HomeMy WebLinkAboutBOARD STANDING COMMITTEES - 12182023 - TWIC Agenda PktAGENDA
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY
Transportation, Water & Infrastructure
Committee
Supervisor Candace Andersen, Chair
Supervisor Diane Burgis, Vice Chair
District 2 Office: 309 Diablo Rd.
Danville, CA 94526 |
District 3 Office: 3361 Walnut Blvd.
Suite140, Brentwood, CA 94513
10:00 AMMonday, December 18, 2023
ZOOM LINK
https://cccounty-us.zoom.us/j/82864391047
| Dial: 888-278-0254 |
ACCESS CODE: 198675
The public may attend this meeting in person at either above locations and/or remotely via call-in or ZOOM.
AGENDA ITEMS may be taken out of order based on the business of the day and preference of the Committee.
1.INTRODUCTIONS Call to order and roll call.
2.PUBLIC COMMENT on any item under the jurisdiction of the Committee and not on this agenda
(speakers may be limited to two (2) minutes).
3.REVIEW record of meeting for the November 13, 2023 Transportation, Water,
and Infrastructure Committee meeting.
23-1237
TWIC Meeting Minutes13-Nov-2023Attachments:
4.RECEIVE update on the Olympic Corridor Trail Connector Study and provide
COMMENT and DIRECTION to staff as appropriate.
23-1238
07.01.15 - TWIC Staff Report on Olympic Corridor Trail Connector
Study
Attachments:
5.CONSIDER proposed Caltrans Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant
application
23-1239
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AGENDA December 18, 2023
6.CONSIDER report on Local, State, Regional, and Federal Transportation Related
Legislative and Planning Activities.
23-1248
MW - December Leg Report
State Net Legislative Tracking Table (12-11-23)
MW - Dec 2023 Budget Memo
DOF Budget Letter 12-12-23
Updated _Big Three_ Revenue Outlook [LAO Forecast, EconTax
Blog].pdf
Attachments:
7.RECEIVE communication, news, miscellaneous items of interest to the
Committee and DIRECT staff as appropriate.
23-1241
Secretary Omishakin Appoints 25 Members to Transit Transformation
Task Force _ CalSTA
Seamless Bay Area Five Years Later
Why 2023 was the year of the e-bike and not the self-driving car
L.A.'s notoriously grim bus stops will start getting shelter in 2024 _
Urbanize LA
Contra Costa County to install 28-mile micro-transit system with
autonomous vehicles - ABC7 San Francisco
Attachments:
8.ADJOURN until the next Transportation, Water, & Infrastructure Committee meeting to be held on
TBD.
GENERAL INFORMATION
This meeting provides reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities planning to attend a the
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 Committee less than 96 hours prior to that meeting are available
for public inspection at 1025 Escobar St., 4th Floor, Martinez, during normal business hours. Staff
reports related to items on the agenda are also accessible on line at www.co.contra-costa.ca.us.
HOW TO PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT
Persons who wish to address the Committee during public comment on matters within the jurisdiction
of the Committee that are not on the agenda, or who wish to comment with respect to an item on the
agenda, may comment in person, via Zoom, or via call-in. Those participating in person should offer
comments when invited by the Committee Chair. Those participating via Zoom should indicate they
wish to speak by using the “raise your hand” feature in the Zoom app. Those calling in should indicate
they wish to speak by pushing *9 on their phones.
Public comments generally will be limited to two (2) minutes per speaker. In the interest of facilitating
the business of the Board Committee, the total amount of time that a member of the public may use in
addressing the Board Committee on all agenda items is 10 minutes. Your patience is appreciated.
Public comments may also be submitted to Committee staff before the meeting by email or by
voicemail. Comments submitted by email or voicemail will be included in the record of the meeting but
will not be read or played aloud during the meeting.
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Transportation, Water
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AGENDA December 18, 2023
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CONTRA COSTA COUNTY
Staff Report
1025 ESCOBAR STREET
MARTINEZ, CA 94553
File #:23-1237 Agenda Date:12/18/2023 Agenda #:3.
TRANSPORTATION, WATER & INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE
Meeting Date: December 18, 2023
Subject: REVIEW record of meeting for the November 13, 2023 Transportation, Water, and Infrastructure
Submitted For: N/A
Department: CONSERVATION & DEVELOPMENT
Referral No: N/A
Referral Name: N/A
Presenter: John Cunningham, DCD
Contact: John Cunningham (925)655-2915
Referral History:
This record was prepared pursuant to the Better Government Ordinance 95-6, Article 25-205(d) of the Contra
Costa County Ordinance Code.
Referral Update:
Any Handouts or printed copies of testimony distributed at the meeting will be attached to this meeting record.
See Attachment.
Recommendation(s)/Next Step(s):
APPROVAL of the attached Record of Action for the August 14, 2023 Committee Meeting with any necessary
corrections.
Fiscal Impact (if any):
N/A
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Meeting Minutes - Draft
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY
Transportation, Water & Infrastructure
Committee
Supervisor Candace Andersen, Chair
Supervisor Diane Burgis, Vice Chair
9:30 AMDistrict 2 Office: 309 Diablo Rd. Danville, CA
94526 |
District 3 Office: 3361 Walnut Blvd. Suite140,
Brentwood, CA 94513
Monday, November 13, 2023
ZOOM LINK
https://cccounty-us.zoom.us/j/89192919061
Dial: 888-278-0254
ACCESS CODE: 841892
The public may attend this meeting in person at either above locations and/or remotely via call-in or ZOOM.
Staff Present: John Cunningham, TWIC Staff
Attendees: Raquel Caicedo, Alicia Nuchols, Jeff Valeros, Jerry Fahy, Craig
Standafer, Joe Smithonic, Mark Watts, Maureen
Toms, Robert Sarmiento, Jamar Stamps, Rochelle
Johnson, Jody London, Jennifer Quallick, Lia
Bristol, Peter Meyers
District II Supervisor Candace Andersen and District III Supervisor
Diane Burgis
Present:
AGENDA ITEMS may be taken out of order based on the business of the day and preference of the Committee.
1.INTRODUCTIONS Call to order and roll call.
2.PUBLIC COMMENT on any item under the jurisdiction of the Committee and not on this agenda
(speakers may be limited to two (2) minutes).
3.REVIEW record of meeting for the August 14, 2023 Transportation, Water, and
Infrastructure Committee meeting.
Attachments:August 2023 TWIC Meeting Record
The Committee Accepted the Meeting Record
4.RECEIVE the status report on 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).
The Committee DIRECTED staff to draft a letter to PG&E highlighting points of concern;
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Transportation, Water & Infrastructure
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Meeting Minutes - Draft November 13, 2023
submit to Committee Chairs for review, feedback, and finalization to be signed by
Committee members.
Comments from the Committee included inviting PG&E to the next Committee meeting to
hear their perspective on the progress being made and also to address the issues raised
during discussion of the item. The Committee also DIRECTED staff to bring a specific
item to TWIC in 2024 specifically focused only on energy.
Call in User #1 had comments relative to the collective power of local governments in
PG&E's territory.
This Discussion Item was received.
5.RECEIVE staff report and RECOMMEND that the Board of Supervisors approve the
submission of the grant applications to the San Francisco Bay Area Rapid Transit District
(BART) under the Safe Routes to BART grant program. (Joe Smithonic, Department of
Public Works)
The Committee ACCEPTED the report and DIRECTED staff to bring the applications to
the Board of Supervisors on consent.
