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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 09162008 - SD.3 TO: Board of Supervisors Contra __ -" Costa FROM: Transportation, Water and Infrastructure Committee =-�, _. (Supervisor Gayle B. Uilkema, Chair ," w". DATE: August 18, 2008 County SUBJECT: Action Plan Updates for Routes of Regional Significance SPECIFIC REQUEST(S) OR RECOMMENDATION(S) & BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION RECOMMENDATIONS ACCEPT Report on the Action Plan Updates for Routes of Regional Significance, AUTHORIZE the Chair to sign a letter to the Contra Costa Transportation Authority supporting a workshop with the cities and the County on the Action Plan Updates (see Exhibit A); and CONSIDER the need for additional discussion on Action Plan Updates as recommended by the . . Transportation Water and Infrastructure Committee. FISCAL IMPACT None to the General Fund. Action Plans could affect the County's eligibility for Measure J return-to-source revenue and Measure J Transportation for Livable Communities(TLC)grants if the County adopts a General Plan Amendment that adversely affects a Regional Route without the consent of a Regional Committee. These funds are used to maintain and improve transportation facilities in the unincorporated area. CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: X YES RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR mupdrvisor OF BOARD COMMITTEE APPROVE OTHER /11 SIGNATURES : S perviso ale B. Uilkema N. Pie ho ACTION OF BOARD APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED z ER VOTE OF SUPERVISORS I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN AND Xi UNANIMOUS (ABSENT ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD AYES: NOES: OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN. ABSENT: ABSTAIN: ATTESTED Contact: Steven Goetz (925/335-1240) DA D TWA, CLERK OF cc: Department of Conservation & Development THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS Public Works AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR , DEPUTY G:\Transportation\Committees\TWIC\2008\Board Orders\action plan s.doc Action Plan Updates for Routes of Regional Significance August 18, 2008 Page 2 BACKGROUND/REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS This report updates the Board on the status of the Action Plans Updates that are being prepared by the Contra Costa Transportation Authority(Authority)and reviewed by the Regional Transportation Planning Committees(Regional Committees).As you know,the Action Plans are. a requirement of the Measure C/J Growth Management Program administered by the Authority. The primary purpose of the Action Plans is to establish policies for managing the traffic impacts from new development on regional routes. The policies consist of Multimodal Transportation Service Objectives (MTSOs)which are quantifiable performance measures that include a target date for attaining the objective. Each Action Plan contains actions for the participating jurisdiction to implement to help attain the MTSOs by the specified target date. The Growth Management Program requires the cities and the County to make good faith efforts to implement the actions in the Action Plan in order to remain eligible for Return to Source funds and to receive Measure J TLC grants. In May, the Committee discussed the policy implications of the draft Action Plans currently under.review. The primary finding was that the Action Plans were unable to identify a date for attaining many of the proposed MTSOs. Year 2030 traffic volumes will inevitably result in a deterioration of traffic conditions beyond the limits that have previously been established as acceptable for many of our regional routes. County staff indicated that if these Action Plans are adopted as currently proposed, it is likely that an amendment to the General Plan that is large enough to trigger an evaluation of consistency with an Action Plan will become a Growth Management Program compliance issue. In June, Authority staff released a revised report on the ability of the Action Plans to attain their MTSOs by 2030. This evaluation was based on revised travel forecasts that reflected the combined impact of implementing all Action Plans, and the impact of constraining traffic demand to available capacity at certain "gateway" locations. This new evaluation shows an improved ability of the draft Action Plans to meet their MTSOs. This evaluation is based on revised travel forecasts which are currently under review by various Technical Advisory Committees (TACs). Questions raised by local jurisdictions about the validity of the travel forecasts have not been fully answered at this time. The following is a summary of the status of each Action Plan along with some concluding remarks. West Contra Costa Transportation Committee (WCCTAC) Action Plan The 2030 travel forecasts show that the MTSOs will be met on all regional routes except for the following circumstances. Location MTSO Pk Hr 2030 Condition San Pablo Avenue/Appian LOS E AM LOS F Appian Way/Tara Hills LOS D AM LOS E San Pablo Ave/John Muir Pkwy LOS E PM LOS F San Pablo Ave/Appian LOS E PM LOS F Appian Way/1-80 WB Rams LOS D PM LOS F Appian Way/Fitzgerald Dr LOS D PM LOS E. SP Dam Rd/1-80 EB Rams LOS E PM LOS F Richmond Parkway/Parr Blvd* LOS D PM LOS E HOV Lane Usage on 1-80 Increase 10% Decreases 2- 4% *= location is in unincorporated area I Action Plan Updates for Routes of Regional Significance