Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutBOARD STANDING COMMITTEES - 11142019 - TWIC Agenda Pkt       TRANSPORTATION, WATER & INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE **Thursday, November 14, 2019 **2:00 P.M. 651 Pine Street, Room 101, Martinez **OUTSIDE REGULAR DATE AND TIME** Supervisor Karen Mitchoff, Chair Supervisor Candace Andersen, Vice Chair Agenda Items: Items may be taken out of order based on the business of the day and preference of the Committee         1.Introductions   2.Public comment on any item under the jurisdiction of the Committee and not on this agenda (speakers may be limited to three minutes).   3. REVIEW record of meeting for October 7, 2019 Transportation, Water and Infrastructure Committee Meeting. This record was prepared pursuant to the Better Government Ordinance 95-6, Article 25-205 (d) of the Contra Costa County Ordinance Code. Any handouts or printed copies of testimony distributed at the meeting will be attached to this meeting record. (John Cunningham, Department of Conservation and Development).   4. RECEIVE the Report on PG&E Coordination with Cities and Contra Costa County for Street Light Maintenance and DIRECT county staff on actions to secure revisions to the Letter of Understanding (LOU) for the maintenance of PG&E streetlights in Contra Costa County and MONITOR its implementation by PG&E. (Rochelle Johnson, Department of Public Works)   5. RECEIVE report on the status of the 2018 Annual Integrated Pest Management Program. (Chris Lau, Department of Public Works)   6. DISCUSS and REVISE the County's 2020 State and Federal Legislative Platforms (TWIC Referrals Only) and DIRECT staff as appropriate. (John Cunningham, Department of Conservation and Development),   7. CONSIDER report on Local, State, Regional, and Federal Transportation Related Legislative Issues and take ACTION as appropriate. (John Cunningham, Department of Conservation and Development)   8.The next meeting is currently scheduled for **Thursday, December 19, 2019, 1pm-3pm** (**OUTSIDE REGULAR DATE AND TIME**)   9.Adjourn   The Transportation, Water & Infrastructure Committee (TWIC) will provide reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities planning to attend TWIC meetings. Contact the staff person listed below at least 72 hours before the meeting. Any disclosable public records related to an open session item on a regular meeting agenda and distributed by the County to a majority of members of the TWIC less than 96 hours prior to that meeting are available for public inspection at the County Department of Conservation and Development, 30 Muir Road, Martinez during normal business hours. Public comment may be submitted via electronic mail on agenda items at least one full work day prior to the published meeting time. For Additional Information Contact: John Cunningham, Committee Staff Phone (925) 674-7833, Fax (925) 674-7250 john.cunningham@dcd.cccounty.us Glossary of Acronyms, Abbreviations, and other Terms (in alphabetical order): Contra Costa County has a policy of making limited use of acronyms, abbreviations, and industry-specific language in meetings of its Board of Supervisors and Committees. Following is a list of commonly used abbreviations that may appear in presentations and written materials at meetings of the Transportation, Water and Infrastructure Committee: AB Assembly Bill ABAG Association of Bay Area Governments ACA Assembly Constitutional Amendment ADA Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 ALUC Airport Land Use Commission AOB Area of Benefit BAAQMD Bay Area Air Quality Management District BART Bay Area Rapid Transit District BATA Bay Area Toll Authority BCDC Bay Conservation & Development Commission BDCP Bay-Delta Conservation Plan BGO Better Government Ordinance (Contra Costa County) BOS Board of Supervisors CALTRANS California Department of Transportation CalWIN California Works Information Network CalWORKS California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids CAER Community Awareness Emergency Response CAO County Administrative Officer or Office CCTA Contra Costa Transportation Authority CCWD Contra Costa Water District CDBG Community Development Block Grant CEQA California Environmental Quality Act CFS Cubic Feet per Second (of water) CPI Consumer Price Index CSA County Service Area CSAC California State Association of Counties CTC California Transportation Commission DCC Delta Counties Coalition DCD Contra Costa County Dept. of Conservation & Development DPC Delta Protection Commission DSC Delta Stewardship Council DWR California Department of Water Resources EBMUD East Bay Municipal Utility District EIR Environmental Impact Report (a state requirement) EIS Environmental Impact Statement (a federal requirement) EPA Environmental Protection Agency FAA Federal Aviation Administration FEMA Federal Emergency Management Agency FTE Full Time Equivalent FY Fiscal Year GHAD Geologic Hazard Abatement District GIS Geographic Information System HBRR Highway Bridge Replacement and Rehabilitation HOT High-Occupancy/Toll HOV High-Occupancy-Vehicle HSD Contra Costa County Health Services Department HUD United States Department of Housing and Urban Development IPM Integrated Pest Management ISO Industrial Safety Ordinance JPA/JEPA Joint (Exercise of) Powers Authority or Agreement Lamorinda Lafayette-Moraga-Orinda Area LAFCo Local Agency Formation Commission LCC League of California Cities LTMS Long-Term Management Strategy MAC Municipal Advisory Council MAF Million Acre Feet (of water) MBE Minority Business Enterprise MOA Memorandum of Agreement MOE Maintenance of Effort MOU Memorandum of Understanding MTC Metropolitan Transportation Commission NACo National Association of Counties NEPA National Environmental Protection Act OES-EOC Office of Emergency Services-Emergency Operations Center PDA Priority Development Area PWD Contra Costa County Public Works Department RCRC Regional Council of Rural Counties RDA Redevelopment Agency or Area RFI Request For Information RFP Request For Proposals RFQ Request For Qualifications SB Senate Bill SBE Small Business Enterprise SR2S Safe Routes to Schools STIP State Transportation Improvement Program SWAT Southwest Area Transportation Committee TRANSPAC Transportation Partnership & Cooperation (Central) TRANSPLAN Transportation Planning Committee (East County) TWIC Transportation, Water and Infrastructure Committee USACE United States Army Corps of Engineers WBE Women-Owned Business Enterprise WCCTAC West Contra Costa Transportation Advisory Committee WETA Water Emergency Transportation Authority WRDA Water Resources Development Act TRANSPORTATION, WATER & INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE 3. Meeting Date:11/14/2019   Subject:REVIEW record of meeting for October 7, 2019, Transportation, Water and Infrastructure Meeting. Submitted For: TRANSPORTATION, WATER & INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE,  Department:Conservation & Development Referral No.: N/A   Referral Name: N/A  Presenter: John Cunningham, DCD Contact: John Cunningham (925)674-7833 Referral History: County Ordinance (Better Government Ordinance 95-6, Article 25-205, [d]) requires that each County Body keep a record of its meetings. Though the record need not be verbatim, it must accurately reflect the agenda and the decisions made in the meeting. Referral Update: Any handouts or printed copies of testimony distributed at the meeting will be attached to this meeting record. Links to the agenda and minutes will be available at the TWI Committee web page: http://www.cccounty.us/4327/Transportation-Water-Infrastructure Recommendation(s)/Next Step(s): Staff recommends approval of the attached Record of Action for the October 7, 2019 Committee Meeting with any necessary corrections. Fiscal Impact (if any): N/A Attachments 10-07-19 TWIC Sign-In Sheet TWIC Oct 2019 Meeting Record 10-07-19 TWIC Handouts D R A F T TRANSPORTATION, WATER & INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE October 7, 2019 9:00 A.M. 651 Pine Street, Room 101, Martinez   Supervisor Karen Mitchoff, Chair Supervisor Candace Andersen, Vice Chair   Agenda Items:Items may be taken out of order based on the business of the day and preference of the Committee   Present: Karen Mitchoff, Chair      Candace Andersen, Vice Chair    Attendees: John Cunningham, DCD  Robert Sarmiento, DCD  Michael Kent, CCHS  Stephen Siptroth, County Counsel             1.Introductions   2.Public comment on any item under the jurisdiction of the Committee and not on this agenda (speakers may be limited to three minutes).    Two items (attached) were distributed at the meeting:  • 9/23/19 Email: Leland Frayseth To: California Water Commission, Copy: TWIC, Re: "Scary Tunnel, Oroville, Los Vaqueros public comment" • 10/4/09 Email: Leland Frayseth To: Misc Parties, Re: "Congrats to CCWD General Manager Jerry Brown"   3.CONSIDER Administrative items and Take ACTION as appropriate.     4.Staff recommends approval of the attached Record of Action for the August 12, 2019 Committee Meeting with any necessary corrections.       The Committee unanimously APPROVED the meeting record.   5.RECEIVE update on the draft shared mobility device ordinance and DIRECT staff to bring the matter to the Board of Supervisors for consideration.       The Committee unaninmously APPROVED the staff recommendation and DIRECTED staff to bring the ordinance to the full Board of Supervisors for consideration.   6.RECEIVE report from the Hazardous Materials Commission, FORWARD to the Board of Supervisors for consideration.       The Committee unanimously RECEIVED the report and DIRECTED staff to further consult with the Hazardous Materials Commission (HMC) relative to the Committee's input on recommendations #3 and #4, bring the input to the full Board of Supervisors for consideration, and further directed staff to reach out to Superintendent Tony Thurmond to communicate the County's priorities relative to school safety and siting.   7.CONSIDER report on Local, Regional, State, and Federal Transportation Related Legislative Issues and take ACTION as appropriate.       The Committee RECEIVED the report.   8.Staff from Alameda and Contra Costa have been working together to identify a suitable location. Other next steps involve ongoing coordination with FRA contacts and identifying appropriate County staff to attend the summit, including the Supervisors, council members, mayors, transportation planners, engineers, staff specializing in homeless issues, and communications staff. Staff will also develop a plan for engaging local jurisdictions throughout the County to request that they attend the summit.       The Committee RECIEVED the report, and DIRECTED staff to coordinate directly with District offices 1, 3, and 5 relative to the safety summit(s).   9.RECEIVE updates on referrals to the Transportation, Water, and Infrastructure Committee, DIRECT staff as appropriate.       The Committee RECEIVED the report.   10.RECEIVE update on the Accessible Transportation Strategic Plan, DISCUSS options for County oversight committee appointments, RECOMMEND that the Board of Supervisors make appointments to the Policy and Technical Advisory Committees.       The Committee unanimously RECOMMENDED that the Board of Supervisors appoint Supervisor Candace Andersen and Dr. Chris Farnitano to the Contra Costa Transportation's Authority's Accessible Transportation Strategic Plan Policy Advisory Committee, staff will bring the recommendation to the full Board on consent.   11.RECEIVE information and DIRECT staff as appropriate.      The Committee received the communication from Mr. Frayseth.   12.The next meeting is currently scheduled for **Thursday, November 14, 2019, at 2:00 P.M.** Please note this is outside the usual scheduled time.   13.Adjourn   The Transportation, Water & Infrastructure Committee (TWIC) will provide reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities planning to attend TWIC meetings. Contact the staff person listed below at least 72 hours before the meeting. Any disclosable public records related to an open session item on a regular meeting agenda and distributed by the County to a majority of members of the TWIC less than 96 hours prior to that meeting are available for public inspection at the County Department of Conservation and Development, 30 Muir Road, Martinez during normal business hours. Public comment may be submitted via electronic mail on agenda items at least one full work day prior to the published meeting time.  For Additional Information Contact:  John Cunningham, Committee Staff For Additional Information Contact: Phone (925) 674-7833, Fax (925) 674-7250 john.cunningham@dcd.cccounty.us Glossary of Acronyms, Abbreviations, and other Terms (in alphabetical order):  Contra Costa County has a policy of making limited use of acronyms, abbreviations, and industry-specific language in meetings of its Board of Supervisors and Committees. Following is a list of commonly used abbreviations that may appear in presentations and written materials at meetings of the Transportation, Water and Infrastructure Committee: AB Assembly Bill ABAG Association of Bay Area Governments ACA Assembly Constitutional Amendment ADA Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 ALUC Airport Land Use Commission AOB Area of Benefit BAAQMD Bay Area Air Quality Management District BART Bay Area Rapid Transit District BATA Bay Area Toll Authority BCDC Bay Conservation & Development Commission BDCP Bay-Delta Conservation Plan BGO Better Government Ordinance (Contra Costa County) BOS Board of Supervisors CALTRANS California Department of Transportation CalWIN California Works Information Network CalWORKS California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids CAER Community Awareness Emergency Response CAO County Administrative Officer or Office CCTA Contra Costa Transportation Authority CCWD Contra Costa Water District CDBG Community Development Block Grant CEQA California Environmental Quality Act CFS Cubic Feet per Second (of water) CPI Consumer Price Index CSA County Service Area CSAC California State Association of Counties CTC California Transportation Commission DCC Delta Counties Coalition DCD Contra Costa County Dept. of Conservation & Development DPC Delta Protection Commission DSC Delta Stewardship Council DWR California Department of Water Resources EBMUD East Bay Municipal Utility District EIR Environmental Impact Report (a state requirement) EIS Environmental Impact Statement (a federal requirement) EPA Environmental Protection Agency FAA Federal Aviation Administration FEMA Federal Emergency Management Agency FTE Full Time Equivalent FY Fiscal Year GHAD Geologic Hazard Abatement District GIS Geographic Information System HBRR Highway Bridge Replacement and Rehabilitation HOT High-Occupancy/Toll HOV High-Occupancy-Vehicle HSD Contra Costa County Health Services Department HUD United States Department of Housing and Urban Development IPM Integrated Pest Management ISO Industrial Safety Ordinance JPA/JEPA Joint (Exercise of) Powers Authority or Agreement Lamorinda Lafayette-Moraga-Orinda Area LAFCo Local Agency Formation Commission LCC League of California Cities LTMS Long-Term Management Strategy MAC Municipal Advisory Council MAF Million Acre Feet (of water) MBE Minority Business Enterprise MOA Memorandum of Agreement MOE Maintenance of Effort MOU Memorandum of Understanding MTC Metropolitan Transportation Commission NACo National Association of Counties NEPA National Environmental Protection Act OES-EOC Office of Emergency Services-Emergency Operations Center PDA Priority Development Area PWD Contra Costa County Public Works Department RCRC Regional Council of Rural Counties RDA Redevelopment Agency or Area RFI Request For Information RFP Request For Proposals RFQ Request For Qualifications SB Senate Bill SBE Small Business Enterprise SR2S Safe Routes to Schools STIP State Transportation Improvement Program SWAT Southwest Area Transportation Committee TRANSPAC Transportation Partnership & Cooperation (Central) TRANSPLAN Transportation Planning Committee (East County) TWIC Transportation, Water and Infrastructure Committee USACE United States Army Corps of Engineers WBE Women-Owned Business Enterprise WCCTAC West Contra Costa Transportation Advisory Committee WETA Water Emergency Transportation Authority WRDA Water Resources Development Act TRANSPORTATION, WATER & INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE 4. Meeting Date:11/14/2019   Subject:RECEIVE the Report on PG&E Coordination with Cities and Contra Costa County for Street Light Maintenance and DIRECT county staff on actions to secure  Submitted For: TRANSPORTATION, WATER & INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE,  Department:Conservation & Development Referral No.: 14   Referral Name: Monitor implementation of the Letter of Understanding with PG&E for the maintenance of PG&E street lights in Contra Costa County.  