day long along Middlefield Road. Coupled with the high-frequency service along El Camino Real, this would put a large number of Palo Alto residents and employees within walking distance of high-frequency fixed-route transit service. As part of the concept service plan, the Crosstown Shuttle is targeted for significant increases in frequency and service span. Implementation of this variant in coordination with the new VTA route 21 could enable residents and employees along the Middlefield Road corridor to depend much more regularly on transit, and increase overall transit utilization along the corridor. The other Crosstown Shuttle alternative, Crosstown Variant A, would generally follow the Middlefield Road corridor, but deviate to serve libraries, community centers and schools, providing greater coverage but resulting in significantly less frequency along Middlefield Road. This variant, along with Crosstown Variant B, includes an extension to the Stanford Shopping Center, San Antonio Caltrain Station and San Antonio Shopping Center. These key destinations were identified during our community engagement process and would likely lead to an increase in ridership. Embarcadero Shuttle Staff recommends modifying the Embarcadero Shuttle (Attachment A, pages 41-42) by extending the current route to serve municipal service buildings and other businesses along West Bayshore Road and East Bayshore Road, as well as the portion of San Antonio Road nearest to US 101, which includes the Oshman Family Jewish Community Center and other important trip generators. The segment along West Bayshore Road would provide new fixedroute transit access to several existing multi-family housing communities, as well as the Palo Alto residents who would see their VTA paratransit access reduced under the Next Network Initiative final plan. This modification could allow for the expansion of the City’s Caltrain Go Pass program to employees that work at the Municipal Service Center and on Elwell Court. Currently the Embarcadero Shuttle is managed and operated by Caltrain, but 53.5% of the services funding comes from the City of Palo Alto. When the route began, the City of Palo Alto only funded 25%, but this has increased as Caltrain and transportation grant funds have tapered off. With the change in funding allocation, staff recommends that the City of Palo Alto initiate discussions with Caltrain on taking ownership of the management and operation of the service (subject to available funding), which can allow for synergy of marketing, branding, and provide a unified customer service experience across City-funded shuttle services. Several other variations of the Embarcadero Shuttle were brought into the Route Concept Screening and Service Plan Development phase but were not moved forward. These are included in Appendix C of the Palo Alto Transit Vision Plan.

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Policy Implications The following Goals, Policies and Programs from the Comprehensive Plan are directly related to this discussion: • Goal T-1: Less Reliance on Single-Occupant Vehicles • Policy T-2: Consider economic, environmental, and social cost issues in local transportation decisions. • Policy T-3: Support the development and expansion of comprehensive, effective programs to reduce auto use at both local and regional levels. • Goal T-2: A Convenient, Efficient, Public Transit System that Provides a Viable Alternative to Driving • Policy T-4: Provide local transit in Palo Alto. • Policy T-5: Support continued development and improvement of the University Avenue and California Avenue Multi-modal Transit Stations, and the San Antonio Road Station as important transportation nodes for the City. • Policy T-6: Improve public transit access to regional destinations, including those within Palo Alto. • Policy T-7: Support plans for a quiet, fast rail system that encircles the Bay, and for intracounty and transbay transit systems that link Palo Alto to the rest of Santa Clara County and adjoining counties. • Policy T-9: Work towards integrating public school commuting into the local transit system. • Policy T-11: Support efforts to integrate train, bus, and shuttle schedules at multi-modal transit stations to make public transit use more time-efficient. • Policy T-43: Provide and/or promote demand-responsive paratransit service.

Resource Impact The recommended action suggests that the City pursue funding from VTA for local shuttle service (a new South Palo Alto route) to backfill reductions in bus service. As shown in Table 2b, below, the estimated cost for this new shuttle service would be approximately $1M annually. Table 2a outlines the current City financial support of the existing routes for the FY 2017 Adopted budget, amended for the termination of the funding agreement with the City of East Palo Alto for the East Palo Alto shuttle route (Staff Report #7170). The recommended action also suggests that Council direct staff to develop a finance and implementation plan with a comprehensive funding strategy to advance the new route and existing route modifications and extensions for the Crosstown and Embarcadero Routes. Ideally, this funding strategy will leverage the existing annual General Fund expenditures on the Palo Alto Free Shuttle System and the Caltrain contributions to the operations of the Embarcadero Shuttle to secure newly-available Measure B funding from the Transit Operations Program and/or Local Streets and Roadways Program, as well as regional and state

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transportation grants. A draft Transportation Nexus Study, which is currently underway, suggests that a portion of the City’s Transportation Impact Fees may also be directed toward the capital infrastructure required to operate the Palo Alto Free Shuttle Program (i.e. benches, signs, shelters, etc.). Planning-level cost estimates shown in Table 2b will be refined in the finance and implementation plan and will depend significantly on the operational model selected to provide the program in the future. Implementation of expanded service is contingent on funding. Table

2a:

Current Route

Shuttle Services South Palo Alto Crosstown Embarcadero Administration costs (staffing) City Funding TOTAL

Shuttle

Services

FY 2017 Adjusted Budget $484,422

$107,078 $591,500

City

Finances

Current Annual Operating Costs $281,911 $135,100* $107,078 $524,089

*The City pays 53.5% of costs, and the JPB pays 46.5% (up to $117,300) for a total cost of $252,400. Source: Planning & Community Environment, April 2017

Table 2b: Planning-level Cost Estimates for Recommended Shuttle Route Expansions and Modifications Route Current Annual Enhanced Service Level Full Service Level Operating Costs Annual Operating Costs Annual Operating Costs South Palo Alto -$625,107 $1,026,704 Crosstown $281,911 $864,119 $1,564,931 Embarcadero $135,100 City Funds $376,903** $821,940** (JPB Funds up to $117,300, Total Cost: $252,400)* TOTAL $527,051 $1,866,128 $3,413,575 *The City pays 53.5% of costs, and the JPB pays 46.5% (up to $117,300). **The assumption is that the JPB can continue to fund $117,300 for this service, if grant continues Source: Nelson/Nygaard, March 2017

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Timeline The current schedule for the VTA Next Network Initative is detailed below:  April 7, 2017 – Final Plan published in agendas for Technical Advisory Committee and Policy Advisory Commitee  April 12, 2017 – Final Plan presented to VTA Technical Advisory Committee  April 13, 2017 - Final Plan presented to VTA Policy Advisory Commitee  May 4, 2017 - Final Plan presented to VTA Board of Directors  December 2017 (dependent on date of BART Berryessa Extension opening) – Implementation of fixed-route service changes identified in adopted plan After receiving direction from Council, Staff will seek VTA funding for the new South Palo Alto route via a Memorandum of Understanding with VTA. If successful, staff will return to Council for approval of this MOU. Staff will also seek funding for other shuttle service enhancements and return to Council with a finance and implementation plan later in 2017. A new branding and marketing strategy for the Palo Alto Free Shuttle Program would be presented to Council concurrently with the roll-out of shuttle route expansions and modifications when funding is identified. All recommended actions are contingent on funding.

Environmental Review This program is exempt from the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Section 15061(b)(3) of Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations since it can be seen with certainty that there is no possibility the acceptance of this plan may have a significant effect on the environment. Attachments: Attachment B - VTA Next Network Initiative Draft Plan Attachment C - Letters from City to VTA (PDF) Attachment A - Palo Alto Transit Vision (PDF)

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Date: Current Meeting: Board Meeting:

December 22, 2016 January 5, 2017 January 5, 2017

BOARD MEMORANDUM TO:

Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority Board of Directors

THROUGH:

General Manager, Nuria I. Fernandez

FROM:

Interim Director - Planning & Program Development, Carolyn M. Gonot

SUBJECT:

Next Network Draft Plan

Policy-Related Action: No

Government Code Section 84308 Applies: No

ACTION ITEM RECOMMENDATION: Approve the Draft Transit Service Plan for release to the public for review and comment. BACKGROUND: Under VTA’s Transit Ridership Improvement Program (TRIP) initiated in 2015, VTA began a two-year planning and outreach effort to develop a redesigned transit network. This project was known as Next Network, with implementation of a new transit service plan to occur concurrent with the opening of BART Phase 1 service at the Milpitas and Berryessa stations. The project aims to engage the community in developing a new bus and light rail transit network that reflects our transit needs and values, while increasing ridership, improving farebox recovery, and integrating BART service into the transit network. VTA engaged Jarrett Walker + Associates, an internationally-recognized leader in transit planning, to assist with the effort. The project's major milestones include: -

Late 2015: Independent assessment of VTA’s service and market

-

April 2016: Transit Choices and Alternatives reports to VTA Board

-

Summer 2016: Community outreach phase 1

-

November 2016: VTA Board decision on ridership-coverage allocation (85/15)

-

January 2017: Draft transit service plan released

-

January-February 2017: Community outreach phase 2

3331 North First Street ∙ San Jose, CA 95134-1927 ∙ Administration 408.321.5555 ∙ Customer Service 408.321.2300

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-

April 2017: Final transit service plan for VTA Board approval

-

Fall 2017: Service begins (concurrent with the opening of BART Phase 1)

The Next Network project started with an independent assessment of VTA's transit service and market. This assessment, called the Transit Choices Report and accompanying Transit Alternatives Report (both available at http://nextnetwork.vta.org/library), illustrated the significant tradeoff decisions for consideration in developing a redesigned transit network. The reports identified the allocation of services between ridership-oriented service and coverageoriented service as the most critical policy choice facing VTA. To this end, the project team sought to engage the community in a broad discussion of VTA's allocation of resources on the spectrum and whether the new transit service plan should represent a shift in resource allocation towards ridership and away from coverage. Over the summer of 2016, the project team utilized a series of three transit network concept maps to engage the community and solicit their input on tradeoff questions. This first of two project outreach phases included VTA-hosted community meetings, discussions at non-VTA community meetings, intensive community leader workshops, an online meeting, an interactive dedicated project website, numerous blog posts with accompanying discussion area, social media engagement, and tabling events. The project team received over 5,000 points of valuable feedback, including votes on the ridership-coverage balance. The volume of feedback was used to develop a draft transit service plan. Following the first phase of community outreach, the VTA Board of Directors held a November 2016 workshop to discuss the community’s input and give staff direction on the ridershipcoverage balance for the draft transit service plan. At the conclusion of the meeting, the VTA Board voted to direct staff to develop a draft transit service plan that reflects an “85/15” split that is, a network that allocates 85% of resources to ridership-oriented service and 15% of resources to coverage-oriented service. This direction to pursue a network designed to achieve higher ridership represents a shift from today’s network of 70% ridership-oriented service and 30% coverage-oriented service. This change would have the effect of increasing frequency in high ridership transit-supportive corridors and areas, decreasing service in areas with low transit demand, and a design philosophy that embraces a grid of frequent routes with more rapid routes and more midday and weekend service. DISCUSSION: VTA staff have developed a draft transit service plan that reflects the substantial community input received over the summer as well as the VTA Board’s guidance on the ridership-coverage balance given at the November 18 Board Workshop. Staff is requesting Board approval to take the draft transit service plan out to the community in a second phase of outreach. The draft plan’s network map is presented as Attachment A; a route-by-route matrix of proposed service changes is presented as Attachment B. The draft transit service plan includes the following major features:

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REALLOCATION OF RESOURCES FROM COVERAGE TO RIDERSHIP What we heard: The community understood the difficult ridership and coverage tradeoff and overall voted strongly in favor of VTA allocating more resources to ridership service and fewer resources to coverage service. VTA currently spends approximately 70% of its operating dollars on productive ridershiporiented service and the remaining 30% to unproductive coverage-oriented service, a “70/30” balance. The draft plan would achieve an 85/15 balance by reallocating resources from unproductive services and investing those resources in more productive services. This reallocation of coverage-oriented service to ridership-oriented service is how the plan can offer significant benefits while not increasing the total cost of service. The areas that would lose service under the draft plan are generally areas that lack the transitsupportive characteristics such as dense, walkable, pedestrian-oriented spaces that are necessary for transit to be productive. VTA is exploring alternative mobility strategies for these difficult-toserve areas in a concurrent Core Connectivity project to potentially serve these “gaps” in the transit network. INCREASED LIGHT RAIL SERVICE What we heard: The community expressed a strong desire to invest in VTA’s light rail system. The VTA Light Rail to BART connection will be at the Montague Light Rail station, and VTA will modify the light rail service plan to better serve this connection as well as the ongoing needs of Santa Clara Valley residents and workers. In May 2016, staff brought, for review, three different operating plans with three different optional enhancements to the VTA Board of Directors. Staff returned in October 2016 with a staff recommendation that includes the following changes (see Attachment C for a map of the recommended light rail operating plan): ‒ A new line from Alum Rock to Mountain View operating every 15-minutes. This new line would double the Light Rail service frequency at the Milpitas BART Station and provide a direct trip from BART to major employment centers in North San Jose, Santa Clara, Sunnyvale, and Mountain View. This line would also serve Levi’s Stadium, reducing the need for special event trains. Staff is also continuing to study the potential for an express service on part of this line. ‒ The existing Winchester to Mountain View line would be modified to a Winchester to Old Ironsides line. The frequency of this service would improve from the current 15minute peak hour/30-minute midday frequencies to 15-minute frequencies all day. ‒ The Commuter Express, which currently operates three trips each peak period between Santa Teresa and Baypointe, would operate from Santa Teresa to St. James Station and be expanded to six trains each peak period, instead of the current three, using the same resources. ‒ No changes are proposed for the existing Santa Teresa to Alum Rock line and the

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existing Almaden Service. ‒ Signage and wayfinding improvements, including renaming the light rail lines to coincide with their colors (Orange, Blue, Green, Purple, Yellow) and renaming of two stations. Montague light rail station will become Milpitas light rail station, and I-880/Milpitas light rail station will become Alder light rail station. FREQUENT BART CONNECTIONS What we heard: The community reiterated the importance of BART service in the county and expressed a desire for convenient transit connections to BART service. The draft plan includes frequent connecting service at the Milpitas and Berryessa transit centers, ensuring that riders would have a range of transit options to connect with BART trains (see Attachment D for an illustration of transit connections at the two transit centers). The Milpitas and Berryessa transit centers would feature an array of connecting services: ‒ A new light rail line between Alum Rock and Mountain View, discussed above, that would provide a direct BART connection for Alum Rock, Santa Clara, Sunnyvale, and Mountain View destinations (every 15-minutes all day). ‒ A redesigned and improved DASH service, renamed Route 500, would provide a direct service with more frequency, longer spans of service, and a larger service area that would include the Berryessa BART station. As an expanded route with new regional connections, Route 500 would be a standard fare route. Route 500 trips would be timed to meet BART trains at the Berryessa BART station and provide fast and direct service into downtown San Jose and Diridon Station (trips timed to meet every BART train). ‒ Today’s Airport Flyer Route 10 would be upgraded to become a new frequent Route 60 that would provide a direct connection between the Milpitas transit center’s BART trains and Mineta San Jose International Airport, Santa Clara Caltrain Station, Valley Fair/Santana Row, and the Winchester corridor (every 15-minutes all day). As a new countywide frequent route, Route 60 would be a standard fare route, with the exception of boardings at the airport, which would be fare-free. ‒ Rapid 523, a new Rapid service between Berryessa BART, downtown San Jose (via King Road and Alum Rock Avenue), San Carlos Street, Stevens Creek Boulevard, Sunnyvale-Saratoga Road, downtown Sunnyvale, and Lockheed Martin via Mathilda Avenue (every 15-minutes all day). ‒ A new Route 20 that would serve north San Jose, Santa Clara, Sunnyvale, and Mountain View (every 15-minutes peak and 30-minutes midday). ‒ Additional bus routes from the Milpitas and/or Berryessa BART stations: o Route 47 would serve Milpitas (every 30-minutes all day). o Route 66 would serve Milpitas, Oakland Road, downtown San Jose, and Monterey Highway (every 15-minutes all day). o Route 77 would serve both Milpitas and Berryessa BART stations, plus Lundy

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o

o o o

Avenue, King Road, and the Eastridge Transit Center (every 15-minutes all day). Route 70 would serve both Milpitas and Berryessa BART stations, plus southern Milpitas, Jackson Avenue, and the Eastridge Transit Center (operating every 15 or 30 minutes all day, depending on route segment). Route 71 would serve Piedmont Road, White Road, and the Eastridge Transit Center (every 30-minutes all day). Route 61 would serve Berryessa Road and West San Jose via Taylor Street, Naglee Avenue, and Bascom Avenue (every 15-minutes all day). AC Transit’s Route 217 would serve Milpitas and Fremont BART via Mission Boulevard (every 30-minutes all day).

