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Home My WebLink AboutMINUTES - 08171993 - TC.1 TC.1 TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS f Contra Costa FROM: TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE 'o AUGUST 7 1993 County 1 DATE: , SUBJECT: REPORT ON CONSULTING SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH WILBUR SMITH ASSOCIATES TO DEVELOP COMMUTE RAIL OPERATING PLAN FOR THE GREATER EAST BAY RAIL OPPORTUNITIES COALITION SPECIFIC REQUEST(S) OR RECOMMENDATION(S) & BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION RECOMMENDATIONS Authorize Director of Community Development to negotiate a consulting services agreement with Wilbur Smith Associates to develop a commute rail operating plan for Greater East Bay Rail Opportunities Coalition in an amount not to exceed $36,470. FISCAL IMPACT There will be no impact to the County General Fund. Funding for these consultant services would be paid through the County's Petroleum Violation Escrow Account (PVEA) grant from the State of California. BACKGROUND/REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS Following the submission of an evaluation and feasability study by Wilbur Smith Associates, the Greater East Bay Rail Opportunities Coalition (GEBROC) adopted Resolution 93-1 (see '-a`t-t-ach`edV Exhibit "A") which called for additional analysis of commuter rail issues and further exploration of a potential cooperative venture with Caltran's Capitol route upgrade. CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: X YES RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE APPROVE OTHER SIGNATURE(S) : Toia Powers, Chair Gayle Bishop ACTION OF BOARD ON 7 9f APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED OTHER _ VOTE OF SUPERVISORS I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A UNANIMOUS (ABSENT TRUE AND CORRECT COPY OF AN AYES: NOES: ACTION TAKEN AND ENTERED ON THE ABSENT: ABSTAIN: MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN. Contact: Patrick Roche, CDD, 646-2131 ATTESTED Z / 9 9.3 Orig: Community Development Department PHILeO LOR, CLERK OF Caltrans District 4 THE BF SUPERVISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR. BO/WSA#2.PR BY_ J , DEPUTY j Consulting Services Agreement with Wilbur Smith Associates August 17, 1993 Page Two In Fall 1992, Contra Costa County entered into a Consulting Services Agreement with Wilbur Smith Associates to evaluate the feasability of the Southern Pacific Transportation Company's East Bay Commuter Rail Proposal. Staff proposes to enter into a new consulting services agreement with Wilbur Smith Associates to respond to the remaining conditions spelled out in GEBROC Resolution 93-1, which will be the basis for determining whether or not to pursue a commuter rail demonstration project for the East Bay. Wilbur Smith Associates is one of several consulting firms pre-qualified from a list developed from a Request For Proposals (RFQ) issued last summer on behalf of GEBROC. The work plan under this new consulting services agreement would include defining service alternatives, including the potential use of certain intercity schedules to handle a commuter rail market, and then develop and recommend a plan for implementing an East Bay commuter rail service. This new consulting services agreement, to be funded through the Petroleum Violation Escrow Account (PVEA) grant awarded to Contra Costa County, would not exceed $36,470. The Transportation Committee has reviewed this matter and recommends approval. CONSEQUENCES OF NEGATIVE ACTION Should the Board of Supervisors reject this request, the rail planning efforts of both the County and GEBROC would be significantly delayed. BO/WSA#2.PR GREATER EAST BAY RAIL OPPORTUNITIES COALITION RESOLUTION 93-1 ADOPTION OF PRINCIPLES GOVERNING FURTHER CONSIDERATION OF SOUTHERN PACIFIC TRANSPORTATION COMPANY EAST BAY COMMUTER RAIL PROPOSAL WHEREAS, on June 17, 1992, the Southern Pacific Transportation Company (SPTCo.) publicly offered to make capacity available on 73 miles of its East Bay trackage for operation of a rush hour rail commuter service. This offer was outlined in a report dated July 30, 1992 and subsequently explained in greater detail in a draft submission to the Greater East Bay Rail . Opportunities Coalition on November 20, 1992. WHEREAS, the Southern Pacific proposal includes options for two or four round trips per day from Suisun/Fairfield connecting to the Bay Area Rapid Transit station at West Oakland and two or four round trips from Brentwood to West Oakland. These services would share the same trackage between Martinez and West Oakland. In return for making track capacity available for these services, the Southern Pacific Transportation Company has proposed that the agency responsible for the service execute a lease agreement which would specify payments for use of tracks, a share of track maintenance, and a coverage of liability. WHEREAS, the Southern Pacific has also requested certain capital upgrades to the track and signal system so the new services can be operated on competitive schedules without interference to other traffic on the rail lines. WHEREAS, in making these proposals, the Southern Pacific Transportation Company, a private rail owner and operator, is asking the public sector to pay not only the direct operating costs of the service, but for a share of overhead, depreciation and track right-of-way and maintenance fees. WHEREAS, the Greater East Bay Rail Opportunities Coalition has conducted an assessment of the proposal to determine the reasonableness of the offer, in line with other agreements in California and other parts of the