Presenter: Rochelle Johnson, Department of Public Works Contact: Rochelle Johnson (925)313-2299 Referral History: The Transportation, Water and Infrastructure Committee (TWIC) accepted the 2018 status report regarding the coordination between Cities (Countywide) and PG&E on September 10, 2018. Referral Update: The TWIC requested that Public Works management report annually on the status of street light maintenance coordination efforts with PG&E. Management last reported to the TWIC on September 10, 2018, regarding this item.  Background:  The Letter of Understanding (LOU) dated February 2008, between PG&E and the County states the commitment of PG&E for open communication, responsive service levels, and actions in resolving issues related to street light performance. In 2018, it was determined by management to review the LOU in an effort to acknowledge improved service levels and ensure that LOU addressed the needs of the 19 Cities and Contra Costa County.  As a result of the feedback from the meeting convened on October 2, 2017, PG&E and Contra Costa Public Works staff began pursuit of updating the LOU to reflect the needs of the Cities and County, addressing the type of support needed from PG&E Public Works staff drafted a document and made it available to cities for feedback. Once City feedback had been incorporated, management provided the 2018 Draft LOU to PG&E management for review. On August 20, 2018, Public Works staff met with PG&E to review the draft LOU at PG&Es request to discuss the LOU and address standards of service identified in the revised LOU. At the end of that meeting, the agreement had been reached. However, there were two (2) items that PG&E management wanted to confirm could be accommodated by PG&E. These items included: • The provision of service credits for customers who are without service for a period of greater than 14 days; and • The provision of monthly report by PG&E detailing power outages and knocked down street light poles. During the September 2018 report to TWIC, Public Works staff made TWIC aware of the status. Direction was provided from TWIC to place the revised LOU on the consent calendar once confirmation was received from PG&E. However, 9 months after our August meeting, Public Works staff were provided a redlined version of the revised draft LOU on May 23, 2019 by PG&E. We had been advised by PG&E that in light of recent catastrophic events, PG&E management and legal management revisited the document changing items that had been previously agreed to.  On September 17, 2019, Public Works staff met and determined that the items of contention in the redlined draft of the LOU included: • The LOU should always designate a number of service days that a customer should expect a response;  • Billing discrepancies should be resolved within two billing cycles; and • Agencies should be provided with a GIS map annually. Public Works staff reached out to PG&E management to schedule a meeting to discuss the outstanding issues in an effort to resolve them. However, the meeting was cancelled by PG&E at the last minute and there has been no response since. The Cities have been discouraged by the delay and have inquired if there is a consequence for PG&Es inaction. The lack of response from PG&E has impeded securing an updated LOU. The service needs of the Cities and County are different now than they were in 2008 and not only is it imperative to update the LOU to reflect current and projected service needs, but it is equally necessary that PG&E adhere to the language of the LOU. One method of maintaining open communication channels is conducting regular discussions at Street Light Coordination meetings which include the County, Cities, and Towns. Since the 2017 report period, the Coordination meetings have convened once per quarter, as opposed to monthly as stipulated in the 2008 LOU. This change was made based on feedback received from participating Cities as part of the 2015 participation survey. PG&E has consistently stated that they would rather suspend these meetings and/or defer to a web-based platform. However, the survey results collected form the Cities reflect the quarterly meeting are effective in receiving the best service from PG&E and should continue to be conducted in person. In addition to updated information on service levels, attendees have also participated in presentations on FCC Ruling and Proposed Action, California Street Light Association (CAL-SLA) conference information—detailing international emerging technologies related to outdoor lighting, and Street Light Pole Corrosion Inspects et. al., in addition to opportunities to share resources and best practices.  At this time, Public Works staff is seeking direction from the TWIC on next steps to move the LOU process forward. Recommendation(s)/Next Step(s): RECEIVE this status report on the street light service coordination effort between PG&E and the County Public Works Department and Cities for street light maintenance. Fiscal Impact (if any): None. All costs for street lights are funded by County Service Area L-100 or Community Facility District 2010-1. Attachments PGE LOU Revision  C:\Users\abattagello\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\INetCache\Content.Outlook\9OLHKJ85\PGE LOU Revision 2018 PGE CCCLOU_05_23_2019 (002) STAFF Review Sept 17-2019.docx NEW PROPOSED LOU Street Light Service Level Commitment To Contra Costa County [2018] PG&E is committed to delivering a high level of service to street light customers and providing features which enhance community safety. To ensure a high level of responsiveness to street light maintenance issues in Contra Costa County, PG&E is committed to the following (for street light facilities maintained by PG&E): 1) Reporting Street Light problems and tracking results PG&E will continue to utilize its web based system where street light service requests and problems can be reported via on-line request form. PG&E is committed to improving communication during the resolution process. The link for reporting and checking the status of street light outages is: http://www.pge.com/en/myhome/servicerequests/streetlights/single/index.page In addition, street light service requests can be reported through PG&E’s email address: streetlighttrouble@pge.com. The workgroup that responds to these emails is Streetlight Maintenance Department (under Electric Dispatch and Scheduling). Outages reports are acknowledged via automated email response when received, when case numbers are assigned, and when the street light service request work is completed. PG&E is committed to improving this system, and developing more robust on-line reporting and tracking systems that will serve to improve communication with all customers. PG&E shall further develop the reporting and tracking system to allow customers to check on the status of outages and repairs. PG&E will provide a one (1) page process flow chart to county staff upon availability. Upon the provision of the process, PG&E will clarify if email or web based platforms are preferred. *Note that the customer will receive an automated reply and within a few days [RJ1]a tracking number will be received 2) Responding to Street Light outages a. Response to Reported Street Light Outages PG&E will respond, assess and complete repair of reported street light outages (burnouts-repairs to lamp/fixture) within 14 days of being notified of the outage on average. Please note: based on various community preferences, decorative lamps can take longer to repair due to parts availability.. b. Outages Resulting from Poles that are "Knocked Down" Where a PG&E E-owned or maintained street light pole is "knocked down” - or where cComplex and/or underground repairs are necessary-Extensive Repair", PG&E will provide immediate response to the "knock- down", and will secure the site, and make the situation safe prior to leaving the site. PG&E will complete any remaining required repairs within 90 days. If PG&E, for any reason, will not be able to complete repairs within 90 days PG&E will notify the customer and will provide an estimated date of completion for repairs. C:\Users\abattagello\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\INetCache\Content.Outlook\9OLHKJ85\PGE LOU Revision 2018 PGE CCCLOU_05_23_2019 (002) STAFF Review Sept 17-2019.docx If PG&E should become aware of a knocked down pole by customer call or staff inspection, PG&E will notify the County. c. Monthly Report PG&E will provide a monthly report to Contra Costa County which details the status of outages and knocked down poles. This report should detail if the matter has been resolved or not. If the matter has not been resolved at the time to the report, the report should include a proposed timeline and resolution. d. Credit Adjustment In the event that a customer is without service as a result of an inoperable street light beyond fourteen (14) business days, the customer should contact their local customer relationship manager who will complete a service credit request. Customer to supply PG&E with detail information including confirmation the street light is inoperable, badge number (if available) and location. 3) Requesting Street Lights and Shields Installation PG&E will continue to utilize Customer Connection Online web based system where street lights and shields installation can be reported via the on-line request form. The link for requesting street lights and shields installation is: http://www.pge.com/cco. Shields may also be requested by calling our Building & Restoration Service Center telephone number (1-877-743-7782). PG&E will acknowledge these requests via automated email response when received by the New Business Service Planning representative. PG&E will continue communication of the planning and installation process status via email and provide an estimated date of completion and inform of next steps including approval, and installation. Upon receipt of new installation applications PG&E will contact the applicant within 1-3 business days to advise them of the result and next steps. Any contract information will be submitted via email or regular mail and any costs associated with the planning and installation will be included in the contract. PG&E will allow 10 days to sign and return contract to initiate the installation process. The cost of installing any shield (front, back or cul-de-sac) will be forwarded to the customer and included in the provisions of the associated contract. 4) Pole maintenance, replacement, painting, and cleaning For street light poles that need painting, cleaning due to graffiti, or rust staining, PG&E will accommodate requests based on the demand of the communities. All requests can be forwarded to the email: streetlighttrouble@pge.com or 1(800)743-5000. These services may include time and materials costs at PG&Es expense. PG&E will respond to an initial assessment of the request for street light graffiti removal within 14 days of being notified. Upon notification of painting or rust abatement service need, PG&E will complete the service within 180 days. In the event that there is not an established maintenance schedule, PG&E will provide information to county staff pertaining to pole viability and associated replacement plans on an case by case basis. 5) Billing Improvements Reconciliation C:\Users\abattagello\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\INetCache\Content.Outlook\9OLHKJ85\PGE LOU Revision 2018 PGE CCCLOU_05_23_2019 (002) STAFF Review Sept 17-2019.docx PG&E will work with Contra Costa County to explore methods to improvereconcile billing statements and inventory billing and inventory procedures in order to help resolve any discrepancies, if any on an annual basis or as needed.. All identified discrepancies will be resolved within two (2) billing cycles. 6) Annual Inventory Update[RJ2] PG&E will make every effort to work with Contra Costa County and Cities to rectify inventory and billing conflicts on an on-going basis to the satisfaction of the agency. This will include providing the Cities and County with an annual inventory update in GIS format at no cost beginning October 2018. 7) On-going communication and reporting Quarterly Coordination Meetings As determined by the survey of participating Cities in 2015, PG&E will continue to participate in quarterly Coordination Meetings. In preparation of these meetings, PG&E may be invited to present evolving and new technologies, features, and services. PG&E will maintain open communication and responsiveness in assisting the County to coordinate and plan for these meetings. TWIC Participation PG&Es Public Relations representative or a delegate will attend the annual Transportation Water and Infrastructure (TWIC) meeting in October to join the County in providing an annual report on coordination efforts. 8) Staffing Updates To assist Contra Costa County staff and PG&E staff in facilitating communication, PG&E and Contra Costa County will provide a list of key management representatives on an annual basis. Additionally, both will provide an advisement of key staffing changes. ITEMS FOR FUTURE CONSIDERATION LED and Photocell Group Maintenance and Replacement Program The life expectancy for LED street lights is approximately 20 years (with warranty of 10 years) and for photocells is 12 years. When the replacement of existing LED infrastructure occurs, PG&E will work closely with Contra Costa County to provide information related to new product choices selected for characteristics related to improved energy efficiency and as technology evolves, reduced glare and control of upward directed light as they become available and are approved for use. PG&E will replace LED street lights when notified as described above. When group lamp replacements are performed, [RJ3]PG&E will also perform other maintenance work, such as testing and replacement of photocells (as required) and cleaning of glassware, reflector, or refractor. Additionally, PG&E will provide to the County any cleaning schedule available for glassware.[BV4] Invoice and Billing PG&E will work with Contra Costa County to identify how to simplify invoicing and keep track of inventory in order to resolve issues such as inaccurate inventories and multiple billing. PG&E will accommodate requests for single billing support at no-cost basis on a case by case basis.