Palo Alto Community Transit Study. Final Report May 2008

Transcription

1 Palo Alto Community Transit Study Final Report May 2008

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3 Table of Contents PAGE Chapter 1. Introduction Chapter 2. Existing Conditions Overview of Existing Transit Network History of Transit Services in Palo Alto Evaluation of Existing Bus Routes Market Analysis COA Bus Service Operating Plan Chapter 3. Study Process Chapter 4. Development of Service Alternatives Development of Alternatives Descriptions of Final Alternatives Ridership Assessment Chapter 5. Conclusions and Next Steps Recommendations Issues for Future Study Chapter 6. Marketing Plan Appendix A: Other Concepts under Consideration Appendix B: Service Hour Comparison Appendix C. Ridership Assessment Memorandum Page i Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates Inc.

4 Table of Figures Figure 2-1 Map of Existing Transit Services in the City of Palo Alto Figure 2-2 Details of Existing Transit Services in the City of Palo Alto Figure Map of Transit Services in the City of Palo Alto Figure 2-4 Productivity of Palo Alto Transit Routes Figure 2-5 Financial Performance of Palo Alto Transit Routes Figure 2-6 Express Route Average Peak Load Factors and Subsidies Per Boarding Figure 2-7 Transit Competitive Destinations Figure 2-8 Transit Competitive Origins Figure 2-9 VTA Bus and Light Rail Fares Figure 3-1 Organizational Structure of the Palo Alto Community Transit Study Figure 3-2 Palo Alto Community Transit Study Meetings Figure 4-1 Map of July 2008 Recommendation Figure 4-2 Map of Alternative Concept Figure 4-3 Map of Alternative Concept Figure A-1 Map of Concept I...2 Figure A-2 Map of Concept II...3 Figure A-3 Map of Concept III...4 Figure A-4 Map of Concept IV...5 Figure A-5 Map of Concept V...6 Figure A-6 Map of Concept I-B...7 Figure A-7 Map of Shared Crosstown Concept...8 Figure A-8 Map of Independent Midtown Concept...9 Figure C-1 Definition of Places in Palo Alto...2 Figure C-2 Evaluation of Alternatives...3 PAGE Page ii Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates Inc.

5 Acknowledgements Project Study Team VTA Ying Smith, Senior Transportation Planner Kevin Connolly, Transportation Planning Manager Bill Capps, Manager of Service and Operations Planning Kermit Cuff, Transportation Service Development Specialist Gail Collins, Senior Transportation Planner Marketing John Ristow, Chief CMA Officer City of Palo Alto Gayle Likens, Transportation Manager Stanford University Brodie Hamilton, Director of Parking and Transportation Services Angus Davol, Transportation Demand Management Coordinator Karen Moscone, Transportation Operations Supervisor Caltrain/SamTrans Ted Yurek, Senior Planner Consultants Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates Jeffrey Tumlin, Project Manager Tim Payne, Deputy Project Manager Jessica ter Schure, Deputy Project Manager Steve Boland, Associate Planner Cambridge Systematics Andrew Tang, Senior Associate

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7 Chapter 1. Introduction In August 2007 the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) Board of Directors adopted a new Bus Service Operating Plan. The Plan was a product of the Comprehensive Operations Analysis (COA), an 18-month effort to develop a transit investment policy, evaluate market opportunities and identify improvements to VTA's bus transit network. The Bus Service Operating Plan went into effect January 14, At the time of the Plan s adoption, the Board further directed staff to work with the City of Palo Alto and return to the Transit Planning and Operations (TP&O) Committee with a recommendation encompassing all transit services in the City by December VTA and City of Palo Alto staff partnered with counterparts at Samtrans, Caltrain and the Stanford Marguerite shuttle to begin the Palo Alto Community Transit Study in September A consultant team consisting of Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates and Cambridge Systematics developed an in-depth market analysis, generated service alternatives and led public workshops. This report is the result of that process. It reviews the existing conditions, constraints, issues and opportunities related to transit service in the City of Palo Alto, provides an overview of the study process, describes preferred alternatives and how they were developed, and concludes with recommendations and next steps. Page 1-1 Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates Inc.

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9 Chapter 2. Existing Conditions Overview of Existing Transit Network Transit service in the City of Palo Alto is provided by multiple operators, including VTA, Caltrain, Samtrans, City of Palo Alto shuttles, and Stanford Marguerite shuttles. Figures 2-1 and 2-2 provide an overview of existing transit services in the City of Palo Alto. Figure 2-1 Map of Existing Transit Services in the City of Palo Alto Page 2-1 Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates Inc.

