Citizen Advisory Committee Meeting
Thursday, November 16, 2006
5:30 PM to 7:30 PM
ACTIA Offices at 426 17th Street, Suite 100, Oakland
DRAFT AGENDA
(Full Packet Available at www.actia2022.com)
5:30 – 5:45 pm 1. Welcome & Introductions I/D
a. Public Comment I/D
b. Approval of June 15, 2006 Minutes I/A
(Attachment A – Page 1 )
c. Approval of October 19, 2006 Minutes I/A
(Attachment B – Page 9 )
5:45 – 6:45 pm 2. Presentation: 2006 Elections Results – Presentation by ACTIA Lobbyist I/D I/D
6:45 – 7:00 pm 3. Discussion of CAC Annual Report to the Board I/D
(handout at meeting)
7:00 - 7:15 pm 4. CAC Member/Outreach Reports I/D
(2 minutes per person)
7:15 – 7:30 pm 5. Staff Update I/D
7:30 pm 6. Adjournment/Next Meeting—The next CAC meeting is scheduled for Thursday, January 18, 2007.
Key: I/D - Information/Discussion Item I/A - Information/Action Item
Attachments:
Attachment A – June 15, 2006, Minutes (Page 1)
Attachment B – October 19, 2006, Minutes (Page 9)
Attachment C – Calendar (Page 15)
Location Information: ACTIA is located in Downtown Oakland on 17th Street between Broadway and Franklin, and is easily accessible by all transportation modes. The office is just a few steps away from the 19th Street BART station. Bicycle parking is available inside the building. On-street automobile parking is available in the evening hours.
Members of the public may address the Committee regarding any item, including an item not on the agenda. Please fill out a speaker card and submit it to the Chair or Vice-Chair. Time limitations will be at the discretion of the Chair. Meetings are wheelchair accessible. Please do not wear scented products so that individuals with environmental sensitivities may attend. Call 893-3347 (Voice) or 834-6754 (TTD) to request a sign-language interpreter. Five days notice requested. All items on the Agenda are subject to action and/or change by the Committee. The order of items may be changed by the Chair.
Attachment A
June 15, 2006 Minutes
ALAMEDA COUNTY TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT AUTHORITY
CITIZEN ADVISORY COMMITTEE (CAC)
DRAFT Meeting Minutes for June 15, 2006
CAC Members present: Roop Jindal, Val Chinn, Frances Hillard, Sherman Lewis, Herb Crowle, Bob Billmire, Bill Stremmel, Berry Ferrier, Hale Zukas, Cynthia Dorsey, Audrey LePell
Staff present: Tess Lengyel, Theresa Hughes (temporary staff)
Meeting called to order at 5:35pm by Herb Crowle.
1.) WELCOME & INTRODUCTIONS
Vice-Chair Herb Crowle called the meeting to order at 5:35 PM
2.) PRESENTATIONS:
a. Route 238 Corridor Improvement Project – Jesus Armas, City Manager, City of Hayward
Mr. Armas conducted a slide presentation of the Route 238/Mission-Foothill-Jackson Project as refined over the past few years of development working with the community. Parking along various segments will be restricted during peak hours along Foothill Boulevard, and a separated roadway would be put in place at the “Five Flags” Intersection, eliminating some of the current signalized movements. Additional improvements would be installed on Mission Boulevard, including intersection improvements at Carlos Bee for access to the university. The environmental document still needs to be completed for this project.
Several questions were raised by members including project cost, level of service, through traffic versus in-town circulation, additional options for the one-way loop system as part of the project, and signage.
Mr. Armas stated that the $91.5 million is budgeted and that while it cannot be expected that LOS ‘A’ would be attained, he expects LOS to improve substantially from where it is now at ‘F’. Mr. Armas added that Hayward’s General Plan calls for LOS ‘B’.
Mr. Armas noted that the adopted loop of one-way streets achieved the greatest improvement in traffic flow and should not detract from the vitality of downtown Hayward, citing numerous other thriving downtowns with one-way loops. He mentioned that the project was conceived to address both through and local traffic needs.