[BV5][RJ6] Any billing changes to existing inventory, customer will call PG&E customer contact center at 1-800-743-5000. For any additions, removals or lamp size changes, customer will contact PG&E service planning at 1-877-743- 7782 or submit request online at http://www.pge.com/cco. PG&E will address changes to the inventory to not only simplify and reorganize the current information—but to insure that new additions or removals are reflected in the billing documentation. C:\Users\abattagello\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Windows\INetCache\Content.Outlook\9OLHKJ85\PGE LOU Revision 2018 PGE CCCLOU_05_23_2019 (002) STAFF Review Sept 17-2019.docx ###END### lrl Pacific Gas and rm\ Electric Company February 22, 2008 Mr. Maurice Shiu Director of Public Works Contra Costa County 255 Glacier Drive Martinez, CA 94553-4825 1030 Detroit Avenue Concord, CA 94518-2487 Bruce J. Mosley Eneigy Delivery Director Maint nance and Construction - Area 1 Re: Contra Costa County Streetlights Dr. Mr. Shiu: PG&E is committed to providing safe and reliable service to all customers. In that regard, PG&E is pleased to provide the Streetlight Service Level Commitment to Contra Costa County, its constituent cities and towns, and citizens. The PG&E Streetlight Service Level Commitment document is attached, including a summary of goals and the target dates associated with our specific actions related to our commitment. · To ensure open communications, validate progress in our efforts to establish and maintain a high level of responsiveness related to our service level commitment, and to identify new or unresolved issues, PG&E and County staff have established a schedule of joint meetings related to streetlight performance. To facilitate discussion during these meetings, PG&E will report out on streetlight problems, including results of follow up inspections and action taken to resolve the reported problem or a status report of pending resolution. Providing safe and reliable service is one of my top priorities. Please contact me at any time that you have concerns about PG&E service. Sincerely, BJM:alm 2 Attachments Streetlight Service Level Commitment To Contra Costa County · February 22, 2008 PG&E is committed to delivering a high level of service to Streetlight customers. To ensure a high level of responsiveness to Streetlight maintenance issues in Contra Costa County, PG&E is committed to the following (for Streetlight facilities maintained by PG&E): 1. Reporting Streetlight problems and tracking results. PG&E will continue to utilize its web based system where treetlight service requests and problems can be reported via on-line request form .· Original on-line reports are acknowledged via automated email response when received. PG&E is committed to improving this system, and developing more robust on-line reporting and tracking systems that will serve to improve communication with all customers. 2. Responding to Streetlight outages. a. Initial response to reported Streetlight outages. PG&E will respond to and complete an initial assessment of reported Streetlight outages within 14 days of being notified of the outage. b. Streetlight "burn outs". PG&E will complete repairs of Streetlight "burn-outs" within 14 days of notification of the "burn- out" when the outage can be resolved by simple lamp replacement or similar repair. c. Streetlight outages - other than "burn out". Where the Streetlight outage is not the result of "burn-auf and additional work is required, PG&E will complete required repairs within 90 days of assessment of the Streetlight outage . This includes repair of lights damaged due to vandalism, and repairs of wiring problems (including subsurface wiring issues). If PG&E, for any reason, will not be able to complete · repairs within 90 days PG&E will notify the customer and will provide an estimated date of completion for repairs. · · d. Outages resulting from poles that are "knocked down". Where a PG&E owned or maintained Streetlight pole is "knocked 9own", PG&E will provide immediate response to the "knock-down", and will secure the site, and make the situation safe prior to leaving the site. PG&E will complete any remaining required repairs within 90 days. If PG&E, for any reason, will not be able to complete repairs within 90 days PG&E will notify the customer and will provide an estimated date of completion for repairs. 3• .Pole painting. For Streetlight poles that were manufactured to be painted, PG&E will complete one cycle of pole painting by the end of 2008, and will then move to a ten year painting cycle. PG&E is scheduled to complete the initial cycle of pole painting in Contra Costa County by the end of 2007. After the current pole painting cycle is complete, PG&E will (if resources are available) , accommodate "off-cycle" pole painting requests for poles manufactured for painting, on a time and material cost basis. 3 Streetlight Service Level Commitment To Contra Costa County . February 22, 2008 .. 4. Group Lamp Replacement Program. PG&E will perform Group Lamp Replacements based on a five year schedule to replace all lamps maintained by PG&E. When group lamp replacements are performed, PG&E will also perform other maintenance work, such as testing and replacement of photocells (as required) and cleaning of glassware, reflector, or refractor . .5. New product choices. Recognizing that some of the PG&E owned Streetlight infrastructure is aging, and will require replacement, PG&E will work with Contra Costa County to discuss options available for replacement lighting. When replacement of existing lighting facilities is required, as determined by PG&E, PG&E will work closely with Contra Costa County to provide information related to . new product choices selected for characteristics related to improved energy efficiency, reduced glare and control of upward directed light as they become available and are approved for use in the PG&E Streetlight rate schedules. On-going communication and reporting: To ensure open communications, validate progress in our efforts to establish and maintain a high level of responsiveness related to the items specified above, and identify new or unresolved issues, PG&E will propose and establish a regular monthly meeting schedule with Contra Costa County. To facilitate discussion during the proposed monthly meetings, PG&E will report out on Streetlight problems, including results of follow up inspections and action taken to resolve the reported problem or a status report of pending resolution. f, - ·::r. C•••c I,,;; f f;r:l':'; :-: Cf!7i/U:'.'i; · Streetlight Service Level Commitment Summary of Goals and Target Dates {,?/22/2008) Area of Focus- Service Commitment/Progress on Goals 2007 Streetlight Summary Report ll Detail of poles painted 6; 2007 Burnout Lamp Replacements Target Date 1 January 2008 Completed 2 2008 Forecast- Group Lamp Replacement Work ll Notify Contra Costa County of forecast of total lamps to be replaced in Contra Costa .County January 2008 Completed 3 Goals and Progress to be Reported As Needed -to the City/Countv 3a Group Lamp Replacef!lent • PG&E to perform a study of the feasibility of performing group lamp replacement by City. Report Results of Feasibility Study to Contra Costa County. March, 2008 3b Standard Maintenance Cycles • Lamps to be scheduled on a 5 year cycle basis . • Photo controls to be scheduled on a 10 year basis . • Pole painting scheduled as needed . On-going 3c Replace deteriorated facilities • PG&E owned (Streetlight only) centerbore wood poles . • PG&E will report quarterly status of planned and actual centerbore wood pole replacements. (Currently scheduled throuoh 12/31/2012) On-going 3d PG&E to streamline processes related to providing new Streetlight service installations. • PG&E to report status of streamlined process to Contra Costa County by April 2, 2008 April 2, 2008 3e New Product Choices • PG&E to provide more Streetlight options including decorative poles and fixtures. " When PG&E determines that it is operationally necessary to replace a cobra head fixture, consistent with rate schedule LS1, PG&E will install a standard cut-off fixture as a replacement. On-going Requires approval of County or City for replacement proposal 3f Streetlight maintenance reporting and tracking system * Monthly detail report showing progress of goals February 2008 Completed and will be on-ooing 3g Repair Streetlight Outages • "Burnout Repairs" - Lamp, photo control or similar repair. 14 Days from Report 3h Repair Streetlight Outages " Non- burnout repairs- Repair required more extensive than lamp, photo control or ballast. 90 Days from Report 3i Streetlight Repairs .".Knockdowns" "Make Safe"-- Immediate Response 6; Complete repairs -- within 90 days 90 90 days f Days 3j Paint "Missed" Poles .. For Streetlight poles manufactured for painting, and included under rate schedule LS2-C prior to the elimination of the separate pole painting charge in PG&E's tariffs, PG&E Will complete one cycle of pole painting by the end of 2008. (Will complete by the end of 2007 in Contra Costa County.) If any Streetlight poles meeting these tariff criteria were missed in this painting cycle, PG&E will respond to missed poles and oaint as required. rom report PGE LOU Revision 2018 PGE CCCLOU_05_23_2019 (002) STAFF Review Sept 17-2019 TRANSPORTATION, WATER & INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE 5. Meeting Date:11/14/2019   Subject:RECEIVE report on the status of the 2018 Annual Integrated Pest Management Program Submitted For: TRANSPORTATION, WATER & INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE,  Department:Conservation & Development Referral No.: 8   Referral Name: Monitor the implementation of the Integrated Pest Management Policy.  Presenter: Chris Lau, Department of Public Works Contact: Chris Lau (925)313-7002 Referral History: The 2018 Annual Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Program Status Report was previously presented to the TWIC in February 2019. In this report, among other items, the IPM Advisory Committee presented recommendations regarding pest management and the posting policy and signage of pesticide use. Referral Update: This report is to update the TWIC on the status of the 2018 recommendations from the IPM Advisory Committee. Recommendation(s)/Next Step(s): RECEIVE report on the status of the 2018 recommendations to the Board of Supervisors from the Integrated Pest Management Advisory Committee, as contained in the 2018 Annual Integrated Pest Management Program Status Report. Fiscal Impact (if any): None. Attachments No file(s) attached. TRANSPORTATION, WATER & INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE 6. Meeting Date:11/14/2019   Subject:DISCUSS and REVISE the County's 2020 State and Federal Legislative Platforms (Limited to TWIC Referrals) Submitted For: TRANSPORTATION, WATER & INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE,  Department:Conservation & Development Referral No.: 1   Referral Name: Review legislative matters on transportation, water, and infrastructure  Presenter: John Cunningham, DCD Contact: John Cunningham (925)674-7833 Referral History: The Transportation, Water, and Infrastructure Committee (TWIC) annually reviews the State and Federal Legislative Platforms for revisions to sections under its purview. The full Board of Supervisors then adopts the platforms in January. Staff with responsibility for items on TWIC's referral list are provided the option to bring platform revisions to either TWIC or the Legislation Committee given the dual responsibility for the platform update. In the event that legislative platform modifications for TWIC referred items are brought to the Legislation Committee, staff is requested to inform TWIC of the changes. Lara Delaney, the County's staff lead on legislation, sent out a request for review and comment on the platform. This item is in response to that request. Initial comments are included in the attached and additional staff comments and recommendations may be brought or proposed at the Committee's November meeting. Referral Update: The 2020 Platform update is more comprehensive than we have had in the past. In addition to the annual updates the decision was made to make more substantial changes to the document. These changes are intended to result in a more streamlined, concise document that includes greater prioritization. The Legislation Committee considered a full report on the decision and process that resulted in the decision to conduct a comprehensive platform update. That report can be viewed at this link but in summary the update will result in:  A two-year document to coincide with the legislative cycles. Inclusion of introductory text and demographic information about the County. Inclusion of introductory text and demographic information about the County. Inclusion of the County's mission, vision and values Transition away from specific policy based platforms to principle-based platforms. Retention of existing Platform detail in an appendix to preserve any necessary history or context. Recommendation(s)/Next Step(s): DISCUSS 2020 State and Federal Legislative Platform Development, REVISE as appropriate, and RECOMMEND that the Board of Supervisors include the revisions in the County's final 2020 State and Federal Legislative Platforms. Fiscal Impact (if any): None. Attachments DRAFT 2020 TWIC Legislative Platform Revisions d:\egnyte\shared\transportation\legislation\2020\cccountyplatformredevelopment\legplatformupdate- transportation.docxg:\transportation\legislation\2020\platformdevelopment\legplatformupdate-transportation.docx Legislative Platform: Transportation The Departments of Conservation and Development and Public Works are responsible for pursuing the transportation priorities and policies of the Board of Supervisors. Those policies include: Providing an integrated, multi-modal transportation system that safely and efficiently meets the transportation needs of all economic and social segments of the County and provides for the transport of goods and services throughout Contra Costa County1. The emphasis on the efficient use of the existing transportation system and cost-effective enhancements to this system1. New and emerging policy direction includes an increase in the support for active transportation modes2, support for the development of aging-friendly communities3, and a decreasing emphasis on automotive capacity expanding projects which increase greenhouse gas production4. The provision of a safe, reliable, efficient, and accessible transportation system that balances social, environmental, and economic needs of the County by5:  Managing and operating the existing system  Planning for future demands of the transportation system  Effectively managing fiscal resources and seeking funding opportunities  Developing effective working relationships with other agencies, community groups, and the general public  Coordinating with other agencies to balance regional and local needs Specific Legislative Proposals None at this time. Professional Associations’ Platform Recommendations None that staff is forwarding at this time. State Priorities (## = appendix reference)  Increased flexibility in the use of transportation funds. (1, 3)  Increased regional coordination, while reflecting local input, is necessary for public transit (paratransit and fixed route), roads, trails, advanced mobility technology, and greenhouse gas reduction related projects will help to design and develop projects consistent with the public interest and delivered efficiently. (4)  Ensure complete life-cycle costs, including an emphasis on environmentally friendly construction resources, are considered during state and local project development. (2, 6)  Improvements in safety throughout the transportation system, in particular relative to vulnerable users of the system (children, pedestrians, cyclists, etc.). (5) 1 Contra Costa County General Plan: 5. Transportation and Circulation Element: 5.1 Introduction 2 2008 Complete Streets General Plan Update, pending compliance with 2008 Complete Streets Act (AB1358), 2016 Complete Streets Resolution 3 5/1/2018, Board of Supervisors Resolution 2018/164 – Age Friendly Communities 4 Pending compliance () with SB 743 (2013) 5 Contra Costa County Road Program Mission Statement d:\egnyte\shared\transportation\legislation\2020\cccountyplatformredevelopment\legplatformupdate- transportation.docxg:\transportation\legislation\2020\platformdevelopment\legplatformupdate-transportation.docx  Enable/increase the streamlining of transportation safety projects. (7)  Support efforts to put in place local planning coordination mechanisms and requirements for state funded or regulated facilities such as schools, roads, courts, jails, and oppose efforts to compromise the County’s road authority and the ability to protect public health, safety, and welfare. (8,9)  Support regional, coordinated aviation transportation planning efforts to improve service delivery and to provide options to the surface transportation system for people and goods movement. (10)  Support efforts to increase waterborne transport of goods, in particular relative to the San Francisco to Stockton Ship Channel. (11)  Support measures to enhance rail safety with an emphasis on; increased state oversight of railroad bridges, funding for first responder training, improved regulations for tank car safety standards, and data sharing requirements between state emergency managers, local responders, and rail operators. (12)  Oppose linking transportation funding to housing production. (14)  Increase requirements for coordination between transportation agencies and utilities. (15)  Support funding increases for active transportation projects and planning with an emphasis on facilities and investments that increase the likelihood of a mode shift away from automobiles. (5, 13) d:\egnyte\shared\transportation\legislation\2020\cccountyplatformredevelopment\legplatformupdate- transportation.docxg:\transportation\legislation\2020\platformdevelopment\legplatformupdate-transportation.docx Federal Priorities  Project needs include (project detail found in the appendix):  Vasco Road Safety Improvements: Project components (barriers, shoulders, passing facilities) will eliminate cross median collisions, wildlife undercrossing will preserve migration patterns. [potentially need update from PWD]  North Richmond Community Supportive Transportation Improvements: Alternate truck route/regulations, trail/school access improvements to address community safety, public health and livability needs.  