August 18, 2008 Page 3 BACKGROUND/REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS (Continued) The Authority's Implementation Guide to the Growth Management Program calls for an MTSO to have a target date for achievement. County staff has strived to work with the TAC to establish MTSOs and actions that would be consistent with this guidance. Authority staff has modified their model to limit forecasted growth in travel demand to the available capacity on the Bay Bridge. This modification helped to reduce forecasted 2030 traffic demand to more realistic levels. To meet the Authority's schedule for adoption of a Countywide Transportation Plan in April 2009, the WCCTAC TAC has elected to defer additional planning to resolve these MTSO exceedances to a later date. WCCTAC proposes to review this 2nd draft of the Action Plan Update no earlier than September. GPA studies now underway for North Richmond and for EI Sobrante will need to comply with this Action Plan Update if the GPA's environmental review begins after the Action Plan Update is adopted by the Authority, which is anticipated in April 2009. The implications of the Action Plan Update on these GPAs are as follows: • The North Richmond GPA will increase traffic volumes on Richmond Parkway, worsening congestion at Richmond Parkway/Parr Blvd intersection and potentially causing an exceedance of the MTSO at Richmond Parkway/San Pablo Avenue intersection. The County will need to provide a proposal to address any MTSO exceedance that would be acceptable to WCCTAC. If the County approves the GPA without the consent of WCCTAC we could risk becoming ineligible for our Return to Source funds and the Measure J TLC funds. • The EI Sobrante GPA proposes to remove policies that support the SP Dam Road couplet and widening Appian Way to 4 lanes in EI Sobrante. These GPA proposals have been incorporated into the Action Plan Update. Future land use in the GPA is less than what is allowed by our existing General Plan, so adoption of the GPA by the County should not adversely affect the ability to achieve the proposed MTSOs. TRANSPLAN East County Action Plan In the initial draft, there was a significant worsening of congestion on State Route 4, Vasco Road and Byron Highway by 2030. Excessive congestion on State Route 4 was largely resolved in the second draft through imposition of"gateway constraints" on Regional Routes that were based on physical or political considerations. These gateways have not been sufficiently evaluated to determine if their application can be defended in environmental studies.A potential consequence is. that local jurisdictions reviewing development applications may end up preparing one traffic study to comply with the Authority's Growth Management Program and a separate traffic study to comply with their obligations under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) and state planning regulations. The second draft still cannot identify an attainment date for the MTSO on Vasco Road, and the Authority's travel forecast model has limited sensitivity to potential traffic growth on Byron Highway at the county line. This update provides little information on the nature of the impacts of year 2030 growth on Vasco Road and Byron Highway. Location MTSO Pk Hr 2030 Condition Vasco Road LOS E AM Southbound LOS F PM Northbound LOS F Action Plan Updates for Routes of Regional Significance August 18, 2008 Page 4 BACKGROUND/REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS (Continued) At their August 14th meeting, TRANSPLAN took the following actions: • Approved release of the 2nd Draft Action Plan Update; • Expressed a desire to widen Vasco Road to four lanes, but not to include it as part of this draft; • Invited the TVTC to form a task force with TRANSPLAN to discuss long-range upgrades to Vasco Road; and • Requested staff to report on a cost and schedule to upgrade the CCTA travel demand model to adequately evaluate SR 239 and Vasco Road improvements. The County's Cecchini GPA study is underway and could be affected by this Action Plan Update if it is adopted by the Authority in its current form. The Cecchini GPA is likely to increase traffic volumes on Byron Highway and Vasco Road, worsening congestion and adversely affecting the ability to achieve the MTSOs established for these two roads. The County will need to provide a proposal to address any MTSO exceedance that would be acceptable-to TRANSPLAN. If the County approves the GPA without the consent of TRANSPLAN,the County would risk becoming ineligible for our Return to Source funds and the Measure J TLC funds. Lamorinda Action Plan The Lamorinda Action Plan has been released for comment.The Lamorinda area-has three regional routes. 