SIMPLIFIED FAMILY OF SERVICES What we heard: The community expressed frustration in understanding and using VTA’s complex transit network. The draft plan features a simplified family of transit services that would make service easier to understand and use (see Attachment E). The new family of services would establish a strong hierarchy of transit service and a clear structure to complement VTA’s new brand: ‒ Light rail, featuring 7-day a week service every 15-minutes ‒ Rapid bus, featuring 7-day a week service every 15-minutes, with limited stops ‒ Frequent bus, featuring 7-day a week service every 15-minutes, with local stops ‒ Local bus, featuring weekday service every 30-minutes, with local stops ‒ Express bus, featuring peak-only commuter service on weekdays The draft plan also proposes discontinuing Community Bus as a distinct service class and fare. The Community Bus fare was established in 2007 because the Community Bus routes were serviced by light duty gasoline-fueled cutaway vehicles (which were significantly cheaper to acquire) and because the bus operators assigned to Community routes were paid less than operators assigned to regular routes. Neither of these cost differentials apply today; VTA operates our regular transit buses on all Community routes and all operators are paid the same wage regardless of the route they operate. Therefore, the draft plan incorporates routes previously classified as Community routes into the Local Bus class. REGIONAL CONNECTIONS What we heard: The community expressed a desire for better connections with other regional transit services to expand mobility beyond Santa Clara County. The draft plan would enhance regional mobility by improving connections with the Bay Area’s regional transit network. Better regional connections would be achieved by 1) improving the

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frequency of VTA routes that connect to the regional transit network, thereby reducing transfer wait times, and 2) introducing new VTA routes that connect to the regional transit network. Some of the improved regional connections include: ‒ Numerous Frequent routes that would serve the Milpitas and Berryessa BART stations. ‒ A new light rail Orange Line that would offer direct service between Alum Rock and Mountain View, serving Milpitas BART, Mountain View Caltrain, and ACE/Capitol Corridor at Great America Station. ‒ A new cross-county Frequent route that would offer a direct connection between Milpitas BART, San Jose International Airport, Santa Clara Caltrain, light rail, and Valley Fair/Santana Row (Route 60). ‒ Improved service frequencies at Diridon Station for routes connecting to MontereySalinas Transit Route 55 to Monterey and the Highway 17 Express to Santa Cruz. ‒ New Rapid 523 service that would connect Sunnyvale Caltrain to Lockheed Martin transit center, De Anza College, and the Stevens Creek/San Carlos/Santa Clara/Alum Rock corridors. ‒ A revised and more frequent downtown San Jose DASH shuttle that would offer frequent connections at Diridon Station and the Berryessa BART station (Route 500). ‒ New routes at Milpitas BART that would offer connections with AC Transit’s Route 217 (previously connecting at the Great Mall Transit Center). FOCUS SERVICE NEAR TRANSIT-SUPPORTIVE DEVELOPMENT What we heard: Community members understood the land use and transportation connection and expressed a desire for transit to support dense, walkable, and sustainable development. Transit, land use, and the street grid form an interrelated trio of features that work together to produce sustainable communities where residents can adopt transit-oriented lifestyles. The draft plan focuses transit resources in areas with a street grid and land use pattern that support transit and where it would achieve the greatest ridership per dollar spent. These transit-supportive areas, often in dense cores, along corridors, and around station areas, would benefit from additional transit service as part of a robust frequent transit network. By establishing a frequent transit network where cities could focus dense, transit-oriented development, cities could accommodate future growth while minimizing new auto trips. In turn, additional growth along the frequent network would generate additional ridership on the transit network, continuing the mutually beneficial cycle of transit-supportive land use and transit productivity. MORE RESIDENTS AND JOBS ON THE FREQUENT TRANSIT NETWORK

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What we heard: Today’s transit network tries to go too many places and transit is spread too thin, service doesn’t come very often, and therefore transit trips take too long. The community expressed a desire for transit to focus on transit-supportive areas. As outlined in the project’s Transit Choices Report released in early 2016, a transit network maximizes ridership by maximizing the total number of residents and jobs on a frequent network of transit services (i.e. getting more people to more places in less time). The draft plan aims to maximize the number of residents and jobs on a network of frequent transit routes in the most transit-supportive areas of the county by taking more residents to more places in the same amount of time, which is a central theme of high ridership transit networks. PARATRANSIT SERVICE AVAILABILITY What we heard: High-quality paratransit service options are critical to valley residents. The draft plan features a redesigned fixed-route transit network which would impact VTA’s federal requirements regarding complementary paratransit service. Some network changes would increase VTA’s paratransit service obligations, such as new service in previously-unserved geographic areas or an expansion of the hours of service availability in evenings and on weekends. Conversely, some network changes would reduce VTA’s paratransit obligations, such as geographic areas that would lose fixed route service entirely. The net impact of the draft plan’s fixed route network on paratransit service has not been fully analyzed yet, and VTA staff will engage the VTA Committee for Transportation Mobility and Accessibility (CTMA) in developing a recommended paratransit policy strategy for adoption with the final transit service plan. In advance of Board adoption of a paratransit policy, the draft plan includes a recommendation to minimize service impacts for all existing paratransit customers in the county so that paratransit users are not negatively impacted by the new transit service plan. IMPROVED SERVICE TO LOW INCOME AND MINORITY RESIDENTS What we heard: VTA should pay particular attention to the transit needs of low income and minority residents. The draft plan includes elements to increase transit service available to low income and minority residents. As outline in VTA’s Title VI program, staff paid particular attention to the location and travel needs of low income and minority residents during the planning process to develop the draft plan. In Santa Clara County, low income and minority residents tend to reside in areas that are already transit supportive (featuring dense, mixed land uses and a strong street grid). The draft plan’s emphasis on expanding service in transit-supportive areas work hand-in-hand with the goal of improving service for low income and minority residents. Staff also enlisted the expertise of an independent consultant to conduct a preliminary Title VI equity analysis. The preliminary Title VI analysis concluded that the draft plan does not impose a disparate impact on minority populations or a disproportionate burden on low income populations. Staff will continue to include Title VI equity considerations as part of the planning process to revise the draft plan into the final transit service plan. A full Title VI service equity analysis will be conducted on the final transit service plan and the results will be presented with the final plan.

Page 7 of 10

7.4

EXPANDED WEEKEND SERVICE What we heard: The community expressed frustration with VTA’s limited transit options on weekends, particularly those residents who work in the service and retail sectors. The draft plan aims to increase the amount of transit service provided on weekends, particularly on the core network of frequent routes. Compared to VTA’s current transit network, the draft plan provides 9% more service on Saturdays and 7% more service on Sundays. For example, VTA’s transit network today provides no service to Alviso on Saturdays or Sundays. Under the draft plan, Alviso would have 15 hours of service on Saturdays and 11 hours of service on Sundays. By providing a more useful 7-day transit network, more residents could adopt a transit-oriented lifestyle. BETTER NORTH-SOUTH CONNECTIONS IN WEST VALLEY What we heard: West Valley residents and workers expressed a desire for more frequent transit service, particularly north-south service. Effective transit networks utilize a grid of intersecting frequent routes to create the possibility of travel anywhere within the grid, as demonstrated by the success of East San Jose’s strong grid network of frequent routes. The draft plan introduces new north-south frequent service in West Valley’s strongest corridors. These new frequent corridors include: ‒ A Frequent 57 route on the Saratoga/Kiely/Bowers/Great America corridor, every 15minutes on weekdays and 20-minutes on weekends. ‒ Improved service on Frequent route 60 along the Winchester corridor, every 15minutes on weekdays and every 20-minutes on weekends. ‒ A new Rapid 523 route along the Mathilda/Sunnyvale-Saratoga/Hollenbeck corridor between De Anza College and the Lockheed Martin transit center, every 15-minutes every day (including weekends). SCHOOL SERVICE What we heard: Many communities rely on VTA service for youth school trips. Many schools are located near fixed-route service, and VTA plays a role in getting these students to and from school. VTA’s school service takes the form of additional vehicles added to routes near schools, timed to the school bell times, to ensure students are well-served. The draft plan continues VTA’s program to provide supplementary school trips at the same level as today, about 46,000 annual service hours (3% of VTA’s total annual bus service hours). The draft plan includes four cases where VTA would scale back an existing all-day fixed route to a schedule focused on school bell times. These four routes have low ridership today and would otherwise have been discontinued under the draft plan’s shift to a more ridership-oriented network. Instead, these four routes have been scaled back to operate at school bell times only: ‒ Route 88 in Palo Alto would be converted to special service (Route 288), for Gunn

Page 8 of 10

7.4

High School, Kehillah Jewish High School, Palo Verde Elementary School, Hoover Elementary School, and Jane Lathrop Stanford Middle School. ‒ Route 82 in Willow Glen would be converted to special service (Route 282), for Willow Glen High School and Willow Glen Elementary School. ‒ Route 46 in Milpitas would be converted to special service (Route 246), for Milpitas High School. ‒ Route 16 in Morgan Hill would be converted to special service (Route 216), for Sobrato High School, Live Oak High School, and Lewis Britton Middle School. VTA EXPRESS SERVICE VTA’s twelve Express routes were not studied as part of this project. However, a dedicated Express service redesign project will be conducted following adoption of the final transit service plan in 2017. Therefore, the draft plan does not make recommendations for VTA’s Express routes, except for the routes that currently serve Fremont BART (Express routes 120, 140, 180, and 181). As the only VTA routes that provide service outside of Santa Clara County, the four Express routes that currently serve Fremont BART would all be replaced by the BART Phase 1 extension: ‒ Express 120 to Lockheed Martin/Moffett Park (6 AM and 6 PM trips) would be replaced by the new Orange light rail line (every 15-minutes all day) and the BART extension to Milpitas. ‒ Express 140 to Mission College and Montague Expressway (3 AM and 3 PM trips) would be replaced by a new Frequent route 20 (every 15-minutes peak and 30-minutes midday) and the BART extension to Milpitas. ‒ Express 180 to Milpitas (and Eastridge on select peak trips) (every 30-minutes) would be replaced by the BART extension to Milpitas (and Frequent route 77 every 15-minutes). ‒ Express 181 to downtown San Jose (every 15-minutes) would be replaced by Rapid route 500 (timed to meet every BART train at Berryessa Station), and the BART extension to Berryessa Station. ‒ Express 101, 102, 103, 104, 121, 122, 168, 182: no change; service remains as it is today. RELATIONSHIP TO FARE STUDY The draft plan utilizes a grid network of frequent routes to expand the range of trips possible on the transit network, however VTA’s current fare structure discourages the transfers that would

Page 9 of 10

7.4

unlock the ridership benefits of the grid. Concurrent with the project, VTA staff will separately engage the Board in discussions and development of revised fare policies that would complement the new transit service network. BUDGET Following VTA Board guidance, the draft plan represents an unchanged total amount of bus service, utilizing the same annual service hours as the most recent Board-approved service plan (the FY16-17 Transit Service Plan). The draft bus service plan is anticipated to be cost neutral, i.e., no increase in annual operating expenses directly related to the number of service hours. The light rail portion of the draft plan represents an increase in the total amount of service provided. The proposed light rail service plan is projected to increase operating costs by approximately $11 Million annually. Net costs after projected fares, would be approximately $8 Million annually. ALTERNATIVES: Alternatively, the Board could direct staff to defer release of the draft transit service plan or make modifications to the proposals contained within the draft service plan. FISCAL IMPACT: There is no direct fiscal impact related to approval of the draft transit service plan. However, subsequent adoption of the final transit service plan, currently scheduled for April 2017, could result in increased annual operating expenses of up to $11 Million ($8 Million net of projected fare revenues) depending on the level of light rail service ultimately approved. In addition, changes made to the draft bus service plan that result in a higher amount of overall service hours could result in increased annual operating expenses. Prepared by: Jason Tyree Memo No. 5840 ATTACHMENTS: 

Attachment A: System Map (PDF)



Attachment B: Route by Route List of Major Changes



Attachment C: Light Rail System Map (PDF)



Attachment D: BART Connections

(PDF)



Attachment E: Family of Services

(PDF)

(PDF)

Page 10 of 10

AC217 it y

rs i ve

abel

hy ER LD

A

EY PL RO

C

R

l e ig h

n

fe

lipe

lo

School trippers

93

76

76

ye

Municipal shuttles

d elt a

EVERGREEN COLLEGE

a bue n a rb

63

s

O

H

c a pi t ol

TC

s en t e r

68

Other Transit Services

66

ba

OHLONE/CHYNOWETH BLOSSOM HILL

27

SNELL

27

s il

ALMADEN

san

ve

rl

ea

r e sa

66

KAISER MEDICAL CENTER

68

SANTA TERESA

v ia

de

lo

68

ro

mo

nt

er

ey

natural area

c ro

camde n

w

n

Future BART Caltrain / ACE commuter rail

f

COTTLE t a te

VTA Transit Center

101

72

br anham

85

VTA light rail

t he villages

93

64

fiel d

u nio n

r il

ro ede r

meridian

73

s ne ll

os

gat los

sa

72

cottle

bascom

winchester

om sc er

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wi

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sa

abor n

ly ul

76

cru

z

ST

ET

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93

EASTRIDGE

sa

nt

at

er

es

a

outside Santa Clara County

ry

har

TE IN O YP

SI

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mas

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sa

k iely

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s

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M

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BA

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26

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mu

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saratog a-sunnyvale

ca

g

s telling

ES

N A M SS IR

aks

s unny v ale - sar atoga

hollenbeck

mary

i te

k in

Every 60 minutes peak only

77 22

n

sa s

wh

on a

hli

ke r n

ks

ug

w r en

O g reat american LD IR

S A EG RR RO

C ild a mat h

b er na

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grant

FA

D EL FI LE D

M

ID

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te on

m

mi ram onte

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on

springer

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tt m

san antonio

toy

jac

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t h o ma s

t

w r en

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pi ed

al

er

mai n

m

27

blossom hill

CAPITOL

d ale

27 27

oc

nt

Los Gatos

a to s alm a d e n

Every 30 minutes

Every 60 minutes

71

se

61 s a ma r i t a n

los g

l

27

r r il

ere

T

hills

rd

Every 30 minutes plus 15 minute peak

e

97

h

26

r

T

Every 15 minutes or better

lu p

ta t

10 t

101 101

o

alle

sa n

8th

oy

cev

6t h

ar r

y

3 rd

96

p olla

70

da

1st

te re

4 mi

w e l bur n

WEST VALLEY COLLEGE

t

y

ro

96

tne

Rapid: every 15 minutes or better and limited stops

76

re

y sid

3

lli

mon

2

nnte ma

p rin

1

san

68

Gilroy Service

0

Saratoga

522

22

h ill s d a l e

hac iend a

o

ry

77

66 68

CURTNER

57 al l endale

st

25

VTA Route Frequencies

Every 60 minutes plus 30 minute peak

64

den

sa

GAVILAN COLLEGE

61 26

WINCHESTER

25

280

26 282

c ur

23

gu a

ere

97

ow

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97

h

DOWNTOWN CAMPBELL

523

73

282

id i a n

ta t

10 t

101 101

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8th

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6t h

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96

Campbell

n

mon

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c am p bell

26

s ye

TAMIEN 25

63

de

w e l bur n

h a mil to n

56

will

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ALUM ROCK

23

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72

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ro

lli

96

p ros pe c t

ra cla 522 ta san 23

SAN ANTONIO CONVENTION CENTER

FRUITDALE

c am

y sid

nnte ma

60

ia n

(85% ridership goal, 15% coverage goal)

Every 30 minutes peak only

ee

22

RACE ST 64

f r u it d a l e

jul

64

ST JAMES SANTA CLARA

o ln

re y

san

68

VALLEY MEDICAL CENTER 61

25

57

26

66

li n c

n te

AF

Morgan Hill Service

w i l l ia ms

ck

m alu 522

66 68

p a r k m o or

56

85

61

m

r

63

stevens creek

77 523

64

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mo

68

DIRIDON

ba

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rr

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25

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BERRYESSA 70 BART

500

San Jose

am

216

880

VALLEY FAIR

280 li n g

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be

23 523

25 55 bol

522

71

m

66

CIVIC CENTER 61

22

60

57

23 523

DE ANZA COLLEGE

53

61

61

77

SANTA CLARA

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101 101

homestead

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70

60

aw

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m

ra

53

51

el

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53

o b en t

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METRO/AIRPORT

60 yet t e

s

nv

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io

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56

br

SAN JOSE AIRPORT

22 522

55

ss

pe

le

21 59

el c amino real

Cupertino

mi

r

57

la fe

DR bu

68

216

t

101

Santa Clara co

56

523

53

monroe

t

r

mo

fremont

880

te et

r

55

59

21

60 77

ge

51

nne

t ne

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remington

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20

reed

66

Draft Plan

AF

71

in

Sunnyvale

y

ck

85

ald

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ss

f li

53

57 20

a rq u e s

20

ORCHARD

ag mis sio

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522

SUNNYVALE

55

ntague

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20

523

lyn

MISSION COLLEGE

mo

20

new

la n

lan

22

eve

57 59

l

oa k

51

56

66 m il

246

ba

lu n

52

FOOTHILL COLLEGE

6

de

47

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MILPITAS BART

1s t

52

au

AC217

66

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m

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m

al

21

52

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lf

Milpitas

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280 ha

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k

ce

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n

fo o

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237

te

r ni

Mountain View

21

l ic

21 c alifo

237

59

ye t

MOUNTAIN VIEW

Los Altos

59

laf a

288

ro

java

51 fe

hilvie w de

LOCKHEED MARTIN

40

40

SAN ANTONIO

ra as t

ar

21

of

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s h o re li n e

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Alviso

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ca

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22

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246

66

21

win

Palo Alto

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m

er

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un

es

PALO ALTO

DR Services not shown include: - VTA Express - ACE shuttles - Hwy 17, MST 55, DB Express

12/29/2016

Route-By-Route List of Major Changes in DraŌ Plan

A achment B Rou ng Change

Weekday

Saturday

Sunday

Frequency Change

Span

Peak

Midday

Span

Frequency

Span

Frequency

●

7-8am, 2-4pm

30 min

—

—

—

—

—

VTA Bus Lines

Proposed Change

10

Metro/Airport LRT Sta on - Santa Clara Transit Center

Combine with new Route 60, which would connect Mineta San Jose Airport to Milpitas BART Sta on, Santa Clara Caltrain Sta on, Valley Fair, Santana Row and Downtown Campbell.

