HomeMy WebLinkAboutPW Transit Center Update PPTSan Rafael City Council –September 4th, 2018
Adam Dankberg, Kimley-Horn and Associates
Why a New Transit Center?
•The SMART extension to Larkspur will bisect the existing San
Rafael Transit Center (SRTC)
•The SRTC will operate in an interim condition until a
replacement transit center is constructed
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Initial San Rafael Transit Center Relocation Study (2017)
•Led by City of San Rafael in
partnership with transit agencies
and TAM
•Initial nine concepts with three
analyzed in detail
•No preferred concept selected
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Study Area
•Approximately half of
riders destined to
downtown San Rafael
•Over 500 bus trips a day
•Proximity to SMART
station
•Locations outside of this
area were explored as
part of Relocation Study
and eliminated
Project Process
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We are here
Project Schedule
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Development Process for Initial Transit Center
Concepts
•Identify sites that are capable of meeting the project
objectives and the transfer needs of patrons
•Assess bus routing and circulation that allows for bus
access/exit
•Delineate space for pedestrian and bicycle circulation
•Identify opportunities for amenities, urban design, and
placemaking components
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Minimum Facility Requirements
•17 Bus Bays
•Allow for expansion in capacity
•Passenger waiting facilities
•Customer service
•Public Restrooms
•Maintenance/operations
parking and staff restrooms
•Bike parking
•Signage/wayfinding
•Urban design elements
•Pick-up/drop-off curb space
for kiss and ride, taxi/TNC,
microtransit
•Small, complementary retail
•Security kiosk
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Other Site Selection
Considerations
9Source: Marin IJ
•Proximity to SMART
station
•Safety and Security
•Pedestrian accessibility
•Existing land uses and
structures
•Connectivity to origins
and destinations
•Bus circulation and
access/traffic
considerations
Community Outreach Process
•Community stakeholders initially raised concerns regarding
project development and concept selection processes; the project
team worked collaboratively to implement an open and
transparent process
•Four phases of public engagement
1.Listening (March 20th Open House & March Survey)
2.Input on Specific Concepts (June 12th Open House, Canal Outreach,
June/July Survey)
3.Identification of Alternative(s) for Environmental Analysis (October)
4.Share Findings of Environmental Analysis (2019)
1 2 4
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3
Community Engagement –First Round
•Goals: Introduce project, reset community perceptions of process
•Open House held March 20th, 2018
•Approximately 75 attendees
•Online survey open March 20th through May 1st
•206 responses received
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Outreach Round 1 Findings from the Community
•Priorities:
1.Provide a safe transit center with enhanced waiting
areas
2.Improve pedestrian access to the transit center
3.Facilitate easy and short transfers between bus
routes, and between bus and train
4.Minimize impacts to surrounding vehicle traffic
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Takeaways from Initial Community and
Stakeholder Outreach
•Community appreciated starting fresh with new
concepts for a transit center
•Community placed emphasis on:
•Pedestrian access and circulation
•Safety and comfort of the facility
•Minimizing traffic impacts
•Ease of transfers
•Support expressed for the open and transparent
process
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Community Engagement –Second Round
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•Project team shared the four proposed
concepts and solicited feedback
•Feedback was received through various
avenues:
•Open House held June 12th, 2018 –
approximately 60 attendees
•Online survey open June 12th through
July 15th –187 responses
•Two pop-up events in the Canal
Neighborhood
•Letters received from community groups
•Received feedback that outreach and
dialogue was comprehensive and
valued
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Transit Center Concepts
Two-Story Concept
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Lower Level
Upper Level
Across the
Freeway
Concept
17
Whistlestop
Block Concept
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Additional area under
consideration for
transit center facilities
4th Street Gateway Concept
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Feedback from Second Round of Community
Outreach
•Two-Story Concept
•Largest negative response of any concept
•Positive feedback regarding concentration of activity on one
block
•Concerns about security, cost and aesthetics
•Across the Freeway Concept
•Second largest negative response
•Positive feedback for connecting east & west San Rafael and
use of underutilized space under freeway overpasses
•Concerns about increasing pedestrian activity across
Hetherton Street, security, and aesthetics of a transit center
under the freeway
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Feedback from Second Round of Community
Outreach
•Whistlestop Block Concept
•Generally received most favorable reaction of any concept
•Positive feedback that activity is mostly on one block and
opportunities for integration of Whistlestop building
•Concerns about presence of 3 curbside bus bays on 3rd Street
•4th Street Gateway Concept
•Generally received second-most favorable reaction
•Positive feedback about opportunities for public spaces and
efficiency of bus operations
•Concerns about traffic impacts and removal of right-turns
onto 4th Street from Hetherton
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Feedback from Transit Operators
•Two-Story concept not conducive to efficient bus
operations due to ramp configuration
•Across the Freeway concept is inefficient and
difficult for bus operations
•Whistlestop Block and 4th Street Gateway concepts
are most effective for bus operations and merit
further evaluation
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Next Steps
•Refinement of transit center concepts per June/July
community & stakeholder feedback
•Meet with GMs and Policy Leaders during
September
•Select concept(s) to carry forward into
environmental process
•Prepare notice of preparation (NOP) as part of
CEQA process
•Scoping meeting/community meeting expected in
October
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