country. Additionally, the Bay Area Rapid Transit District has reviewed the proposal to determine the operational feasibility of commuter rail service. WHEREAS, use of Southern Pacific Transportation Company tracks and ancillary facilities for a publicly operated commuter rail service would require a negotiated agreement between the railroad and a public entity to fairly compensate the railroad for commuter rail use rights and to protect the public's interest. WHEREAS, traffic congestion in the I-80 corridor during peak commute periods is now a severe problem and will worsen during the construction of the I-80 High Occupancy Vehicle Project. RESOLVED, that the Greater East Bay Rail Opportunities Coalition has determined commuter/passenger rail service has the potential to be an effective transportation strategy for the I-80 corridor, and possibly segments of I-680 and SR-4 corridors. RESOLVED that the Greater East Bay Rail Opportunities Coalition will pursue implementation of a commuter/passenger rail demonstration project provided the follow'wg conditions are satisfied: 1. Validated Patronage Estimates Patronage estimates are validated to indicate that given the mix of public transportation facilities and services, either in place or planned or programmed between 1993 and 2000, there is sufficient ridership demand to justify a commuter/passenger rail demonstration service in the corridor(s) to be served. Responsibility: GEBROC, MTC, and BART 2. Intercity Rail Considerations It is determined that the planned increase in intercity rail service (the CAPITOL Route) provided by AMTRAK under contract with CALTRANS is insufficient in meeting the needs of potential commuter rail users in the I-80 corridor, and, furthermore, that augmenting or modifying schedules, fares, and station locations , of intercity rail operations to provide for commuter service is determined to be either operationally infeasible or prohibited by statute or.rule. Responsibility: GEBROC, ACR 132 Committee, AMTRAK, and Caltrans 3. Additional Supportive Information Further information is developed and analyzed on the proposed commuter rail demonstration project's operating and capital costs, equipment availability, need and phasing of track and signal improvements, public sector liability and railroad indemnification, and fees for track lease and maintenance, and such information supports continuing discussions between the public sector and the railroad. Responsibility: GEBROC, BART, and Caltrans 4. Reasonable Costs The cost of implementing and operating a commuter/passenger rail demonstration project is determined to be reasonable and considered worthy of a public sector investment. Responsibility: GEBROC, MTC, BART, and SPTCo. S. Available Funding Consistent with a finding of reasonable cost, it is determined that both operating and capital funds are available to initiate and sustain a commuter/passenger rail demonstration project and that these funds will have a neutral impact on existing and programmed public transportation services and facilities (including bus, rail, and ferry operations) in the three county East Bay Area region. Responsibility: GEBROC, MTC, and CMAs -2- 6. Qperations Plan An action plan to introduce and operate a commuter/passenger rail demonstration project must be prepared for near term implementation (introduction of commuter service within 12 months of a negotiated agreement); such a plan shall provide the institutional and administrative framework for implementation of service and discuss possible operating scenarios, fare levels, operating schedules, station locations, project costs and operating subsidies. Responsibility. GEBROC,.MTC, BART, Caltrans, and SPTCo. 7. Public Investment Safeguards A contract consistent with generally accepted principles for safeguarding the investment of public funds can be negotiated between the public sector and the Southern Pacific for implementation of a commuter/passenger rail demonstration project. Responsibility: GEBROC, MTC, CMAs, Caltrans, and SPTCo. RESOLVED, that if all the conditions described above have been satisfied the Greater East Bay Rail Opportunities Coalition will recommend amendments to the Joint Exercise of Powers Agreement for implementing an East Bay commuter/passenger rail demonstration project, and said recommended amendments will consider the authority to negotiate and enter into operating agreement(s), and select and contract with an operator for commuter rail service. RESOLVED that the Greater East Bay Rail Opportunities Coalition, at such time as an amendment to the Joint Exercise of Powers Agreement is adopted which provides appropriate implementing authority, shall appoint a lead adviser in negotiating an operating agreement with the railroad and in selecting a commuter rail operator. The Lead Adviser shall report regularly to Greater East Bay Rail Opportunities Coalition, and provide status reports as necessary to the Congestion Management Agencies and Board of Supervisors for Alameda, Contra Costa, and Solan counties, and the Metropolitan Transportation Commission. RESOLVED, that the Greater East Bay Rail Opportunities Coalition will recommend an East Bay commuter/passenger rail demonstration project for inclusion in the Metropolitan Transportation Commission's .Regional Transportation Improvement Program, other local, regional, or state plans, and advocate project funding through appropriate state and federal legislation. GREATER EAST BAY RA PPORTUNITIES CO 'fTION i om P ers, Chair The above resolution was entered into by the Greater East Bay Rail Opportunities Coalition at its regular meeting held in Oakland, CA on April 8, 1993. -3-