12

Eastridge Transit Center - San Jose Civic Center

Discon nue; current riders may use revised Route 61 or Route 77.

13

Ohlone/Chynoweth LRT Sta on - Almaden/McKean

Discon nue due to low ridership.

14

Gilroy Transit Center - St. Louise Hospital

Discon nue and replace with new Route 96, which serves Route 14 des na ons and other areas of Gilroy.

16

Morgan Hill Civic Center - Burne Avenue

Scale back to school-oriented service (to be called Route 216) for Sobrato High School, Live Oak High School and Lewis Bri on Middle School

17

Gilroy Transit Center - St. Louise Hospital

Discon nue and replace with new Route 96, which serves Route 17 des na ons and other areas of Gilroy.

18

Gilroy Transit Center - Gavilan College

Renumber to Route 97; decrease frequency on weekdays, add service on weekends.

19

Gilroy Transit Center - Wren and Marshall

Discon nue; replace with new Route 96, which serves Route 19 des na ons and other areas of Gilroy.

20

Downtown Mountain View - Milpitas BART Sta on

Create new Route 20 that would connect Milpitas BART Sta on, Mission College, Santa Clara Square, Downtown Sunnyvale and Downtown Mountain View. New Route 20 would provide service to areas currently served during commute periods by parts of Routes 58, 321 and 304.

New

6am - 10pm

15 min

30 min

—

—

—

—

New

6am - 10pm

30 min

30 min

8am - 8pm

45 min

9am-8pm

60 min

●

24 hours

15 min

15 min

24 hours

15 min

24 hours

15 min

21

Palo Alto Transit Center - Santa Clara Caltrain Sta on

Create new Route 21 that would connect Downtown Palo Alto with San Antonio Transit Center, Downtown Mountain View, Downtown Sunnyvale and Santa Clara Caltrain Sta on. New Route 21 would replace current Routes 32 and 35.

22

Palo Alto Transit Center - Eastridge Transit Center

Decrease weekday frequency; increase frequency on Route 522 (to be implemented in April 2017).

23

De Anza College - Alum Rock Transit Center

Change rou ng on east end to serve White Road in East San Jose. Decrease frequency from 12 to 15 minutes on Route 23 and ;increase frequency on Route 523.

●

●

5am - 12am

15 min

15 min

6am - 12am

15 min

6am - 12pm

15 min

25

De Anza College - Alum Rock Transit Center

Change rou ng on east end to no longer serve White Road in East San Jose. Decrease weekday frequency and increase Sunday frequency.

●

●

6am - 12pm

12 min

12 min

6am - 12pm

15 min

6am - 12pm

15 min

26

Lockheed Mar n Transit Center - Eastridge Transit Center

Split into two separate routes. Revised Route 26 would connect West Valley College and Eastridge Transit Center; frequency would increase on weekdays and weekends. New Route 56 would connect Lockheed Mar n and Winchester Transit Centers.

●

●

6am - 12pm

15 min

15 min

7am - 12pm

20 min

8am - 11pm

20 min

●

●

6am - 10pm

30 min

30 min

7am - 10pm

30 min

8am - 8pm

60 min

●

●

7am - 10pm

30 min

30 min

7am - 7am

45 min

9am - 6pm

45 min

●

●

6am - 10pm

30 min

30 min

7am - 9pm

30 min

8am - 8pm

30 min

●

●

7am - 6pm

30 min

60 min

—

—

—

—

7am - 10pm

30 min

30 min

—

—

—

—

6am - 8pm

30 min

30 min

9am - 6pm

60 min

—

—

6am - 10pm

30 min

30 min

8am - 9pm

30 min

8am - 8pm

30 min

6am - 10pm

30 min

30 min

7am - 10pm

30 min

8am - 9pm

30 min

6am - 11pm

15 min

15 min

7am - 11pm

20 min

8am - 10pm

20 min

27

Good Samaritan Hospital - Kaiser San Jose

Extend to Winchester Transit Center via Los Gatos Boulevard, Highway 9 and Winchester Boulevard; increase frequency on weekdays and Saturdays.

31

Evergreen Valley College - Eastridge Transit Center

Discon nue; replace with part of new Route 76 (formerly Route 42).

32

San Antonio Shopping Center - Santa Clara Transit Center

Discon nue; replace with new Route 21.

34

San Antonio Shopping Center - Downtown Mountain View


35

Stanford Shopping Center - Downtown Mountain View

Discon nue; replace with new Route 21.

37

West Valley College - Capitol Light Rail Sta on

Discon nue due to low ridership; current riders may use new Route 26.

39

Eastridge Transit Center - The Villages

Renumber to Route 93; decrease peak period frequency.

40

Foothill College - Downtown Mountain View

Extend Route 40 along Shoreline Boulevard to connect with Mountain View Transit Center; increase Sunday frequency.

42

Kaiser San Jose - Evergreen Valley College

Renumber to Route 76; change rou ng between Capitol Expressway and Evergreen College to serve Eastridge Transit Center and current Route 31. Increase weekday frequency. Discon nue segments with low ridership.

45

Penetencia Creek Transit Center - Alum Rock Transit Center


46

Great Mall Transit Center - Milpitas High School

Scale back to school-oriented service (to be called Route 246) between Milpitas High School and Landess/ Yellowstone. Current riders may use Route 47.

47

Milpitas BART Sta on - McCarthy Ranch

Reroute Main Street segment to McCarthy Boulevard; route becomes a two-way loop. Increase Sunday frequency.

48

Downtown Los Gatos - Winchester LRT Sta on

Discon nue and replace with revised Route 27; increase frequency on Route 27.

49

Downtown Los Gatos - Winchester LRT Sta on

Discon nue and replace with revised Route 27; increase frequency on Route 27.

51

Moffe Field - De Anza College

New number for Moffe Field to De Anza College por on of current Route 81; decrease frequency in this sec on and discon nue Saturday service.

52

Foothill College - Downtown Mountain View

No Changes

53

Downtown Sunnyvale - Santa Clara Caltrain Sta on

Change rou ng to serve Vallco Mall and Santa Clara Caltrain Sta on instead of West Valley College; this change replaces part of current Route 81. Increase frequency on weekdays.

54

Lockheed Mar n Transit Center - De Anza College

Discon nue Route 54; add more frequent new Rapid 523 service on Mathilda Avenue/De Anza Boulevard corridor.

55

De Anza College - Old Ironsides LRT Sta on

Change rou ng between Downtown Sunnyvale and Remington Avenue from Fair Oaks Avenue to Sunnyvale Avenue; decrease weekday peak period frequency and increase Sunday frequency.

56

Lockheed Mar n Transit Center - Winchester LRT Sta on

Create new Route 56, which would connect Lockheed Mar n Transit Center to Downtown Sunnyvale, Vallco Mall, Downtown Campbell and Winchester Transit Center.

57

West Valley College - Old Ironsides LRT Sta on

Increase weekday and Saturday frequency.

No changes ●

●

● New ●

A achment B Rou ng Change

VTA Bus Lines (Con nued)

Proposed Change

58

West Valley College - Alviso

Discon nue; current riders may use Routes 57, 59, 20 and 26.

59

Baypointe Light Rail Sta on - Santa Clara Caltrain Sta on

Create new Route 59, which would connect Santa Clara Caltrain Sta on, Mission College, Alviso and Baypointe Light Rail Sta on. New Route 59 would cover segments of discon nued Route 58 and revised Route 60.

60

Downtown Campbell - SJC Airport - Milpitas BART Sta on

Combine with Route 10 to create new Route 60, which would connect Mineta San Jose Airport to Milpitas BART Sta on, Santa Clara Caltrain Sta on, Valley Fair, Santana Row and Downtown Campbell. Increase weekend frequency.

Good Samaritan Hospital - Berryessa BART - Sierra/Piedmont

Change rou ng from Mabury Road to Berryessa Road between Berryessa BART Sta on and Piedmont Road. Increase frequency on weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays.

62

Good Samaritan Hospital - Sierra/Piedmont

Discon nue; current riders may use Route 61.

63

Almaden Expressway/Camden - San Jose State University

64

Almaden LRT Sta on - McKee/White

65

Kooser/Blossom Hill - 13th/Hedding

Discon nue due to low ridesrhip; current riders may use Route 61, 63 or 66.

66

Milpitas/Dixon - Kaiser San Jose

Change rou ng to serve Milpitas BART Sta on; increase weekday frequency.

68

San Jose Diridon Sta on - Gilroy Transit Center

Decrease midday frequency on Santa Teresa Light Rail Sta on to Gilroy Caltrain Sta on segment.

70

Capitol LRT Sta on - Berryessa BART - Milpitas BART

Change northern end from Great Mall Transit Center to Milpitas BART Sta on, change rou ng to connect to Berryessa BART Sta on. Discon nue service between Eastridge Transit Center and Capitol Light Rail Sta on, some riders in that segment may use Routes 76, 72 or 26.

●

61

Frequency Change

Weekday

Saturday

Sunday

Span

Peak

Midday

Span

Frequency

Span

Frequency

6am - 10pm

30 min

30 min

7am - 10pm

30 min

8am - 6pm

60 min

●

5am - 11pm

15 min

15min

5am - 11pm

20 min

5am - 11pm

20 min

●

6am - 11pm

Change southern end from Almaden Expressway/Camden Avenue to Meridian Avenue/Blossom Hill Road.

●

6am - 10pm

Change downtown rou ng.

●

6am - 11pm

New

●

15-30 min 15-30 min 7am - 11pm

30 min

30 min

20-40 min

8am - 10pm 20-40 min

8am - 7pm

60 min

9am - 6pm

60 min

15-30 min 15-30 min 7am - 11pm

30 min

7am - 11pm

30 min

●

5am - 11pm

15 min

15-30 min 6am - 11pm

20 min

6am - 11pm

20 min

●

5am - 11pm

15 min

15-30 min

20 min

5am - 11pm

20 min

6am - 11pm

5am-11pm

15-30 min 15-30 min 7am - 11pm

20-40 min

7am - 10pm 20-40 min

71

Milpitas BART Sta on - Eastridge Transit Center

Change northern end from Great Mall Transit Center to Milpitas BART Sta on; decrease weekday peak period service and increase Sunday service.

●

●

6am - 10pm

30 min

30 min

7am - 10pm

30 min

8am - 9pm

30 min

72

Downtown San Jose - Senter/Monterey

Extend to Capitol Light Rail Sta on; increase frequency on Saturday and Sunday.

●

●

6am - 11pm

15 min

15 min

7am - 11pm

20 min

8am - 11pm

20 min

73

Downtown San Jose - Berryessa BART - Snell/Capitol

Change southern end from Capitol Expressway/Snell to Monterey Road/Branham Road; increase weekend frequency.

●

●

6am - 11pm

15 min

15 min

7am - 11pm

20 min

8am - 11pm

20 min

76

Monterey/Branham - Evergreen College

Create new Route 76 to replace Routes 42 and 31.

●

●

6am - 10 pm

30 min

30 min

8am - 7pm

60 min

9am - 6pm

60 min

77

Milpitas BART Sta on - Eastridge Transit Center

Change northern end from Great Mall Transit Center to Milpitas BART Sta on; change southern end of route to access Eastridge Transit Center via Tully Road rather than Rigole o Drive. Change rou ng to connect to Berryessa BART Sta on. Increase weekday, Saturday and Sunday frequencies.

●

●

6am - 11pm

15 min

15 min

7am - 11pm

20 min

7am - 10pm

20 min

●

7-8am, 2-4pm

30 min

—

—

—

—

—

7am - 6pm

60 min

60 min

9am - 6pm

60 min

9am - 6pm

60 min

7am - 6pm

60 min

60 min

9am - 6pm

60 min

9am - 6pm

60 min

7am - 10pm

30 min

30 min

—

—

—

—

81

Moffe Field - Downtown San Jose

Discon nue; replace Moffe Field to De Anza College segment with new Route 51. Replace De Anza College to Santa Clara Caltrain Sta on segment with revised Route 53.

82

Westgate - Downtown San Jose

Scale back to school trips (to be called Route 282) serving Willow Glen High School. Alterna ves include Routes 66, 68, 56.

88

Palo Alto VA Hospital - Middlefield/Colorado

Scale back to school trips (to be called Route 288) serving Gunn High School, Kehillah Jewish High School, Palo Verde Elementary School, Hoover Elementary School, Jane Lathrop Stanford Middle School.

89

California Avenue Caltrain Sta on - Palo Alto VA Hospital


93

Eastridge Transit Center - The Villages

New number for Route 39; decrease weekday peak period frequency.

New

96

Gilroy Caltrain Sta on - St. Louise Hospital - Gilroy Plaza

New two-way loop route in Gilroy; replaces Routes 14, 17 and 19.

New

97

Gilroy Caltrain Sta on - Gavilan College

Renumbered from Route 18

101

Camden/Highway 85 - Palo Alto

No changes proposed.

No changes

2 trips each peak period

—

—

—

—

102

South San Jose - Palo Alto


No changes


—

—

—

—

103

Eastridge Transit Center - Palo Alto


No changes


—

—

—

—

No changes


—

—

—

—

●

104

Penetencia Creek Transit Center - Palo Alto

Change eastern end to serve Milpitas BART Sta on rather than Great Mall Transit Center.

120

Fremont BART - Lockheed Mar n Transit Center/Shoreline

Discon nue due to extension of BART to Santa Clara County.

121

Gilroy Transit Center - San Jose Diridon Sta on


No changes


—

—

—

—

122

South San Jose - Lockheed Mar n Transit Center


No changes

1 trip each peak period

—

—

—

—

140

Fremont BART Sta on - Mission College/Montague


168

Gilroy Transit Center - San Jose Diridon Sta on


No changes


—

—

—

—

180

Fremont BART Sta on - Great Mall - Eastridge


181

Fremont BART - San Jose Diridon Sta on


182

Palo Alto - Baily Road/IBM


No changes

1 trip each peak period

—

—

—

—

185

Gilroy Caltrain Sta on - Shoreline - San Antonio

Create new express route between Gilroy Transit Center and North Bayshore in Mountain View (to be implemented in January 2017).

No changes


—

—

—

—

A achment B

VTA Bus Lines (Con nued)

Proposed Change

Rou ng Change

Frequency Change

Weekday Span

Peak

Saturday Midday

Span

Sunday

Frequency

Span

Frequency

216

Sobrato High School - Main/Hale

School-oriented service

●

7-8am, 2-4pm

30 min

—

—

—

—

—

246

Milpitas High School - Yellowstone/Landess


●

7-8am, 2-4pm

30 min

—

—

—

—

—

282

Willow Glen High School - Tamien Sta on - Monterey/Alma


●

7-8am, 2-4pm

30 min

—

—

—

—

—

288

Gunn High School - North Palo Alto


●

7-8am, 2-4pm

30 min

—

—

—

—

—

304

South San Jose - Sunnyvale Transit Center

Discon nue due to low ridership; some current riders may use Routes 66, 68 or 20.

321

Great Mall - Lockheed Mar n Transit Center - Moffe Park

Discon nue due to low ridership; current riders may use new Route 20.

323

De Anza College - Downtown San Jose

Upgrade to Rapid 523 and extend western end to Lockheed Mar n Transit Center and eastern end to Berryessa BART Sta on; increase frequency on Rapid 523.

4am - 12am

8 min

15 min

6am - 12am

15 min

8am - 12am

20 min

5am - 11pm

12 min

12 min

6am - 11pm

15 min

6am - 9pm

15 min

5am - 10pm

15 min

15 min

6am - 10pm

15 min

7am - 9pm

15 min

328

Almaden/Via Valiente - Lockheed Mar n Transit Center


330

Almaden/Via Valiente - Lockheed Mar n Transit Center


500

Diridon Sta on - Berryessa BART Sta on

Replaces DASH shu le; connects Diridon Sta on to San Jose State University and Berryessa BART Sta on; increase frequency on Rapid 500.

522

Palo Alto Transit Center - Eastridge Transit Center

Increase weekday frequency (to be implemented in April 2017).

523

Lockheed Mar n Transit Center - Berryessa BART Sta on

Create new Route 523 which would connect Lockheed Mar n Transit Center, Downtown Sunnyvale, De Anza College, Vallco, Valley Fair, Santana Row, Downtown San Jose, Mexican Heritage Plaza and Berryessa BART Sta on; increase frequency.

DASH

New ● New

Diridon Sta on - Downtown San Jose - San Jose State University Discon nue; replace with Rapid 500.

VTA Light Rail Lines

Weekday

Saturday

Sunday

Rou ng Change

Frequency Change

Span

Peak

Midday

Span

Frequency

Span

Frequency

●

●

5am - 12am

15 min

15 min

6am - 12pm

15 min

6am - 12pm

15 min

Green

Old Ironsides LRT Sta on - Winchester LRT Sta on

Change name to Green Line. Change northern end to Old Ironsides Light Rail Sta on; increase frequency to 15 minutes all day.

