Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority 2013 PROGRESS REPORT

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1 VTA looks to the future and is ready to keep Silicon Valley moving forward. Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority 2013 PROGRESS REPORT nyone who has run a relay race knows the importance of making a smooth baton pass. Mess this up, and kiss the prize goodbye. Timing is key. So is keeping your eyes forward. Above all, run through the pass, never slow down in the exchange. And so it is with the transition of leadership at a large agency like VTA. To win our race of delivering an outstanding public transportation system, we have to keep our eyes forward and maintain our momentum. Over the last eight years, Michael Burns has led the agency through an extremely difficult national recession. Through innovation, hard choices, and sacrifices by staff, VTA has been able to end each of the last four years with a positive operating budget and has made substantial progress in advancing an ambitious capital program. VTA secured funding for the first phase of construction of the BART Silicon Valley Project, and entered into the New Starts funding process for our new Bus Rapid Transit Program. VTA opened the first segment of our Express Lanes Project, which has been a great success and was awarded Project of the Year by the California Transportation Foundation (CTF). VTA made substantial progress on the 280/880/Stevens Creek interchange project, and will be completing the 101/Yerba Buena interchange in early Looking ahead, there is still much that we have promised to the residents and businesses in our county. In addition to the new bus rapid transit system, VTA will be implementing a number of light rail system improvements to reduce travel times along our busiest transit corridors. We continue to work on bringing BART to San Jose to connect with Caltrain, and other regional rail to serve major employment centers. We will also advance several highway projects and expansion of Express Lanes to improve freeway efficiency and better serve our booming economy. To deliver on these promises, we must keep our momentum and not be deterred by challenges or temporary setbacks. We have all heard about the challenges we face for funding transportation and infrastructure projects in the state, as well as nationally. Nevertheless, this investment is essential for the health of our economy, and our quality of life in Santa Clara County. Above all, run through the pass, never slow down in the exchange. VTA will continue to advance our projects and seek the necessary funding to deliver on our promises to our community, to keep our valley moving forward. We thank you for your continued support, and welcome your feedback and suggestions for how we can work together to build an outstanding public transportation system. Be safe, Nuria I. Fernandez, General Manager Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority

2 Silicon Valley Express Lanes Program Expands The Silicon Valley Express Lanes Program is adding new lanes and converting existing carpool lanes to toll lanes to give solo drivers the option to pay to use the carpool lane. This option takes advantage of unused capacity in the carpool lanes, freeing up space for traffic in all lanes to move more smoothly. Revenue from the program is reinvested in the corridors to maintain and operate the roadways and provide other improvements. VTA has installed a successful Express Lane on SR 237, which was awarded the Project of the Year by the Institute of Transportation Engineers (San Francisco Bay Area Section) in January and the California Project of the Year for 2012 by the California Transportation Foundation in May. The one millionth toll-paying customer used the SR 237 Express Lane on November 13. VTA plans to install Express Lanes on U.S. 101 and SR 85. The draft environmental document for the SR 85 Express Lanes was released for public review at the end of December Operation Summary (ending Fiscal Year 2013 versus Fiscal Year 2012): Ridership (system) up 2% Bus Express ridership up 21% LR Express ridership up 11% Percent scheduled service provided: 99.73% Highest recorded in any fiscal year in VTA history Miles between mechanical failure with service loss: 13,110 Highest recorded in any fiscal year in VTA history Light Rail 25th Anniversary VTA is celebrating the 25th anniversary of light rail transit service in Santa Clara County. What started with nine miles of track has grown to 42 miles and 62 stations that serve on average 35,000 riders each weekday. New, Expanded Downtown Customer Service Center VTA moved its Downtown Customer Service Center to a new location that s over twice as large as the previous site and has enabled VTA to bring enhanced services to the public. The new 6,000 square foot facility is located at 55-A West Santa Clara Street. The light rail system was also the first in the nation to offer 4G Wi-Fi to riders, making the commute more productive for Silicon Valley workers. VTA is intent on making this great service even better with upcoming projects to improve speed and access. It offers space for stakeholders to meet with Community Outreach staff about downtown San Jose transportation projects like bus rapid transit and the future phase of the BART Silicon Valley extension. Customers and project stakeholders will also find displays about VTA history and projects, including a large 80-inch monitor playing videos and other multimedia. Fare inspectors and VTA security personnel have offices in the building, bringing them into the heart of the busy downtown transit corridor.