This Discussion Item was referred to the BOARD OF SUPERVISORS due back on
11/30/2023
6.CONSIDER report on Local, State, Regional, and Federal Transportation Related
Legislative and Planning Activities.
Attachments:CCTA Oct2023 Workshop Packet
State Net report (11-6-23)
Community Funded Projects 2025
2022 DirectedSpendingfrom CREC-2022-12-20sml.pdf
State Leg Report to TWIC Nov2023
The Committee RECEIVED the report.
This Discussion Item was received.
7.RECOMMEND that the Draft Resolution called the Vision Zero Resolution to Achieve
Zero Annual Transportation-Related Fatalities and Severe Injuries on Unincorporated
County Roads should be finalized and forwarded to the Board of Supervisors for adoption
as recommended by the Public Works Director.
Attachments:Vision Zero Resolution Nov2023 -DRAFT for TWIC
The Committee APPROVED the Resolution DIRECTING staff to bring the item to the
Board of Supervisors on consent. Comments included support for the vision zero concept
and concern for the growing number of minors on ebikes.
This Discussion Item was referred.to the BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
8.RECEIVE Communication, News, Miscellaneous Items of Interest to the Committee and
DIRECT staff as appropriate.
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Transportation, Water & Infrastructure
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Meeting Minutes - Draft November 13, 2023
Attachments:October 18, 2023 CCTA RTPC Memo.pdf
SF Chron: Facing ‘fiscal cliff,’ BART directors suggest consolidating
with other Bay Area transit agencies.pdf
Los Angeles Metro Tests Universal Basic Mobility Program
The Committee RECEIVED the report.
This Discussion Item was received.
9.ADJOURN until the next Transportation, Water, & Infrastructure Committee meeting to be held on
Monday, December 18, 2023.
GENERAL INFORMATION
HOW TO PROVIDE PUBLIC COMMENT
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CONTRA COSTA COUNTY
Staff Report
1025 ESCOBAR STREET
MARTINEZ, CA 94553
File #:23-1238 Agenda Date:12/18/2023 Agenda #:4.
TRANSPORTATION, WATER & INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE
Meeting Date:December 18, 2023
Subject:RECEIVE update on the Olympic Corridor Trail Connector Study
Submitted For:Jamar Stamps
Department:Department of Conservation & Development
Referral No:18. Review transportation plans and services for specific populations and locations,
including but not limited to Coordinated Human Services Transportation Plan for the Bay Area, CCTA East
County Ferry Feasibility Study, Olympic Corridor Trail Connector Study Implementation, and the Contra Costa
County Accessible Transportation Strategic Plan.
Referral Name:RECEIVE update on the Olympic Corridor Trail Connector Study
Presenter:Jamar Stamps, Senior Planner
Contact:Jamar Stamps, (925)655-2917
Referral History:
August 2014: The Transportation, Water, and Infrastructure Committee (“TWIC”) received an update on the
Study process.
July 2015: Staff returned to the TWIC with the Study in its draft final stage to request additional
comment/direction and receive direction on staff’s recommendations.
Referral Update:
Project Description
The Olympic Boulevard Corridor Trail Connector Study (“Study”) assessed connecting two well-used, multi-
use regional trails in Contra Costa County - the Lafayette-Moraga Trail and the Iron Horse Regional Trail - with
low stress, convenient, and family friendly bicycle and pedestrian facilities. The Connector closes the gap
between the two major trails and creates one continuous path from the Oakland Hills to Central and South
County. It also creates and improves direct non-motorized access to major points along either trail, in particular,
Downtown Walnut Creek, a major regional shopping destination. In July 2015, the TWIC recommended
approval of the study to the Board of Supervisors. The July 2015 TWIC report and Final Study are attached for
reference.
Corridor Improvements in Adjacent Cities
The unincorporated County section of the Olympic Corridor (from Windtree Court to Villa Way near the I-680
Interchange) is bookended by the cities of Lafayette and Walnut Creek. Active Transportation projects have
been implemented in both jurisdictions along the corridor, essentially leaving the unincorporated County
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File #:23-1238 Agenda Date:12/18/2023 Agenda #:4.
section as a gap in the Corridor’s active transportation network. Some of the planned and implemented projects
in the adjacent cities since the time of adoption of this Study are summarized below.
City of Lafayette
Lafayette’s end of the Olympic Corridor begins at the Lafayette/Moraga Trail head and Reliez Station Road
intersection and ends at the boarder of the unincorporated area approximately 500 feet east of Pleasant Hill
Road near Windtree Court. The Lafayette/Moraga Trail head and Reliez Station Road intersection includes high
-visibility crosswalks and green-painted bike lanes along Olympic Boulevard.
In 2016, the City installed a roundabout at Pleasant Hill Road with the goal of calming traffic while allowing
for continues flow. High-visibility crosswalks with refuge islands were installed in the roundabout with bike
symbol pavement markings. Per City staff, they are currently working on improvements to the roundabout to
make it safer for cyclists, among other things.
Over the past several months the City has been piloting different traffic calming measures to slow vehicle
traffic down at the approaches to the roundabout, improve visibility for bicyclists and pedestrians, and to better
define the areas that cyclists should be. Summer 2024, the City will construct permanent facilities to formalize
these pilot treatments which will include: 1) moving curbs to narrow the travel lanes to force vehicles to slow
on the approach to the slip lanes, 2) install a Rectangular Rapid-Flashing Beacon (RRFB) at the crosswalk on
the west leg, and 3) reduce the speed limit on Olympic Boulevard between the roundabout and the city limits
(east).
Summer 2022, the City resurfaced Olympic Boulevard and used that opportunity to better define the Class II
bike lanes. They also improved visibility by removing some of the vegetation from the center medians in
advance of the crosswalks.
In August 2023, the City also adopted a Local Roadway Safety Action Plan that provides a framework for
identifying, analyzing, and prioritizing roadway safety improvements on Lafayette's roadways.
In the Lafayette section of the Corridor, the Study calls for extending an existing separated shared-use path
along the southside of Olympic Boulevard between Tice Valley Road and Pleasant Hill Road, along with Class
II buffered bicycle lanes. The separated path switches to the north side of Olympic Boulevard east of Pleasant
Hill Road.
City of Walnut Creek
Walnut Creek’s end of the Olympic Corridor begins at the southbound I-680 off-ramp and Paulson Lane,
continuing east into Downtown Walnut Creek to the Iron Horse Trail. Prior to adoption of the Study, the City
implemented Class II bike lanes with high-visibility green paint and markings in conflict areas (i.e., lane merge
areas near intersections). The Class II bike lanes end at South California Boulevard. In August 2023, the City
also adopted a Local Roadway Safety Action Plan to address unique roadway safety needs and implement their
Vision Zero goals.
In the Walnut Creek section of the Corridor, the Study includes bike and pedestrian improvements from the
South California Boulevard intersection to Newell Avenue, continuing east ending at the Iron Horse Trail. The
Study calls for Class III bicycle markings and wayfinding signs in the near-term, and sidewalk widening and a
cycle track in the long-term.
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File #:23-1238 Agenda Date:12/18/2023 Agenda #:4.
Next Steps
This Study is a bold vision for a bicycle and pedestrian connector that will provide the region with multiple
benefits, including transportation alternatives, healthy recreation, and support for environmental sustainability
goals. However, there has also been substantial investment in neighboring jurisdictions, which unfortunately
leaves a gap in the active transportation network in the unincorporated area.