Blue

Alum Rock Transit Center - Santa Teresa LRT Sta on

Change name to Blue Line.

No changes

5am - 1am

15 min

15 min

5am - 1am

15 min

5am - 1am

15 min

Purple

Almaden LRT Sta on - Ohlone/Chynoweth LRT Sta on

Change name to Purple Line.

No changes

6am - 10pm

15 min

15 min

8am - 10pm

15 min

8am - 10pm

15 min

15 min

15 min

Orange Mountain View Transit Center - Alum Rock Transit Center

Create new Orange Line to connect Downtown Mountain View with Alum Rock Transit Center; operate at 15-minute frequency all day. Poten al express service under review.

Yellow

Change name to Yellow Line. Change northern end from Baypointe Light Rail Sta on to St. James Light Rail Sta on; increase peak period frequency.

Downtown San Jose - Santa Teresa LRT Sta on

New ●

●


15 min —

—

15 min —

—

Routes Listed by City/Town

A achment B

VTA Bus and Light Rail Routes Campbell

26, 27, 37, 48, 49, 56, 60, 61, 62, 82, 101, 328, 330, Green

Cuper no

23, 25, 26, 51, 53, 54, 55, 56, 81, 101, 182, 323, 523

Gilroy

14, 17, 18, 19, 68, 96, 97, 121, 168, 185

Los Altos

22, 40, 51, 52, 81, 522

Los Altos Hills Los Gatos

27, 48, 49

Milpitas

20, 46, 47, 60, 66, 70, 71, 77, 104, 140, 180, 181, 246, 321, 330, Blue

Monte Sereno Morgan Hill

16, 68, 121, 168, 185, 216

Mountain View

20, 21, 22, 32, 34, 35, 40, 51, 52, 81, 120, 185, 522, Green, Orange

Palo Alto

21, 22, 35, 88, 89, 102, 103, 104, 182, 288, 522

San Jose

10, 12, 13, 20, 22, 23, 25, 26, 27, 31, 32, 37, 39, 42, 45, 49, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 68, 70, 71, 72, 73, 76, 77, 81, 82, 93, 101, 102, 103, 104, 122, 140, 168, 180, 181, 182, 185, 282, 304, 321, 323, 328, 330, 500, 522, 523, Blue, DASH, Green, Orange, Purple, Yellow

Santa Clara

10, 20, 21, 22, 23, 32, 53, 55, 57, 58, 59, 60, 81, 121, 140, 304, 321, 328, 330, 522, Green, Orange

Saratoga

37, 53, 57, 58

Sunnyvale

20, 21, 22, 26, 32, 53, 54, 55, 56, 120, 121, 122, 304, 321, 328, 522, 523, Green, Orange

Attachment C: Light Rail System Map

Next Network Draft Plan BART Station Service (Attachment D)

Milpitas Fremont

LR

e T 15mvery in

7 21 ery

ev min 30

47 y

66

ever in 30m

every 30min

Rapid Bus Frequent Bus Local Bus Light Rail

47

ev 30mery in

N W

E S

MILPITAS TRANSIT CENTER

every 20 30min

RT

Downtown San Jose

71

ery ev 5min 1

60

e 15mvery L in

e 30mvery in

West Valley

very in e every m 15min every everyin 7.5 T m 15min 30 LR 6

6

70

77

East San Jose

trains 42 departing & buses per hour

Milpitas 77 70

every eve 15min 30mriny

61

Rapid Bus Frequent Bus Local Bus Light Rail

Berryessa

e 30 ver y min

N W

E S

West Valley

BERRYESSA TRANSIT CENTER

every 61 15min

50

ry eve min 15

0

Downtown San Jose

e 15mver y 5 in

West Valley

23

every 15min

77

ry eve min 5 1

70

East San Jose

buses 28 departing per hour

VTA’s Service Hierarchy

Light Rail Rapid Frequent Local

Express

Frequent Trains All Day • Every 15 minutes • Wide stop spacing

• 7 days a week

Fast, Frequent, Reliable • Every 15 minutes • Wide stop spacing

• 7 days a week

Show Up and Go Service • Every 15 minutes • Local stop spacing

• 7 days a week

Neighborhood Connections • Every 30-60 minutes • Local stop spacing

• 5-7 days a week

Peak Period Commuter Service • Weekday mornings & evenings • Freeway & expressway based routes

FREQUENT NETWORK

(Attachment E)

PALO ALTO TRANSIT VISION | DRAFT City of Palo Alto

PALO ALTO TRANSIT VISION DRAFT

March 2017

Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates Inc. | i


Table of Contents Page 1 Executive Summary ............................................................................................................ 1 Purpose of The Plan ............................................................................................................................................ 1 Palo Alto Shuttle System Goals ........................................................................................................................ 1 Plan Development Process................................................................................................................................. 2 2 Introduction......................................................................................................................... 6 Purpose of The Plan ............................................................................................................................................ 6 Overview of the Palo Alto Shuttle ................................................................................................................... 6 Other Transit Services in Palo Alto .................................................................................................................. 7 Integration with VTA Next Network ................................................................................................................ 8 Report Organization .......................................................................................................................................... 8 3 Current Transit Conditions ................................................................................................ 10 Palo Alto Shuttle Routes ................................................................................................................................... 10 Other Operators Within Palo Alto ................................................................................................................ 12 Transit Access Within Palo Alto ...................................................................................................................... 20 4 VTA Next Network............................................................................................................ 22 Transit Access with VTA Next Network ......................................................................................................... 25 5 Palo Alto Transit Vision .................................................................................................... 27 Proposed Route Modifications ........................................................................................................................ 36 Service Plan and Implementation................................................................................................................... 45 6 For Further Consideration ................................................................................................. 49 Other Service Delivery Models ...................................................................................................................... 49 Appendix A Community Profile............................................................................................. 52 Appendix B Concept List and Screening Process ................................................................... 55 Appendix C Other Route Variants Considered ...................................................................... 66 Embarcadero Route Variants.......................................................................................................................... 66 South Palo Alto Route Variants ...................................................................................................................... 70 Southwest Route................................................................................................................................................. 74

Table of Figures Page Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4 Figure 5 Figure 6 Figure 7 Figure 8 Figure 9 Figure 10 Figure 11

Concept Service Plan ............................................................................................................... 2 Service Implementation Summary.......................................................................................... 4 Sample Route Package and Associated Operating Costs ............................................... 5 Overview of Current Palo Alto Shuttles ............................................................................. 11 VTA Ridership .......................................................................................................................... 12 SamTrans Ridership ................................................................................................................ 13 Other Existing Transit Serving Palo Alto ............................................................................ 14 Access to Transit within a Quarter-Mile in Palo Alto ....................................................... 21 VTA Transit Route in Palo Alto ............................................................................................. 22 Current VTA Network Coverage (left) and Proposed VTA Network Coverage (right) in Palo Alto................................................................................................................... 24 Proposed Route 88 Changes ................................................................................................ 25

Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates Inc. | i


Figure 12 Figure 13 Figure 14 Figure 15 Figure 16 Figure 17 Figure 18 Figure 19 Figure 20 Figure 21 Figure 22 Figure 23 Figure 24 Figure 25 Figure 26 Figure 27 Figure 28 Figure 29 Figure 30 Figure 31 Figure 32 Figure 33 Figure 34 Figure 35 Figure 36 Figure 37 Figure 38 Figure 39 Figure 40 Figure 41

Transit Accessibility Walkshed Incorporating VTA Network Changes ......................... 26 Survey Response: What is your affiliation with Palo Alto? ............................................ 29 Survey Response: How often do you use the shuttle? ...................................................... 30 Survey Response: Why don’t you use the shuttle?............................................................ 30 Survey Response: What would motivate you to use the shuttle more often? ............. 31 Survey Responses: Key Destinations.................................................................................... 31 Survey Responses: Key Destinations of Survey Respondents ......................................... 32 Survey Comment Analysis ..................................................................................................... 33 Crosstown Route Variant A ................................................................................................... 38 Crosstown Route Variant B.................................................................................................... 40 Embarcadero Route Modification........................................................................................ 42 South Palo Alto ........................................................................................................................ 44 Service Implementation Summary........................................................................................ 45 Sample Route Package and Associated Operating Costs ............................................. 46 Transit Access Walkshed Analysis – Sample Route Package ........................................ 47 Bus Stop Amenity Guidelines ................................................................................................ 48 TNC partnership Model Pros and Cons .............................................................................. 49 Point Deviation/Anchored Flex Service Model Pros and Cons...................................... 50 Dynamically Routed Flex Service Model Pros and Cons ................................................ 51 Population Density in Palo Alto ............................................................................................ 52 Employment Density in Palo Alto ......................................................................................... 53 Transportation Goals of the Current Comprehensive Plan ............................................. 54 Palo Alto Shuttle Improvement Concepts – Initial List ...................................................... 56 Shuttle Improvement Concept Screening Criteria............................................................. 59 Shuttle Concept Screening Process and Assigned Scores ............................................... 61 Embarcadero Route Variant A ............................................................................................. 67 Embarcadero Route Variant B ............................................................................................. 69 South Palo Alto – Variant B .................................................................................................. 71 South Palo Alto – Variant C ................................................................................................. 73 Southwest Route ...................................................................................................................... 75

Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates Inc. | ii


1 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY With increasing interest in expanding mobility options for residents and workers of all ages, the City of Palo Alto is seeking to develop and implement a citywide fare-free transit system that focuses on innovation, usefulness, and sustainability to maximize car-free mobility and provides convenient accessibility to key destinations and regional connections. The City of Palo Alto also seeks to evaluate and address gaps in transit service which may result from the route modifications or eliminations included in the Draft VTA Next Network.

PURPOSE OF THE PLAN This study helps move the vision of a citywide fare-free transit system forward by developing an expanded system concept for consideration by elected officials and residents alike. The plan serves as a blueprint for implementing new transit services within the City of Palo Alto that connect residential areas to key employment, shopping, recreation, school destinations. The vision outlined within this plan also seeks to improve regional connectivity with linkages to Caltrain and countywide transit providers (e.g. VTA, SamTrans) and take appropriate measures to address and fill gaps which may be presented by the elimination of some VTA transit service in Palo Alto.

Responding to Draft VTA Next Network Changes In January 2017, VTA released its Draft Next Network plan, which included modifications and proposed elimination of several transit routes in Palo Alto. Addressing gaps which would result from the VTA Next Network changes in Palo Alto was a key consideration in the development of transit route concepts in this study. VTA is expected to release their Final Next Network plan in April 2017 and may include changes to the proposal for VTA service in Palo Alto. Any changes will be reflected in a new iteration of the Palo Alto Transit Vision.

PALO ALTO SHUTTLE SYSTEM GOALS To guide development of a transit vision for Palo Alto, three simple yet highly descriptive goals for the system were developed along with specific objectives. These goals help guide the service concept development process and their related objectives allow for further definition and refinement of service characteristics. 1.

Convenient and Accessible – With all transit trips beginning or ending with a walk trip, all residents and businesses should be within a reasonable walking distance of a transit stop along a route providing frequent, all day service.

2. Frequent and Reliable – All transit routes and services within the City should provide frequent and reliable all day service in order to serve the wide variety of trip types that compose overall travel need. Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates, Inc. | 1


3. Visibility and Ease of Use – The system should be convenient to use and serve all important destinations while having friendly and exciting branding that generates awareness.

PLAN DEVELOPMENT PROCESS This transit vision was developed in close consultation with City of Palo Alto staff, as well as the community of residents and visitors to Palo Alto. The planning process included the following phases: 

Community Engagement and Market Analysis (October 2015-January 2016), based on market demand data and the results of a community survey.



Concept Development (January-March 2016), including the development of full list of route concepts using established goals and objectives, findings from community outreach, and market analysis.



Concept Screening and Service Plan Development (February-March 2016), including screening of concepts against goals and service criteria and development of a five-year service plan including phased implementation of additional service. See Appendix B for more on this process.



Concept Development Phase 2 (January-February 2017), which is the basis for this version of the transit vision in which concepts are refined in light of release of draft VTA Next Network.

Service Plan Expansion of the Palo Alto Shuttle system, with consideration of, and adherence to, the stated system goals of vastly improving coverage and frequency, will require a substantial investment well above today’s expenditure on shuttle operation. The service plan presented below is considered illustrative and conceptual. Figure 1 describes the preferred variants of current or new routes, developed through the screening of initial concepts and feedback from the community, including the public survey and meetings. These concepts also take into consideration the proposed changes to the VTA transit network in Palo Alto, discussed further in Chapter 4. Additional variants on these routes were considered by staff and can be found in Appendix C. Figure 1

Concept Service Plan

Route

Current/New Route

Key Destinations

Crosstown A

Current

Stanford Medical Center, Stanford Shopping Center, Palo Alto Transit Center, downtown Palo Alto, Lytton Gardens, Rinconada library, Jordan Middle School, Midtown, JLS Middle School, Mitchell Park and Library, Cubberley, senior residences/centers, San Antonio Caltrain, San Antonio Shopping Center

Crosstown B (VTA 21 Supplemental)

Current

Stanford Shopping Center, Palo Alto Transit Center, downtown Palo Alto, Jordan Middle School, Midtown, JLS Middle School, Mitchell Park and Library, Cubberley, senior residences/centers, San Antonio Caltrain, San Antonio Shopping Center

Embarcadero

Current

Palo Alto Transit Center, downtown Palo Alto, Town & Country Village, Paly High School, Lytton Gardens, Rinconada library, Greer Park, Girls’ Middle

Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates, Inc. | 2


School, Bayshore/Fabian employers, senior residences/centers including Moldaw, Palo Alto Animal Services and Municipal Services South Palo Alto

New

California Avenue Caltrain, Midtown and Palo Verde neighborhoods, Mitchell Park and Library, Senior residences/centers (i.e. Moldaw Residences), Terman Middle School, Gunn High School, VA Hospital

Service Implementation Concepts Annual service hour costs are presented for each route concept at two service levels – initial and full. Initial service levels are typically all-day service at 30-minute frequencies without weekend service. Full service indicates all-day service, into the evenings, at 15-minute peak frequencies and the introduction of weekend service at 40-60 minute frequencies. Full buildout of the system, including 15-minute peak, 30-minute midday, and 30-60 minute evening/weekend service on two existing modified routes and one new route would dramatically increase the total number of revenue hours needed to operate the system. A summary of the concept service changes is provided in Figure 2.



Figure 2

Service Implementation Summary Light Level of Service

Route Name

Crosstown Route – Variant A

Crosstown Route – Variant B

Embarcadero Route

South Palo Alto

Annual Service Hours

Description of Service 7 AM to 7 PM weekday service; 30-minute frequency all day, 40 minute in evenings, no weekend service

11,985

6 AM to 10 PM weekday service with 30-minute frequency all day; 8 AM to 8 PM weekend service with 45-minute frequency 6:50 AM to 7 PM weekday service with 20 minute frequency during peak, no midday service, 40-minute evening; no weekend service

14,640

5,228

7 AM to 7 PM weekday service with 30-minute frequency all day and 60-minute evening frequency; no weekend service

8,670

Full Level of Service Annual Service Hours

Annual Cost

21,705

$1,564,930

14,640

$1,055,544

$376,902

7 AM to 9 PM weekday service with 15-minute frequency in peak, 30-minute frequency in midday and evening; 8 AM to 8 PM service on weekends with 60minute frequency

11,400

$821,940

$625,107

7 AM to 9 PM weekday service with 15-minute frequency in peak, 30-minute midday, 60-minute evening; 8 AM to 8 PM weekend service with 60-minute frequency

14,240

$1,026,704

Annual Cost 1

Description of Service

$864,118

7 AM to 9 PM weekday service; 15minute peak frequency, 30-minute midday and 40-minute evening; 8 AM to 8 PM weekend service with 40-minute frequency

$1,055,544

6 AM to 10 PM weekday service with 30-minute frequency all day; 8 AM to 8 PM weekend service with 45-minute frequency 2

A sample route package incorporating Crosstown Route Variant A, the modified Embarcadero Route, and South Palo Alto Variant A has been produced in Figure 3. This comparison shows the

1 2

Assuming service hour cost of $72.10 Based on proposed service specifications on VTA Route 21



operating cost differences between the estimated annual operating costs of the existing shuttle network and both an initial and full service implementation of this sample package. Figure 3

Sample Route Package and Associated Operating Costs

Route and Variant

Current Annual Operating Costs

Annual Costs – Enhanced Service Level

Annual Costs – Full Service Level

Crosstown A

$281,911

$864,119

$1,564,931

Embarcadero

$252,400

$376,903

$821,940

South Palo Alto

--

$625,107

$1,026,704

TOTAL

$534,311

$1,866,129

$3,413,575

Note: The Embarcadero shuttle is funded in partnership with the Joint Powers Board (JPB). The JPB currently pays 46.5% of the operating cost (up to $117,300 per year). The breakdown of current operating costs is $135,100 per year from the City of Palo Alto and $117,300 from the JPB per year.

As the above table shows, the investment in an expanded shuttle system will require significantly more funding on an annual basis; however, with the elimination of multiple existing VTA routes, expansion of the Palo Alto Shuttle system is important to maintaining strong transit coverage and access for Palo Alto residents and visitors.