3 FY 2013 Financial Picture The data below reflects the Fiscal Year 2013 (July 1, 2012 through June 30, 2013) actual revenues and expenditures for the VTA Transit Operating Fund. Financial Highlights: Fourth consecutive year of positive operating balance (revenues over expenditures) Deposited $20.7 million reserve balance to the retiree medical benefit trust in order to reduce unfunded liability Seventeenth consecutive year of receiving the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting for the VTA Comprehensive Annual Financial Report from the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada. Operating Revenue Sources Operating Expenses (Before Reimbursements)* Passenger Fares $38.3M 1976 Half-Cent Sales Tax $176.7M Transportation Development Act (TDA) $86.3M 2000 Measure A Sales Tax- Operating Asst. $32.6M State Transit Assistance (STA) $14.9M Federal Operating Grants $28.3M Other Revenue $18.7M Bus & Light Rail Operations $262.7M ADA Paratransit Operations $18.8M Debt Service $19.5M Commuter Rail and Other Contracted Services $20.6M General Administration $29.5M Fiscal Resources $13.6M External Affairs $8.6M *Note: This chart does not reflect Engineering & Construction, Congestion Management, or SVRT Division expenses which are funded through capital programs, grants, federal, state, local and other funds. U.S. 101 Improvements Project Capitol Expressway to Yerba Buena Interchange VTA has been working this year to reduce traffic congestion and improve safety along U.S. 101 between Capitol Expressway and Yerba Buena Road, and is expected to be finished in early The improvements include eliminating traffic bottlenecks and removing merging and weaving conflicts as well as landscaping the two interchanges. Some of the improvements include: A separate Yerba Buena Road off-ramp from southbound U.S. 101 The addition of a southbound U.S. 101 auxiliary lane between Capitol Expressway and Yerba Buena Road Modification of the Capitol Expressway Interchange from full cloverleaf to partial cloverleaf Extension of the fifth southbound lane from north of Capitol Expressway to south of Yerba Buena Road I-280/I-880/Stevens Creek Boulevard Project VTA is working on enhancements to the I-280/I-880/Stevens Creek Boulevard interchanges to improve safety and traffic flow on the freeways and local roadways. Construction began in late fall 2012 and VTA expects to complete the project in early A new direct connector flyover ramp from northbound I-280 to northbound I-880 and a reconfigured northbound I-280 off-ramp to Stevens Creek Boulevard will separate freeway-to-freeway traffic from local traffic. Additionally, VTA is reconfiguring the existing I-880/Stevens Creek Boulevard interchange to improve traffic flow with wider and realigned ramps. The Stevens Creek Boulevard bridge across I-880 will be widened, improving intersections and providing enhanced access for pedestrians and bicyclists. Finally, a new ramp will give direct access from southbound I-880 to northbound Monroe Avenue. Visit vta.org/280880stevenscreek for more information about the project, including a video and maps.

4 Light Rail Efficiency Project Improvements include: Pocket track and double crossover in Santa Clara near the new Levi s Stadium, facilitating extra trains to serve stadium events and supports light rail connections to BART at the future Milpitas Station (Construction is scheduled to begin early 2014) To support an increasing population, the opening of the San Francisco 49ers Levi s Stadium, and the extension of BART service to Silicon Valley, VTA is making a number of capital improvements and service changes to its light rail service. When it s completed, the Light Rail Efficiency Project is expected to cut riders travel time by up to 30 percent on many trips. For more information visit vta.org/lrteff. Double tracking the Mountain View single-track segment, helping VTA achieve improved headways and increasing train availability when BART Silicon Valley service starts (Construction is scheduled to begin September 2014 and continue through late 2015) System-wide speed and reliability improvements (Construction of transit signal priority improvements is scheduled to begin May 2014) San Jose track improvements (Currently being studied) VTA Upgrades Website & Social Media Presence Real-Time Information Has Arrived! VTA launched a suite of real-time information tools to improve the transit experience of VTA customers. The tools allow customers to find out when their next bus or light rail train will arrive, allowing them to make their travel plans accordingly. The tools have been welcomed enthusiastically and usage is on the rise as we continue to test and improve the system. Customers can access real-time arrival information using smartphone apps, through the 511 phone and text systems, mobile device browsers or desktop browsers. Real-time arrivals will soon be displayed on LED signs at major bus transit centers, including Great Mall/Main and I-880/Milpitas. Visit vta.org/transitlive for more information. VTA launched a new interactive website, vta.org, in December 2013 to offer customers and stakeholders more opportunities to engage and collaborate with VTA. The new website allows us to easily publish news and updates with photos, graphics and videos about the topics that matter most to our community. It serves as a hub for discussions, community input, and information about VTA projects and programs, fostering a two-way conversation between VTA and the public. Our social media presence has expanded as well. VTA is now engaging and sharing information on Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, LinkedIn, Flickr, Google Plus, and Instagram. Our customers have expressed appreciation for VTA working to meet their desire for timely updates about transit services and projects. In 2014, we will continue to gather ideas and feedback from the public about ways to further improve our website, social media and other electronic communications. We hope you will check out VTA s new presence online and through social media, and let us know what you think!