Project development is the next phase of implementing the Study, which would at minimum include the
following tasks:
•Additional public outreach, agency coordination and additional studies (if necessary) to refine Study
concepts to align with current best practices.
•Preliminary Design & Planning (i.e., right-of-way acquisition, if necessary).
•Design & Environmental Clearance.
•Construction.
Funding would be necessary for project development activities, which will position the project well for future
capital funding opportunities. Once funding is secured, a project or phase of combined projects can move
through the more detailed stages of design, environmental review, agreements and approvals, and into
construction.
Potential Funding
Section 6.4 of the Study describes various federal, state, local and regional funding sources available to plan
and construct bicycle and pedestrian facilities in the Corridor. Project phases will be funded through multiple
sources. Local sources would be ideal for project development activities as they are typically easier to
administer, whereas state and federal sources would be more suitable for construction costs. Staff will return to
TWIC for authorization once funding sources are identified.
List of Exhibits
Exhibit A - 7/6/15 TWIC Report
Exhibits B - Final Olympic Corridor Trail Connector Study
Recommendation(s)/Next Step(s):
RECEIVE update on the Olympic Corridor Trail Connector Study and provide COMMENT and DIRECTION
to staff as appropriate.
Fiscal Impact (if any):
No impact to the County's General Fund. Staff time is included in existing work plans and budgets. Future
implementation activities will use a mix of existing budgets and grant funds.
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CONTRA COSTA COUNTY
Staff Report
1025 ESCOBAR STREET
MARTINEZ, CA 94553
File #:23-1239 Agenda Date:12/18/2023 Agenda #:5.
TRANSPORTATION, WATER & INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE
Meeting Date:December 18, 2023
Subject:CONSIDER proposed Caltrans Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant Application
Submitted For:Transportation, Water, & Infrastructure Committee
Department:Conservation & Development
Referral No:2
Referral Name:REVIEW applications for transportation, water, and infrastructure grants to be prepared
by the Public Works and Conservation and Development Departments.
Presenter:Robert Sarmiento, Department of Conservation & Development
Contact:Robert Sarmiento (925)655-2918
Referral History:
TWIC review of grant applications is an ongoing activity of the Committee.
Referral Update:
In October 2023, Caltrans released final grant guidelines and a call for projects for the 2024-25 Caltrans
Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant Program. The grant program annually provides funding to
encourage local and regional planning activities that furthers state goals, including, but not limited to, the goals
and best practices cited in the Regional Transportation Plan Guidelines adopted by the California
Transportation Commission.
This cycle includes approximately $25 million in Senate Bill (“SB”) 1 statewide competitive funding. The
maximum grant award is $700,000, and a minimum 11.47% match is required (cash or in-kind contribution).
Applications are due January 18, 2024.
Staff from both the Department of Conservation and Development and Public Works Department collaborated
and determined that it will re-submit the Bay Point Enhanced Bicycle and Pedestrian Improvements Study
proposal. This application was previously submitted for the 2023-2024 cycle of the grant program but was not
funded, just missing the award threshold according to Caltrans staff. Given how close the application was to
being funded, County staff integrated Caltrans feedback on an improved application.
The study will evaluate potential enhanced bicycle and pedestrian improvements, including Class IV separated
bicycle facilities and green infrastructure in Bay Point, specifically along Willow Pass Road, Port Chicago
Highway, and a short segment of McAvoy Road to McAvoy Harbor and the Bay Point Regional Shoreline. The
improvements to be evaluated will provide multiple benefits to the Bay Point community, including enhancing
multimodal safety for all users, including children and elderly and disabled people, enhancing the pedestrian
and bicycling experience, inducing mode shift towards more active transportation modes, reducing GHG
emissions, and expanding the low-stress bicycle network.
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File #:23-1239 Agenda Date:12/18/2023 Agenda #:5.
Recommendation(s)/Next Step(s):
CONSIDER the proposed Caltrans Sustainable Transportation Planning Grant candidate project, REVISE as
appropriate, FORWARD to the full Board of Supervisors for approval, and/or DIRECT staff as appropriate.
Fiscal Impact (if any):
None to the General Fund. Staff time for recommended activities is covered under existing budgets (50% Road
Fund and 50% Measure J Fund).
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CONTRA COSTA COUNTY
Staff Report
1025 ESCOBAR STREET
MARTINEZ, CA 94553
File #:23-1248 Agenda Date:12/18/2023 Agenda #:6.
TRANSPORTATION, WATER & INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE
Meeting Date:December 18, 2023
Subject:CONSIDER report on Local, State, Regional, and Federal Transportation Related
Legislative and Planning Activities Report
Submitted For:Transportation, Water, & Infrastructure Committee
Department:Conservation & Development
Referral No:1
Referral Name:Legislative Matters on transportation, water, and infrastructure
Presenter:John Cunningham
Contact:John Cunningham (925) 655-2915
Referral History:
The transportation, water, and infrastructure legislation and planning report is a standing item.
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.
This report includes four sections, 1:Local, 2:Regional, 3:State, and 4:Federal.
1.LOCAL
Accessible Transportation Strategic Plan (ATSP)
The Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA) continues to work with stakeholders, consultants, and
the ATSP Task Force and Working Group to define and establish the Coordinating Entity (CE).
Establishment of a CE was a core recommendation of the ATSP and is seen as necessary to ensure the needs
of the target population are met in an ongoing manner.
The type of organization (public, private, NGO, JPA, etc.) to act as the CE was not defined in the ATSP. A
subsequent process established that the CE was to be a non-profit organization. This decision was approved
by CCTA and the Board of Supervisors, agreement on this issue was a condition of Measure X funding.
The coalition working on the CE establishment is nearing completion, staff will provide a verbal update at
the December TWIC meeting.
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File #:23-1248 Agenda Date:12/18/2023 Agenda #:6.
2.REGIONAL
No report in December
3.STATE
State Legislative Update: The County’s legislative advocate has provided several reports attached to this
item and will be at the December Committee meeting. Updates will include but not be limited to:
·State Budget
·Update on Assembly Bill 540(Wicks):Social Service Transportation Improvement Act:
coordinated transportation services agencies
4.FEDERAL
No report in December
Recommendation(s)/Next Step(s):
CONSIDER report on Local, Regional, State, and Federal Transportation Related Legislative and Planning
Issues and take ACTION as appropriate.
Fiscal Impact (if any):
N/A
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Smith, Watts &Hartmann, LLC.
Consulting and Governmental Relations
980 Ninth Street, Suite 2000 Sacramento, CA 95814
Telephone: (916) 446-5508 Fax: (916) 266-4580
December 8, 2023
To: Transportation, Water, and Infrastructure Committee
From: Mark Watts, Legislative Advocate
Re: State Advocacy Activities – December 2023 Monthly Update
This memo was prepared for the information of Contra Costa County Transportation, Water, and
Infrastructure committee (TWIC) and comments on recent developments on state transportation
policy, legislation, budget matters, and administrative activities of interest.
LAO Reports Ongoing Revenue Shortfalls
In a December 1 blog post, the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office reported an estimated $26
billion shortfall in state revenues for the current fiscal year. These receipts from the top three sources
of state tax revenue—personal income tax, sales tax, and corporation tax—follow the expiration of the
previously extended November 16 deadline for individuals and companies in most of California to make
final tax payments from 2022 and estimated payments for the first three quarters of 2023. The revenue
trends illustrate continued weakness in the state’s economy, with the LAO noting that California
entered a downturn in 2022, based on increases in unemployment and declines in inflation‐adjusted
income.
More State Budget information
As a follow up to their blog posting, the LAO staff yesterday distributed the anticipated annual Fiscal
Outlook document for the 2024‐25 Budget Year. This report pertains to a broader look at the state
budget condition as opposed to focusing solely on the revenue shortfall reported earlier in the week.
The Outlook now reports that due to the severe revenue decline in 2022‐23, the state faces a serious
budget deficit. Specifically, under the state’s current law and policy, it is now estimated that the
Legislature will need to solve a budget problem of $68 billion in the upcoming budget process.
The LAO Outlook goes on to state that while addressing a deficit of this magnitude will be challenging,
the Legislature has a number of options available to do so, such as nearly $24 billion in reserves. In
addition, there are options to reduce spending on schools and community colleges that could address
another $17 billion of the budget problem. Further adjustments to other areas of the budget, such as
reductions to one‐time spending, could address at least an additional $10 billion or so. Options, too,
such as cost shifts, would allow the Legislature to solve most of the deficit largely without impacting
the state’s core ongoing service level.
The question of the day is, could transportation funding be in jeopardy? First, unlike decades back,
when the state routinely redirected or borrowed transportation funds, most transportation programs
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today, including TDA, STA, Article XIX fuel taxes and new SB1 funds are protected through the
constitution.
However, the LAO does make the following observations:
They estimate the state has $8.6 billion in one‐time and temporary spending slated for 2024‐25
that can be reduced entirely in order to address the serious budget problem. This includes
spending of $2.2 billion in transportation, as these appropriations were based on General fund
resources.
The Outlook adds that to maximize flexibility and mitigate disruption, pullbacks from
transportation and other General fund allocations could be accomplished in early action in
2024 could merit early action in 2024.
Caltrans Releases Draft 2024 Interregional Transportation Improvement Program (ITIP)
The Draft 2024 Interregional Transportation Improvement Program (ITIP), which Caltrans released on
Friday, October 27, makes strategic investments in multimodal projects that will help improve the
interregional movement of people and goods throughout the State of California. It is notable to report
that the Draft 2024 ITIP continues to invest in select highway projects in addition to transit, intercity
rail, and active transportation projects. The Department will release the Final 2024 ITIP in December,
additional public workshops will be held in January and February, and the CTC will adopt the final suite
of programmed projects at their March 2024 meeting.
Legislative Update
The calendar for the coming month of January 2024, shows some key legislative dates:
January 1 – New laws take effect.
January 3 – Legislature reconvenes in Capitol.
January 10 – State Budget due to be submitted by Governor.
January 31 ‐ Last day for 2‐year bill to be passed by house of origin.
2023 Carry‐over Bills
The author “held” these two bills with the intent of setting stakeholder discussions for possible
amendments next year; as they are recently located in their second house, they are not subject to the
tight limitations as are other “two‐year” bills. No Stakeholder sessions have been scheduled as of this
Memorandum.
AB 6 (Friedman) –The bill’s intent is to make changes to CARB’s review process for sustainable
communities’ strategies (SCSs), establish additional greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets for
2035 and 2045, and require project nominations for the Solutions for Congested Corridors Program to
demonstrate how projects would contribute to achieving greenhouse gas emissions reductions.
AB 7 (Friedman) – This bill would require the California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA), Caltrans,
and the California Transportation Commission (CTC) to include in their existing program funding
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guidelines and planning process the ten guiding principles from the Governor’s Climate Action Plan for
Transportation Infrastructure (CAPTI). The bill would also require the California Transportation Plan
(CTP) to include a financial element summarizing the costs of implementation, as compared to
realistically available revenues, and require CalSTA, Caltrans, and the CTC to report on how their
projects and programs are achieving CAPTA principles, as well as principles outlined in the Federal
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Biden Administration’s Justice40 initiative.
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Smith, Watts &Hartmann, LLC.
Consulting and Governmental Relations
980 Ninth Street, Suite 2000 Sacramento, CA 95814
Telephone: (916) 446-5508 Fax: (916) 266-4580
December 8, 2023
MEMORANDUM
FROM: MARK WATTS
SUBJECT: STATE BUDGET DECLINE
Yesterday I distributed material regarding the LAO office revenue projections and a report related to an
emerging state budget deficit for the current year and next. I pulled this memo together to provide a
perspective of not just the fact that revenues and costs are moving into an overall deficit condition, but
to relate some ramifications and noting some of solutions suggested by the LAO office.
LAO Reports Ongoing Revenue Shortfalls
On December 1, the Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO) reported an estimated $26 billion shortfall in
state revenues for the current fiscal year. These receipts from the three key sources of state tax
revenue—personal income tax, sales tax, and corporation tax—follow the expiration of the previously
extended November 16 deadline for individuals and companies in most of California to make final tax
payments from 2022 and estimated payments for the first three quarters of 2023. The revenue trends
illustrate continued weakness in the state’s economy, with the LAO noting that California entered a
downturn in 2022, based on increases in unemployment and declines in inflation‐adjusted income.
More State Budget information
As a follow up to their blog posting, the LAO staff yesterday distributed the anticipated annual Fiscal
Outlook document for the 2024‐25 Budget Year. This report pertains to a broader look at the state
budget condition as opposed to focusing solely on the revenue shortfall reported earlier in the week.
The Outlook now reports that due to the severe revenue decline in 2022‐23, the state faces a serious
budget deficit. Specifically, under the state’s current law and policy, it is now estimated that the
Legislature will need to solve a multi‐year budget problem of $68 billion in the upcoming budget
process.
The LAO Outlook goes on to indicate that while addressing a deficit of this magnitude will be
challenging, the Legislature has a number of options available to do so, such as nearly $24 billion in
reserves. In addition, there are options to reduce spending on schools and community colleges that
could address another $17 billion of the budget problem. Further adjustments to other areas of the
budget, such as reductions to one‐time spending, could address at least an additional $10 billion or so.
Options, too, such as cost shifts, would allow the Legislature to solve most of the deficit largely without
impacting the state’s core ongoing service level.
35
2
The question of the day is, could transportation funding be in jeopardy? First, unlike decades back,
when the state routinely redirected or borrowed transportation funds, most transportation programs
today, including TDA, STA, Article XIX fuel taxes and new SB1 funds are protected through the
constitution.
However, the LAO does make the following observations:
They estimate the state has $8.6 billion in one‐time and temporary spending slated for 2024‐25
that can be reduced entirely in order to address the serious budget problem. This includes
spending of $2.2 billion in transportation programs, as the underlying appropriations were
based on General fund resources.
The Outlook adds that to maximize flexibility and mitigate disruption, pullbacks from
transportation and other General fund allocations could be accomplished in early action in
2024 could merit early action in 2024.
36
STATE OF CALIFORNIA
BUDGET LETTER
NUMBER: BL 23-27
SUBJECT: CURRENT YEAR EXPENDITURE FREEZE DATE ISSUED: December 12, 2023
REFERENCES: N/A SUPERSEDES: N/A
MACRO USED: H:\Prod\Template\Bgt-Ltr.macm
TO: Agency Secretaries
Department Directors
Department Budget and Accounting Officers
Departmental Human Resources and Labor Relations Officers
Departmental Business Services Officers
Department of Finance Budget and Accounting Staff
FROM: DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE
Budget Officers are requested to forward a copy of this budget letter (BL) to departmental
Human Resources, Labor Relations, and Business Services Officers.