Eastern Contra Costa Multi-use Trail Network: Active mode access improvements for planned and existing mass transit stations, schools, and activity centers. [expanded from the original focus on mass transit station access]  Brentwood Intermodal Transit Center: Multimodal station access improvements and the extension of mass transit from the Antioch BART station. [not sure if we need to retain this considering the status of the project. I think we may want to consider doubling down on the extension considering the success of the Antioch BART extension]  Iron Horse Corridor Enhancement Program: Improvements to trail access (to/from activity center and other regional trails), additional facilities for different active modes, overcrossings, at grade intersection improvements.  State Route 4 / Old River Bridge Study: The existing structure is narrow, improvements would address safety and traffic flow.  West Contra Costa High Capacity Transit: Implementation of the WCCTAC High Capacity Transit Study.  Kirker Pass Truck Climbing Lanes: Needed for improved traffic flow and safety.  Vasco Road – Byron Highway Connector: Connection between two major arterials improving connectivity while removing through/truck traffic from the Byron community. [Update needed from PWD, I think one direction is funded]  Program and Policy Requests  Rural Road Funding Program: Support the creation of a new funding program to modernize rural roads consistent with emerging safety, complete streets, active mode policies. [this language was updated a bit from the original which did not reflect complete streets, context sensitivity, and the move away from capacity increases. ]  Transportation Funding for Disabled, Low-income, and Elderly Persons: Demographic and epidemiological driven increases in demand are expected in this transportation sector which is in need of increase capital and operations funding in addition to funding and policy changes that would address local, state, and federally identified needs for coordination improvements.  Surface Transportation Program/Increases in Highway (road/rail) Bridge Funding: Regulation changes that allow for direct funding to qualified local jurisdictions (bypassing FHWA, Caltrans) in order to expedite economic benefits, increase purchasing power, and bolster travel, business and economic growth. [find citation for NACO proposal] d:\egnyte\shared\transportation\legislation\2020\cccountyplatformredevelopment\legplatformupdate- transportation.docxg:\transportation\legislation\2020\platformdevelopment\legplatformupdate-transportation.docx  Appropriations and Grants – Support Positions  Buchanan Field and Byron Airports: Funding for Master Plan/Business Plan Implementation.  Multimodal National Freight Network: Increases in funding for National Freight Strategic Plan implementation specifically to fulfill the goals of the Northern Waterfront initiative and to address congestion in the I-680 Corridor  Stormwater Program Funding: Additional funding to enable compliance with the Clean Water Act.  Rail Safety: Initiatives to increase safety relative to rail service to oil refineries. [Colin, please review the information in the appendix. The RESPONSE act passed in 2016, please see if it has been funded or otherwise implemented] d:\egnyte\shared\transportation\legislation\2020\cccountyplatformredevelopment\legplatformupdate- transportation.docxg:\transportation\legislation\2020\platformdevelopment\legplatformupdate-transportation.docx Appendix – State 1. (23.) SUPPORT efforts to expand eligible expenditures of the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund to investments in accessible transit/transportation systems (serving seniors, disabled, veterans) which result in more efficient (shared trips, increased coordination) service and corresponding reductions in greenhouse gas production. 2. (24.) SUPPORT efforts to ensure life - cycle costs are considered when planning new projects in the state. A key challenge for State and local agencies is funding the ongoing operation and maintenance of infrastructure. This includes all aspects of the built environment: buildings, roads, parks, and other infrastructure. As California begins to implement more aggressive climate goals, the State should be thinking about new methodologies for anticipating project costs. In particular, it is evident that California will need a different transportation system than the one we have currently, and that this new transportation system will be more expensive to maintain. Traditional accounting methods that look only at initial project cost lead to situations where infrastructure fails, at greater replacement cost than if ongoing operation and maintenance had been included from the beginning. This would include methodologies for internalizing the social and environmental costs of projects. 3. (273.) SUPPORT increased flexibility in the use of transportation funds. 4. (274.) SUPPORT regional coordination that provides for local input in addressing transportation needs. Coordinated planning and delivery of public transit, paratransit, non-profit/community-based transit, and rail services will help ensure the best possible service delivery to the public. Regional coordination will be essential to complete planning and development of important regional transportation projects that benefit the state and local road system such as TriLink (State Route 239), improvements to Vasco Road, completion of remaining segments of the Bay Trail, improvements to the Delta DeAnza Regional Trail, and the proposed California Delta and Marsh Creek Trails. Support for consistent, coordinated deployment of advanced transportation/mobility technology such as connected vehicles and automated vehicles, and advanced wireless is also in the public interest. There may be interest in seeking enhanced local input requirements for developing the Sustainable Communities Strategy for the Bay Area mandated by SB 375 for greenhouse gas reduction. It is important that the regional coordination efforts are based on input gathered from the local level, to ensure the regional approach does not negatively impact local communities. “Top-down” regional or state planning efforts would be inconsistent with this goal. Consistent with that position, relief from the requirements imposed on the County by the state relative to the Iron Horse corridor would foster coordination along this multi-jurisdictional corridor. Such relief could be provided through administrative action or County sponsored legislation. 5. 275. SUPPORT efforts to improve safety throughout the transportation system. The County supports new and expanded projects and programs to improve safety for bicyclists, pedestrians and wheelchair users, as well as projects to improve safety on high-accident transportation facilities such as Vasco Road. Data on transportation safety would be improved by including global positioning system (GPS) location data for every reported accident to assist in safety analysis and planning. The County also supports the expansion of school safety improvement programs such as stable/dedicated funding for crossing guards, revised school zone references in the vehicle code, Safe Routes to Schools (SR2S) grants, statutory authorization of an automated safety enforcement (speed cameras) pilot program, efforts to improve the safety, expansion and security of freight transportation system including public and d:\egnyte\shared\transportation\legislation\2020\cccountyplatformredevelopment\legplatformupdate- transportation.docxg:\transportation\legislation\2020\platformdevelopment\legplatformupdate-transportation.docx private maritime ports, airports, rail yards, railroad lines, rail bridges and sidings. The County also supports limits or elimination of public liability for installing traffic-calming devices on residential neighborhood streets. 6. 276. SUPPORT funding or incentives for the use of environmentally-friendly resources in transportation construction projects. The County seeks and supports grant programs, tax credits for manufacturers, state purchasing programs, and other incentives for local jurisdictions to use renewable and environmentally friendly materials such as pervious concrete, cool pavements, rubberized asphalt (made from recycled tires) that the County has used as paving material on San Pablo Dam Road and Pacheco Boulevard, and other emerging technologies/materials. 7. 277. SUPPORT streamlining the delivery of transportation safety projects. The length of time and amount of paperwork should be reduced to bring a transportation safety project more quickly through the planning, engineering and design, environmental review, funding application, and construction phases, such as for Vasco Road. This could include streamlining the environmental review process and also streamlining all state permitting requirements that pertain to transportation projects. Realistic deadlines for use of federal transportation funds would help local jurisdictions deliver complex projects without running afoul of federal time limits which are unrealistically tight for complex projects. 8. 278. SUPPORT efforts to coordinate development of state-funded or regulated facilities such as courts, schools, jails, roads and state offices with local planning. The County supports preserving the authority of Public Works over County roads by way of ensuring the Board of Supervisors’ control over County roads as established in the Streets & Highways Code (Ch2 §940) is not undermined. This includes strongly opposing any action by a non-local entity that would ultimately dilute current Board of Supervisors discretion relative to road design and land use. In addition to being coordinated with local planning, there are well documented conflicts between state school development policies and state policies related to greenhouse gas reduction, safe routes to school, complete streets, and “Health In All Policies.” The County supports administrative and legislative efforts to resolve these conflicts. 9. 279. SUPPORT efforts to coordinate planning between school districts, the state, and local jurisdictions for the purposes of: (1) locating and planning new schools, (2) funding programs that foster collaboration and joint use of facilities, and (3) financing off-site transportation improvements for improved access to existing schools. The County will urge the California Department of Education’s current Title 5 update effort to include removing the current conflict between current school siting policies and sustainable communities. Related to this effort, the County supports reform of school siting practices by way of legislative changes related to any new statewide school construction bond authorization. The County takes the position that reform components should include bringing school siting practices and school zone references in the vehicle code into alignment with local growth management policies, safe routes to school best practices, State SB 375 principles, and the State Strategic Growth Council’s “Health in All Policies Initiative.” The County will also urge DOE's current Title 5 update effort to apply the requirements of Title 5, as they pertain to evaluating the risks from hazardous materials, to schools being rebuilt on the site of existing schools and to charter schools, and to include the evaluation of risks from hazardous materials potentially released from nearby industrial facilities due to fire, explosions or accidental releases to school siting criteria. Related to this, the County supports the development of guidelines for assessing and mitigating the risks of siting new schools near industrial facilities and rail lines due to d:\egnyte\shared\transportation\legislation\2020\cccountyplatformredevelopment\legplatformupdate- transportation.docxg:\transportation\legislation\2020\platformdevelopment\legplatformupdate-transportation.docx potential explosions and fires from the use, storage, manufacture and transportation of hazardous materials, similar to the guidelines they have established for assessing and mitigating the risks from the transportation of hazardous materials through pipelines. State financial and/or technical support to offset the cost of adhering to new guidelines or requirements should be provided. 10. 280. SUPPORT regional aviation transportation planning efforts for coordinated aviation network planning to improve service delivery. Regional aviation coordination could also improve the surrounding surface transportation system by providing expanded local options for people and goods movement. 11. 281. SUPPORT efforts to increase waterborne transport of goods and obtaining funds to support this effort. The San Francisco to Stockton Ship Channel is a major transportation route for the region, providing water access to a large number of industries and the Ports of Sacramento and Stockton. A project is underway to deepen the channel, providing additional capacity to accommodate increasing commerce needs of the Ports and providing better operational flexibility for the other industries. Increased goods movement via waterways has clear benefits to congestion management on highways and railroads (with resultant air quality benefits). 12. 282. SUPPORT legislative and administrative measures to enhance rail safety, increase state oversight of railroad bridges, provide funding for the training of first responders, and implement regulations that increase tank car safety standards for cars transporting crude oil and other hazardous materials, and regulations that require railroads to share data with state emergency managers and local responders. 13. 283. SUPPORT funding increases for active transportation projects and planning. Funding is needed for improved pedestrian infrastructure and enhancements and expansion of: trails, on-street bike facilities (Class II and III), and separated facilities (Class I and Class IV [cycle track]). Funding is also needed for corridor and ”bicycle superhighway” planning, trail access improvements, overcrossings, intersection improvements, Class I - IV inter-connectivity projects (gap closures), wayfinding/signage projects, and facilities/designs identified in emerging best practices. 14. 284. OPPOSE efforts to condition or link the distribution of transportation funds to a jurisdiction’s production of housing relative to RHNA (Regional Housing Needs Allocation). 15. 285. SUPPORT administrative or legislative mechanisms that facilitate coordination between transportation agencies and utilities relative to expediting construction projects. Without willing and proactive coordination, transportation projects are subject to delays and substantially increased costs. These costs are borne by the taxpayers. d:\egnyte\shared\transportation\legislation\2020\cccountyplatformredevelopment\legplatformupdate- transportation.docxg:\transportation\legislation\2020\platformdevelopment\legplatformupdate-transportation.docx Appendix – Federal FEDERAL TRANSPORTATION NEEDS The following are priority transportation projects and programs for which federal funding is needed. 