City officials are aware of signage issues directing motorists into downtown from the East and noted that once new ramps at I-580 / Redwood Road are constructed, there will be improved access from the east.
b. I-880 / SR-92 Reliever Route – Clawiter/Whitesell Interchange, Jesus Armas, City Manager, City of Hayward
Mr. Armas stated that this project was intended to relieve the 880/92 bottleneck as well as congestion within industrial areas of West Hayward. It would also be undertaken in conjunction with plans by Hayward to annex isolated unincorporated “islands,” which are not served very well by the county, within the industrial area. Ambitious plans for a complete bypass from Winton/880 to an expanded interchange of Clawiter/Whitesell/880 have had to be scaled back due to funding shortfalls. Therefore, the city is looking at a phasing arrangement from the north extending ‘A’ Street to Corsair and Cabot to Whitesell, while deferring work on the interchange to Phase 2.
Members offered questions regarding scaling the project back, funding, and why there were “islands” within the city.
Mr. Armas noted that the City has to focus on what can be accomplished with available funding particularly since only ACTIA funds are ready to be programmed; hence, the need to scale back. Nonetheless, the facility will still be built to handle standard trucks.
Mr. Armas and members of the committee discussed how development of the city occurred in such a way that some lands were left as county lands, referred to as islands. These do not receive city services creating complications in funding for those areas and in responding to needs. A recent tragic fire in an unincorporated Richmond was cited where crews could not be dispatched from the nearest fire station because of jurisdictional issues
c. I-238 Widening Project – Michele Bellows, ACTIA Project Controls
Ms. Bellows stated that the project intended to relieve congestion now occurring 24 hours per day and would bring average freeway peak hour speeds up to 40 mph. No additional right-of-way is being taken despite the addition of one through lane, auxiliary lanes, and full shoulders in each direction. Some eucalyptus trees will have to be removed, however trees and other landscaping will be planted under “follow-up landscaping” funded separately by STIP monies Caltrans has set aside. The freeway will be widened to the outside at first to build sound walls for mitigating the impact on adjacent communities from later phases of the work. Some night work will be necessary to maintain two traffic lanes in both directions at all times. Measure B is contributing 65% of the $125 million total cost.
Questions were raised by members including redistribution of traffic after the project is complete, safety improvements and traffic relief at southern locations on I-880.
Some redistribution of east-west traffic will likely occur. The I-880 mainline is fairly constrained, thus preventing it from absorbing any more traffic after I-238 is opened up. However, ACTA and ACTIA have allocated funds to perform a Central Alameda County Freeway System Operational Analysis which will look at 880 operations within the Central County area, as well as other operational improvements on highways within Central County. Safety improvements will occur due to improvements in the freeway geometrics which will reduce the effect of the current situation which forces westbound trucks to weave across lanes of I-580.
d. Lewelling / East Lewelling Widening – James Chu, Supervising Civil Engineer – Alameda County Public Works Agency
Phase I funded by ACTIA widens Lewelling to four through lanes from Hesperian east to Meekland Avenue. Additionally there will also be a landscaped center median with left-turn bays, 5-foot-wide bike lanes, 10-foot-side sidewalks and streetscaping on both sides. Mr. Chu said that currently the formation of an “Underground Utilities District” (UUD) and negotiations with property owners for acquisition of right-of-way are occurring. Burying utilities will take 15 months, followed by 18 months for surface construction. Mr. Chu also noted that additional pedestrian improvements will be made on the project funded through the Lifetime Transportation grant that was recommended for award to the County by the ACTIA Board for $2 million. The overall project cost is $17.6 million.
Questions from members included the following:
At the intersection with Ashland Avenue in San Lorenzo will the median prevent left turns into the Catholic Church, and if there would be a grade separation” for pedestrians crossing Lewelling at Ashland.
Mr. Chu responded that there are several entrances into the Catholic church, which are used off of Ashland as well as other lots with entrances off Lewelling, and that the County has been discussing access with the church. Signalized crosswalks would be provided at Lewelling.