The State of California anticipates significant General Fund budget deficits in fiscal years
2023-24 and 2024-25. Accordingly, this BL directs all entities under the Governor’s direct
executive authority to take immediate action to reduce current-year General Fund
expenditures. Departments shall also take measures to ensure more prudent spending from
other state funds given the fiscal outlook. Statewide Constitutional Officers are strongly
encouraged to comply with the provisions of this BL.
It is vitally important that state government is efficient, effective, and only expends funds
that are necessary to the critical operation and security of the state. As such, all state
entities must take immediate action to reduce expenditures and identify all operational
savings achieved. These immediate actions consist of, but are not necessarily limited to,
the following:
• New Goods and Services Contracts—Departments shall not enter into any new
contracts or agreements to lease or purchase equipment, issue purchase orders for
goods or services, or make changes to existing contracts if the change would
increase costs, except to meet a time-sensitive or critical need.
• IT Equipment—All discretionary and non-essential IT purchases, unless specifically
related to a critical IT security need or a mission-critical need, shall be halted. This
includes all planned IT equipment refreshes, copier or printer replacements, or any
new equipment purchases (e.g., cell phone refreshes).
• Fleet Vehicles—Only mission-critical or emergency-related vehicles shall be
purchased. All other planned vehicle replacements should be halted.
37
-2-
STATE OF CALIFORNIA
• Office Supplies—Minimal office supplies shall be ordered and kept in stock. Each
department’s purchasing managers should heavily scrutinize all office supply orders
to ensure the need. Departments shall, to the extent possible, use all existing supplies
before additional supplies are ordered.
• Other—All areas of department operations shall be evaluated and scrutinized to
decrease costs including, but not limited to, subscription renewals, training costs, or
furniture purchases.
• Travel—State entities shall cancel all plans for non-essential travel, such as
participation in seminars, conferences, and training both in-state and out-of-state.
Only travel that is required for the conduct of official state business is allowed.
• Leave Buy-Back—The annual leave buy-back of accrued vacation or annual leave
in 2023-24, including for excluded employees is cancelled. An exception is noted for
Bargaining Unit 6.
• Architectural Revolving Fund (ARF)—State entities shall delay or defer any requests to
transfer funds to the ARF unless for a demonstrated critical need due to an ongoing
project.
Additionally, entities shall re-evaluate expenses related to current IT projects:
• Review existing IT maintenance and operations contracts to validate services,
subscriptions, equipment, and /or software licenses are still in use and necessary. Any
items not meeting that criteria shall be terminated.
• Review pending procurement/solicitations to determine if the effort can be paused
or delayed.
• Reevaluate any IT projects in the Project Approval Lifecycle process to determine if
the project can be paused or delayed.
• If necessary to continue efforts, consider whether costs can be spread over several
years or if financing is a viable option.
Agency Secretaries and Cabinet-level Directors are authorized to make exemptions from
these prohibitions only in the following limited instances:
• Addressing a declared emergency.
• Providing 24-hour medical care.
• Avoiding a significant revenue loss.
• Achieving significant net cost savings.
38
-3-
STATE OF CALIFORNIA
Lastly, Agency Secretaries and Cabinet-level Directors will be required to report monthly to
Finance and the Governor’s Office on all approved exemptions as well as achieved
savings. Reporting instructions will be sent via a subsequent BL.
If you have any questions regarding this BL, please contact your assigned Program Budget
Manager.
/s/ Joe Stephenshaw
JOE STEPHENSHAW
Director
39
Translate
All Articles
Updated "Big Three" Revenue Outlook
December 1, 2023
Brian Uhler Chas Alamo Seth Kerstein
Bottom Line. With the recent receipt of various postponed tax payments, the impact of recent economic
weakness and last year's financial market distress on state revenues has become clearer. The postponed
payments came in much weaker than anticipated. As a result, we now estimate 2022-23 revenues to be
$26 billion below Budget Act projections. Historical experience suggests this weakness is likely to carry into
this fiscal year and next. Overall, our updated revenue outlook anticipates collections to come in $58 billion
below Budget Act projections across 2022-23 to 2024-25. We will release our Fiscal Outlook next week,
which will discuss the ramifications of this revenue shortfall for the state's budget.
How Much Could Revenues Differ From Budget Act Projections?
LAO Forecast Minus Budget Act (In Billions)
Created with Datawrapper
2022-23 2023-24 2024-25
−50
−40
−30
−20
−10
0
$10
40
Personal Income Tax
Created with Datawrapper
2022-23 2023-24 2024-25
−30
−20
−10
0
$10
Corporation Tax
Created with Datawrapper
2022-23 2023-24 2024-25
−30
−20
−10
0
$10
Sales Tax
Created with Datawrapper
2022-23 2023-24 2024-25
−30
−20
−10
0
$10
Higher Borrowing Costs and Reduced Investment Have Cooled California’s Economy. In an effort to
cool an overheated U.S. economy, the Federal Reserve has taken actions over the last two years to make
borrowing more expensive and reduce money available for investment. This has slowed economic activity
in a number of ways. For example, home sales are down by about half, largely because the monthly
mortgage to purchase a typical California home has gone from $3,500 to $5,400. Some effects of the
Federal Reserve’s actions have hit segments of the economy that have an outsized importance to
California. In particular, investment in California startups and technology companies is especially sensitive
to financial conditions and, as a result, has dropped significantly. For example, the number of California
companies that went public (sold stock to public investors for the first time) in 2022 and 2023 is down over
80 percent from 2021. As a result, California businesses have had much less funding available to expand
operations or hire new workers.
State’s Economy Entered a Downturn in 2022. These mounting economic headwinds have pushed the
state’s economy into a downturn. The number of unemployed workers in California has risen nearly
200,000 since the summer of 2022. This has resulted in a jump in the state’s unemployment rate from 3.8
percent to 4.8 percent. Similarly, inflation-adjusted incomes posted five straight quarters of year-over-year
declines from the first quarter of 2022 to the first quarter 2023.
41
Real-Time Recession Indicator ("Sahm Rule") Triggered in March
Federal policymakers use the Sahm Rule to track the start of recessions in real time. The Sahm Rule has
accurately indicated -- with no false positives -- the prior six U.S. recessions as well as California downturns.
Sahm Recession Indicator signals the start of a recession when the three-month moving average of the unemployment rate rises by
0.5 percentage points or more relative to its low during the previous 12 months.
Chart: California Legislative Analyst's O ce, based on work by Claudia Sahm Source: St. Louis Federal Reserve Bank Created with
Datawrapper
1980 1985 1990 1995 2000 2005 2010 2015 2020
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16%
CA Unemployment RateCA Unemployment Rate Sahm Rule Recession Indicator turns onSahm Rule Recession Indicator turns on
••
Recent Revenue Collections Show Impact of Economic Downturn. With federal actions postponing
deadlines for tax payments on investment and business income for much of the past year, the state
adopted the 2023-24 budget without a clear picture of the impact of recent economic weakness on state
revenues. Regardless, there have been signs of revenue weakness over the past year. The portion of
income taxes collected directly from workers’ paychecks was down 2 percent over the last twelve months
compared to the preceding year. Sales tax collections have been essentially flat, despite above-average
growth in consumer prices. The full extent of revenue weakness, however, came into full focus recently
with the arrival of the postponed tax payments. With the deadline passed, collections data now show a
severe revenue decline, with total income tax collections down 25 percent in 2022-23. This decline is
similar to those seen during the Great Recession and dot-com bust. While the slowdown of investment in
California companies and corresponding broader economic weakness likely was a primary driver of this
decline, another important factor was financial market distress in 2022.