1. Vasco Road Safety Improvement Project -- $18 million for improvements to a 2.5-mile accident- prone section of Vasco Road. Project components include widening the roadway to accommodate a concrete median barrier and shoulders on either side of the barrier, construction of the barrier, and extension of an existing passing lane. The project will eliminate cross-median accidents which have caused numerous fatalities in recent years, and will provide increased opportunities for vehicles to safely pass (unsafe passing is a major cause of accidents and fatalities on this segment of the increasingly busy two-lane undivided road). The project will include provisions for wildlife undercrossings to preserve migration patterns. The proposed improvements will complement a $10 million project that was funded with American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds and completed in 2011. 1.b Vasco Road Safety Improvement Project Continuation -- $30 million for improvements to the remaining 9 miles of accident-prone sections of Vasco Road. Alameda County has been working on constructing improvements in their jurisdiction and it would be desirable for the two counties to work together to complete the gap left in the concrete median barrier near the County line. In addition to completing this gap, Contra Costa desires to extend the concrete median barrier further north of the recently completed median barrier project to the Camino Diablo Road intersection. 2. North Richmond Truck Route -- $25 million to construct a new road or other alternate access improvements that will provide truck access between businesses and the Richmond Parkway, moving the truck traffic away from a residential neighborhood and elementary school. This project will increase safety, improve public health around the school and residential area by reducing diesel particulate emissions from those areas, increase livability of the neighborhood, improve local access to the Wildcat Creek Regional Trail, stimulate economic development in the industrial area of the community and provide a better route for trucks traveling to and from the Richmond Parkway. Several potential alignments have been identified, one of which was developed through a community planning process funded through an Environmental Justic e planning grant from Caltrans. 3. Eastern Contra Costa Trail Network -- $11 million for joint planning, environmental review, right-of- way acquisition and construction of a coordinated network of trails for walking, bicycling and equestrian uses in eastern Contra Costa County including facilities and projects improving access to existing or planned transit stations. Eligible trails include, but are not limited to: (1) the Mokelumne Trail overcrossing of the State Route 4 Bypass ($6 million); (2) Contra Costa segments of the Great California Delta Trail ($3 million); (3) a transit supportive network of East Contra Costa trails in unincorporated County areas and the cities of Antioch, Brentwood, Oakley and Pittsburg ($1 million); and Marsh Creek Corridor Multi-Use Path ($1 million). 4. Brentwood Intermodal Transit Center (BITC) -- Project to improve access, and advance design and development of a transit center located in Brentwood, and serving Oakley, southeast Antioch, Discovery Bay and Brentwood. The BITC is proposed for Highway 4 between Lone Tree Way and Sand Creek Road and would be served initially by Tri Delta Transit. Access would be provided via an extension of Heidorn Ranch Road, and the multimodal Mokelumne Trail. A possible future extension of eBART high capacity transit from the Antioch Station should be would be considered latergiven the ridership seen with the new eBART opening. 5. Iron Horse Corridor Enhancement Program -- $25 million for joint planning, environmental review, and the construction of improvements in the Iron Horse d:\egnyte\shared\transportation\legislation\2020\cccountyplatformredevelopment\legplatformupdate- transportation.docxg:\transportation\legislation\2020\platformdevelopment\legplatformupdate-transportation.docx Trail Corridor, a 28 mile non-motorized facility used for commute and recreation purposes providing access to schools, recreational facilities, commercial areas, residences, and mass transit hubs. Eligible projects include corridor planning, trail access improvements, trail expansion/enhancements, overcrossings (7 overcrossings in 5 cities), intersection improvements, Class I trail inter- connectivity projects, the potential accommodation of shared/autonomous vehicles, and wayfinding/signage projects. 6. State Route 4 / Old River Bridge Study – $1,000,000 to work with San Joaquin County and the State of California on a study of improving or replacing the Old River Bridge along State Route 4 on the Contra Costa / San Joaquin County line. The study would determine a preferred alternative for expanding or replacing the existing bridge, which is part of State Route 4. The existing bridge is narrow, barely allowing two vehicles to pass each other, and is aligned on a difficult angle relative to the highway on either side, requiring motorists to make sharp turns onto and off of the bridge. The project would improve safety and traffic flow over the bridge. (Note: no appropriations for this project as yet.) 7. Kirker Pass Road Truck Climbing Lanes – $7 million for constructing northbound and $20 million for constructing southbound truck climbing lanes on Kirker Pass Road, a heavily used arterial linking residential areas in eastern Contra Costa with job centers and the freeway system in central Contra Costa. The truck climbing lanes are needed to improve traffic flow and will also have safety benefits. The $4.5 million will close a funding gap and augment secured funding: $6 million in Measure J (local sales tax measure) funds and $2.6 million in State Transportation Improvement Program funds. The $20 million is the total cost of the southbound truck climbing lane segment. 8. Vasco Road-Byron Highway Connector – $80 million for design, engineering and construction of an east-west connector road between two major arterials that link Contra Costa County with Alameda and San Joaquin Counties. The Vasco Road-Byron Highway Connector will improve traffic circulation and linkages in the southeastern portion of the County and will provide a new route for truck traffic that will remove a significant portion of truck trips which currently pass through the rural community of Byron. Vasco Road is designated as State Route 84, and Byron Highway is under study as the potential alignment for future State Route 239. 9. West Contra Costa High Capacity Transit Project: $10 million for environmental review and engineering activities for the options identified in the West Contra Costa Transportation Advisory Committee's West County High Capacity Transit Study. Tasks may include, but not necessarily be limited to, environmental review, and partial completion of engineering, evaluation and refinement of alignment and stations, development of capital and operating costs, land use/environmental justice analysis, completion of environmental review including appropriate mitigations, development of preliminary engineering, and public outreach. (Potential Programs: FTA – New Starts, FHWA/FTA Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality, BUILD Grant) Rural Road Funding Program – The County supports the creation of a new funding program that will provide funds for converting or upgrading rural roads into more modern and safer roads that can better handle increasing accommodate commuter traffic and active modes in growing areas, such as East County. These roads do not often compete well in current grant programs because they do not carry as many vehicles as roads in more congested urban or suburban areas. As a result, improvements such as widenings (bike lanes, turn lanes, clear zone/recovery areas, etc.), realignments, drainage improvements and intersection modifications often go unfunded, leaving such roads with operational and safety problems as well as insufficient capacity. d:\egnyte\shared\transportation\legislation\2020\cccountyplatformredevelopment\legplatformupdate- transportation.docxg:\transportation\legislation\2020\platformdevelopment\legplatformupdate-transportation.docx Transportation Funding for Disabled, Low- income, and Elderly Persons – Transit services for elderly, disabled, and low-income persons are provided by the County, by some cities, by all of the bus transit operators, and by many community organizations and non-profits that provide social services. Increased funding is needed to provide and maintain more service vehicles, operate them longer throughout the day, upgrade the vehicle fleet and dispatching systems, improve coordination between public providers and community groups that also provide such services to their clients (a need well- established by the Government Accountability Office), expand outreach programs to inform potential riders of the available services, and expedite deployment of efficient new technologies and systems, among other needs. The County supports continuation and increased funding levels for federal funding programs dedicated to transit services for these population groups and to incentivize improvements in service delivery models to take advantage of advances in mobile data. All of the demographic trends point to a growing need for such services in the future. The 65-and-older population in the Bay Area is projected to more than double by 2030. Surface Transportation Program/Highway Bridge Funding – The County supports the continuation of funding levels consistent with the Highway Bridge funding program in previous transportation funding bills that will provide funds for rehabilitating and replacing our aging bridges. The County has several aging bridges with deficient sufficiency ratings. Without federal transportation funding, these expensive projects would be deferred because they often exceed the County’s funding capacity. Many of the bridges are on critical commute corridors, goods movement corridors, inter-regional routes, and farm to market routes. Failure of these important transportation assets can cause major disruptions to the transportation network. The County would also support federal funding for the rehabilitation and replacement of rail bridges. In addition to the funding levels, the County also supports regulation changes that permit direct funding to local jurisdictions, bypassing the Federal Highway Administration and Caltrans Local Assistance. The goals of these changes are to: Get federal transportation funding into the community as soon as possible to create and preserve jobs, both in the private sector and the public sector, in America; Maximize purchasing power by eliminating the burdensome additional administrative process and cost associated with multiple layers of government between funding and construction of shovel ready improvement and maintenance projects; and Fund the critical first and last part of each journey of goods, people, and services ‐ local roads of America ‐ providing certainty for businesses and laying the foundation for lasting economic growth. Appropriations and Grants – Support Positions 4. Multimodal National Freight Network – In 2015 the primary freight network was established pursuant to MAP-21. The County supports increases in dedicated freight funding as proposed in the National Freight Strategic Plan. The County will pursue grants and appropriations for 1) the Northern Waterfront Initiative – specifically, funding for a short-line railroad feasibility study for the Northern Waterfront Corridor and a Land-Use Cost- Benefit/Fiscalization study for the Northern Waterfront; and 2) consistent with the Draft National Freight Strategic Plan congestion reduction strategy, projects along the I-680 corridor. 1. Buchanan Field Airport – The County approved a Master Plan for the Buchanan Field Airport in October 2008, which included a Business Plan for project implementation; all of which completed a previously approved Federal Aviation Regulation Part 150 Noise Study. The comprehensive planning effort has ideally positioned Buchanan Field Airport for future aviation (general aviation, corporate aviation and commercial airline service) d:\egnyte\shared\transportation\legislation\2020\cccountyplatformredevelopment\legplatformupdate- transportation.docxg:\transportation\legislation\2020\platformdevelopment\legplatformupdate-transportation.docx and aviation-related opportunities. To facilitate the economic development potential, the Business Plan prioritizes necessary infrastructure improvements for Buchanan Field Airport (including development of a general aviation terminal/administration building and potential replacement of the 65 year old control tower). Further, as the Airport is surrounded by urban residential uses, enhancing the noise program infrastructure is deemed essential for balancing the aviation needs with those of the surrounding communities. The Federal government, primarily through the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), provides funding for planning, analysis, and infrastructure improvements. The County will support funding in all these areas for protection and enhancement of our aviation facility and network. 2. Byron Airport – The Byron Airport is poised for future general and corporate aviation and aviation-related development, but that future growth and full build out of the airport as shown in the Master Plan is dependent upon utility and infrastructure improvements (such as improved road access and sewer and water connections) both on and around the Airport. The Byron Airport Business Plan prioritizes infrastructure and possible additional land acquisition to assist the Byron Airport in fulfilling its aviation and economic development potential. The Federal government, primarily through the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), provides funding for planning, analysis, infrastructure improvements and aviation land acquisition. The County will support funding in all these areas for protection and enhancement of our aviation facility and network. 4. Multimodal National Freight Network – In 2015 the primary freight network was established pursuant to MAP-21. The County supports increases in dedicated freight funding as proposed in the National Freight Strategic Plan. The County will pursue grants and appropriations for 1) the Northern Waterfront Initiative – specifically, funding for a short-line railroad feasibility study for the Northern Waterfront Corridor and a Land-Use Cost- Benefit/Fiscalization study for the Northern Waterfront; and 2) consistent with the Draft National Freight Strategic Plan congestion reduction strategy, projects along the I-680 corridor. 8. Stormwater Program Funding - $2 million to fund additional compliance costs required by the Clean Water Act. The Regional Water Quality Control Board issues the County a Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) permit every five years, requiring the County to remove pollutants from stormwater prior to entering the storm drain system. The County has a dedicated revenue source for funding stormwater services derived from an assessment on every parcel in the County, which generates about $3 million per year in the unincorporated communities. The Regional Board issued a new MS4 permit that will increase costs dramatically over the next five years, starting with a 25% increase and the following year by an increase of almost five times current costs. In 2012, the County attempted to increase the parcel assessment for stormwater services but the voters turned it down. The County needs additional funding through the Environmental Protection Agency, the source of the MS4 requirements, to help pay for compliance costs. Staff estimated the cost for compliance in 2018 at $5 million, which was $2 million more than budgeted. Rail Safety – Contra Costa County is home to a substantial oil refinery industry with four refineries located in the County. The County supports Senator Heitkamp’s Railroad Emergency Services Preparedness, Operational Needs, and Safety Evaluation (RESPONSE) Act, S. 2547, which would establish a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) panel focused on railroad incident first responders. By bringing together under FEMA’s National Advisory Council all relevant agencies, emergency responders, technical experts, and the private sector for a review of training, resources, best practices, and unmet needs related to emergency responders to railroad hazmat incidents, the RESPONSE Act will begin the process of addressing shortcomings in existing emergency response practices and procedures. It will also address the d:\egnyte\shared\transportation\legislation\2020\cccountyplatformredevelopment\legplatformupdate- transportation.docxg:\transportation\legislation\2020\platformdevelopment\legplatformupdate-transportation.docx effectiveness of funding levels related to training local emergency responders for rail hazardous materials incidents. The County also supports FEMA funding for the training of first responders, regulations that increase tank car safety standards for cars transporting crude oil and other hazardous materials, and regulations that require railroads to share data with state emergency managers and local responders. TRANSPORTATION, WATER & INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE 7. Meeting Date:11/14/2019   Subject:CONSIDER report: Local, Regional, State, and Federal Transportation Issues: Legislation, Studies, Miscellaneous Updates, take ACTION as Appropriate Submitted For: TRANSPORTATION, WATER & INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE,  Department:Conservation & Development Referral No.: 1   Referral Name: REVIEW legislative matters on transportation, water, and infrastructure.  