Subject: APPROVAL OF GRANT AGREEMENT FOR DASH
SHUTTLE SERVICES
COUNCIL DISTRICT: 3
Approval of a grant agreement with the San Jose Downtown Association for a downtown area shuttle program to be provided by the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority for the period July 1, 2001 to June 30, 2002 in an amount not to exceed $135,000.
BACKGROUND
In December 1998, City Council approved a grant agreement with the San Jose Downtown Association (“SJDA”) to provide the City an expanded downtown area shuttle service (“DASH”) on a pilot basis. The San José Downtown Association coordinates the program through an agreement with VTA. The expanded DASH was implemented in January 1999 connecting the Diridon Caltrain Station and peripheral parking lots to Valley Transportation Authority (“VTA”) Light Rail, Downtown Employers, San Jose State University and the Convention Center. The purpose of the DASH is to encourage increased usage of mass transit, reduce vehicular traffic, and increase convenient parking availability to persons working or visiting downtown San Jose. In June 2000, City Council approved continuation of the service for fiscal year 2000-2001.
Many publicly and privately owned parking facilities are reaching capacity on a regular basis. Visitors and employees of Downtown are finding it more difficult to locate convenient, available parking. The DASH expansion was implemented in response to this parking situation. The DASH shuttle has been successful in supporting the use of transit and parking lots on the periphery of downtown. The number of daily riders has continued to increase annually, with a current average of 847 daily riders in 2001, up from an average of 759 in 2000.
City staff recommends a continued partnership with the SJDA to coordinate the DASH service through an agreement with the VTA. The SJDA is to pay for the service with funds collected from public and private sources.
Based on the current level of service (6:15 a.m. to 7:05 p.m. Monday – Friday), the cost to continue the expanded service from July 1, 2001 to June 30, 2002 is approximately $338,000. The expanded shuttle service will be funded jointly by the City through the Parking Fund, the VTA, and the SJDA. The VTA will provide funding of approximately $150,000. The SJDA and private partners will be providing funding of approximately $53,000. The City’s share of the cost is $135,000. This is an approximate increase of 4% over the 2000-2001 cost due to contractually required rate increases between the VTA and the shuttle service provider.
The existing DASH shuttle has a primarily east-west route. A budget proposal has been submitted that would add a north-west shuttle, connecting three new interim parking lots on the northern perimeter of the Downtown. These parking lots would increase the available supply by 300 spaces. If approved, it is anticipated that the north-south shuttle would be operational in 2002.
Public outreach for this agreement will include review and discussion of the service at the
June 4, 2001 Downtown Parking Board meeting. This is a publicly noticed meeting.
This agreement has been coordinated with the City Attorney’s Office.
Fund: General Purpose Parking Fund 533
Amount: $5,841,039
Document: 2001-2002 Proposed Operating Budget, Pg. 755
WAYNE K. TANDA
Director, Department of Transportation