Significant Risk That Weakness Could Persist into Next Year. Whether the recent weakness will
continue is difficult to say. However, the odds do not appear to be in the state’s favor. Past downturns
similar to this recent episode have tended to be followed by additional weakness. For instance, an increase
in the unemployment rate similar to the recent period has consistently been followed by an extended period
of elevated unemployment. Similarly, in the past, years with large revenue declines typically have been
followed by an additional year of lackluster revenue performance. History does not always repeat itself and
may not this time. Nonetheless, there is a significant risk the current weakness could continue into next
year.
Revenue Outlook Reflects Risk of Continued Weakness. Reflecting the risk of a continued weakness,
our revenue outlook anticipates collections will be nearly flat in 2023-24, after falling 20 percent in 2022-23.
Our outlook then has revenue growth returning in 2024-25 and beyond. Based on this trajectory, our
revenue outlook expects collections to come in $58 billion below Budget Act assumptions across 2022-23
42
Subscribe | California State Legislature | Online Voter Registration | Privacy Policy | Accessibility
Legislative Analyst's Office | The California Legislature's Nonpartisan Fiscal and Policy Advisor
925 L Street, Suite 1000 Sacramento, CA 95814 | (916) 445-4656 | information [at] lao.ca.gov
to 2024-25, with about half of this difference ($26 billion) attributable to 2022-23. As always, this forecast is
highly uncertain. It is entirely possible that revenues could end up $15 billion higher or lower than our
forecast for 2023-24 and $30 billion higher or lower for 2024-25.
Article Tags
State Revenues Revenue Tracking Economic Indicators Latest Economic Indicators
43
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY
Staff Report
1025 ESCOBAR STREET
MARTINEZ, CA 94553
File #:23-1241 Agenda Date:12/18/2023 Agenda #:7.
TRANSPORTATION, WATER & INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE
Meeting Date:December 18, 2023
Subject:RECEIVE Communication, News, Miscellaneous Items of Interest to the Committee and
DIRECT staff as appropriate
Submitted For:Transportation, Water, & Infrastructure
Department:Conservation & Development
Referral No:N/A
Referral Name:N/A
Presenter:John Cunningham, DCD
Contact:John Cunningham (925)655-2915
Referral History:
This is a standing item on the TWIC agenda.
Referral Update:
Miscellaneous News Items:
·December 8, 2023 - CalSTA: Secretary Omishakin Appoints 25 Members to Transit Transformation
Task Force
·December 7, 2023 - Seamless Bay Area Five Years Later
·December 7, 2023 - Fast Company:Why 2023 was the year of the e-bike and not the self-driving car
·November 28, 2023 - Urbanize LA:L.A.’s notoriously grim bus stops will start getting shelter in 2024
·November 30, 2023 - ABC7 News:Contra Costa County to install 28-mile micro-transit system with
autonomous vehicles
Recommendation(s)/Next Step(s):
RECEIVE information and DIRECT staff as appropriate.
Fiscal Impact (if any):
N/A
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY Printed on 12/14/2023Page 1 of 1
powered by Legistar™44
Secretar y Omishakin Appoints 25
Members to Transit Transformation
Task Force
Home Press Releases
Secretary Omishakin Appoints 25 Members to Transit Transformation
Task Force
Published: Dec 08, 2023
SACRAMENTO – The California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA) today
announced Transportation Secretar y Toks Omishakin has appointed 25
members to the stateʼs Transit Transformation Task Force.
Established in the transit recovery package signed by Governor Gavin
Newsom as part of the 2023-24 state budget, the task force will develop
policy recommendations to grow transit ridership, improve the transit
experience and address long-term operational needs.
A er receiving more than 70 applications from a wide range of prospective
candidates representing state government, local agencies, academic
institutions, advocacy organizations and other stakeholders, Secretary
Omishakin made the following selections:
Kome Ajise
Executive Director,
Southern California A ssociation of Governments
Rashidi Barnes
Chief Executive O icer,
Eastern Contra Costa Tra
Authority
Sharon Cooney
Chief Executive O icer,
San Diego Metropolitan Transit System (MTS)
Ian Gri iths
Policy Director,
Seamless Bay Area
James Lindsay
International Vice President,
Amalgamated Transit Union
Eli Lipmen
Executive Director,
Move LA
Kate Miller
Executive Director,
Napa Valley Transportation Authority/Vine Transit
Lorelle Moe-Luna
Multimodal Services Dire
Riverside County Transpo
Commission
Laurel Paget-Seekins
Senior Policy Advocate for Transportation Justice,
Public Advocates
Michael Pimentel
Executive Director,
California Transit Associa
Carl Sedoryk
CEO,
Monterey-Salinas Transit District
David Sforza
Principal Consultant,
A ssembly Transportation
Laura Tolko
Transportation Policy Director & Interim Chief Policy
O icer,
SPUR
Mark Tollefson
Undersecretary,
CalSTA
Kari Watkins
Associate Professor,
UC Davis
Mark Watts
Legislative Advocate,
Transportation California
Rebuilding CA - SB 1 ADA Certification Contact Us Settings Translate
45
Jim Wunderman
President and CEO,
Bay Area Council
“Public transportation is essential to achieving our stateʼs world-leading
climate and equity goals but is facing an existential crossroads – not just in
California but throughout the country,” said Secretary Omishakin. “I look
forward to partnering with task force members on ways to put our stateʼs
public transit agencies on a path toward long-term financial stability and
delivering a world-class transit system for all people in California.”
The task force will kick o with a virtual meeting on December 19 and aims
to meet in person every two months beginning in February 2024. Agendas,
meeting materials and other task force information will be available on the
CalSTA website.
CalSTA, in consultation with the task force, will prepare a report of findings
and policy recommendations based on the task forceʼs e orts and submit it
to the Legislature by October 2025. The report will include a detailed
analysis of specified issues and recommendations on specified topics,
including, among others, reforming the Transportation Development Act.
The task force was established as part of Senate Bill 125, which also gives
transit agencies increased flexibility to use state investments to fund transit
operations or capital improvements, along with accountability measures.
Just this year, California has invested nearly $3.5 billion in state funding to
expand transit and passenger rail service throughout the state.
# # #
About CalSTA
CalSTA manages Californiaʼs roads, trains, and water transportation
systems.
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Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 323-5400
(916) 323-5440 fax
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California Transportation Commission (CTC)
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New Motor Vehicle Board (NMVB)
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TRANSIT ADVOCACY
Seamless Bay Area Five Years Later
Two of the founders of the Bay Area's advocacy group dedicated to fare
integration and rational schedules talk about a half-decade of ghting for
better transit and what's likely to happen in the next ve years.
3:47 PM PST on December 7, 2023
47
Seamless Bay Area founders Beaudry Kock and Ian Gri ths at 19th Street BART. Photo: Streetsblog/Rudick
By Roger Rudick
Back in 2018, Streetsblog did the very rst interview with Seamless Bay Area, a
then-brand-new advocacy group with a singular focus on integrating fares and
schedules for the Bay Area's almost thir ty transit agencies into something
rational and customer-focused. Since then, Seamless has become a go-to
advocacy group for the mainstream press. They've also had a huge in uence
on policy, including bringing about the rst of hopefully many universal fare
media--the BayPass. Streetsblog caught up with two of the group's founders,
48
Beaudry Koch and Ian Gri ths, in uptown Oakland to nd out what they've
learned and where they hope to go from here.
***
Streetsblog: So before we get star ted do you have any time constraints?
Ian Gri ths: I do have to pick up my BART holiday sweater.