2 INTRODUCTION Palo Alto has had its own shuttle system for many years, providing fare-free “last mile” connections to and from Caltrain and “community shuttle” routes for use by students, seniors, and other riders interested in accessing destinations along the routes. With only three routes currently in operation, not all residents and workers are served by the shuttle, and most trips that are not close enough for walking are made by car, other transit providers, and bike, in that typical order of magnitude. With increasing interest in expanding mobility options for residents and workers of all ages, the City of Palo Alto is seeking to develop and implement a citywide fare-free transit system that focuses on innovation, usefulness, and sustainability to maximize car-free mobility and provides convenient accessibility to key destinations and regional connections. This study report helps move this vision forward by developing an expanded system concept for consideration by elected officials and residents alike.

PURPOSE OF THE PLAN The primary purpose of the Palo Alto Transit Vision is to better serve the mobility needs of Palo Alto residents (who live and/or work in the City) and workers. It is also a response to — and was largely informed by — the comments and preferences communicated by the Palo Alto community members who responded to the Palo Alto Shuttle community survey in 2015. The plan serves as a blueprint for implementing new transit services within the City of Palo Alto that connect residential areas to key employment, shopping, recreation, school destinations as well as improve regional connectivity with linkages to Caltrain and countywide transit providers (VTA, SamTrans). Further, it provides a framework for ongoing guidance of future service change efforts through proposed system goals and objectives, service design guidelines, and performance standards. All service concepts presented in this plan are currently unfunded and would require substantial investment on behalf of the City to realize new routes or expansion of service hours on existing routes. A two-phase implementation strategy is presented as part of this plan to help frame the effort and cost needed to achieve a citywide fare-free transit system.

OVERVIEW OF THE PALO ALTO SHUTTLE The Palo Alto Shuttle Program began in 1999 and has historically provided free service that included two routes: Crosstown Shuttle Route and Embarcadero Shuttle Route. In 2014, the Phase One expansion of the Palo Alto Shuttle Program introduced a new shuttle route in partnership with the City of East Palo Alto, bringing the total number of shuttle routes in the program to three. However, the East Palo Alto route was discontinued by the City of East Palo Alto in 2016 with some portions replaced by SamTrans route 280. In 2015, the City increased



midday service frequency on the Crosstown Shuttle route to improve the service to local schools and community facilities. The City of Palo Alto currently operates the following two shuttle routes: 

The Crosstown Shuttle provides a north-south transit connection from Charleston Road to the Palo Alto Transit Center (University Avenue) via Middlefield Road and several community neighborhoods. This route is funded 100% by the City and operates Monday through Friday during the daytime period, excluding some holidays. Average daily ridership on the Crosstown route in February 2016 was 276 boardings per day. This represents a cost of $3.49 per boarding. The Crosstown route had an average 81% on-time performance in fall 2015. Estimated annual cost to operate the existing Crosstown shuttle route is about $282,000.



The Embarcadero Shuttle connects the business parks on the east side of the City along Embarcadero Road to the University Avenue Caltrain Station. The City currently contracts with the Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board (JPB) for the Embarcadero Shuttle, which is a part of the Caltrain peak hour commuter shuttle program and subsidized 46.5% by the JPB (including BAAQMD funding). The remaining 53.5 is subsidized by the Palo Alto Shuttle Program. This route operates Monday through Friday. Average daily ridership on the Embarcadero route in October 2015 was 268 boardings per day. The cost per boarding and on-time performance statistics are unknown as the City of Palo Alto does not hold the contract or pay the full price of the service. The estimated cost to operate the Embarcadero shuttle is $245,000 per year.

The City contracts the operation of the Crosstown shuttle to MV Transportation. The City’s current contract with MV Transportation extends through June 30, 2017. The Caltrain Commuter Shuttle Program operates the Embarcadero Shuttle.

OTHER TRANSIT SERVICES IN PALO ALTO The Palo Alto Shuttle does not operate within a vacuum within the City, and the other transit agencies and the services they provide must be accounted for when considering expanded shuttle service. The City is also well served by regional transit agencies including Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA), SamTrans, Caltrain, and Dumbarton Express (operated by AC Transit). Further, Stanford University operates a robust campus transit program and there are many private shuttles (typically from large tech companies) that also operate in the City, primarily serving Caltrain stations and residential areas. 

VTA provides bus, light rail, and paratransit services throughout Santa Clara County and participates as a funding partner in regional rail service including Caltrain, Capital Corridor, and the Altamont Corridor Express. Within Palo Alto, VTA provides Rapid Bus, local bus, community circulator, and commuter express services. See Chapter 4 for discussion of proposed VTA network changes in Palo Alto.



SamTrans operates 76 bus routes throughout San Mateo County and into parts of San Francisco and Palo Alto. Within Palo Alto, SamTrans provides local bus, community



circulator, and first/last mile shuttle services. SamTrans also provides transit service to East Palo Alto in lieu of the recently-eliminated East Palo Alto shuttle route. 

Caltrain provides commuter rail service along the San Francisco Peninsula, through the South Bay to San Jose and Gilroy. Palo Alto is served by two stations: Palo Alto Station (downtown) and California Avenue Station. The Palo Alto Station is the second busiest in the Caltrain system.



Dumbarton Express is a weekday-only transbay bus service operating between Palo Alto, Stanford and Caltrain and Union City BART. This service is operated by AC Transit and consists of two routes, DB and DB2.



The Stanford Marguerite shuttle operates numerous routes offering first/last mile service to Caltrain, residential areas in the City, areas with high concentrations of ancillary Stanford employment, and local shopping destinations. The Stanford Marguerite shuttles are free to ride and open to anyone.



Private employers located in Palo Alto and surrounding communities are increasingly providing private commuter buses to their employees. This includes employers such as Google, Facebook, Box, VM Ware, some of which operate on Foothill Expressway and Page Mill Road in Palo Alto.

INTEGRATION WITH VTA NEXT NETWORK Over the past several years, the City of Palo Alto has looked closely at expansion of the Palo Alto Shuttle as one way to expand mobility and access for residents and workers of all ages. The ultimate vision is a citywide fare-free transit system that focuses on innovation, usefulness, and sustainability to maximize car-free mobility and provides convenient accessibility to key destinations and regional connections. During the shuttle route concept development process, the express intent was to minimize duplication and overlap with other transit agencies/routes. The first phase of concept development, which took place in spring 2016, was conducted with the best available information at the time. VTA, as part of their Transit Ridership Improvement Program, was still developing and had not yet published their Next Network concepts (Network 70, Network 80, and Network 90). In January 2017, VTA released a draft plan which focused on an 85/15 resource split, with the largest portion going toward higher ridership routes to increase frequency and the smaller portion funding routes serving coverage goals. As a result, some routes in Palo Alto are proposed for elimination and/or modification. Thus, the purpose of this study effort is to revisit and update the draft 5-year service plan to be responsive to and complement the adopted Next Network. In order to meet the City’s own coverage and frequency goals for transit access and mobility, new and/or modified routes have been explored and developed, and are outlined in the transit vision Chapter 5. Staff expect that a revised VTA Next Network Plan will be released in Spring 2017 which will include revisions reflecting an 83/17 split in allocated resources. A future iteration of this plan will react to any major changes in service provision in Palo Alto.

REPORT ORGANIZATION The Palo Alto Transit Vision consists of six chapters, which are summarized below. 

Chapter 1 provides an executive summary of the report.





Chapter 2 presents an introduction to the context, goals, and processes used in development of this plan.



Chapter 3 reviews existing transit services within the City of Palo Alto in more depth and offers an analysis of peer systems.



Chapter 4 summarizes the Draft VTA Next Network plan and the implications of the network changes in Palo Alto.



Chapter 5 presents the shuttle system’s guiding goals and objectives and presents proposed performance standards.



Chapter 6 describes the next steps, as well as consideration of an additional route and other service models the City could consider instead of providing fixed-route shuttle service



Appendix A offers insight on the community profile of Palo Alto.



Appendix B describes the process of developing and screening initial service improvement concepts during phase one of this effort in Spring 2016.



Appendix C includes maps and specifications of additional route variants considered by staff for the Embarcadero and South Palo Alto routes.



3 CURRENT TRANSIT CONDITIONS Public transit in Palo Alto is provided by a wide variety of operators and many service types, including fixed route, long distance commuter shuttle, first/last mile shuttle, community circulator, and school service. Palo Alto is also served by two Caltrain (commuter rail) stations. The Palo Alto Station (downtown) is an exceptionally important multimodal transit hub, generating the second highest commuter rail ridership in the Caltrain system while connecting with Palo Alto Shuttle, Stanford Marguerite, VTA, SamTrans, Dumbarton Express, and private employer shuttles. This chapter reviews existing services within the City.

PALO ALTO SHUTTLE ROUTES The Crosstown Shuttle provides a north-south transit connection from Charleston Road to the Palo Alto (University Avenue) Caltrain station along Middlefield Road and several community neighborhoods. This route serves both JLS and Jordan middle schools during the morning and afternoon bell schedules. Crosstown Route currently operates on one-hour headway during most of the day, except for the morning and mid-afternoon school bell schedule period when there is additional service to support school activity. This route is funded 100% by the City’s General Fund and operates Monday through Friday, excluding some holidays, from 7:40AM- 5:30PM. Average daily ridership on the Crosstown route in February 2016 was 276 boardings per day. This represents a cost of $3.49 per boarding. The Crosstown route had an average 81% on-time performance in fall 2015. The stimated annual cost to operate the existing Crosstown shuttle route is about $282,000. The Embarcadero Shuttle connects the business parks on the east side of the City along Embarcadero Road to the Palo Alto (University Avenue) Caltrain Station. The City currently contracts with the Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board (JPB) for the Embarcadero Shuttle, which is a part of the Caltrain peak hour commuter shuttle program and subsidized 46.5% (up to $117,300) by the JPB. The remainder 53.5% is subsidized by Palo Alto (the General Fund). The shuttle operates on 15- minute headway Monday through Friday from 6:50AM-9:50AM and 3:10PM-6:50PM, excluding some holidays. The Embarcadero Shuttle includes a special run to Jordan Middle School to supplement the Crosstown Shuttle service to/from the school. Average daily ridership on the Embarcadero route in October 2015 was 268 boardings per day. The cost per boarding and on-time performance statistics are unknown as the City of Palo Alto does not hold the contract or pay the full price of the service. The estimated cost to operate the Embarcadero shuttle is $245,000 per year.

Recently Discontinued The East Palo Alto Shuttle began operation on July 1, 2014 and linked the University Avenue Caltrain Station with Woodland Avenue community in East Palo Alto. This route was funded by the City of East Palo Alto but managed by the City of Palo Alto. It operated on 30-minute headways, seven days per week, excluding some holidays, from approximately 6:00AM to 10:00AM and 4:00PM-9:00PM. At the request of East Palo Alto, the route was discontinued in September 2016. SamTrans Route 280 was modified to address coverage gaps left by the elimination of the East Palo Alto shuttle route.



Figure 4

Route Name Crosstown Shuttle

Embarcadero Shuttle

Overview of Current Palo Alto Shuttles

Route

Operator

Managed By

University Ave/Downtown - South Palo Alto @ Charleston Road, via Middlefield

MV Transportation

City of Palo Alto

University Ave. Caltrain Baylands Business Park, via Embarcadero

Caltrain Commuter Shuttle Program

Funded By City of Palo Alto

Headways and Service Days 60 min Weekdays, except holidays

Caltrain Commuter Shuttle Program

BAAQMAD, Peninsula Joint Powers, City of Palo Alto

15-20 min Weekday peak, except holidays

Ridership

Service Hours

276 boardings per day (February 2016)

Weekdays: 7:40 AM – 5:20 PM

268 boardings per day (October 2015)

Weekdays: 6:51-9:34 AM & 3:106:28 PM


Estimated Annual Cost $282,000

Palo Alto Transit Center, Avenidas, Lytton Gardens, Channing House, Main Library, Palo Alto Art Center, Jordan Middle School, Midtown Shopping District, JLS Middle School, Mitchell Park Community Center + Library, Stevenson House

$245,000

E. Bayshore, Embarcadero Road, Palo Alto High School, Jordan Middle School, Palo Alto Medical Foundation

Weekends: no service

Weekends: no service

Points of Interest


OTHER OPERATORS WITHIN PALO ALTO The City is also served by regional transit agencies including Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA), SamTrans, Caltrain, and Dumbarton Express (operated by AC Transit). Further, Stanford University operates a robust campus transit program and there are many private shuttles (typically from large tech companies) that also operate in the City, primarily serving Caltrain stations and residential areas, including Google, Facebook, Box, VMware, and others. Figure 7 lists the universe of routes that serve Palo Alto operated by other agencies. The following section details ridership and productivity of routes serving Palo Alto, in order to gain additional understanding into the current usage and potential of the transit market to, from, and within the City. Based on availability, data ridership is summarized at the route level. Many routes provided by other operators travel on significant portions of roadway outside the City proper.

VTA VTA reports ridership and productivity in their annual transit service plan, most recently for FY 2016 – FY 2017. Standards are based on the average productivity of each route service type – core, local, community, and express. Routes operating below the standard are typically an indicator or need for improvement, but is not a hard cut off. Instead, VTA operates with a minimum productivity standard of 15 boardings per revenue hour for all routes. Figure 5

VTA Ridership

Route Serving Palo Alto

Weekday Ridership

Boardings per Revenue Hour

22

12,929

32.2

35

1,068

16.5

88/88L/88M

207

12.5

89

130

23.5

101

77

19.3

102

314

22.4

103

198

24.8

104

90

22.5

182

28

14.0

522

5,228

21.5

Source: Transit Service Plan FY 2016- FY 2017, VTA Service & Operations Planning, May 2015

VTA released a proposed re-imagination of its network in January 2017 called the VTA Next Network. The Next Network proposes elimination or modification of a number of existing VTA routes in Palo Alto. See chapter 4 for detailed discussion of the implications of the Next Network changes in Palo Alto.



SamTrans SamTrans has seen some declines in ridership related to the local economy in San Mateo County and recovery from the Great Recession, but those declines have now leveled off. Overall the system averages 26.1 boardings per revenue hour. Figure 6

SamTrans Ridership

Route Serving Palo Alto

Weekday Ridership

Boardings per Revenue Hour

280

226

10.6

281

790

12.4

297

58

11.5

397

210

42.1

ECR

12,460

37.3

Source: San Mateo County Transit District Short Range Transit Plan Fy2014 - Fy2023, SamTrans, December 2014

Dumbarton Express In February 2014, average weekday ridership on Dumbarton Express was roughly 1,300 boardings, split nearly evenly between the two routes DB and DB1. 3 No other detailed productivity information was available at time of this study.

Caltrain Caltrain ridership has been steadily increasing since the introduction of the Baby Bullet (2004), with only a slight blip during the Great Recession. The Palo Alto Station and California Avenue Station rank number 2 and 12 in the system, in terms of weekday ridership, respectively. Almost 7,200 boardings were recorded at the Palo Alto Station while the California Avenue Station saw over 1,500 on a daily basis. These riders are primarily last mile, meaning they arrive at each station and require a last mile shuttle (Embarcadero, Marguerite, etc.) to reach their destination. For riders leaving one of these stations as their first trip, station parking is provided, but first mile shuttle service is also highly valued by providing car free mobility to this regional high-capacity transit connection.

Stanford Marguerite Stanford University operates an extensive transit network within Palo Alto and nearby communities called the “Marguerite”. These routes are free for use by University affiliates and the public alike. The full list of routes, as well as recent ridership data, is shown in Figure 7. Ridership on all Marguerite routes in 2016 included about 3.2 million boardings. Average ridership on all routes was 272,421 boardings per month in 2016.

3

Dumbarton Express Operations Update, AC Transit, March 2014.



Figure 7

Other Existing Transit Serving Palo Alto

Route Name

Route

Operator

Managed By

Funded By

Headways

Service Days

Service Hours Weekdays

Service Hours Weekends

Ridership (Boardings Per Revenue Hour)

Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) 4

4

22

Palo Alto Transit Center to Eastridge Transit Center via El Camino

VTA

VTA

VTA

10-15 min (daytime)

Daily

24 hours

24 hours

32.2

35

Downtown Mountain View to Stanford Shopping Center

VTA

VTA

VTA

30-60 min

Daily

5:42 AM – 10:46 PM

8:23 AM – 8:59 PM

16.5

88

Palo Alto Veteran’s Hospital to Middlefield & Colorado

VTA

VTA

VTA

60 min

Weekdays

6:32 AM – 6:39 PM

None

12.5

88L

Palo Alto Veteran’s Hospital to Middlefield & Colorado (School Days Only)

VTA

VTA

VTA

None

School Day Peaks

7:38-8:06 AM & 2:29-4:12 PM

None

12.5

88M

Palo Alto Veteran’s Hospital to Middlefield & Colorado (School Days Only)

VTA

VTA

VTA

None

School Day Peaks

7:43-8:06 AM & 2:29-4:08 PM

None

12.5

89

California Avenue Caltrain to Palo Alto Veterans Hospital (via Stanford Research Park)

VTA

VTA

VTA

30 min

Weekdays

6:36 AM – 6:38 PM

None

23.5

101

Camden & Highway 85 to Palo Alto

VTA

VTA

VTA

60 min

Weekday Peaks

6:16-8:20 AM & 4:10-6:42 PM

None

19.3

Note proposed VTA network changes released in January 2017. See Chapter 4 for explanation of implications on VTA routes serving Palo Alto.