2030 travel forecasts indicate that all MTSOs for these routes will be exceeded in 2030: Location MTSO 2030 Condition SR-24 Maintain a delay index of 2.0 or AM: 3.5 Caldecott Tunnel to 1 680 better during peak period/peak PM: 4.8 direction (including freeway on- ramps) 2.5 after 2030 Pleasant Hill Road Maintain a delay index of 2.0 or AM: 5.3 Taylor Road to SR-24 better during peak period/peak PM: 4.0 direction Camino Pablo/San Pablo Maintain a delay index of 2.0 or AM: 2.1 Dam Road better during peak period/peak PM: 1.6 1-80 to SR-24 direction Any activity requiring a GPA is likely to worsen these exceedances. Be aware that the 2030 travel forecasts have been constrained at the following "gateway" locations based on technical and policy considerations: • State Route 24 (SR24) at the Caldecott Tunnel; • Westbound direction of SR24 at the 1-680 interchange; and • Southbound Pleasant Hill Road (location to be determined) Questions remain on whether these modeling methodologies are appropriate for CEQA requirements. However,there is very little unincorporated territory in the Lamorinda area so it is very unlikely that any County project would need to demonstrate compliance with the Lamorinda Action Plan. The Southwest Area Transportation (SWAT) Committee will be reviewing this Action Plan Update at their September meeting. Action Plan Updates for Routes of Regional Significance August 18, 2008 Page 5 BACKGROUND/REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS (Continued) Tri Valley Transportation Plan/Action Plan During the review of the initial draft,the Tri Valley Transportation Council(MC)accommodated the County by deleting the intersection project at Danville Boulevard and Stone Valley Road, and making numerous wording changes and technical corrections as outlined in the County's two comment letters to TVTC.The TVTC did not accommodate the request of the County, San Ramon and Danville to consider expansion of Vasco Road to four lanes for its entire length in both counties. The Action Plan will continue to keep Vasco Road as a two-lane road in Alameda County. The MTSOs and the designated Regional Routes remain the same as in the adopted Action Plan. Year 2030 traffic forecasts show some exceedances of MTSOs. Location MTSO Pk Hr 2030 Condition 1-680 Delay AM Northbound Delay Index 2.2 'Index PM Northbound Delay Index 2.6 2.0 Signalized LOS D AM 16 out of 57 intersections (28% of total) Intersections will exceed MTSO PM 29 our of 57.intersections (51% of total) will exceed MTSO Potentially, MTSO exceedances could complicate the County's review of the New Farms GPA study now underway. The Action Plan Update continues the current TVTC policy that any GPA generating 500 or more peak hour trips will need to demonstrate to the Regional Committee that approving the GPA will not adversely affect the ability to achieve MTSOs. If the New Farms study generates 500 or more peak hour trips, it will need to provide a proposal to address any MTSO exceedance that would be acceptable to the SWAT Committee. If the County approves the GPA without the consent of the SWAT Committee, the County would risk becoming ineligible.for our Return to Source funds and the Measure J TLC funds. TRANSPAC Central County Action Plan All member jurisdictions were unanimous in: • their concern over the cumbersome and backward process used by the Authority to update the Action Plan; • the desire to discontinue the use of MTSOs or else greatly simplify them; and • their request to increase the threshold size for GPAs to 500 peak hourtrips before Action Plan policies would apply. TRANSPAC included all of these items in its recent action to approve the Action Plan without MTSOs and to leave the MTSO issue for further discussion with the Authority over the next 18 months. The Action Plan was approved on July 24 for public review and comment. Pending resolution of the MTSO issue with the Authority, TRANSPAC's proposal helps minimize potential complications with the County's planning process for GPA studies. Concluding Comments. As stated previously, the primary purpose of the Action Plans is to cooperatively establish policies for managing the traffic impacts from new development on regional routes. The Action Plan Updates, in their current state, vary in the success at fulfilling this purpose. Action Plan Updates for Routes of Regional Significance August 18, 2008 Page.6 BACKGROUND/REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS (Continued) • The West County Action Plan Update has been most successful at meeting its purpose. Historically, West County jurisdictions have been flexible in their use of the Action Plan. Their focus has been on taking united actions that address traffic congestion. Their transportation environment that is not as complex as other parts of the County, so they have been able to prepare an Action Plan update that generally enhances local planning efforts. • The update of the Tri Valley Action Plan has not resulted in any significant new action to address substantial increases in congestion forecasts for 2030. This Action Plan will only affect GPAs that generate 500+ peak hour trips, so its relevance to County development applications is likely to be very limited in view of the County's Urban Limit Line policy. • The update of the Lamorinda Action Plan has not resulted in any significant new actions to address substantial increases in congestion forecasted for 2030. It proposes to establish gateway constraints based primarily on policy rather than technical considerations, potentially reducing the usefulness of its traffic studies. There is little unincorporated territory in Lamorinda, so this Action Plan's relevance to County development applications is.also limited. • The update of the East County Action Plan has probably been the least successful in accomplishing its purpose. To comply with the Authority's Growth Management Program most technical resources were spent on pursuing the moving target of MTSO compliance by reviewing and adjusting the travel demand model until the desired statistics were produced. This effort provided no benefit to anyone, least of all the traveling public. TRANSPLAN has recently taken action to further cooperative planning on Vasco Road and