A question was raised regarding the 3-lane configuration of Phase II east from Meekland to Mission and how monies could be allocated to speed up Phase II and provide 4 lanes all the way to Mission
Mr. Chu displayed a slide illustrating the transition from 3 lanes to 4 lanes between Ashland and Meekland. He also stated that the County cannot start right-of-way acquisition for Phase II until the environmental document is done, and that there is currently no funding for the EIR. He said that the project’s design was adopted after approval by Redevelopment Committees of Ashland and San Lorenzo.
3.) CAC Member/Outreach Reports
Sherman Lewis expressed concern that existing parking requirements were counterproductive for truly “Smart Growth” in new developments, raising their cost and devoting excessive space for cars. He said that MTC is working on parking policies to guide the implementation of transit-oriented development in new corridors.
Audrey LePell noted that the aesthetic impact of a new 5-story apartment building at Tamarack Drive and Mission Blvd. in Union City was not appealing. She cited the lack of setback from the street, and that generally locating tall buildings in residential areas where they were out-of-place could spoil views. Other members responded by discussing the benefits of higher density buildings as part of smart growth development. Others stressed the importance of retaining the historical character of neighborhoods.
Bill Stremmel had distributed copies of an article in the June 4 Fremont Argus explaining how the fate of developments including a new A’s stadium in Fremont’s new business park could be tied to prospects for the Warm Springs Extension (WSX). Highlighted was this paragraph:
A new Warm Springs
BART station would place a sorely needed public
transit option little more than a mile from the Pacific Commons
ballpark site -- not ideal, but still a big improvement over the
roughly five-mile distance to Fremont's current lone BART station.
Mr. Stremmel noted that with plans for the San Jose extension now in “serious jeopardy” due to defeat of the sales tax increase in the June 6 election, there was now greater impetus for the Warm Springs station to be upgraded for more intermodal access if the extension – now contingent by language in the Measure B Expenditure Plan on funding and commitments for continuation into Santa Clara County – could be justified. Improved facilities for bus loading and unloading, more car parking and sychronization of traffic signals for transit preemption on Warm Springs Boulevard and at the intersection with Mission Boulevard were measures cited by Mr. Stremmel in comments for the WSX EIR last year and now underscored by election results.
Barry Ferrier announced that a Policy Meeting for the Dumbarton Rail Corridor would be held Tuesday, June 20 in Union City Council Chambers.
Cynthia Dorsey announced AC Transit schedule changes effective tomorrow (June 16). She also said that June 1 – October 13 has been designated a “Spare the Air” period during which public transit operators would be offering free rides on 3 days.
Mr. Stremmel reported on a radio interview with a spokesperson of “Transportation Justice”, a plaintiff in the lawsuit challenging MTC’s allocation of monies between BART and Caltrain on the one hand, and AC Transit on the other. Noting that a similar lawsuit by bus riders in Los Angeles succeeded in forcing MTA to shift monies away from costly rail projects into better bus service, Bill asked if AC Transit had contemplated how they would spend the extra monies if the plaintiffs prevailed in court. Cynthia said she did not know if her management had deliberated on the matter, but surmised that ”operations” would get the money.
4.) Staff Report
Tess Lengyel announced that Mayors Cooper ( Hayward ) and Young ( San Leandro ) would be “retiring” from the Board after leaving their offices at the end of June. She also reported that the “Countywide Strategic Pedestrian Plan” had been completed in coordination with the CMA’s updated Countywide Bicycle Plan for adoption in July.
5.) Adjournment / Next Meeting
The meeting was adjourned at 7:30 PM. With the C.A.C. recessing for the summer and the semi-annual bus tour in lieu of the September meeting
The next meeting is scheduled for Thursday, October 19, 2006 at ACTIA in Oakland.
Special thanks to Bill Stremmel for assisting ACTIA with the notes for this meeting!
Attachment B
October 19, 2006 Minutes
ALAMEDA COUNTY TRANSPORTATION IMPROVEMENT AUTHORITY
CITIZEN ADVISORY COMMITTEE (CAC)
DRAFT Meeting Minutes for October 19, 2006
CAC Members present: Roop Jindal, Val Chinn, Frances Hilliard, Sherman Lewis, Herb Crowle, Bob Billmire, Bill Stremmel, Bill Ferrier, Hale Zukas, Cynthia Dorsey
Staff present: Art Dao, Tess Lengyel, Keonnis Taylor.