Presenter: John Cunningham, DCD Contact: John Cunningham (925)674-7883 Referral History: This is a standing item on the Transportation, Water, and Infrastructure Committee referral list and meeting agenda. Referral Update: In developing transportation related issues and proposals to bring forward for consideration by TWIC, staff receives input from the Board of Supervisors (BOS), references the County's adopted Legislative Platforms, coordinates with our legislative advocates, partner agencies and organizations, and consults with the Committee itself. This report includes four sections, 1: LOCAL, 2: REGIONAL, 3: STATE, and 4: FEDERAL . 1. LOCAL   Transportation Expenditure Plan - The Contra Costa Transportation Authority's (CCTA's) Proposed March 2020 Sales Tax Background On August 28, 2019, CCTA released a proposed Transportation Expenditure Plan for consideration by the Cities and County. As of October 23rd all cities and the County have approved the TEP. The Authority approved the TEP on October 30, 2019 by Authority Ordinance 19-02. The County will act on the CCTA request to place the Measure on the ballot at their November 12 and November 19 meetings. 2. REGIONAL  See State report. SB 278 (Beall) and the TRANSFORM Regional Express Bus Proposal are regional initiatives but are related to state legislation.  3. STATE  Mr. Watts will attend the November Committee meeting to provide a verbal report, his written report is attached. Contra Costa County Specific Legislation of Interest: AB 1025 (Grayson): TRANSPORTATION: California Transportation Commission: San Ramon Branch Corridor: Reimbursement aka "The Iron Horse Bill". Status: The Governor signed the bill on October 12. Discussion : The Committee should discuss implementation which includes (from the bill text): (1) Revise the bylaws of the Iron Horse Corridor Management Program Advisory Committee to include a seat for a Contra Costa Transportation Authority representative and expand the management program elements to include a new, seventh element that considers proposals to study new and emerging mobility modes and technologies in the corridor. (2) Include a new task in the committee’s work program to recommend a framework for acting on the proposals. The bill takes effect on January 1. Staff from DCD and Public Works have discussed implementation. Public Works will initiate a dialog at the Iron Horse Corridor Management Program Advisory Committee relative to the new element and work program modification. Staff is requesting that the Committee authorize staff to bring a letter to the Board of Supervisors requesting that CCTA appoint a member per the requirements in the legislation. Staff will return with updates until the County is in to compliance with the requirements in the bill. Faster Bay Area SB 278 (Beall): Metropolitan Transportation Commission, is the legislative vehicle for the Faster Bay Area proposed November 2020 ballot measure. The measure is being pursued by a coalition of business groups to raise up to $100 billion over 40 years for transportation projects in the Bay Area. SPUR (San Francisco Bay Area Planning and Urban Research Association), the Bay Area Council, and the Silicon Valley Leadership Group are leading the effort. The tax would require a bill to be passed by the California Legislature authorizing its placement on ballots in all nine Bay Area counties. Other ReX: Regional Express Bus-TRANSFORM: Also being discussed is the Regional Express Bus (ReX) proposal put forward by TRANSFORM. Material from TRANSFORM is attached. The proposal came out of a competition conducted by MTC for "Transformative Transportation Projects". The top projects were selected for further study and potential inclusion in MTC's regional plan, Plan Bay Area 2050. Seamless Bay Area: Also engaging in the dialog is growing list of agencies, companies, and non-profits* coalescing around one non-profit with the singular focus of creating a seamless, user friendly transit system, "Seamless Bay Area". Their material is attached to this report. *SPUR, San Francisco Transit Riders Association, Transform, Urban Habitat, Friends of Caltrain, Working Partnerships USA, Transport Oakland, TechEquity Collaborative, TransitScreen, 350BayArea, East Bay for Everyone, Peninsula for Everyone, ARC/Alternative Renewable Construction, City of Berkeley. 4. FEDERAL   No written report in November. Recommendation(s)/Next Step(s): CONSIDER report on Local, Regional, State, and Federal Transportation Related Legislative Issues and take ACTION as appropriate. Fiscal Impact (if any): There is no fiscal impact. Attachments November TWIC State Legislative Report APPENDIX: November TWIC State Legislative Report Seamless Bay Area Information RegionalExpressBus Transform Proposal BayAreaNewsGroup: ReX Article Smith, Watts &Hartmann , LLC. Consulting and Governmental Relations November 4, 2019 MEMORANDUM TO: Transportation, Water, and Infrastructure Committee FROM: Mark Watts SUBJECT: Legislative Report – November TWIC Meeting Governor Newsom Administration Interregional Transportation Improvement Program (ITIP) - Overview On October 1, Caltrans released the Draft 2020 Interregional Transportation Improvement Plan which included a proposal to deprogram three highway improvement projects (two on Route 99 and one on Route 46) and reserve the funding thus freed up for future use for unidentified projects, including rail capital. According to Caltrans, the three Central Valley projects on Route 99 and 46 proposed to be deprogramed are in the environmental and design phases. None of the projects have construction dollars committed and these projects are years away from construction. As a refresher, the ITIP and the RTIP are the programs that implement the STIP, through which the ITIP receives 25% of STIP dollars and the RTIP receives 75%. The emphasis of the RTIP is to program projects of regional significance under regional priority, while the ITIP is focused on interregional transportation and mobility and includes investment in highways and passer rail corridors of strategic importance to the State of California. The Transportation agencies within the San Joaquin Valley were very unhappy with the proposal and made a strong push to the CTC at the ITIP hearings to not accept the ITIP proposal as is. The Central Valley media were engaged and literally followed this story of the 3 deprogrammed projects with continuous negative coverage. Governor’s Executive Order On September 20th, Governor Gavin Newsom had issued Executive Order (EO) N-19-19 which espoused the goal and direction to state agencies to advance California’s climate-related objectives by leveraging existing state resources and policies, including in the transportation arena. Specifically, the EO references more than $5 billion in annual state spending on Smith, Watts &Hartmann , LLC. Consulting and Governmental Relations transportation construction, operations, and maintenance and directed those sources to be used to reduce greenhouse emissions in the transportation sector. Interplay Between ITIP and Executive Order Reactions - Transportation Agencies, Media and Industry The One-, Two punch of the two administration issues coming out so closely together raised a question among observers of the constitutionality of the proposal to move funds from highway projects to rail projects and more broadly whether the Governor intends to honor the will of the voters when they passed Prop. 69 and defeated Prop. 6 in June and November 2018, respectively. Since 1974 when voters approved Proposition 5, fuel tax revenues are eligible for expenditure on transit guideway capital projects. In reaction to this sequence of events, Transportation Secretary David Kim was compelled to issue a formal statement clarifying that the Administration will honor SB 1 and the will of the voters while implementing the EO. ITIP – Next Steps With the formal CTC hearings on the draft ITIP completed by the CTC in October and the full STIP hearings, which serve as precursors to final adoption, coming in the next month, it now appears that the Commission and Caltrans will collaborate to seek programming capacity to place the projects back in the next STIP cycle in 2022. Legislature With the 2020 half or the two-year Legislative session approaching, it is helpful to recall that the Legislature is set to resume their work on Monday, January 6, 2020. Additionally, as is typical for the second \year, the month of January will be consumed with committee hearings as members move the so-called, two-year bills (bills that were retained in their house of origin in 2019) forward to the opposite House by the month’s end. The early portion of January is also pre- occupied with the release by the governor of the next state budget proposal as well as the Governor’s annual “State-of-the-State” address. In preparation for the 2020 Session Year, staff and this consultant will be preparing a slate of potential legislative issues to address in 2020. If directed, staff and consultant will move the legislative concepts into legislative form and discuss bill concepts with the members of the delegation; deadline for bill introductions is late February of each year. November 6, 2019 Appendix A As the Legislature prepares to reconvene for the second year of the 2019-20 Legislative Session on January 6, it is useful to review what issues may have been left over or developed during the Interim Recess period for introduction in 2010. This overview highlights some recent high-profile transportation-related appointments and announcements by Governor Newsom and then proceeds to identify issues of a high likelihood of becoming central in the new year. Administration Appointments in Transportation Transportation Secretary The California State Senate recently took unanimous action on September 10th to confirm Governor Gavin Newsom’s appointment of David S. Kim as Secretary of the California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA). CalSTA oversees all transportation departments in the state, including Caltrans, the California Transportation Commission, the DMV, and the CHP. Secretary Kim was first appointed the CalSTA in April. This action to formally confirm his appointment in September is noteworthy given how little time passed between the initial appointment and the formal confirmation. It is not unusual for a Governor’s appointee to serve up to 365 days before formally being confirmed. Previously, David Kim worked as vice president of governmental affairs for the Hyundai Motor Company. His experience includes work at the Federal Highway Administration as well as on federal advocacy for LA Metro. Caltrans Director On September 3, 2019, Governor Newsom announced the appointment of Adetokunbo “Toks” Omishakin to serve as the new director of the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans). Director Omishakin will replace Acting Director Bob Franzoia, who served as Director after former director Laurie Berman on June 29 after 36 years of service at Caltrans. Prior to his appointment to Caltrans, Director Omishakin worked as a deputy commissioner for environment and planning at the Tennessee Department of Transportation since 2011. He was director of Healthy Living Initiatives in the Nashville Mayor’s Office from 2008 to 2011. We expect him to start at Caltrans later this month California Transportation Commission On September 20, 2019, Governor Gavin Newsom announced the appointment of two new members of the California Transportation Commission (CTC). Hillary Norton of Fixing Angelenos Stuck in Traffic (FAST) and Tamika Butler, California Planning Director for Toole Design have both been appointed by the Governor. Both have already been sworn-in and are expected to attend the October 9th meeting as CTC Commissioner on October 9th in Modesto. Commissioner Butler has been California director of planning, equity and inclusion at Toole Design Group since 2017. She has been principal and owner of Tamika L. Butler Consulting since 2017. She was executive director of the Los Angeles Neighborhood Land Trust and also served as executive director of the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition. Commissioner Norton has served as executive director of Fixing Angelenos Stuck in Traffic (FAST) since 2008 and operates the FASTLinkDTLA Transportation Management Organization. She was vice president of legislative affairs at the Central City Association of Los Angeles and has significant experience as staff to several LA Area state and local elected officials. Policy or Programs of continuing High Interest in 2020 Active Transportation SB127(Wiener) sought changes to state policies for the management of the state highway system, including requiring the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) to incorporate new pedestrian and bicycle facilities into projects on non-freeway state highways (conventional). The bill provided that commencing with the 2022 SHOPP, new pedestrian and bicycle facilities, or improved existing facilities would be required to incorporate complete streets” components. Priority was to be provided to low income communities, communities with a low percentage of private vehicle access, and communities with a high percentage of persons who are disabled. Inasmuch as the major state highway capital program, the SHOPP, was injected with significant new funding from SB 1, backers of SB1 were deeply concerned with the addition of the new “complete street: obligation layered onto the state program. Concern was that such an aggressive and assertive new mandate represented by SB 127 would diminish the funding dedicated to state highways rehabilitation. The governor did ultimately veto the bill based on similar concerns, for which actuall program impacts and costs were “priced” by the Department of Finance (DOF) based on Caltrans estimates the bill will increase SHOPP project costs by $1.1B annually in order to incorporate the complete streets elements required by the bill. In his veto message the Governor cited his executive order on public agency climate sustainability requirements, EO N-19-19. Moreover, he did direct the Department to deliver more alternatives to driving while retaining an emphasis on maintaining the state’s highway system. He also directly cited the new leadership he built at the Secretary’s staff and at Caltrans as key to implementing the EO vision. FASTER Bay Area campaign "Faster Bay Area" is an effort to place a ballot measure intended consideration in the Bay Region in 2020. It was developed by a coalition of regional business lobbying groups to raise up to $100 billion over 40 years for transportation projects in the San Francisco Bay Area. The proponents of Faster Bay Area includes the Silicon Valley Leadership Group, Bay Area Council, and the San Francisco Bay Area Planning and Urban Research Association (SPUR) who admit that they were inspired by the passage of similar very large transportation taxes in Los Angeles (Measure M) and Seattle (ST3) in November 2016, and began