5 BART Silicon Valley Future Berryessa station Future Milpitas station Significant progress was achieved on both design and construction for the 10-mile, two station BART Silicon Valley Berryessa Extension Project. As Design Build Contractor Skanska-Shimmick- Herzog (SSH), a Joint Venture approaches the two-year construction mark, project activities are highly visible at both of the future station areas, and all along the 10-mile corridor. Project accomplishments in 2013 included: Milpitas Milpitas Station site preparation including utility relocations, building demolition and trench work for trains and station area. Significant progress to build street-level bridges for Montague Expressway and Capitol Avenue to pass over BART trains which will run in a trench below ground. Construction of a critical retaining wall for the Union Pacific Railroad and a railroad bridge for freight trains to cross over the future BART system. San Jose Completion of Upper Penitencia Creek Realignment and Restoration and the Alum Rock Fish Passage projects, both required environmental mitigations related to the project. Near completion of the expansive bridge for the new roadway that will traverse Berryessa Station. Completion of columns and initial framework for the station foundation and columns for elevated track structure that will pass through the station and over Berryessa and Mabury roads. Fremont Full completion of new freight and substantial completion of BART bridges that will span a widened Mission Boulevard and bridge Warren Avenue. Completion of the Kato Road Grade Separation, one of 11 to be built for the project in order to separate auto, pedestrian and rail traffic. In 2014, anticipated milestones include: Completion of grade separation work at Capitol Avenue and Montague Expressway in Milpitas, as well as at Hostetter Road in San Jose; the commencement of grade separation work at the Sierra Road/Lundy Avenue intersection and Trade Zone Boulevard in San Jose and Dixon Landing Road in Milpitas; and the reopening of Warren Avenue in southern Fremont. Also in 2014, both state and federal environmental analysis will commence for the next phase of BART Silicon Valley. During this 24-month analysis, the project definition and funding strategies will be defined. Capitol Expressway Light Rail Project: Eastridge Transit Center As part of a series of transit improvements to the Capitol Expressway corridor, VTA is reconstructing the Eastridge Transit Center to provide better access to existing bus service and prepare the corridor for future transit service upgrades. The Eastridge Transit Center is VTA s most heavily used transit center, serving over ten bus lines. By fall 2015, the newly reconstructed Eastridge Transit Center will boast additional bus bays, a new central walkway and pedestrian plaza, a bike/pedestrian path, new landscaping, and all new shelters with updated lighting and real time information signage. The Capitol Expressway Transit Improvement Project s final phase plans to extend light rail from the existing Alum Rock Light Rail Station to the Eastridge Transit Center, pending future funding.

6 2013 VTA Board of Directors Joe Pirzynski Chairperson, Town of Los Gatos Ash Kalra Vice Chairperson, Xavier Campos Rose Herrera Sam Liccardo Donald Rocha Johnny Khamis Alternate, Margaret Abe-Koga City of Mountain View Gail A. Price Alternate, City of Palo Alto Chuck Page Alternate, City of Saratoga Perry Woodward City of Gilroy Larry Carr Alternate, City of Morgan Hill VTA Bus Rapid Transit Program VTA and partner cities are planning a bus rapid transit (BRT) network in three corridors Santa Clara-Alum Rock, El Camino Real, and Stevens Creek Boulevard to support existing demand and prepare for future population and business growth. BRT is an enhanced bus system that provides faster, more frequent service, and increased passenger amenities through improvements to existing streets, stations and traffic signals. BRT provides the flexibility of buses with the efficiency of rail. For more information visit vta.org/brtprogram. Santa Clara-Alum Rock BRT will provide limited-stop rapid transit service from the Eastridge Transit Center to the Arena Station in downtown San Jose, with service planned to begin in late El Camino Real BRT will upgrade the current Rapid 522 bus service from Palo Alto to downtown San Jose, with service starting in Stevens Creek BRT would provide a rapid transit service from De Anza College to the Transit Mall in downtown San Jose, with service estimated to begin in Jose Esteves City of Milpitas Jamie Matthews City of Santa Clara David Whittum Alternate, City of Sunnyvale Cindy Chavez County of Santa Clara Ken Yeager County of Santa Clara Dave Cortese Alternate, County of Santa Clara Board of Directors board.secretary@vta.org VTA and Partners Launch Bay Area Bike Share Seven hundred sea foam green bicycles hit the streets of the San Francisco Bay area in August as part of the regional Bay Area Bike Share Pilot Program, including 280 bikes in Santa Clara County. The program aims to make bicycles available for short trips to get people out of their cars and onto transit, help reduce traffic congestion, improve air quality and promote healthier living. VTA partnered with the Bay Area Air Quality Management District, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission and local partners to place the bikes and kiosks at popular destinations in San Jose, Mountain View and Palo Alto. Coming in 2014, 300 more bikes will be placed throughout the Bay Area to expand the popular program, which is the first regional bike share program of its kind. For more information, visit bayareabikeshare.com North First Street San Jose, CA (408) , TTY (408) Toll free (800) VTA Website: BART Silicon Valley Website: