BUILDING
BETTER TRANSPORTATION COMMITTEE
|
|
Meeting Report |
|
December 1, 2003 |
PRESENT: Chair
David Cortese, Vice Chair Linda LeZotte, Councilmember Forrest Williams,
Councilmember Cindy Chavez
STAFF: Ed
Shikada, Bill Hughes, Jim Helmer, Hans Larsen, Ben Tripousis, Betsy Shotwell,
Jim Ortbal, Dan Fenton, Bob Lockhart, Sharon Landers, Lieutenant Stan
Faulwetter
ABSENT: Vice
Mayor Pat Dando
a) Expansion and Improvement of Transit and
Transportation Systems
1. Highway 101 Corridor Report and Policy Direction
Chair Cortese asked for the status of the
original engineering study done by Parsons Engineering? Jim Helmer stated that
it is not actually done as of yet and it is to be released to the VTA staff
with local agency reviews this month. Ben Tripousis, Associate Transportation
Specialist, Department of Transportation, stated that sample corridor study report will be
released in December and the North corridor study will be released in June.
Councilmember Williams noted in regards to Blossom Hill / 101 and Hellyer Avenue the design is 65 % done, asked what this means. Hans Larsen answered by stating that the City and RDA entered into an agreement with the VTA to do environmental clearance and 100 % design drawings for the interchange upgrade. That work is expected to be complete by next summer. The 65 % is the where they are in the environmental process and will be continuing over the next four to six months to prepare the plans. Councilmember Williams then asked Hans when is it expected to go out to bid. Hans stated that the project is not funded for construction. There has been some program money for it through the RDA so the game plan for this project is as the economy picks up and development interest increases, that will generate tax increment dollars that can then support the project for construction. The goal is to get the project cleared so that as soon as the money is available we can turn around and process it quickly.
Sharon Landers, Assistant Executive Director, Redevelopment Agency, added that it was determined that the original cost estimates were way under based on the work that was being done.
Councilmember Williams then asked when the Lowe’s project was added into the Edenvale development plan, was this one of the things that allowed it to meet all of it objectives, and if so we are kind of behind the ball when we add projects. At the present, with the traffic that is expected, is the roadway adequate now to manage that or will we have problems?
Hans stated that the Edenvale area development policy allows development to go forward thereby creating some level of congestion with improvements done at a later time. The policy, that supported economic development, allowed for a time lag to occur. As roads come in it generates money for the interchange improvements in the area.
Upon a motion of Councilmember Williams, seconded by Vice Chair LeZotte the Committee approved the report.
b)
Traffic Relief/Safe
Streets
1. Taxicab Service Model Study Progress Report
Jim Helmer, Director of Transportation, introduced Jim Ortbal, Deputy Director, Department of Transportation and Dan Fenton, President and CEO of the Convention and Visitor’s Bureau and co-chair of the taxicab advisory team, Lieutenant Stan Faulwetter, San José Police Department, and Bob Lockhart, Operations Manager, Airport.
Jim Ortbal gave a report on the taxicab progress; he went over the Council direction to the Taxicab Advisory team in December 2002, the accomplishments and the issues in progress, 2003 workplan priorities, service model study, taxi study milestones, and the airport concession. It is expected to come back to the Committee in February 2004 with recommendations and then moving on to Council in March 2004. One specific recommendation in the report today is, given that the study will be complete in the February / March timeframe, we are not in a position to recommend anything on how to change over prior to the current Airport Concession agreement expiring on March 31, 2004. Council directive was to come back with options to consider for the taxicab service model before those concessions are approved or extended. We are recommending, given that we will have the recommendations to the Committee in February, a 180-day extension in the event that the Council approves changes to the system or any actions that we would be able to comply with no interruption.
Jim noted that next Tuesday, December 9, 2003 there was going to be a Taxi service model workshop, at Emma Prusch Park in the Meeting Hall, located at 647 South King Road in San Jose from 9:30 am to 3:30 pm.
Councilmember
Chavez inquired if there were a way to invite actual customers/travelers who
use taxicabs. Dan Fenton stated that the goal for the study on December 9 is to
attain feedback on what customers are saying, and that in the taxicabs now
there are stickers designed to get customer feedback. We analyze any phone
calls and for positive changes in our system. Jim Ortbal added that the
Downtown Association was invited as well for a customer perspective. The
members of the Rotary group will be surveyed as well. Jim said that they would
try and get actual customers to participate.
Chair
Cortese asked about the
milestone period, he needs to understand the request for 180 days extension and
asked that since the last Council action to get a run down on what has
transpired?
Jim Ortbal responded by stating that when the
Council discussed taxis in December, the key issues were the rate increase,
which required the industry to go out and change all the meters, the mileage
and year limitation that had to be scheduled with the police department and
gave the industry notice effective March that cabs with over 400,000 miles or
10 years old must be retired. In April we developed the workplan for the rest
of the year, which included the five priorities listed on the presentation
handouts. We could realistically come to the BBT Committee twice before it had
to go to Council in March.
Jim Helmer had one last closing comment from
a different perspective as we are looking to streamlining the downtown. DOT has
been involving the review process of bring the taxicab loading zones into the
special review process, so it improves the opportunity for drivers to
coordinate their stocking levels with the downtown area.
Upon a motion of Vice Chair LeZotte,
seconded by Councilmember Chavez the Committee approved the report, including
the recommendation for the request of the 180-day extension to the existing
agreement that would be brought to Council by staff at a future date.
c)
Supporting Smart
Growth
1. No items
d)
Regional
Relationships/Funding/Policy
1. Update on State, Federal, and Local Legislative
Betsy Shotwell, Director of Intergovernmental Relations, stated that there has been a lot of activity since the report was written. She pointed out the reference to the federal transportation appropriations legislation, since the memo was written the final version of the transportation conference report contains $2 million for BART and the lobbyist said this was in an omnibus appropriation measure, which if not resolved by next Wednesday, December 10, 2003, would adjourn until January 2004. In Sacramento, the Director of Finance noted a $1.9 billion in cuts were coming. There have been various reports, totaling $530 million in transportation funds that have been cut. Due to the holidays, Betsy has not been able to get an update; we are still on hold on how the legislator is going to respond to all the issues.
Upon a motion of Vice Chair LeZotte, seconded by Councilmember Chavez
the Committee approved the report.
Hans Larsen, Deputy Director, Department of Transportation, gave a PowerPoint presentation on the VTP 2030. He reviewed the background, City goals, selection criteria for City priorities, transit priorities (10-year plan), highway priorities (10-year plan), and other related policy issues. He explained that attachment A of the report has 140 candidate projects, which is essentially our 25-year plan, attachment B whittles it down into 29 projects – 8 transit projects and 21 highway projects that represent the 10-year plan priorities, attachment C shows the project locations, and attachment D is specific responses to comments that were received from Committee members and the full City Council. Hans concluded the presentation by stating that the amounts of money that are allocated by the VTA in these categories and how well they align with the City’s priorities will be an important policy consideration as the plan is concluded and wrapped up.
Chair Cortese asked how the bike / pedestrian projects get into our priority list. Hans answered by stating that some of the things that has driven the recommendations correspond to project readiness, some of the creek trail corridors that have completed master plans and some work that has been done, those would be easy choices in terms of continuing a investment that we have already made.
Chair Cortese then asked what is the process linkage like a community driven project, and how does that get on the DOT radar? Hans answered that we partner with Parks, Recreation, and Neighborhood Services (PRNS), and they are really the lead on the trail corridors. In terms of other bike / pedestrian improvements we do have an item on the workplan on the next cycle we will be taking a look at our priorities for Transportation Development Act (TDA) grants (which is a bike / pedestrian program).
Jim Helmer interjected that we do have a Bike / Pedestrian Advisory Committee, 11 members, and they are our community sounding board for bike / pedestrian connections and removing barriers. As items come forward through the course of the year from the community we would agendize those ideas at the Bike / Pedestrian Advisory Committee, and each year they make a recommendation to the Planning Department for the General Plan Amendment. The TDA funds that come in are our regional funds to do bike / pedestrian improvements are brought before Council and the Bike / Pedestrian Advisory Committee for input.
Jim Helmer stated that in reference to Vice Chair LeZotte’s concern about the Lawrence / Bollinger Road improvements there was a safe route to school grant that the County received this year, was at that location and included the “Mitty” connection. Hans stated that the work on Lawrence does include widening operation improvements and bike paths, that is the recommended scope for the near term plan. Jim Helmer volunteered to check into Vice Chair LeZotte’s concerns and get back to her.
Councilmember Williams asked in regards to the pedestrian cross over that we are recommending on Blossom Hill Road, is that considered a safety hazard and given a priority? Are there funds for expedition of safety issues? Hans stated that the safety issues that are out there have been the key considerations of elevating that as a recommended priority. Given the cost of the improvements there ($4 million) our best opportunity to generate those kind of dollars would be through some regional program. Keeping it on the VTP 2030 plan and then working with various regional funding sources is our best chance at getting it funded.
Councilmember Williams also asked Coyote / Los Alamitos creek trail that is on the General Plan, is not seen on the attachments in the report, is it below the radar screen due to the study that is going on? Hans assured us that this would be an important part of the Coyote specific plan to include the trail connection mentioned by Councilmember Williams.
Upon a motion of
Councilmember Williams, seconded by Vice Chair LeZotte the Committee accepted the report with
direction to staff to submit a final VTP 2030 plan to Council at the December
16, 2003 Council Meeting.
e)
Oral petitions
None
f)
Adjournment
The Committee was adjourned
at 2:48 pm
Councilmember Dave Cortese, Chair,
Building Better Transportation Committee