Meeting called to order at 5:35pm by Herb Crowle.
Self introductions were made by members and staff.
There was no public comment.
Minutes Deferred until November Meeting. ACTIA staff will compare notes with member, Bill Stremmel’s notes to compile summary minutes.
Caltrans staff was unavailable to attend the meeting. ACTIA Staff Tess Lengyel summarized the purpose of the Caltrans presentation and Art Dao gave a summary presentation on Caltrans information regarding capital projects. This information included:
- The projected total costs of I-238 are $128.5M including soft and hard costs.
- The I-92/I-880 Construction Interchange Project will begin in the next 18 months.
- All funding needed to complete the I-92/880 project has already been allocated. Congresswoman Barbara Lee added $800K to speed up the project. The Bond funding may provide state funds if passed.
- The first Measure B improved I-880 in South County, but did not do much in Central County. The Board approved Expenditure Plan amendment will allow $5M to look at I-880 in Central County.
- The Central County Traffic Analysis, led by the Congestion Management Agency may provide funds from the sale of land in Hayward. The CMA does not require public hearings, but has a policy committee that meets publicly.
- AB1462 is a new bill replacing SP509. The deadline is June 30, 2010 to submit projects.
- Capital Projects information is available on the ACTIA website under Projects in the Executive Director’s Report.
The CAC suggested a meeting or tour at Caltrans next year.
Full discussion of this item will be postponed until the November CAC meeting.
According to CAC Bylaws, the committee will present a summary of activities to the Board.
Each committee member gave a brief indication of community outreach he/she had engaged in that could be included in a report to the Board. They included:
-Talked to the general public about Measure B and programs and projects.
- Monthly meetings with the Royal Merritt Homeowners Association explaining ACTIA programs and projects; hand out materials
-Circulated newsletter information in Hayward (HAPA newsletter).
- Analysis of AB1462 and relationship to Central County.
-Herb Crowle recommended a plan that future meetings be held in each city of Alameda County, with two meetings in Oakland as the county’s largest city.
-Local discussions about local projects
-Informal meetings about Measure B.
-Attended local meetings.
-Maintain a display in City Hall with the ACTIA newsletter, fact sheets, and annual reports.
The committee recommended that outreach should include informing the CEDA agency of each city as well as expanding the mailing list.
Sherman Lewis moved to recommend that the committee add a requirement to the Bylaws to submit the annual report to the Board, seconded by Frances Hilliard.
Cynthia Dorsey proposed maintaining officer positions until June 2007 in order to switch over to a fiscal year calendar, which is consistent with the other ACTIA citizen advisory committees.
Cynthia Dorsey announced her goal of developing a Community Outreach Plan. Ms. Dorsey asked the committee to send emails to staff noting any community actions done on behalf of the committee.
The committee had a brief discussion on member appointments and possible alignment of appointment terms. Cynthia Dorsey will petition the Board to make appointments at next week’s Board meeting.
Committee members may coordinate presentations of ACTIA to community groups. These presentations should include invitations to have staff come present to these groups.
Bill Stremmel recommended that a one-page information document be made available on the web.
Bill Stremmel reported that at the Old Cub meeting, there was a consensus that the process of land use should include Alameda Point.
Bob Billmire inquired as to what Caltrans is doing to contain the use of highways. Staff responded that Caltrans will hopefully continue to implement transit-type projects to alleviate congestion (ie. I-238). We need intelligent transportation systems; the Eastern states may serve as a model for transit improvements.
An amendment to the Expenditure Plan is going to the Board this Month.
On October 27th, a Call for Projects for Bicycle and Pedestrian Projects will be released. Nonprofits will be included during this cycle.
Staff is reevaluating the LBE/SLBE program for Board approval.
ACTIA has a position available: Transportation Funding Analyst.
Meeting adjourned at 7:15 pm.
Next meeting is November 16, 2006 at 5:30 pm at ACTIA.