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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 05092000 - SD7 IJ fo: "Board of Supervisors "'r` '7 FROM: Transportation, Water and Infrastructure Cost Committee (Supervisor John Gioia, Chair; County Supervisor Gayle B. Uilkema) DATE: May 2, 2000 , SUBJECT: Authorize staff to release intercity rail goals for review and comment SPECIFIC REQUEST(S) OR RECOMMENDATION(S) & BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION RECOMMENDATIONS Authorize staff to release for review and comment a set of proposed goals for intercity rail service in Contra Costa County, developed by the Contra Costa County Ad Hoc Intercity Rail Advisory Committee. FISCAL IMPACT There is no fiscal impact on the County. BACKGROUND/REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATIONS The Ad Hoc Intercity Rail Advisory Committee (AIRAC) was created several years ago to advise the Board of Supervisors on intercity rail issues that affect Contra Costa County. In calendar year 2000 AIRAC has produced two items to date. The first was a set of comments on the draft action plans for transportation that were developed by the regional transportation planning committees. The Board of Supervisors included these AIRAC comments in a Board transmittal to the regional transportation planning committees in March, offering comments on the draft action plans. The second AIRAC product this year, included here, is a set of proposed goals for intercity rail service (shown in Exhibit A). These goals, if reached, would result in more and better intercity rail service along the 1-80 and State Route 4 corridors. This would provide a more attractive rail alternative to the automobile and help in the County's efforts to manage congestion. Pending authorization by the Board of Supervisors, the proposed goals will be distributed to other agencies for review and comment. After comments are received, CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: X YES SIGNATURE RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE APPROVE OTHER SIGNATURE(S): SlifitRVISOR JOHN GIOIA SUPE ISOR GAYL . UILKEMA ACTION OF BOARD ON May 9 , 2000 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED XX OTHER VOTE OF SUPERVISORS I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE AND XX UNANIMOUS (ABSENT _ r CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN AND AYES: NOES: ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF ABSENT: ABSTAIN: SUPERVISORS ON THE D TE SHOWN. Dated: May'49' 2000 Contact: John Greitzer (9251335-1201) ATTESTED cc: Community Development Department (CDD) IL BATCH O CLERK OF THE c OF P VISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR S:\Adv-TransUohn G\Marjorie\Board order on intercity rail goals.doc Sl AIRAC and staff will revise the proposed goals as appropriate. The revised goals will be brought back to the Transportation, Water and Infrastructure Committee and the Board of Supervisors for consideration as county policy. Inclusion in a future amendment of the General Plan Circulation Element may be sought. While some of the goals in Exhibit A can only be directly addressed by the railroads, others can be addressed by the county (such as advocating more funding for rail services, planning for compact development around rail stations, and system improvements such as encouraging grade separations between railroad tracks and surface streets). The recommended action by the Board will authorize staff to release the goals for review and comment by other agencies. The goals will be distributed to local jurisdictions, the Capitol Corridor Joint Powers Authority, the Caltrans Gail Division, BART, bus operators, Contra Costa Transportation Authority, regional transportation planning committees, and to other agencies and advocacy groups with an interest in transportation. S:1Adv-TranstJohn G\Madorie\Board order on Intercity rail goals.doc V lWs A .✓L _L 4i.r EXHIBIT A Proposed Goals for Inter-City Rail Service in Contra Costa County Developed by the Ad Hoc Intercity Rail Advisory Committee (March, 2000) Increase ridership by: ■ Awareness (more marketing and promotion of intercity rail service, particularly for the San Jaa uins service which provides four runs daily through Contra Costa County between Stockton and Oakland) ■ Access (seamless transfer systems between passenger trains and other modes; additional train service; and planning for compact land uses around rail stations) ■ Level of service(support the service-increase recommendations in Caltrans' Preliminary Draft California Rail Passenger Program Report, calling for 12 daily roundtrips on the C'a Uois and six daily roundtrips of the San Joaquins through Contra Costa County by FY 2008/09, and earlier morning westbound trips on the San Joaquins to accommodate growth in East County) ■ Quality of service(more station staffing,reductions in running time, and improved on-time performance) Improve efficiency by: ■ System improvements to help increase the capacity of the rail system(track improvements, station improvements)* Increase funding by: ■ Working for additional rail funding through efforts such as a Measure C extension and future state and federal funding cycles ■ Shifting the balance of future funding programs from a highway orientation to more of a rail orientation • Working to change the statutory requirement for a two-thirds majority on transportation-tax ballot measures to a simple majority requirement ■ Simplifying rail funding arrangements (for example, elimination of the distinction between "commuter rail"and"intercity rail"in federal policies on use of gas tax revenues,thereby making intercity rail services eligible to compete for these funds) • -Track improvements will benefit freight services as well as passenger services.