Byron Highway issues. • The Central County Action Plan accomplished its purpose in spite of the requirements of the Growth Management Program. After navigating the very tedious update process TRANSPAC decided to disregard the MTSO requirement and focus its efforts on developing new actions to address regional transportation issues. Action Plans as currently defined by the Authority, may have outlived their relevance. At the time they were initially prepared in the early 1990's, long range travel forecasts (Year 2010) could be accommodated by proposed increases in highway capacity. Now,the environment for growth is different. Long range travel forecasts (Year 2030) show growth in traffic well beyond the earlier 2010 forecasts, and there are fewer transportation projects planned that will significantly increase the capacity of regional routes. The Growth Management Program's emphasis on traffic congestion appears to be generating conflicts with other planning goals .such as community preservation, redevelopment, and support of the Urban Limit Line policy. The Committee supports the proposal of the Authority's Executive Director to hold a workshop with the cities and the County to review the Action Plan Update issues raised by the TRANSPAC jurisdictions and the County. The Committee recommends that the Board send a letter to the Authority supporting the workshop and identifying the issues we would like to see discussed. A draft of such a letter is enclosed as Exhibit A. For next steps, the Committee intends to forward the individual Action Plan Updates as they are completed for Board approval. The Board of Supervisors Contra David Twa County Administration Building Costa Clerk of the Board 651 Pine Street. Room 106 and Martinez,Calil'ornia 94553 County Counl\,Administrator 19"_'51335-1900 John Gioia, I"District --l" A Gayle B.Uilkenia,2 District Mar% N.Piepho.3rd Disn-ict Susan A.Bonilla,4"'District Federal D.Glover,5"'District September 16, 2008 Honorable Dave Hudson., Chair Contra Costa Transportation Authority 3478 Buskirk Avenue, Suite 100 Pleasant Hill, CA 94523 Honorable Chair Hudson.. On September 16, 2008, the Board of Supervisors authorized me to sign this letter of comment on the Action Plan Updates that are being prepared by the Contra Costa Transportation Authority as part of the Measure J Growth Management Program. The letter was prepared following discussion by the Board of a variety of issues emerging from the Action Plan Update process. It is our understanding that the Authority is considering sponsoring a workshop on the Action Plan Updates to address concerns raised by the representatives of the County and others. The Board of Supervisors supports such a workshop and requests it include discussion of the following issues: • Ensure Action Plan requirements for traffic studies are consistent with the requirements of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA.) that local jurisdictions must follow in their review of the potential traffic impacts from development projects. Concerns have been raised regarding the application of "gateway constraints" in the travel forecasts prepared for Regional Routes. The application of this methodology needs to be sufficiently evaluated to determine if its use can be defended in environmental studies. Without consistent requirements, local jurisdictions may end up preparing one traffic study to comply with the Authority's Growth Management Program and another traffic study to comply with their obligations under CEQA and local planning regulations. • Ensure that the Action Plan requirements provide sufficient flexibility for local jurisdictions to balance the goals of minimizing traffic congestion on Regional Routes with other planning goals such as community preservation, redevelopment, and support of the urban limit line policies. The long range travel forecasts for year 2030 show growth in traffic volumes on regional routes well beyond the forecasts used in earlier Action Plans, and there are fewer transportation projects planned that will significantly increase the capacity on these regional routes. In some communities, further efforts to reduce traffic c congestion would bring about unwanted road expansion projects. In other communities, further efforts to reduce traffic congestion may conflict with policies to accommodate growth without expanding urban limit lines or to reduce greenhouse -as emissions. The Authority's Groxvth Management Program should encourage local jurisdictions to fairly and openly balance.competing planning objectives when evaluating development projects without putting their eligibility for Measure J revenue at risk. Action Plan Update Letter to the Contra Costa Transportation Authority September 16, 2008 Page 2 of 2 The Board of Supervisors believes that Measure J. as approved by the voters provides the Authority «with sufficient flexibility to address these issues. Solutions can be developed through careful review of the growth management policies adopted by the Authority, rather than changes to Measure J itself. The Board of Supervisors offer the County's cooperation in working Nvith your commissioners to ensure Measure J provides not only effective growth management but also enhances and adds value to the planning efforts of local jurisdictions. Sincerely, Fe eral D. Glover, Chair Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors FDG\SG G:`Trtinslxortation\.C'��nunittees`;]-W]C'21utS`,Board Ordcrs`•.action plan exhibit A.dcic