SB: Well, hopefully, we'll be done in time for that. Five years ago when we rst
sat down, your group was new and unknown. Now I feel like I see you quoted
everywhere and there seems to be growing awareness that the region's transit
agencies just can't survive with each acting independently.
Beaudry Koch: Awareness is growing for sure.
IG: We've become one of the go-to groups that the media comes to when
commenting on transit issues. We're at least one of the top three.
BK: We’re the only Bay Area catchall for transit issues, the only Bay Area-wide
advocate.
SB: What have you learned since we rst met about advocating for rational
fares and schedules?
BK: Nobody in their right mind rejects the things we want. It polls really high.
The public wants it.
SB: But there are people not in their right mind I take it, at the transit agencies
themselves?
BK: I thought it would be so much easier. Why should something everybody
wants be so hard? We've given up untold time and earnings potential to ght
this good ght. And it blows me away, the opposition! I did not expect that from
heads of "progressive" transit agencies.
49
IG: Six years ago... I wouldn’t believe we’d still be working on it. I’m not sure I
was ready for that.
SB: Yeah, I'd expect there'd be at least some product, no matter how expensive,
that anybody could buy that would work on at least a few of the transit
agencies. So what's the hold-up? Is it just heads of the agencies?
IG: Well, COVID was not something any of us expected. In some respects, it set
us back, but it also created a sense of urgency that will speed us forward now.
SB: Why?
IG: The pandemic hit the pause button because we were dealing with a crisis
and so much disruption. For one or two years we weren’t really able to deploy
anything. Transit agencies might have moved more quickly.
SB: You had legislation pulled as a result.
IG: If we had succeeded with the David Chiu legislation in 2020, we’d have a
network manager now. But, yes, that legislation got postponed. But also
because of COVID we ended up with the Blue Ribbon Transit Recovery Task
Force. That was a great forum for discussing and bringing everyone together
on how to do fare integration and what should be the vision for transit in the
future. However, now there are just no resources, just no funding. So we're
limited in what we can advance.
BK: Also there isn’t fertile soil for fare integration. None of the transit agencies
have a customer service team or o cer. So we're starting from zero.
SB: Right, so it isn't like you have agencies with people focused on customer
service to bring into a room together. You just have general managers focused
on their own territory and budgets. So take us through the legislative work to
try and force this issue?
50
IG: We’ve done three attempts
BK: Feels like ten.
IG: We had A.B. 2057 by David Chiu in 2020.
SB: Which was pulled.
IG: Then in 2021 we had A.B. 629, another David Chiu bill for integrated fares.
And after that got turned into a two-year bill by the legislature, we had S.B. 917
by Senator Josh Becker.
SB: And that also got quashed during the legislative process. So how do they
manage to get this done in Europe and even Canada but not here?
IG: I've had people in Europe and Canada who tell me they don't really
understand why we need transit advocates in the rst place. They don't have or
need transit advocacy groups.
BK: The proliferation - the need - for advocacy groups is a symptom of a
sickness. It shows a problem.
SB: Right: that transit agencies aren't working for the customer, they're working
for themselves.
BK: We always wanted to get ourselves out of this business.
IG: We’d like to succeed and not have a job.
SB: And when the transit agencies star t putting the customer rst, you won't.
But for now and into the foreseeable future you carry on. What else did you
learn from the legislative work?
IG: All of those prior attempts have been valuable, again, because they were
pretty much universally supported and had positive media coverage. It created
51
more pressure for the transit agencies and MTC [Metropolitan Transportation
Commission] to prioritize fare integration.
SB: Right, because they know if they keep resisting, someday a legislative
attempt is going to succeed, and they'll lose control and be forced to integrate.
IG: I still believe we need legislation. Voluntary coordination is not enough. It
takes too long to implement basic policies that can build ridership, like fare
integration, even when it won’t cost the transit agencies a dime. We just don’t
have proper regional decision-making that puts riders rst.
SB: So your goal is to make the next regional funding measure contingent on
the establishment of a network manager of some kind, to make sure fare
integration and coordinated schedules start to happen.
IG: On Friday there's a joint MTC ABAG [Association of Bay Area Governments]
Legislation Committee hearing where they’ll be talking about the regional
measure and reforms that should go along with it, including creating a network
manager.
SB: Well, I’m not voting for it if it’s not in there. Enough already.
IG: I'm optimistic it will be. With this ABAG committee, we're hoping to get MTC
on the record supporting a network manager. Finally, I think MTC is doing what
people want them to do.
SB: So this round of "legislation" you're working on is the regional measure, but
with the network manager requirement?
IG: Yes, and we're hoping to get a signature-gathering campaign together after
the authorizing legislation.
BK: Know any Streetsblog readers who can help gather signatures?
SB: I'm sure I do.
52
IG: We'll be working on that and hopefully getting help from the same people
who are excited about housing reform. If we don't get more transit we’re not
going to be able to build the housing we need and the housing we do build
won’t free people from their cars.
SB: These challenges aside, you've already had one huge victory: the BayPass
for students, university employees, and residents of affordable housing.
BK: We already have 50,000 people on it, with two million trips.
SB: That's a great proof-of-concept for a wider BayPass. How did that get
star ted?
IG: Remember when there was that call for transformational projects with Plan
Bay Area? So we submitted BayPass, along with SPUR. And it was selected as
the "best impact" project. I think it’s exceeded everyone's expectations.
Everyone expected it to build ridership, but it built ridership in some cases by
over forty percent.
SB: Forty percent of what? What does that mean exactly?
IG: So say a Berkeley or San Francisco State student gets a transit pass as par t
of their tuition. Normally they get a pass for one operator. Now a subset get a
BayPass that works for all operators. It turns out the ones with BayPass use
the single transit agency forty percent more - plus, of course, they use other
transit agencies more.
SB: Oh, I see. So if an S.F. State student gets a BayPass, they use Muni more
than the student with a Muni-only pass. Or if one Berkeley student has an AC
Transit pass, and another has a BayPass, the student with the BayPass will use
AC Transit much more. Makes sense. So even from the parochial view of the
general manager of AC Transit, BayPass brings more riders to their system as
well as the other operators.
53
IG: In the next phase of the pilot there will be ten large employers... paying for
the passes, so this next phase should be revenue-positive. The students were
almost entirely subsidized.
SB: So it will be "revenue neutral," the big thing general managers insist on. Or
really it will increase revenue.
IG: Yeah, but let's dismiss this idea of it being revenue-neutral. Transit is not
pro table. More impor tantly, we'll know the ridership impacts and we’ll know
the level of subsidy that’s needed to expand BayPass. That will give us an
air tight case that this should be made available to everyone.
SB: Or instead of studying and piloting all this we could have just looked at
London or any city in Switzerland or Vancouver or a lot of other cities with
integrated fares.
BK: Yes, we could have saved a lot of time by just doing it. But that goes back
to the customer experience. TransLink in Vancouver, for example, designs
things they do based on customer needs, not revenue neutrality. They star t with
the customer need, then look at what the agency needs. That's the opposite of
American transit agencies that put the agency rst and the customer second.
SB: And, amazingly, that works. You end up with higher ridership and higher
revenue anyway if you start with the customer experience.
IG: Prior to the pandemic, Vancouver had the highest growth in ridership in
Nor th America. And post-pandemic it has had the strongest recovery of any
region. Vancouver is above ninety percent of [its] pre-pandemic ridership. It's
not a coincidence that they have a network manager and are well-funded.
SB: Where do you see yourselves in ve more years?