meeting in January 2017 to formulate such a tax for the Bay Area. Polls conducted in February 2019 and commissioned by SVLG clearly demonstrated a strong general support for the tax measure, with 71 percent of respondents indicating support for a one-percent sales tax to generate the $100 billion envisioned, and 64 percent of respondents supporting a $50 billion bond plus a 0.4 percent gross receipts tax on businesses. To gain the necessary to seek regional voter approval, the FASTER plan must secure legislative approval of a statute. At present, SB 287 (Beall) is the likely legislative vehicle and must pass both houses by summer to ensure the FASTER Bay Area plan is posed for voter consideration. SAFER Vehicle Rule The proposed Safer Affordable Fuel Efficient (SAFE) Vehicles Rule being pursued by the Trump Administration would weaken national fuel-efficiency standards and result in a wide variety of negative impacts in California and across the nation. The proposed rule would also eliminate the federal statutory waiver that allows California to set its own stricter emissions standards, which gets special treatment under the Clean Air Act due to our historic smog problems. The new regulatory scheme would have significant impacts on transportation plans and projects throughout California. At present the CARB has the lead on analyzing and strategy development to oppose the imposition of the new regulation. They intend to conduct ongoing sessions with impacted MPOs to develop more formal regional impact data. Additionally, the transportation industry has been active in its own right working with counterparts in the nation’s Capital to seek a grace period to hold off project impacts here in California. Period. we continue to seek a federal grace period. TDA Process Review Legislation updating Transportation Development Act (TDA) performance measures is expected to be introduce in 2020. Early in 2019, the two Transportation Committee chairs expressed concern over the convoluted state of the TDA program regulations and related statutes and reached out to ask the California Transit Association(CTA) to convene a working group of stakeholders to review the state of TDA and to make recommendations for possible legislative updating and process streamlining. VTA SAMTRANS SOLTRANS WESTCAT TRI- DELTA UNIONCITYMUNI AC TRANSIT MARIN + GOLDEN GATE TRANSIT SANTAROSACITYBUS PETALUMA TRANSIT SONOMA COUNTYTRANSIT COUNTY CONNECTION WHEELS FASTVINE Diridon Tamien Ohlone/Chynoweth Winchester Capitol Blossom Hill Santa Teresa Morgan Hill San Martin Gilroy Downtown San Jose Tasman Warm Springs Fremont Union City South Hayward Castro Valley Dublin/PleasantonWest Dublin/Pleasanton Pleasanton LivermoreHayward Bay Fair San LeandroColiseum Fruitvale Lake MerrittWest Oakland 14th St Macarthur Emeryville Rockridge 12th/Oakland City Center 19th/Oakland Orinda Lafayette Walnut Creek Pleasant Hill Concord North Concord Bay Point Pittsburg Antioch/Hillcrest AntiochMartinez VallejoMarina Suisun/Fairfield Vacaville Ashby Berkeley North Berkeley El Cerrito Plaza El Cerrito del Norte Richmond West Berkeley OAK Airport Santa Clara SJCAirportLawrence SunnyvaleMountain View California Ave. Palo Alto Menlo Park Redwood City San Carlos Belmont Millbrae Bayshore Oyster Point South San Francisco SFO Airport San Bruno Colma Daly City Balboa Park Glen Park 24th/Mission 16th/Mission Embarcadero Van Ness Civic Center Powell Sausalito San Rafael Marin Civic Center Novato Hamilton Novato Downtown Novato San Marin Petaluma Downtown Petaluma North Cotati Rohnert Park Santa Rosa DowntownSanta Rosa North Sonoma Cty. Airport Castro Church Forest Hill West Portal San Mateo Hilllsdale Great America/Stadium 4th/King Larkspur Tiburon San Antonio Hayward Park Burlingame Marin City Strawberry/Mill Valley Corte Madera Almaden Centreville Milpitas Eastridge Alum Rock Vasona Junction De AnzaCollege SantanaRow Wolfe Little Portugal Berryessa Newark Clinton/San Antonio Oakley Napa Junction NapaSt. Helena Mokelumne Brentwood North Bayshore SF Transbay Parkmerced Pacifica Park Presidio Marina Golden Gate WindsorHealdsburgCloverdale Irvington Hercules Fisherman’sWharf Oakland Jack London Alameda BerkeleyMarina Richmond Marina Arena Taraval Judah El Camino (SSF) Oakdale Dogpatch SF State Treasure Island St. Francis Circle Mt. Eden East Palo Alto Scott Danville San Ramon to Santa Cruz to Salinas San Francisco Oakland SantaRosa Concord Hayward Fremont San Jose Daly City Santa Clara Antioch Fairfield Richmond Berkeley Vallejo Sunnyvale to Stockton to Tracy, Stockton to Sacramento Transit Station Transit Stop / Terminal (Not exhaustive) Interregional Hub SEAMLESS BAY AREA VISION MAP July 2019 This map represents what public transportation could be like in 2040 if our region planned, governed and operated transit as a unified network. The map builds on our existing transit network, numerous existing transportation plans, and input from stakeholders from across the regions; it is also highly aspirational. It includes both funded and unfunded improvements. For more information on how the map was developed, go to www.seamlessbayarea.org/visionmap Frequent Rapid Transit Network Service at least every 15 minutes, Mon-Sat, 7am-7pm Transit Station Transit Stop / Terminal (Not exhaustive) Interregional Hub Frequent Rapid Transit Network Service at least every 15 minutes (Express Bus/Rail), or every 10 minutes (Metro/LRT/BRT/Priority Bus), Mon-Sat, 7am-7pm EXISTING BAY AREA TRANSIT NETWORK (Approximate - for comparison with vision map only) This map displays, approximately, the Bay Area’s existing frequent transit lines as of July 2019, plus limited commuter services, by service category. Seperate transit agencies are not displayed. Frequent Transit Network Service at least every 15 minutes on weekdays Transit Station Transit Stop / Terminal (Not exhaustive) Interregional Hub EXISTING BAY AREA TRANSIT NETWORK(Approximate - for comparison with vision map only) This map displays, approximately, the Bay Area’s existing frequent transit lines as of July 2019, plus limited commuter services, by service category. Seperate transit agen- cies are not displayed. Frequent Transit Network Service at least every 15 minutes on weekdays Transit Station Transit Stop / Terminal (Not exhaustive) Interregional Hub SEAMLESS BAY AREA VISION MAP This map represents what public transpor- tation could be like in 2040 if our region planned, governed and operated transit as a unified network. The map builds on our existing transit net- work, numerous existing transportation plans, and input from stakeholders from across the regions; it is also highly aspira- tional. It includes both funded and un- funded improvements. For more information on how the map was developed, go to www.seamlessbayarea.org/visionmap Frequent Rapid Transit Network Service at least every 15 minutes, Mon-Sat, 7am-7pm Frequent Express Bus Metro / Subway (including fully separated LRT) Surface LRT / BRT / Priority Bus Ferry Commuter Rail Major Transit Station Frequent Transit Network (Generously) Service at least every 15 minutes all day on weekdays Supplemental Commuter Transit Network (Variable service) EXISTING TRANSIT NETWORK(Approximate - for comparison only) July 2019 FOR DISCUSSION PURPOSES ONLY Stevens Creek Blvd Hamilton TullyKeyesEl Camino Real Tasman BowersHwy 85I-280Hwy-101Hwy 101De AnzaEl Camino RealMiddlefieldI-280GellertGeneva Silver California Geary Judah Fulton Noriega ThirdHwy 101Hwy 101Sebastopol Santa Rosa19th Ave.I-880Hwy-84CA-92Fremont BlvdI-680N. Capitol AveWillow PassI-80I-780 CA-4I-680Treat Ave.Ygnacio ValleyDVC Main St.Clayton Rd.I-680W Leland UniversitySan PabloMacdonald CuttingHarbour/Marina23rdTelegraphAshby BroadwayFruitvaleE 14th St.MacArthurCollege4th Novato Hwy-17 11/8/2019 Seamless Transit Principles — Seamless Bay Area https://www.seamlessbayarea.org/seamless-transit-principles 1/10 The Seamless Transit Principles have been developed by a coalition of non-profit groups to guide local, regional, and state decision-makers to pursue a seamlessly integrated, world-class transit system that works for people. They build off of the analysis and strategies identified in SPUR’s 2015 report, Seamless Transit.  The Seamless Transit Principles S I G N T H E P E T I T I O N T O S H O W Y O U R S U P P O R T 11/8/2019 Seamless Transit Principles — Seamless Bay Area https://www.seamlessbayarea.org/seamless-transit-principles 2/10 You can show your support for seamless, world-class transit system by signing our petition. T h e P r i n c i p l e s #1: Run all Bay Area transit as one easy-to- use system Public transit must work as one seamless, connected, and convenient network across the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond. Getting around on transit must be as fast and easy as driving a car. Coordinated bus, rail, and ferry routes and schedules should encourage effortless transfers. Consistent and clear customer information, branding, and maps should make using transit simple and dignified. 11/8/2019 Seamless Transit Principles — Seamless Bay Area https://www.seamlessbayarea.org/seamless-transit-principles 3/10 #2: Put riders first Riders should feel comfortable when using transit and be treated like valued customers. Public transit agencies must do more to listen to riders and continuously improve service. They must prioritize riders ’ needs above all else, and overcome all operational, political and bureaucratic barriers to provide an excellent and seamless customer experience. #3: Make public transit equitable and accessible to all 11/8/2019 Seamless Transit Principles — Seamless Bay Area https://www.seamlessbayarea.org/seamless-transit-principles 4/10 People of all income levels, ages, abilities, genders, and backgrounds should have access to world-class public transit. People who are the most reliant on transit are best served by a universal, inclusive, regionally integrated, connected system that is used by all.  People with limited means to pay for transit should be provided with discounts. #4: Align transit prices to be simple, fair, and affordable Transit should provide good value for money. Fares across the region’s 27 public transit agencies must be aligned into a consistent, fair, and 11/8/2019 Seamless Transit Principles — Seamless Bay Area https://www.seamlessbayarea.org/seamless-transit-principles 5/10 affordable system that encourages using transit for all types of trips and doesn’t punish riders for transferring. Passes offered should work across all transit agencies, and be made available to individuals, employers, and schools to promote transit use. #5: Connect effortlessly with other sustainable transportati on A person’s journey does not end when they get off a bus or exit a station. Excellent pedestrian, bicycle, and other pollution-free transportation options should seamlessly connect public transit to communities and destinations, 11/8/2019 Seamless Transit Principles — Seamless Bay Area https://www.seamlessbayarea.org/seamless-transit-principles 6/10 supporting door-to-door trips that don’t require a car. #6: Plan communities and transportation together High quality public transit should be at the heart of communities across the Bay Area.  Transportation should be closely aligned with our region’s land use, promoting a connected network of transit- oriented, walkable communities that expands access to affordable housing and job opportunities, while reducing car travel and greenhouse gas emissions. 11/8/2019 Seamless Transit Principles — Seamless Bay Area https://www.seamlessbayarea.org/seamless-transit-principles 7/10 #7: Prioritize reforms to create a seamless network A regionally integrated, world- class transit system won’t happen on its own -- it will take leadership, unprecedented levels of cooperation, and changes to existing local, regional, and state policies. The cities, counties, public transit agencies, regional authorities, business leaders, advocacy groups and elected representatives of the San Francisco Bay Area and Northern California “megaregion” must prioritize the broad public interest and urgently work together collaboratively to advance critical reforms. Our future depends on it! 11/8/2019 Seamless Transit Principles — Seamless Bay Area https://www.seamlessbayarea.org/seamless-transit-principles 8/10 Sign Our Petition Show your support for the Seamless Transit Principles and tell key Bay Area elected and appointed leaders that they must prioritize creating an integrated reliable regional transit system connecting B u i l d a S e a m l e s s Tr a n s i t S y s t e m N o w Ta r g e t : B a y A r e a E l e c t e d a n d A p p o i n t e d L e a d e r s : A s m . Ti n g , A s m . F r a z i e r ; S e n . S k i n n e r, S e n . B e a l l ; C h a i r H a g g e r t y (M T C ), C h a i r D u f t y (B A RT ), C h a i r H e i n i c k e (S F M TA ), C h a i r O 'N e i l l (V TA ), C h a i r G r o o m (S a m Tr a n s ), C h a i r Wa l l a c e (A C Tr a n s i t ), C h a i r G i l l e t t (C a l t r a i n ) S I G N T H I S P E T I T I O N First Name Last Name Email * Zip/Postal Code * Not in the US? Comments A D D Y O U R N A M E Opt in to updates from Seamless Bay Area 11/8/2019 Seamless Transit Principles — Seamless Bay Area https://www.seamlessbayarea.org/seamless-transit-principles 9/10 Supporters Organizations, Businesses, & Cities Email us to have your organization or company added to this list. the Bay Area. View Full Petition Here. Sponsored by:Seamless Bay Area 11/8/2019 Seamless Transit Principles — Seamless Bay Area https://www.seamlessbayarea.org/seamless-transit-principles 10/10 Donate | Join Us | About Seamless Bay Area | Privacy | Image Credits Judah St Noriega St TaravalSt Sloat Blvd Stonestown SFSU SF TransBay San Rafael El Cerrito del Norte Richmond Pkwy Martinez Willow Clayton Park Presidio Daly City Vallejo Benicia Walnut Creek Coliseum OAKLAND AIRPORT Eastmont Kaiser San Leandro ALAMEDA Parkside 12th St CSUEB Livermore Mount Diablo Kaiser WC Alamo Danville San Ramon El CharroLas PositasRose & Main SFO Redwood City North Zuckerberg College of San Mateo San Mateo Medical Ctr Point Richmond FOSTER CITY Jack London Sq PLEASANTON Chabot College Downtown Pleasant Hill Diablo Vly College San Ramon Transit Ctr Las Positas College © 2019 by Cupertino Civic Ctr VA Palo Alto East Palo Alto Palo Alto SJC Warm Springs San Jose Diridon GOOGLEPLEX SHORELINE AMPHITHEATRE NASA/AMES Los Altos Mineta San Jose International Airport LEVI’S STADIUMSTANFORD U De Anza College Koreatown Lawrence Stn SUNNYVALE Version 2.3 SANTA CLARA U Castro ValleySouthland HAYWARD North Santa Clara Cupertino Hayward Park SAN MATEO Ohlone College Skyline College Portola MLK Cal Arts 29th St Contra Costa College VA Martinez Concord Hayward West Dublin / Pleasanton Emeryville SAN PABLO Sproul Plaza Rockridge MacArthur Dwight & College Newark Serramonte Claremont Elmwood Oakland Ave Lakeshore Beaumont Lower Dimond High St San Pablo & Adeline Pullman Commodore Downtown Berkeley Mountain View Mission College East Oakland Grand 19th St Snow Park OaklandChinatown Old Oakland Uptown HaciendaSleepy Hollow Kaiser Union City Union Landing REDWOOD SHORES Terra Bella Winchester Bascom ReXHub Major Station Major Arterial Station ReXlink Corridors (note: only a small subset of ReXlink stations are indicated on this map; greater detail is available in the ReX report) LEGEND ACE Bay Ferry BART Capital Corridor Caltrain MUNI Light Rail SMART Train VTA Light Rail Mosswood SJSUAlmaden DowntownSan Jose San Pedro Sq Larkspur (Lucky Dr) Corte Madera (Paradise Dr) Strawberry (Tiburon Wye) Seminary Dr Sausalito (Spencer Ave) Golden Gate Bridge Presidio Marina ReX BAY AREA REGIONAL EXPRESS TRANSIT NETWORK Cowper Tesla CALIFORNIA’S GREAT AMERICA Columbus Charleston Computer History Mus Berkeley FACEBOOK APPLE BK10 Berkeley Alameda DD10 San José Diridon El Cerrito del Norte DD20 San José Diridon El Cerrito del Norte DD30 San José Diridon Mosswood MN10 San Rafael West Dublin MN20 San Rafael ElCerrito del Norte MN30 San Rafael SF TransBay MV10 Mountain View Willow OA10 Coliseum OaklandCircle PA10 Palo Alto Berkeley PA20 Palo Alto Warm Springs PK10 Park Presidio Oakland Circle SF10 SFO Coliseum SF20 SFO Berkeley SF30 SFO Vallejo TB20 SF TransBay Willow TB30 SF TransBay San Ramon ReX Express Routes: Transit Center TRANSFORM Press Release: REGIONAL EXPRESS (REX) TRANSIT NETWORK WOULD DRAMATICALLY IMPROVE BAY AREA TRANSPORTATION FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 17, 2019 Contact: Edie Irons, eirons@transformca.org, 510-334-1344 OAKLAND, CA - Today TransForm released the details behind their groundbreaking proposal for a Regional Express (ReX) Transit Network to help address the Bay Area’s transportation problems. The ReX Network would provide frequent service using freeway express lanes with travel times faster than driving at peak hours and clean, attractive stations. “ReX is the transportation solution the Bay Area has been waiting for, and it’s within our reach,” said Chris Lepe, Regional Policy Director at TransForm. “It will fill the gaps and improve connections in our current transportation system so that many more people can take transit to many more places quickly, conveniently, and affordably. This is the level of creativity needed to deal with the magnitude of our transportation, equity, and climate crises.” The ReX Transit Network is designed to provide the kind of transit service that research shows people — both current and potential riders — want.  