Route Name

Route

Operator

Managed

Funding

Headways

Service Days



Ridership (Boardings per Revenue Hour)

102

South San Jose to Palo Alto

VTA

VTA

VTA

8-30 min

Weekday Peaks

5:50-9:01 AM & 3:25-6:51 PM

None

22.4

103

Eastridge Transit Center to Palo Alto

VTA

VTA

VTA

30-60 min

Weekday Peaks

5:08-8:23 AM & 2:41-6:29 PM

None

24.8

104

Penitenicia Creek Transit Center to Palo Alto

VTA

VTA

VTA

30-45 min

Weekday Peaks

5:54-7:55 AM & 4:00-6:05 PM

None

22.5

182

Palo Alto to IBM/Bailey Ave

VTA

VTA

VTA

None

Weekday Peaks

7:29-8:33 AM & 5:05-6:14 PM

None

14.0

Rapid 522

Palo Alto Transit Center to Eastridge Transit Center

VTA

VTA

VTA

15-30 min

Daily

4:37 AM – 11:16 PM

7:50 AM – 11:09 PM

21.5

AC Transit (MV Transportation)

Dumbarton Bridge Regional Operations Consortium (DBROC): AC Transit, BART, SamTrans, Union City Transit, VTA

30-60 min

Weekdays, except holidays

Dumbarton Bridge Regional Operations Consortium

DB

Dumbarton Express

Regional Measure 2


5:22 AM – 8:51

None

1,300 (average weekday ridership in February 2014 on both DB and DB1)


Headways

Service Days


Regional Measure 2

20-60 min

Weekday peaks, except holidays

San Mateo County Transit District


60 min

SamTrans



Redwood City Transit Center –Palo Alto Transit Center

SamTrans


397

San Francisco – Palo Alto Transit Center

SamTrans

ECR

Daly City BART – Palo Alto Transit Center

SamTrans

Route Name


Ridership (Boardings per Revenue Hour)

5:26-9:45 AM & 1:35-8:43 PM

None

1,300 (average weekday ridership in February 2014 on both DB and DB1)

Daily

5:20 AM – 10:24 PM

7:38 AM – 7:57 PM

10.6

15-30 min

Daily

6:00 AM – 10:32 PM

8:03 AM – 7:58 PM

12.4


60 min

Nightly

10:43 PM – 5:21 AM

6:45 PM – 9:22 AM

11.5



60 min

Nightly

12:48 AM – 6:22 AM

12:48 AM – 6:22 AM

42.1



10-30 min

Daily

3:56 AM – 2:21 AM

4:47 AM – 2:21 AM

37.3

Operator

Managed

Dumbarton Express

AC Transit (MV Transportation)

Dumbarton Bridge Regional Operations Consortium (DBROC): AC Transit, BART, SamTrans, Union City Transit, VTA

280

Purdue / Fordham – Stanford Mall

SamTrans

281

Onetta Harris Center – Stanford Mall

297

DB1

Route

Funding

SamTrans



Route Name



Ridership (Yearly Total – 2016)


7:05 AM – 6:45 PM

None

87,412

30 min


7:01 AM – 6:33 PM

None

66,061

Stanford University and numerous contributors

30 min


5:40 AM – 9:17 PM

None

131,988

Stanford University


7 min

Weekdays

4:06 AM – 1:38 AM

None

410,028

Stanford University

Stanford University


15-20 min

Weekdays

5:05 AM – 9:04 PM

None

191,550 (MC) 8,384 (MCH)

Campus – Downtown Palo Alto (CounterClockwise)

Stanford University

Stanford University


40 min

Nightly, except holidays and Summer

8:10 PM – 1:38 AM

8:10 PM – 1:38 AM

7,257

Campus – Downtown Palo Alto (Clockwise)

Stanford University

Stanford University


40 min

Nightly, except holidays and Summer

8:25 PM – 1:57 AM

8:25 PM – 1:57 AM

7,089

Route

Operator

Managed

Funding

Headways

Service Days

1050 A

Medical School Office Building –Arastradero Road

Stanford University

Stanford University


20 min

BOH

Menlo Park Caltain – Bohannon

Stanford University

Stanford University


C

Vi! – Serra Mall – Escondido Village

Stanford University

Stanford University

HD

Hoover Pavilion Shuttle

Stanford University

MC (MCH)

Palo Alto Transit Center – Stanford Hospital Fountain

N

O

Stanford Marguerite Routes






20 min

Nightly, except holidays and summer

9:00 PM – 2:10 AM

9:00 PM – 2:10 AM

3,198


10-20 min


6:08 AM – 8:10 PM

None

266,555

Stanford University


25 min


10:00 AM to 3:00 PM

None

1,365

Stanford University

Stanford University


10-40 min

Weekday peaks

6:28-10:12 AM & 3:307:33 PM

None

131,008

Stanford University

Stanford University


45 min

Weekday peaks, except holidays

6:20-9:07 AM & 4:34-6:47 PM

None

16,342

Stanford University

Stanford University


35-60 min

Daily, except holidays and Summer

3:00 PM – 10:25 PM

9:35 AM – 11:08 PM

90,297

SLAC – Hoover Tower

Stanford University

Stanford University


20-60 min


7:00 AM – 9:26 PM

None

73,351

Palo Alto Transit Center – Embarcadero Road – Palo Alto Technology Center

Stanford University

Stanford University


10-30 min

Weekday peaks

6:30-10:20 AM & 2:407:25 PM

None

41,408

Route Name

Route

OCA

Tresidder Union – Oak Creek Apartments

P

Operator

Managed

Funding

Headways

Service Days

Stanford University


Stanford University

Palo Alto Transit Center – Stanford Oval

Stanford University

Stanford University

R

California Avenue – Stanford Research Park

Stanford University

RP

Palo Alto Transit Center – Research Park

S

Palo Alto Transit Center – Stanford West Apartments – Oak Creek Apartments – Rosewood Hotel

SE

Palo Alto Shopping Center – Campus – San Antonio Shopping Center

SLAC

TECH



Route Name

Route

Operator

Managed

Funding

Headways

Service Days




VA

Stanford Hospital – Campus – California Avenue Caltrain Station – Palo Alto VA Hospital

Stanford University

Stanford University


25-45 min

Weekdays

6:30 AM – 9:37 PM

None

27,981

X

Palo Alto Transit Center – Stanford Shopping Center –Campus (CounterClockwise)

Stanford University

Stanford University


15-20 min


5:51 AM – 8:59 PM

None

508,160

Y

Palo Alto Transit Center – Stanford Shopping Center –Campus (Clockwise)

Stanford University

Stanford University


15-20 min


6:08 AM – 8:59 PM

None

521,472

AE-F/U

Fremont BART – Stanford Oval –Stanford Shopping Center

Stanford University / AC Transit



30-60 min

Weekday Peaks

6:00-9:26 AM & 2:45-7:03 PM

None

139,443

Caltrain

Bay Area Air Quality Management District Transportation Fund for Clean Air, Peninsula Corridor Joint Powers Board, Hewlett-Packard

Caltrain

Deer Creek Shuttle

Palo Alto Transit Center – California Ave Caltrain Station –Deer Creek

Caltrain

20-60 min


Weekday Peaks

7:33-10:01 AM & 3:387:01 PM

About 7,200 daily boardings at Palo Alto station None About 1,500 daily boardings at California Avenue station


TRANSIT ACCESS WITHIN PALO ALTO In addition to the Palo Alto Shuttle, five other transit operators provide service in Palo Alto — SamTrans, VTA, Dumbarton Express, and Stanford’s Marguerite Shuttle (which is also free to the community). Given the presence of many operators, an analysis of access to existing transit service found that 74% of Palo Alto residents are within a quarter-mile walk of a bus stop in Palo Alto (Figure 8) along routes that provide intracity (within Palo Alto) service. Gaps identified as part of this exercise, and shown in the below figure, informed the goals and the subsequent route development process of the Palo Alto Transit Vision.


PALO ALTO TRANSIT VISION | DRAFT City of Palo Alto Figure 8

Access to Transit within a Quarter-Mile in Palo Alto



4 VTA NEXT NETWORK When developing new or modified route concepts for the Palo Alto Shuttle network, the initial intent was to minimize duplication and overlap with other transit agencies/routes and expand coverage into areas of the City currently without transit service. During an initial concept development process conducted in spring 2016, VTA was still developing internally their Next Network concepts as part of their Transit Ridership Improvement Program (TRIP). Fast forwarding to January 2017, VTA has now released its Draft Next Network Plan, which focuses on a reduction in coverage-based transit service in order to provide more robust and frequent service to higher ridership routes within the VTA service area. 5 This is proposed through introduction of an 85/15 approach to funding allocation, with 85% of operating funds being used to improve higher ridership routes and 15% funding routes serving coverage goals. The implications of the proposed transit network modifications for Palo Alto include elimination of multiple local transit routes, as described in Figure 9. 6 Transit provided by VTA in Palo Alto today, as well as the Next Network proposed changes, are shown in Figure 10. As shown below, the first iteration of the Next Network proposal identified VTA Route 89 for discontinuation. However, through subsequent conversations with VTA staff, Route 89 is expected to be retained in future proposals. Figure 9 Route Number

VTA Transit Route in Palo Alto Description of Change

21

New Route 21 would connect Downtown Palo Alto with San Antonio Shopping Center, Downtown Mountain View, Downtown Sunnyvale and Santa Clara Caltrain station. New Route 21 would replace current Routes 32 and 35.

22

Route will remain but frequency will be reduced.

35

Current Route 35 will be discontinued and replaced with new Route 21.

88

Current Route 88 will become new Route 288A/B and will provide school trips only (2 AM & 3 PM), with service to Gunn High School, Terman Middle School, Kehillah Jewish High School, Palo Verde Elementary School, Hoover

Routing Change

Frequency Change

N/A

N/A

X X X

The VTA Draft Next Network Plan can be accessed at: http://nextnetwork.vta.org/ This figure represents proposed changes released by VTA in January 2017. A revised Next Network is expected to be released by VTA in Spring 2017 and may include changes to the proposal for VTA service in Palo Alto. Any changes will be reflected in a new iteration of this plan.

5 6



Elementary School, Jane Lathrop Stanford Middle School. 89

Current Route 89 will be discontinued due to low ridership. 7

X

102/103/104/182 8

No changes proposed. Limited run commute-only route. Subject to change pending outcome of upcoming study.

X

288

New Route 288 proposed to provide service to schools in lieu of proposed discontinuation of current Route 88.

X

522

Route will remain with increased frequency proposed to begin in April 2017.

VTA Route 89 was slated for discontinuation in the January 2017 proposal. However, through subsequent conversations with VTA staff, Route 89 is expected to be retained in future proposals. 8 Route 104 will serve Milpitas BART station upon opening. 7


X


Figure 10

Current VTA Network Coverage (left) and Proposed VTA Network Coverage (right) in Palo Alto



Palo Alto will retain the following service from VTA: 

Three all-day routes, primarily along Middlefield Road (new Route 21) and El Camino Real (current Routes 22 and 522 Rapid)



Two school tripper routes (288A and 288B) with service between portions of Palo Verde, Charleston Meadow, Greenmeadow, Fairmeadow, and Saint Claire Gardens neighborhoods and Gunn High School and others surrounding schools via Charleston and Arastradero Road



Four express routes with limited trips during commute hours, primarily serving Page Mill Road business complexes, including current Routes 102, 103, 104, and 182

Figure 11

Proposed Route 88 Changes

TRANSIT ACCESS WITH VTA NEXT NETWORK The existing access to transit analysis revealed that with the current VTA network and Palo Alto shuttle routes, 74% of Palo Alto residents are within a quarter-mile walk of bus service or a halfmile walk of rail (i.e. Caltrain). This walkshed map and associated discussion is presented in Chapter 3. However, when the walkshed analysis is re-run with the Draft VTA Next Network, transit access within the same walking radius described above drops to 61% of residents in Palo Alto. This amounts to a 17.5% decrease in transit accessibility citywide. As shown in Figure 12 below, residents and businesses in the following areas will have significantly reduced VTA service due to elimination of current Routes 88 and 89: 

Adjacent to Louis Road, Meadow Drive and Charleston Road in Palo Verde, Fairmeadow, Meadow Park and Charleston Gardens neighborhoods



Evergreen Park and Green Acres neighborhoods and adjacent to Page Mill Road, Hoover Street, Arastradero Road and Foothill Expressway



Transit Accessibility Walkshed Incorporating VTA Network Changes



5 PALO ALTO TRANSIT VISION Goals The following goals were developed based on current operating characteristics, community priorities, and the markets for transit services. The objectives to support each goal are, in most cases, actions that can be taken by the City to help move toward realization of these goals. The service concepts and preferred service alternative presented in the succeeding chapters seek to meet these goals and objectives with service design. 





Convenient & Accessible – With all transit trips beginning or ending with a walk trip, all residents and businesses should be within a reasonable walking distance of a transit stop along a route providing frequent, all day service. o

Locate routes within ¼ mile walk of major health, recreational, education, employment, cultural and social services facilities.

o

Once the first accessibility objective is met, increase citywide coverage by providing all residents accessibility to routes within a ¼ mile walk, starting first at higher density locations (e.g. multi-family housing)

Frequent & Reliable – All transit routes and services within the City should provide frequent and reliable all day service in order to serve the wide variety of trip types that compose overall travel need. o

Achieve headway benchmarks defined as 10-15 minute weekday peak, 30 minute midday, and 30-60 min weekday evening/weekends.

o

Operate reliably by meeting on-time performance standards as agreed upon with operator.

Visibility and Ease of Use o

Implement friendly, exciting and encouraging new branding.

o

Strive for convenience - superior coverage and frequent service should go where people want to go and offer real and practical alternatives to driving.

o

The system should be easy to understand and easy to ride for all users.

Markets “Who should the shuttle serve?” was a fundamental question explored as part of this study process. While full build-out of a fare-free citywide transit system that serves all residents, employees, and visitors to the greatest extent possible is the ultimate vision, it cannot be fully achieved without complementary policy, behavioral, and built environment changes. For example, a Palo Alto resident with full access to a private vehicle will likely drive to downtown, Town & Country Village, California Avenue, etc. for a shopping or dining trip even with accessible Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates, Inc. | 27


shuttle service because parking is free. For a choice rider, a very low marginal cost of driving begets driving. Thus, a fare-free citywide transit system will need to be implemented incrementally and should serve the populations and physical areas of the City with the highest transit propensity and need first. As part of the process in developing system goals and objectives, identification and prioritization of these service markets further determines how service planning decisions and incremental investments in service improvements can be made. First, priority is given to the mobility and accessibility needs of residents, employees, and visitors who are without access to a private vehicle, who choose not to drive, or cannot drive, including seniors, students, and persons with special needs or disabilities. The following service markets are identified in descending order of need, and form the basis of the service planning efforts: 1.

Seniors – Ensure origins and destinations are served well with frequent service and a one seat ride, provide more amenities at stops that enhance customer experience, and ensure language needs are addressed.

2. Students – More trips during peak hour to relieve overcrowding; better serve high and middle schools; coordinate with schools to consider schedules for alternate days off. 3. Employees Last Mile – Serve all major employment generators with Caltrain-based shuttles and meet all peak period commuter trains at Palo Alto and California Avenue stations or provide service at high enough frequencies that meeting specific trains is less important. 4. Employees First Mile – Enhance first mile connectivity for Palo Alto residents with express service from dense residential areas to Caltrain. 5.

Employees Intracity – Ensure that Palo Alto residents who also work in Palo Alto can access their place of employment car-free.

6. Residents – Focus on evening and weekend trip making to entertainment, dining and shopping (note: this is the hardest group to serve without complementary policy changes, such as introduction of parking charges to disincentivize auto use).

Community Outreach / Feedback The goals, concepts, and recommendations included in this service plan were informed by an engagement process comprised of a community survey, a set of community meetings, other informal public engagement activities including social media interactions, and community engagement as part of the City of Palo Alto General Plan update. The methodology and findings for these community engagement efforts are outlined further in the below sections.

Community Survey A comprehensive community survey was developed and distributed in the fall of 2015. Running for nearly four months from September through December 2015, the survey was housed on online survey platform SurveyMonkey. The survey was also distributed in paper form at senior centers around Palo Alto, including Avenidas and Sheridan House, to ensure the senior population had the opportunity to comment and contribute their views to the survey. The survey garnered 1,981 responses in the nearly four-month period, representing a strong interest in the shuttle program and in making improvements to ensure the shuttle is a viable



transportation option. Of all respondents, 67% live in Palo Alto, 47% work in Palo Alto and 12% go to school in Palo Alto, indicating a mix of affiliations with Palo Alto. For visitors to Palo Alto, the most common reasons reported on the survey were for medical purposes, followed by entertainment and visiting family and friends. Figure 13

Survey Response: What is your affiliation with Palo Alto?

Go to school in Palo Alto

12%

Work in Palo Alto

47%

Live in Palo Alto

67%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

About half of respondents were members of a one or two-person household, while the other half lived with two or more people. More than half of respondents have more than one private vehicle available in their household (55%) while 11% have no car available. This alone demonstrates a challenge to encouraging widespread use of the shuttle within Palo Alto. Shuttle Usage Of all respondents, the vast majority (67%) said they had personally never used the shuttle (see Figure 14). However, more than 20% of respondents said that someone in their household had used the shuttle in the past three months.