BK: (Sighs). I think things have to change. We forget that transit wasn’t great
pre-pandemic either. We keep blaming transit problems on the pandemic, but
54
Ian Gri ths with his new BART sweater. Photo:
Streetsblog/Rudick
the alarm bells were already ringing. I’m hoping ve years from now we don’t
have this problem and we’ve transformed transit in the Bay Area. I don’t think
we’ll be out of business, but our role might have shifted. There's a general
problem that American transit is not open to global insights and international
training.
SB: So you’d go national?
BK: That's one path among many.
IG: I think the conversation that
we’ve star ted in the Bay Area has
certainly gone California-wide.
Southern California also has huge
problems. And with high-speed
rail coming, we have to be
planning connectivity between
statewide, regional, and local
transit if we want a system to shift
people out of their cars. Our
thought leadership is already
going national. I hope that doesn’t sound too cocky.
SB: No. And we hope that pans out. So - time to get that ugly sweater?
Roger Rudick
Read More:PROMOTED
55
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REGIONAL (/NEIGHBORHOOD/REGIONAL)
L.A.'s notoriously grim bus stops
will star t getting shelter in 2024
City's STAP program plans for 3,000 new shelters and 450 shade
structures
NOVEMBER 28, 2023, 11:30AM STEVEN SHARP 50 COMMENTS
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GALLERY 3
At a press conference yesterday in the San Fernando Valley (https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?
ref=watch_permalink&v=1136664667738961), Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and other elected of cials
announced new funding to add shelters and shade structures to barren bus stops citywide.
The funding, which includes a $30-million Public Works trust fund loan, will go toward the rst wave of projects
in the Sidewalk and Transit Amenities Program - or STAP - which calls for building 3,000 bus shelters and 450
shade structures citywide. That money would be coupled with $8 million already allocated to STAP in the city
budget.
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(https://la.urbanize.city/sites/default/ les/styles/1140w/public/ eld/image/metro%20bus.jpg?itok=JXWofYG1)
A Metro bus in Echo Park
Wikimedia Commons
Additionally, outgoing Congressman Tony Cárdenas (https://www.cnn.com/2023/11/20/politics/tony-cardenas-
wont-seek-reelection/index.html) was on hand to announce $2.5 million in Federal Community Project funding
for other shade structures, new stretches of cool pavement, street trees, and other projects intended to offer relief
from sweltering heat in the Valley.
“Today we see new momentum to combat the impacts of climate change throughout our city services, including
new bus shelters to protect Angelenos from sweltering heat, planting more trees and using new techniques like
cool pavement to lower the overall street temperature and make Los Angeles cooler,” said Bass in a news release.
“We must use all of the tools we have in order to build a greener Los Angeles, starting with improving our city
services which is made possible through the partnership with our City Council, Metro and congressional
representatives coming together to secure additional funding for new infrastructure. New bus shelters will be
located with purpose so that communities have relief from the heat and the worsening impacts of climate
change that are felt by hotter days throughout the year.”
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Installation of the bus shelters is scheduled to begin in 2024, and would be completed over a period of three to
six years. City of cials expect to see more new bus shelters delivered in the next year than in the previous
decade, City Councilmember Nithya Raman noted in a statement.
(https://la.urbanize.city/sites/default/ les/styles/1140w/public/2022-05/north%20valley%20brt.jpg?
itok=GY408KgM)
Updated map for the North San Fernando Valley Transit Corridor project
Metro
Separately, Metro is poised to spend $53 million on new bus shelters as part of the
(https://la.urbanize.city/post/metro-board-adopts-plan-upgraded-bus-service-northern-san-fernando-
valley)North San Fernando Valley Transit Corridor project (https://la.urbanize.city/post/metro-board-adopts-
plan-upgraded-bus-service-northern-san-fernando-valley). Originally envisioned as a bus rapid transit line, the
project has since been scaled back to enhancements to the key east-west corridors of Nordhoff Street and
Roscoe Boulevard, with more frequent service, peak-hour lanes, and up to 400 new shelter structures.
The STAP program (https://streetsla.lacity.org/stap-program-fact-sheet) has a goal of ensuring that 75 percent
of bus riders in each Los Angeles City Council district will board at stops with shelters. The location of the new
structures will be determined based on factors including ridership and exposure to heat, as well as equity
considerations such as minority populations, household income, and the prevalence of zero-vehicle households.
Features of the new structures would include real-time bus arrival information, an emergency call feature, LED
edge lighting, and potentially amenities such as phone charging stations or WiFi.
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In addition to the announced city funding, a portion of the $238-million price tag for STAP will be covered by
advertising costs. Shelters will be equipped with either static or digital display panels, though less than 25
percent are permitted to have digital displays.
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STREETSLA (/TAGS/STREETSLA) SIDEWALK AND TRANSIT AMENITIES PROGRAM (/TAGS/SIDEWALK-AND-TRANSIT-AMENITIES-PROGRAM)
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65
TRAFFIC
Contra Costa Co. to install 28-mile micro-transit
system with autonomous vehicles
By Anser Hassan
Thursday, November 30, 2023 7:07PM
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A 28-mile micro-transit system will connect Pittsburg, Antioch, Brentwood and Oakley with autonomous vehicles, known as
Glydcars.
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CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, Calif. (KGO) -- The roadway to the future is coming to Contra Costa County.
"Right now, first and last mile is one of our biggest challenges here in Contra Costa County. We don't want
people to have to drive to the BART station," says Tim Haile, executive director of Contra Costa
Transportation Authority.
For the past few years, it's been working on the Dynamic Personal Micro Transit (DPMT) system. It is 28
miles that will connect Pittsburg, Antioch, Brentwood and Oakley with autonomous vehicles, known as
Glydcars.
"The vehicle is small. It is only five feet wide. And so, that reduces a lot of the infrastructure costs, as well
as operational costs. And, the vehicle is also electric. It is also sustainable, zero emissions," Haile said.
MORE: Self-driving shuttle bus service launches at SF Treasure Island
Using an app, users would show up at an access point -- which is similar to a bus stop or BART station --
get in, and off to your destination. However, all the pickup and dropoff points are still to be determined.
"It takes you, from say Pittsburg directly to a BART station or downtown community center or to a
university or school, like a Los Medanos College. All those really important points of interest to the
community," Haile said.
Eastern Contra Costa County has a population of close to 300,000 people and growing. The county
estimates that 79% commute to work in other parts of the Bay Area -- using Highway 4. One goal of this
new system is to reduce traffic by using a closed circuit roadway and to help California meet its zero carbon
emission goals.
"We also want to get people off of cars. That is the most important, I think, element here, which is how do
we reduce our carbon footprint?" said Antioch Mayor Lamar Thorpe.
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MORE: The end of BART's paper tickets: Here's what you need to know before your next
trip
It is a public-private partnership, which includes Glydways, the company that provides the technology and
the vehicles. Plenary Americas and Flatiron are also involved. Testing is being done at GoMentum station
in Concord.
"A ride that takes you 25 minutes, will now take you, predictably, all the time, six to seven minutes," said
Gokul Hemmady, CEO of Glydways.
The estimated cost of this transit system is $450 million, which is considerably less than the billions, for
example, to expand BART.
In addition, Thorpe says the public-private partnership is critical since private projects usually move faster
since they don't have to deal with bureaucratic red tape.
"It may seem like congestion is just congestion. And it's like, 'Well, okay, fix it.' But it requires creativity
and innovation. And think this is it," said Thorpe about the partnership.
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