Fast travel times - faster than driving a solo vehicle at peak times.  Frequent service - no need to look at a schedule! ReX Express Routes operate every 5 minutes during peak hours and 10 minutes off-peak.  Convenient locations - Many ReX stations are integrated with other transit stations (making transfers easy), and are also near jobs, shopping, medical centers, colleges, and more — including destinations not well served by existing rapid or regional transit.  Clean, safe, attractive facilities - Station design emphasizes protection from the elements and moving vehicles, with Hubs also offering retail and food options. The ReX concept stemmed from a joint proposal from TransForm and SPUR to the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) to rethink the future our our highways. It was one of six “Transformative Transportation Projects” chosen by MTC as part of its Horizon initiative for study and potential inclusion in Plan Bay Area 2050. TransForm’s 200- page report, ReX: Connecting the Bay Area with a Regional Express Transit Network, describes the transit element that emerged from the Horizon proposal in detail. There is strong demand for regional express transit service in the Bay Area.  SamTrans recently expanded its express bus service on Highway 101, which practically exceeded ridership expectations overnight.  AC Transit’s Transbay service has seen a 25% increase in ridership over the last five years.  According to MTC’s Shuttle Census, 35 private shuttle operators carried over 9.6 million passengers in 2014 alone. Taken as a whole, these private shuttles would represent the Bay Area’s seventh largest transit system in terms of ridership. Unlike these express bus services though, ReX is designed to be a truly integrated regional network, including rail-like vehicles and stations with local connections and fast, reliable service built on a proposed expanded network of express lanes. According to MTC’s Managed Lanes Implementation Survey, 45% of the Bay Area commuters surveyed said they would use an express bus if it was five minutes faster than driving. If it was ten minutes faster, 55% said they would. The ReX system would exceed those time savings at peak hours. For example, a trip from the East Palo Alto ReX Hub to the Oakland Coliseum station would take 44 minutes during peak hours, more than twice as fast as a typical commute by car today. A trip to the Cupertino station from the Palo Alto Hub would take 22 minutes on ReX, compared to 65 minutes in today’s typical traffic. ReX can be implemented relatively cost effectively, quickly, and flexibly, with improvements phased in based on demand, feasibility, political will, and other factors. Next steps for ReX include MTC’s modeling and assessment for Plan Bay Area 2050, potential inclusion in a regional transportation funding measure on the ballot as early as 2020, and a multi-faceted outreach process across the region to get input from potential riders, destinations, transit agencies, local governments, and other stakeholders. # # # # Quotes and contact info from stakeholders around the Bay Area who are prepared to discuss ReX are available upon request. Contact Edie Irons at eirons@transformca.org.  See the four-page overview of the ReX concept: http://bit.ly/ReX-summary  See the ReX Map: http://bit.ly/ReX-map  See the full report to MTC: http://bit.ly/ReX-report  See the executive summary: http://bit.ly/ReX-execsummary  On Thursday morning October 17, all ReX materials will be available at http://transformca.org/ReX   Imagine gliding from Walnut Creek to Mountain View at rush hour without getting stuck in trafc or settling in for aImagine gliding from Walnut Creek to Mountain View at rush hour without getting stuck in trafc or settling in for a ride to San Francisco International Airport from the North Bay knowing you won’t have to get up from your seat toride to San Francisco International Airport from the North Bay knowing you won’t have to get up from your seat to make a transfer.make a transfer. That’s the vision behind a multibillion-dollar idea to ease commute times and reshape transportation in the Bay AreaThat’s the vision behind a multibillion-dollar idea to ease commute times and reshape transportation in the Bay Area over the next several decades.over the next several decades. Called the Called the Bay Area Regional Express Transit NetworkBay Area Regional Express Transit Network , or ReX, the concept from transportation think-tank TransForm, or ReX, the concept from transportation think-tank TransForm seeks to get commuters out of their cars by knitting together the region with next-generation buses that travel on anseeks to get commuters out of their cars by knitting together the region with next-generation buses that travel on an extensive network of dedicated lanes to ensure they don’t get bogged down in trafc.extensive network of dedicated lanes to ensure they don’t get bogged down in trafc. NewsNewsTransportationTransportation Is this the solution to Bay Area commuters’ woes?Is this the solution to Bay Area commuters’ woes? ‘ReX’ system could one day zip past traffic‘ReX’ system could one day zip past traffic Proposal blurs lines between buses and railProposal blurs lines between buses and rail • • NewsNews 3939 By By NICO SAVIDGENICO SAVIDGE | | nsavidge@bayareanewsgroup.comnsavidge@bayareanewsgroup.com | Bay Area News Group | Bay Area News Group PUBLISHED: PUBLISHED: October 17, 2019 at 7:09 amOctober 17, 2019 at 7:09 am | UPDATED: | UPDATED: October 17, 2019 at 3:47 pmOctober 17, 2019 at 3:47 pm The group’s idea is an ambitious attempt to realize a pair of goals among transit ofcials: creating a Bay AreaThe group’s idea is an ambitious attempt to realize a pair of goals among transit ofcials: creating a Bay Area equivalent of the express bus systems that zip past trafc in cities around the world, and providing ways for people toequivalent of the express bus systems that zip past trafc in cities around the world, and providing ways for people to move more seamlessly across a region with move more seamlessly across a region with more than two-dozen transit agenciesmore than two-dozen transit agencies .. “It is a big vision for how to get transit in the Bay Area to work better for more people,” TransForm spokeswoman Edie“It is a big vision for how to get transit in the Bay Area to work better for more people,” TransForm spokeswoman Edie Irons said.Irons said. TransForm is submitting the concept to the Metropolitan Transportation Commission as one of TransForm is submitting the concept to the Metropolitan Transportation Commission as one of several big-pictureseveral big-picture projectsprojects meant to anticipate the transportation solutions the Bay Area will need over the next several decades. On meant to anticipate the transportation solutions the Bay Area will need over the next several decades. On Thursday, the group publicly unveiled its concept and a proposed map for the system.Thursday, the group publicly unveiled its concept and a proposed map for the system. The transportation think-tank TransForm released this proposed map for ReX,the rapid-transit system it’sThe transportation think-tank TransForm released this proposed map for ReX,the rapid-transit system it’s proposing to beat Bay Area trafc in thecoming decades. (Courtesy TransForm) proposing to beat Bay Area trafc in thecoming decades. (Courtesy TransForm)  The price tag for all this: $12.6 billion to $17.5 billion, according to TransForm’s estimates. If the Bay Area embraces theThe price tag for all this: $12.6 billion to $17.5 billion, according to TransForm’s estimates. If the Bay Area embraces the concept, Irons said, the system could be in place within 10 to 15 years.concept, Irons said, the system could be in place within 10 to 15 years. Leaders say funding for the system could come from a proposed Leaders say funding for the system could come from a proposed one-cent sales tax measureone-cent sales tax measure that local transportation that local transportation advocates hope to put on the ballot in November 2020, which would raise $100 billion over four decades for region-wideadvocates hope to put on the ballot in November 2020, which would raise $100 billion over four decades for region-wide transit projects.transit projects. Public transportation advocates said the ReX concept could draw drivers out of their cars and ll in the gaps betweenPublic transportation advocates said the ReX concept could draw drivers out of their cars and ll in the gaps between the Bay Area’s often-disconnected transit systems. Gwendolyn Litvak, a senior vice president for transportation policythe Bay Area’s often-disconnected transit systems. Gwendolyn Litvak, a senior vice president for transportation policy at the Bay Area Council — one of the transit and business organizations leading the campaign for the sales tax measureat the Bay Area Council — one of the transit and business organizations leading the campaign for the sales tax measure — applauded the idea.— applauded the idea. “People don’t just stay in their hometowns. We know that people move across the entire Bay Area,” Litvak said. “We“People don’t just stay in their hometowns. We know that people move across the entire Bay Area,” Litvak said. “We would like to see more projects like this.”would like to see more projects like this.” In TransForm’s vision, ReX would blur the lines between bus and rail travel — riders would board long, electric busesIn TransForm’s vision, ReX would blur the lines between bus and rail travel — riders would board long, electric buses that arrive every few minutes at attractive “hub” stations, which also would house food stands and shops.that arrive every few minutes at attractive “hub” stations, which also would house food stands and shops. The vehicles would run on a massive expansion of the express lane network that is already in place on some Bay AreaThe vehicles would run on a massive expansion of the express lane network that is already in place on some Bay Area freeways but that is crucially without connections in several places and does not include trafc-choked bridges.freeways but that is crucially without connections in several places and does not include trafc-choked bridges. Under ReX, those express lanes would ring the bay and run across all of the region’s bridges. Even if cars are stuck inUnder ReX, those express lanes would ring the bay and run across all of the region’s bridges. Even if cars are stuck in trafc, the thinking goes, unimpeded buses could cruise by at no less than 45 miles per hour.trafc, the thinking goes, unimpeded buses could cruise by at no less than 45 miles per hour. And they wouldn’t be contained to freeways — perhaps the boldest piece of TransForm’s idea is its call to create milesAnd they wouldn’t be contained to freeways — perhaps the boldest piece of TransForm’s idea is its call to create miles of new tunnels and y-overs through parts of San Francisco, San Jose and other dense urban areas that would takeof new tunnels and y-overs through parts of San Francisco, San Jose and other dense urban areas that would take buses out of the roadway entirely.buses out of the roadway entirely. “People don’t have much incentive to take transit when transit is stuck in the same trafc as everybody else,” Irons“People don’t have much incentive to take transit when transit is stuck in the same trafc as everybody else,” Irons said. “The idea is to get transit out of trafc as much as possible.”said. “The idea is to get transit out of trafc as much as possible.” The ReX vehicles would make few stops between each of the hub stations, allowing people to move quickly from city toThe ReX vehicles would make few stops between each of the hub stations, allowing people to move quickly from city to city. Local “link” routes with more frequent stops would pick passengers up at the stations and take them closer to theircity. Local “link” routes with more frequent stops would pick passengers up at the stations and take them closer to their nal destinations.nal destinations. Stops also would serve as connections to existing transit systems such as BART, Caltrain and VTA.Stops also would serve as connections to existing transit systems such as BART, Caltrain and VTA. Some aspects of TransForm’s concept are likely to raise eyebrows as more people seek affordable housing Some aspects of TransForm’s concept are likely to raise eyebrows as more people seek affordable housing at and beyondat and beyond the edges of the Bay Areathe edges of the Bay Area , however., however. In TransForm’s map, express bus lines would not extend south of Diridon Station, leaving out much of San Jose as wellIn TransForm’s map, express bus lines would not extend south of Diridon Station, leaving out much of San Jose as well as Morgan Hill and Gilroy. The main lines wouldn’t reach eastern Contra Costa and Alameda counties either, whereas Morgan Hill and Gilroy. The main lines wouldn’t reach eastern Contra Costa and Alameda counties either, where studies show residents have studies show residents have some of the worst commutes in the Bay Areasome of the worst commutes in the Bay Area . The same goes for nearly all of Solano County. The same goes for nearly all of Solano County and all of Napa and Sonoma counties.and all of Napa and Sonoma counties. Meanwhile, the group calls for tunneling under the length of Berkeley’s College Avenue and down Broadway in OaklandMeanwhile, the group calls for tunneling under the length of Berkeley’s College Avenue and down Broadway in Oakland to create a new roadway for its buses — an expensive proposition that would essentially duplicate service alreadyto create a new roadway for its buses — an expensive proposition that would essentially duplicate service already provided by BART lines not far from the route.provided by BART lines not far from the route. TransForm Regional Policy Director Chris Lepe noted that BART trains into San Francisco already are packed at rushTransForm Regional Policy Director Chris Lepe noted that BART trains into San Francisco already are packed at rush hour, which he said would only get worse as the Bay Area grows in years to come.hour, which he said would only get worse as the Bay Area grows in years to come. “Imagine looking out to 2050 — what that demand is going to look like?” Lepe said.“Imagine looking out to 2050 — what that demand is going to look like?” Lepe said. Metropolitan Transportation Commission ofcials will spend the next several weeks evaluating the ReX proposal andMetropolitan Transportation Commission ofcials will spend the next several weeks evaluating the ReX proposal and others like it to see how they could benet the Bay Area and where they could be improved. Lepe said TransFormothers like it to see how they could benet the Bay Area and where they could be improved. Lepe said TransForm expects to revise the ReX concept over time with that feedback.expects to revise the ReX concept over time with that feedback. “This is a rst iteration,” he said.“This is a rst iteration,” he said. Report an errorReport an error Policies and StandardsPolicies and Standards Contact UsContact Us