Figure 14

Survey Response: How often do you use the shuttle? 4%

3%

6%

Daily on weekdays Weekly

9%

A few times a month 11%

I used to ride but don't currently Less than once a month

67%

I've never used it

Shuttle Improvements The most popular response regarding why respondents do not use the shuttle pertained to insufficient locations served by the shuttle (37%), followed by a lack of awareness of the shuttle in general or how to use it (30%) (see Figure 15). Figure 15

Survey Response: Why don’t you use the shuttle?

"It doesn't go where I need to go"

37%

"I didn't know about it"

30%

"I'd like to use it but I don't know how"

19%

"It doesn't run when I need it"

8%

"It doesn't run frequently enough"

6% 0%

5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40%

When asked what would entice respondents to use the shuttle more often, the most common improvements included more frequent shuttle service (53%), service to additional destinations (51%), service close to home (47%), better information on the service (38%), and longer service hours (36%) (see Figure 16).



Figure 16

Survey Response: What would motivate you to use the shuttle more often?

Buses that come more often

53%

Bus routes closer to my destination

51%

Bus routes closer to home

47%

Better schedule information

38%

Longer service hours

36%

Real time tracking on mobile

35% 0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

More than 1,000 pieces of destination data were collected as part of the survey. With this data, a map of “key destinations” was produced to include the work, school and other destinations, such as shopping and medical appointments, of the shuttle survey respondents. While not exhaustive or assumed to be reflective of the entire Palo Alto population, the most common destinations indicated on the community survey are shown in Figure 17 and Figure 18. Figure 17

Survey Responses: Key Destinations Destination

Category

Number of Responses

SAP

Employer

154

City of Palo Alto

Employer

73

Jazz Pharmaceuticals

Employer

66

Stanford University

Employer

52

Palantir Technologies

Employer

42

Palo Alto High School

School/Employer

100

Gunn High School

School/Employer

69

Fairmeadows/Hoover/JLS

Schools

69

Ohlone Elementary

School/Employer

18

Barron Park

Other destination

28

California Avenue corridor

Other destination

18

Town and Country Shopping Center

Other destination

10

Stanford Shopping Center

Other destination

8

Cubberley Community Center

Other destination

6



Figure 18

Survey Responses: Key Destinations of Survey Respondents



Open-Ended Comment Analysis Additionally, more than 1,000 0pen-ended comments were received on the shuttle survey, as well as 19 comments on the City of Palo Alto Facebook page. Responses to the final survey question, which collected open-ended and general comments regarding the shuttle service, were coded and categorized into 1,307 pieces of response data. See Figure 19 for a breakdown of these comments and an overview of key themes discussed in that category of responses. Open-ended responses related to location of shuttle service, such as requests for new service areas, as well as communication-related comments, including requests for better shuttle informational materials both paper and online, topped the list of common themes. This analysis reinforced the findings in previous survey questions that service to additional locations, as well as improved communications and frequency, are the key concerns and requests by survey-takers. The fact that school service was also a common theme in open-ended responses highlighted the important role the Palo Alto Shuttle plays, and has the opportunity to play, in school transportation. Figure 19

Survey Comment Analysis Category

Number of Responses

Key Themes in the Category

Location

366

New service areas, neighborhoods and destinations; general requests for additional service

Communication (COMM)

233

Better service marketing and expanded awareness; improvements to the branding and bus wraps, improved website and schedule materials; introduction of real-time tracking and an app for the service

Frequency (FREQ)

164

Requests for more frequent service (every 5-15 min) or more buses

Service hours (HRS)

137

Requests for midday hours on all shuttle routes, service hours later into the evenings (to allow for dinner out or to match the evening commute) and weekend service

School Service (SCHOOL)

105

Requests for service to additional PA schools, for shuttle schedules that link up to school schedules and related to capacity issues when school is in session and on routes serving schools

Reliability

73

Comments that the bus is frequently operating far off its published schedule which deters use of the service; requests that the shuttle better aligns with other transit in the city (Marguerite, VTA)

Caltrain

59

Better service linking to Caltrain stations and with Caltrain schedules

Amenities (AMEN)

53

Benches and signage at stops, senior accessibility such as low step boarding, pull cords on-board the shuttles, bike facilities and stroller facilities on-board

Door to Door

31

Suggestion for paratransit or door-to-door service in addition to or in lieu of the shuttle; partnerships with Uber, TNCs, etc.

Travel Time

28

Requests to reduce shuttle travel time, suggestions for express service/routes with fewer stops



Key Findings and Conclusions Key findings from the community survey demonstrate opportunities to expand the shuttle’s reach into new ridership areas and markets. Opportunity areas for improvements should facilitate mobility for: 

Seniors — through ADA accessibility, helpful drivers, and service to senior centers and shopping centers



Students — parents request reliable, timed links to schools with enough capacity



Caltrain commuters — timed and reliable service to/from Caltrain stations, particularly Palo Alto station where bullet trains stop and during hours which allow for use in the evening commute



Employees at Palo Alto businesses — opportunity to provide first mile/last mile service to employers along Page Mill Road and one-seat ride to people who work at Stanford and in downtown business corridors



Travelers during more hours of the day — opportunities for travel during the midday, evenings and on weekends was requested



Residents of more neighborhoods — such as the Southwest part of Palo Alto, including Ventura, Barron Park and Evergreen Park neighborhoods, among other areas



Everyone — a robust communications and awareness campaigns, as well as efforts to improve the usability of the website and other informational materials, would benefit all current and potential future users of the shuttle.

Community Meetings Two community meetings were held on March 10, 2016 to share an overview of the findings of the community survey and discuss five initial shuttle service concepts, which included three new routes and two modifications or extensions to existing shuttle routes. Attendees were notified that all potential new shuttle routes are currently unfunded. An afternoon meeting was held at the Palo Alto Main Library to ensure the senior population and others were able to come to the meeting via the existing Crosstown shuttle service. The evening meeting was held at the Lucie Stern Community Center to allow those who work normal business hours to attend. The afternoon meeting was attended by about 40 people and the evening meeting by about 20. The afternoon meeting was particularly well-attended by residents of the Moldaw Residences. Overall, attendees were happy with the proposal to expand the shuttle routes and about the locations served by the proposed new and modified routes. Depending on the specific home locations and destinations of attendees, participants expressed interest and approval of different routes.



Comments received at the meetings included requests to: 

Ensure safe boarding and waiting areas at all stops for new routes, including benches, closest to senior centers and other destinations



Extend hours on Crosstown route to evenings and weekends



Improve frequency on all routes



Serve Palo Alto Caltrain station on both sides of station



Strive for easy transfer opportunities between Palo Alto shuttle routes and other transit services



Consider extending Barron Park and/or Southwest routes to Mitchell Park and to intersect with the Crosstown route



Serve additional key destinations including the JCC, Palo Alto Medical Foundation,



Update current bus branding and decorations to represent all rider groups; install cords on the buses to indicate when riders want to exit the bus



Consider the impacts of the shuttle expansion and downtown parking pricing on nearby residential neighborhoods



Ensure shuttles are always ADA accessible for those in wheelchairs and scooters



Consider whether a quarter-mile walkshed is realistic for seniors and people with disabilities



Consider travel time on new and existing routes – does it take too long to be worth it?



Advertise the Shuttle in the Weekly newspaper, include in transit planning apps



Impact of reduced Stanford Marguerite service during the summer months



Consider how a potential flex, on-demand service could work for seniors or low income residents without smart phones



Each of these comments either reinforced the need for a certain goal or improvement already in discussion for future implementation or was regarded as an important consideration for future steps of this work. The latter type of comment includes those related to choosing specific stop locations, building in transfer opportunities, and development of a branding and communications campaign.

Other Engagement Activities Targeted in-person engagement was conducted at senior residence and activity centers in Palo Alto in December 2015 in conjunction with the survey. In addition to bringing more responses to the survey, this effort offered the opportunity to engage with potential and current shuttle users in person. Additional comments were fielded through social media including on the City of Palo Alto Facebook page. These comments were incorporated into the survey analysis described earlier in this chapter. 

9

Relevant comments from the ongoing community involvement process for Our Palo Alto 2030, including a Summit in May 2015 with more than 350 participants, were reviewed and considered in development of shuttle plans. Notes from the summit include multiple calls for improvements to the existing shuttle services, including 9:

http://www.paloaltocompplan.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Palo_Alto-Summit_Q4_results.pdf





“Expand Palo Alto Shuttle geographically and in frequency (i.e. West of El Camino).”



“Improved citywide shuttle service with collaboration with local employers.”



“More geographically distributed bus/shuttle service – within a 10 min walk of each home.”



Enact shuttle improvements to routes and schedules to meet the needs of both commuters and residents; expand into neighborhoods



Improve communication of services via websites, apps, signage



On-demand shuttles

PROPOSED ROUTE MODIFICATIONS Based on current transit coverage in Palo Alto and gaps in coverage identified through the transit walkshed analysis, proposed changes to the VTA network, and community needs as expressed through the outreach process, a full set of route concepts were developed and screened as part of the visioning process. See Appendix B for full list of initial concepts and the screening process methodology. What is shown below is the outcome of the visioning and screening process: proposed route modifications to Crosstown and Embarcadero routes, as well as a new Palo Alto Shuttle route, “South Palo Alto.” Additional variants not shown in this chapter were considered by staff and can be found in Appendix C. These proposals seek to achieve enhanced coverage, frequency, and span within the Palo Alto Shuttle network while addressing the reduction in VTA service included as part of the Draft Next Network Plan.



Crosstown Two variants for a revised Crosstown shuttle route are presented and are still under consideration by the City. Crosstown Variant A improves upon the original Crosstown route by adding new routing on both ends: 

North End - Extension from Palo Alto Caltrain Station to the Stanford Shopping Center and Stanford Medical Center



South End – Extension from Middlefield Road to San Antonio Road and El Camino Real. This extension adds access to the Moldaw Residences, as well as San Antonio Caltrain and San Antonio Shopping Center. Crosstown Variant A Specifications

Primary Route Type

Community Circulator

Round-Trip Route Length

20.2 miles

Round-Trip Cycle Time

105 minutes

Vehicle Requirements

7 vehicles for 15-minute service 4 vehicles for 30-minute service 3 vehicles for 40-minute service

Destinations

Stanford Medical Center* Stanford Shopping Center* Palo Alto Caltrain* Downtown Palo Alto* Lytton Gardens Rinconada library Jordan Middle School Midtown JLS Middle School / Hoover Elementary / Fairmeadow Elementary* Mitchell Park and Library* Cubberley Community Center* Senior residences/centers* San Antonio Caltrain San Antonio Shopping Center*

(* indicate key destinations identified in the community survey and shown in Figure 18)



Crosstown Route Variant A



Crosstown Variant B provides coverage redundancy for the new VTA Route 21 in an effort to offer increased frequency, up to 15-minute headway. Crosstown Variant B Specifications Primary Route Type



15.7 miles


90 minutes


3 vehicles for 30-minute service 2 vehicles for 45-minute service

Destinations

Stanford Medical Center* Stanford Shopping Center* Palo Alto Caltrain* Downtown Palo Alto* Lytton Gardens Rinconada library Jordan Middle School Midtown JLS Middle / Hoover Elementary / Fairmeadow Elementary* Mitchell Park and Library* Cubberley Community Center* Senior residences/centers* San Antonio Caltrain San Antonio Shopping Center*


As part of the concept service plan, Crosstown is targeted for significant increases in frequency and service span. Initially, peak weekday frequencies would be improved and span of service extended to provide additional utility in the early AM and evening periods. Over time, service frequencies would be improved to 15 minutes during peak periods and service would be introduced on weekends.



Crosstown Route Modification – Variant B



Embarcadero As a first/last mile shuttle, the current route structure is designed to serve the Palo Tech Center employers east of US 101. A modification of the Embarcadero route is presented with the goal of addressing coverage gaps presented in the Greer Park/Midtown areas with the elimination of VTA routes and expanding Palo Alto Shuttle coverage to areas along both East and West Bayshore. With match funding ending and a duplicate service to the Palo Tech Center provided by the Stanford Marguerite Tech route, the modified Embarcadero presented here extends the current Embarcadero route to serve municipal service buildings and other businesses along West and East Bayshore Drives, as well as the portion of San Antonio Road nearest to U.S. 101. Embarcadero Modified Route Specifications Primary Route Type

First/Last Mile and Community Circulator


10.8 miles


50 minutes


4 vehicles for 15-minute service 2 vehicles for 30-minute service 2 vehicles for 60 minute service

Destinations

Palo Alto Caltrain* Downtown Palo Alto* Town & Country Village* Paly High School* Lytton Gardens Rinconada library Palo Alto Municipal Service Center 10 Palo Alto Animal Services Businesses near San Antonio Road/E Charleston Road Senior residences/centers* Greer Park


Staff considered additional variants on the Embarcadero route, which can be viewed in Appendix C.

10 Expanding the Palo Alto Shuttle to the Municipal Service Center allows the City of Palo Alto to expand its employee Caltrain GoPass program to employees outside of the City Hall.



Embarcadero Route Modification



South Palo Alto Most routes, whether Palo Alto Shuttle or operated by other agencies, serve downtown Palo Alto, including the Palo Alto Transit Center. South Palo Alto terminates at the VA hospital and the California Ave Caltrain Center, serving schools and other destinations along Arastradero, Charleston, Louis, and Colorado along the way. This South Palo Alto route concept provides connections to Caltrain by terminating near the California Avenue Caltrain station. Variant A also includes a Paly school tripper extension serving the residential areas south of Oregon Expressway. South Palo Alto Specifications Route Type



13.4 miles


75 minutes (60 minutes evening/weekend)

Vehicles Requirement

5 vehicles for 15-minute service 3 vehicles for 30-minute service 1 vehicle for 40-60 minute service

Destinations

California Avenue* California Avenue Caltrain* Midtown Palo Verde neighborhood Mitchell Park and Library* Senior residences/centers* Terman Middle School* Gunn High School* VA Hospital


Two additional variants on the South Palo Alto route were considered by staff and can be viewed in Appendix C.



South Palo Alto



SERVICE PLAN AND IMPLEMENTATION Annual service hours and costs are presented for each route (including two variants for the Crosstown route) in Figure 24. For each route/variant, a description and estimated annual costs are provided for both an enhanced (initial) service level and a full (meets frequent and reliable goal) service level. The City of Palo Alto may select a phased introduction of new or modified shuttle routes, or may choose to introduce a full service level from the beginning, acknowledging the loss of VTA service. Figure 24

Service Implementation Summary Enhanced Service Level

Route Name

Description of Service


Annual Cost 11

Full Service Level Description of Service


Annual Cost

21,705

$1,564,930

14,640

$1,055,544

11,400

$821,940

Crosstown

– Variant A

– Variant B 12

Embarcadero

7 AM to 7 PM weekday service; 30-minute frequency all day, 40 minute in evenings, no weekend service 6 AM to 10 PM weekday service with 30-minute frequency all day; 8 AM to 8 PM weekend service with 45-minute frequency 6:50 AM to 7 PM weekday service with 20-minute frequency during peak, no midday service, 40-minute evening; no weekend service

11,985

14,640

5,228

$864,118

$1,055,544

$376,902

7 AM to 9 PM weekday service; 15minute peak frequency, 30-minute midday and 40-minute evening; 8 AM to 8 PM weekend service with 40-minute frequency 6 AM to 10 PM weekday service with 30-minute frequency all day; 8 AM to 8 PM weekend service with 45-minute frequency 13

7 AM to 9 PM weekday service with 15-minute frequency in peak, 30-minute frequency in midday and evening; 8 AM to 8 PM service on weekends with 60minute frequency

Assumes service hour cost of $72.10. Crosstown Variant B duplicates much of VTA Route 21’s route. 30-minute service on Crosstown Variant B would be scheduled as to offer 15-minute frequency to passengers when combined with VTA Route 21’s 30-minute service. 13 Based on proposed service specifications on VTA Route 21. 11 12



South Palo Alto (To be coordinated with VTA Routes 288 and 89)

7 AM to 7 PM weekday service with 30-minute frequency all day and 60-minute evening frequency; no weekend service

8,670

$625,107

7 AM to 9 PM weekday service with 15-minute frequency in peak, 30-minute midday, 60-minute evening; 8 AM to 8 PM weekend service with 60-minute frequency

14,240

$1,026,704

Sample Route Package A sample route package incorporating Crosstown Route Variant A, the modified Embarcadero Route, and South Palo Alto Variant A has been produced in Figure 25. This comparison shows the operating cost differences between the annual operating costs of the existing shuttle network and both an initial and full service implementation of this sample package. Figure 25

Sample Route Package and Associated Operating Costs

Route and Variant

Current Annual Operating Costs

Annual Costs – Enhanced Service Level

Annual Costs – Full Service Level

Crosstown A

$281,911

$864,119

$1,564,931

Embarcadero

$252,400

$376,903

$821,940

South Palo Alto

--

$625,107

$1,026,704

TOTAL

$534,311

$1,866,129

$3,413,575

Note: The Embarcadero shuttle is funded in partnership with the Joint Powers Board (JPB). The JPB currently pays 46.5% of the operating cost (up to $117,300 per year). The breakdown of current operating costs is $135,100 per year from the City of Palo Alto and $117,300 from the JPB per year.

As the above table shows, the investment in an expanded shuttle system will require significantly more funding on an annual basis; however, with the elimination of multiple existing VTA routes, expansion of the Palo Alto Shuttle system is important to maintaining strong transit coverage and access for Palo Alto residents and visitors. As shown in Figure 26, this sample package results in transit access for 77% of Palo Alto residents within a quarter-mile walk of a bus stop or half-mile walk of a train station. This is an increase from the 61% identified when incorporating the loss of the VTA routes proposed in the draft Next Network (Figure 12). It also represents an improvement in transit access from the 74% of residents who are currently within a quarter mile of bus transit with the existing transit service (Figure 8).



Transit Access Walkshed Analysis – Sample Route Package



Capital Improvements Because Palo Alto contracts operation of its shuttle routes to a private transportation provider (currently MV Transportation), it does not own buses or maintenance facilities, and thus primary capital needs are bus stop improvements and ongoing design and printing of new informational materials and schedules. The following section outlines guidelines and costs for bus stops and amenities. Follow on service planning will determine stop locations for new or modified routes, as well as any upgrades needed to existing stop locations.

Bus Stops Stop siting/placement will be part of detailed route planning for modified or new routes. All stops should be fully accessible with a concrete landing and access to a sidewalk or pathway. ADA accessibility standards require that each bus stop include a landing pad with a minimum width of 60 inches and minimum depth of 96 inches. Bus stops should also connect to adjacent sidewalks or pedestrian paths. Many systems go beyond ADA minimums and provide a landing pad for the rear door of the bus. The addition of landing pads, connecting sidewalks, and amenities such as seating and shelter enhance the customer experience and are especially important for seniors and other persons with disabilities.

Signage and Amenities Well-designed bus stop signage has the opportunity to provide useful customer information while simultaneously marketing transit service. Route signage should be limited to one design to minimize inventory and materials costs. The unit cost of bus stop poles and signage is approximately $250 per stop. Bus stop amenities enhance the customer experience by increasing comfort and perceived safety and reducing perceived waiting times. Bus stop amenities also influence the community’s perception of transit service. The approximate cost of bus shelters with seating and trash receptacles is $10,000 per stop. Figure 27

Bus Stop Amenity Guidelines

Amenity

Description

Pole and sign

Installed at stops with fewer than 5 average daily boardings

Pole, sign, and seating

Installed at stops with 10-20 average daily boardings and at key senior destinations

Pole, sign, seating, and shelter

Installed at stops with 20 or more average daily boardings and at schools and senior centers

The provision of amenities is typically based on ridership. Circumstances that might preclude installation of shelters or seating at particular stop meeting specific thresholds are: 

Amenities would compromise pedestrian or operational safety



Adequate right-of-way is not available



Regulations enforced by City, County, State, or Federal government



Installation costs are excessive



Plans are in place to relocate or close the stops



6 FOR FURTHER CONSIDERATION OTHER SERVICE DELIVERY MODELS With transportation network companies and technology applications adding new options for customers to more directly control when, where and how they travel, the City wants to explore the potential for and impacts of converting all or some of its services into real-time e-hailing flex services. There are several ways to accomplish this objective. At a high level, these include: 

Partnering with transportation network companies (TNCs) through a contract or MOU



Developing/acquiring applications for e-hailing, dynamic trip-booking, vehicle assignment, and electronic payment functionality to apply to services operated in-house or via contract



Converting all or some of existing fixed route to a blended flex service and apply a combination of advanced booking and real-time e-hailing, scheduling, and fare payment system functionality

The analysis of existing services coupled with the community survey results suggests the predominant improvements that would encourage potential riders to use the shuttle were corrective actions to the perceived service deficiencies concerning the desire for more frequent service, better service coverage, more information, longer service span, etc. The perceived service gaps reinforce the City’s interest in exploring whether an alternative service delivery approach might yield higher ridership. Essentially, these data suggest that potential riders want a service that operates when they wish to travel and where they wish to travel. This service delivery philosophy correlates to flexible services with real-time responsiveness (similar to OmniLink Flex-Route – a point deviation service) as well as real-time dynamically routed services (similar to the FlexBus concept and the VTA Flex pilot).

Flex Service Types Partnering with a TNC – one obvious service model for the City to consider is partnering with Transportation Network Companies like Uber and Lyft. TNC’s offer an easy bridge to extend existing services to currently unserved and underserved areas and markets via a memorandum of understanding, service parameters and standards, and a financial agreement. Figure 28 presents a snapshot of pros and cons of the TNC partnership model. Figure 28

TNC partnership Model Pros and Cons

TNC Partnership Start-up process

Pros Easy to set up; Quickly expands mobility to a wide market

Cons MOU must address legal, financial, risk, performance considerations



Financial

Low initial investment; Reasonable investment for modest expansion of mobility

Subsidy on a per trip basis, unless there is a counteracting requirement for a high level of shared trips, will increase overall costs, especially at a cost/trip basis

Access to Service

Quickly expands to cover the general public TNC market

Requires concerted effort to facilitate access to service and service accessibility to low income, and disabled population

Managing Service

The customer arranges transport directly with the TNC

The City has limited control over service quality and the amount of service provided which can have fiscal impacts

E-hailing Flex Services – The City may also consider converting the shuttles to point deviation and/or anchored flex services and deploying e-hailing and electronic fare payment applications. Figure 29 presents a snapshot of pros and cons of the point deviation and anchored flex service models. 

Point deviation Flex services include a generalized transit route created by a series of designated stop locations with the ability of the service to deviate between stops on request to make off-route pick-up and drop-offs.



Anchored Flex services operate more like dial-a ride without specified routes and stops except for one, in some cases 2-3, where the vehicle is always scheduled to be at a particular location and time, generally each hour of half hour. At the anchor stop, the vehicle connects with a regional rail or transit service. Otherwise, the anchored flex service is free to pick up and drop off passengers based on requests.

Figure 29

Point Deviation/Anchored Flex Service Model Pros and Cons

Point Deviation / Anchored Flex Services

Pros

Cons

Start-up process

Modify existing services into point deviation and/or anchored Flex services can be done with a service change

Requires customer awareness; Retrain drivers; Acquire and deploy technology systems

Financial

Point deviation productivity can be high; Improved service costeffectiveness

Requires initial investment in technology; Technology deployment takes time;

Access to Service

Improved customer awareness, service access, service information; Increase ridership

Point deviation and anchored dial-aride services can be a challenge to some customers

Managing Service

Technology applications will enhance customer experience, operations management, data collection, reporting

The City is responsible for operations, service quality



Dynamic Point-to-Point Flex Services – The next option for the City to consider is a realtime dynamically routed point-to-point Flex service. This is essentially a service without routes or schedules. This service model was initially designed for Central Florida as the FlexBus concept and is currently being implemented on the LYNX NeighborLink service in a slightly modified zonal service model. VTA Flex service in Milpitas is another example. Figure 30 presents a snapshot of pros and cons of the point deviation and anchored flex service models. Figure 30

Dynamically Routed Flex Service Model Pros and Cons

Dynamically Routed Flex Services

Pros

Cons

Start-up process

Modify existing services; Rebrand existing services; Leverage ridership base

Retrain customers and drivers; Acquire and deploy technology; More vehicles

Financial

Productivity can be high; High costeffectiveness; Low subsidy per trip

Requires initial investment in technology; Technology deployment takes time;

Access to Service

High customer awareness & service access, Real-time service; Real-time status

Service concept needs to be explained; Non-tech savvy and certain populations may require support

Managing Service

Enhanced customer service, operations management, data and reporting

The City is responsible for operations, service quality

Next Steps Based on this brief analysis of a range of Flex service models currently operating and/or emerging in the industry, there seems to be evidence for the City to further investigate new and emerging service delivery models such as TNC-partnerships, dynamic Flex service models, and point deviation service models as a replacement for or in addition to local fixed-route circulator service. The intent of these service delivery types is to offer new ways to deliver mobility in lower-density and lower-productivity environments. Their primary advantage is in providing more cost-effective service that can minimize the tradeoff between frequent service and good coverage through partnerships or deviations. This initial assessment just scratches at the surface of what alternate service delivery could look like in Palo Alto. A detailed planning and implementation study should follow to further develop and refine these concepts into a feasible pilot program. At time of writing, several formal partnerships have formed and are currently being piloted here in the Bay Area, and best practices/lessons learned from these programs provide a logical, convenient, and accessible starting point for the City as it seeks to explore emerging mobility options for its residents, employees, and visitors.



APPENDIX A

COMMUNITY PROFILE

The City of Palo Alto is located about 30 miles south of San Francisco and 20 miles north of San Jose in Santa Clara County, California. Palo Alto maintained a relatively stable population from 1970 to 2000 with 4.7% growth but has been growing significantly faster since 2000. The 2010 US Census found a population of about 64,000 residents. However, the city’s population is projected to increase 25.1% between 2000 and 2030, reaching more than 73,000 residents by the year 2030. 14 Figure 31 shows the density of residential population throughout Palo Alto. The highest density areas include the University Avenue and California Avenue areas, as well as Barron Park and some census tracts east of Middlefield and south of Oregon Expressway. Other areas of relative high density are in East Palo Alto and near the San Antonio Caltrain station on the border with Mountain View. Figure 31

14

Population Density in Palo Alto

Our Palo Alto 2030, Draft Existing Conditions Report: Population, Housing and Employment (2014), 10-5, 10-6


PALO ALTO TRANSIT VISION |DRAFT City of Palo Alto

Residents age 65 and older constitute 17.1% of Palo Alto’s population. This is a larger portion than the share for Santa Clara County as a whole, which is 11%. Palo Alto’s population is also aging; the median age in 2010 was 41.9 years old, compared to 31.6 in 1970. Between today and 2030, the number of residents older than 65, the average age, and the share of children are all expected to continue to increase. The ethnic make-up of Palo Alto’s population is shifting, with a decrease in persons identifying themselves as Caucasian and an increase in the proportion of people who self-identify as Asian. In 2000, 72.8% of the population identified themselves as white, compared to 60.6% in 2010. Conversely, 17.2% of Palo Alto residents identified as Asian in 2000; this increased to 27% in 2010. These trends are expected to continue both in Palo Alto and throughout the Bay Area. Income in Palo Alto is consistently higher than for surrounding communities in Santa Clara County. Palo Alto’s median household income increased to $122,482 in 2012, compared to $90,747 in Santa Clara County overall. Palo Alto boasts consistent job growth and low unemployment rates. More than 110,000 jobs are projected in Palo Alto by 2030, a 24% increase from the number of jobs in 2010. Employment density in Palo Alto (Figure 32) is concentrated in the University Avenue and California Avenue areas, the Page Mill Road corridor including the Stanford Research Park, and in the southeast part of the city near Fabian Way and San Antonio Road. Figure 32

Employment Density in Palo Alto



Figure 33

Transportation Goals of the Current Comprehensive Plan 15 Transportation Goals

Goal T-1

Less reliance on Single-Occupant Vehicles

Goal T-2

A convenient, efficient public transit system that provides a viable alternative to driving

Goal T-3

Facilities, services, and programs that encourage and promote walking and biking

Goal T-4

An efficient roadway network for all users

Goal T-5

A transportation system with minimal impacts on residential neighborhoods

Goal T-6

A high level of safety for motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists

Goal T-7

Mobility for people with special needs

Goal T-8

Attractive, convenient public and private parking facilities

Goal T-9

An influential role in shaping and implementing regional transportation decisions

Goal T-10

A local airport with minimal off-site impacts

15

Our Palo Alto 2030, Draft Existing Conditions Report: Transportation and Traffic (2014), 12-7



APPENDIX B

CONCEPT LIST AND SCREENING PROCESS

This concept development and screening process took place in Winter/Spring 2016 during the initial development of concepts, prior to the concept refinement in consideration of the draft VTA Next Network.

Concept Development Using the established goals and objectives, the findings from the community survey, and analysis conducted regarding existing transit service, a set of more than 20 initial concept ideas were developed to improve the Palo Alto Shuttle system. These concepts were classified as either new routes, modified routes, or other service improvements. Other service improvements included concepts not directly related to expanded or modified coverage, such as increased frequency, increased service hours, improved reliability, and a campaign to expand awareness and improve the user experience of the shuttle. The full list of initial concepts is included as Figure 34. This initial concept list was developed with the following market factors and planning parameters in mind: 

Walkshed analysis and existing transit access gaps



Population and employment densities



Key activity generators and destinations as identified on the survey



Ridership trends on existing shuttle services



School catchment areas (see figures below)



Residential locations of key user groups (e.g. seniors)


PALO ALTO TRANSIT VISION| DRAFT City of Palo Alto

Figure 34

Palo Alto Shuttle Improvement Concepts – Initial List

Concept

Southwest Shuttle

Midtown-San Antonio Circulator + Paly School Tripper

Central PA

Barron Park

Type

New Route Community Circulator; FM/LM

New Route Community Circulator; School Tripper

New Route Community Circulator


New Route West Shuttle

Winter Shopping Trolley

Community Circulator; School Tripper


Description

New route with service from Stanford Shopping Center/Apartments to PA Caltrain, Cal Ave Caltrain, Stanford Research Park (Page Mill), VA Hospital, Gunn HS

New route with service between California Ave and San Antonio Shopping Center via Palo Verde and San Antonio transit hub

Alignment with Goals

Service Characteristics

Key Destinations Served

Convenient and Accessible

Either peak only (to only serve Gunn and commuters) or 7:30am-7:30pm route; consider later service Friday PM (to 10 pm)

Stanford Shopping Center, Palo Alto Caltrain, Cal Ave Caltrain and business district, Page Mill Rd employers, Stanford Research Park, VA Hospital, Gunn High School/Terman Middle

Frequency: 15 min


Frequency: 15 min peak

Cal Ave shopping district, Cal Ave Caltrain, Mitchell Park, San Antonio Caltrain, San Antonio Shopping Center

Frequent and Reliable

Additional trip(s) to Paly in accordance with bell schedule

New loop route with service from Stanford Shopping Center/Downtown PA to Fairmeadow via Alma/Bryant


Frequency: 15 min (perhaps 30 min headway if combined or offered as alternative route to Southwest)

Stanford Shopping Center University Avenue PA and Cal Ave Caltrain stations

New route with service from within Barron Park neighborhood to downtown PA,


Frequency: 15 min (perhaps 30 min headway if combined or offered as alternative route to Southwest)

PA Caltrain, PAMF, Town and Country Shopping Center, Barron Park

Continues to El Camino and Embarcadero Road for school trips

Connects connect South Palo Alto, California Avenue, Paly High School, Town and County Village, the Palo Alto Medical Center, Palo Alto Transit Center, University Avenue, and Stanford Shopping Center via El Camino Real and East Meadow Drive


Sample schedule includes 20 weekday runs and approximately 24 vehicle revenue hours with two buses in operation.

Palo Alto Caltrain University Avenue Connections to Marguerite Stanford Shopping Center Palo Alto Medical Foundation California Avenue Palo Alto Commons Stevenson House Moldaw Residences

Connects the University Avenue Downtown Business District with the Stanford Shopping Center


Pilot project: December park-once shuttle for holiday shopping

Stanford Shopping Center University Avenue


PALO ALTO TRANSIT VISION| DRAFT City of Palo Alto

Concept

Summer Lunchtime Trolley

Paly School Tripper (North Palo Alto)

Gunn/Terman School Tripper

Paly School Tripper (SW Palo Alto)

Flex Routes

Crosstown: Stanford Shopping Center, PAMF Extension + Cubberley Extension

Embarcadero: Bayshore Service

Type


New Route School Tripper New Route School Tripper

New Route School Tripper


Modified Route Community Circulator

Modified Route - Route and Hours Community Circulator; FM/LM

Description

Alignment with Goals

Service Characteristics

Connects the University Avenue Downtown Business District with the Stanford Shopping Center


Pilot project: Summer lunchtime trolley for access to dining destinations in Stanford Shopping Center and downtown

Serves Paly students living in downtown North and downtown neighborhoods.


Extra AM/PM run timed with school schedule

Paly High School North and Old Palo Alto residential neighborhoods

Serves Gunn/Terman students living in Stanford housing and in neighborhoods near Stanford



Gunn/Terman schools Stanford University housing



Paly High School College Terrace and Evergreen Park neighborhoods

Potential to serve lower demand residential areas with point to point or point to downtown service

TBD based on extents of service area

Extension to encircle Stanford Shopping Center via Sand Hill, Arboretum, Galvez, El Camino; loop around Middlefield, San Antonio and E Charleston

Existing plus Stanford Shopping Center, Town and Country Shopping Center, PAMF; Cubberley Community Center, Greenmeadow neighborhood, Moldaw Residences

Serves Paly students living in College Terrace and Evergreen Park neighborhoods.

Serves lower demand areas either spatially or temporally that are not served with fixed route transit

Extends Crosstown route west to Stanford Shopping Center, Town and Country Shopping Center and PAMF; east to loop serving Cubberley Community Center

Diverts Embarcadero route along East/West Bayshore to Fabian Way/San Antonio Road

Key Destinations Served

Stanford Shopping Center University Avenue

Requires high frequency (