10 Figure 2-2 Details of Existing Transit Services in the City of Palo Alto Weekday Service Span Weekday Service Frequency Service Operator/ Funding Serves Regional Service Caltrain Operated by JPB 1 /VTA provides 4:57 AM - 15/30 Palo Alto Transit Center & partial funding 12:57 AM California Avenue Station Dumbarton AC Transit/ Consortium 2/ VTA 5:20 AM - 30/60 Stanford Research Park, Palo Express provides partial funding 8:50 PM Alto Transit Center VTA Core Network Routes Route 22 Operated and funded by VTA 24 hrs 12/12 Eastridge Transit Center - Palo Alto Route 522 Operated and funded by VTA 5:00 AM - 8:30 PM Local & Community Bus Routes Route 35 Operated and funded by VTA 6:00 AM - 10:00 PM Route 88 Operated and funded by VTA 6:00 AM - 7:00 PM Express Bus Route 101 Operated and funded by VTA 2 AM & 2 PM trips Route 102 Operated and funded by VTA 3 AM & 3 PM trips Route 103 Operated and funded by VTA 4 AM & 4 PM trips Route 104 Operated and funded by VTA 4 AM & 4 PM trips Route 182 Operated and funded by VTA 2 AM & 2 PM trips City of Palo Alto Shuttles Crosstown City of Palo Alto 7:05 AM - Shuttle 6:00 PM 15/15 Eastridge Transit Center - Palo Alto 30/30 Stanford Shopping Center - Mountain View Transit Center 60/60 Veteran's Hospital - San Antonio Transit Center 2 trips Camden & Hwy 85- Palo Alto 3 trips South San Jose - Palo Alto 4 trips Eastridge Transit Center - Palo Alto 4 trips Penitencia Creek Transit Center- Palo Alto 2 trips Palo Alto - IBM/ Bailey Ave 30 Palo Alto Transit Center - Main Library/Cultural Center Stevenson House (AM & PM service to Gunn H.S./VA Hospital) 1 The JPB determined a formula for the amount of subsidy required by each member for operating expenses, which is based on a five-year rolling average of the percentage of morning commute boardings occurring in each member county and is updated annually based on actual ridership counts. 2 Each member of the consortium, which includes AC Transit, BART, Union City Transit, Samtrans and VTA, pays a share of the net operating expense based on the origin and destination of the passengers as determined through a ridership survey. VTA's share of net operating expenses for FY 2008 is 41%. Page 2-2 Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates Inc.

11 Service Embarcadero Shuttle Operator/ Funding City of Palo Alto/ JPB, Bay Area Air Quality Management District provide partial funding Stanford (Marguerite) Shuttles Line A Operated by Stanford/ Funded by Stanford, City of Palo Alto, Partner Line B Line C Remaining Services Caltrain Shuttle Deer Creek Samtrans Route 280 Route 281 Route 390 Operated by Stanford/ Funded by Stanford, City of Palo Alto, Partner Operated by Stanford/ Funded by Stanford, City of Palo Alto, Partner Operated by Stanford/ Funded by Stanford, City of Palo Alto, Partner Operated by JPB / Bay Area Air Quality Management District, Hewlett Packard provide partial funding Operated and funded by Samtrans Operated and funded by Samtrans Operated and funded by Samtrans Weekday Service Span 6:51-9:48 AM 11:45 AM - 1:47 PM 3:05-6:51 PM 6:00 AM to 8:30 PM (except campus holidays) 6:00 AM - 8:30 PM (except campus holidays) 6:00 AM - 8:30 PM (except campus holidays) Weekday Service Frequency Serves Palo Alto Transit Center - Palo Alto H.S. - The Harbor 15 Palo Alto Transit Center, Stanford Shopping Center, Stanford Medical Center, the Main Quad, Rains Residences, and Escondido Village. 15 Palo Alto Transit Center, Town & Country Village, Tresidder, Stanford Medical Center, and Stanford Shopping Center. 30 Stanford Shopping Center, Stanford Medical Center, the Main Quad, Escondido Village, and California Ave Caltrain. Varies Varies 7 additional year-round and 2 school year-only routes serving the greater campus and Stanford Research Park areas, including the Research Park route and Route 1050A from Stanford Medical Center to 1050 Arastradero. 7:30-9:59 AM 3:38-7:06 PM 6:00 AM - 10:00 PM 6:30 AM - 9:51 PM 5:32 AM - 1:01 AM Meets Trains Palo Alto Transit Center - Stanford Research Park Caltrain Ave Caltrain - Stanford Research Park 30/60 Stanford Shopping Center, Palo Alto Transit Center, East Palo Alto, Ravenswood Shopping Center 30/60 Stanford Shopping Center, Palo Alto Caltrain Station, East Palo Alto, Onetta Harris Community Center 30 Daly City BART - Palo Alto Transit Center Page 2-3 Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates Inc.

12 Service Route KX Route RX Route 297 (All Nighter Service) Route 397 (All Nighter Service) East Palo Alto Shuttles East Palo Alto Community Shuttle East Palo Alto Senior Shuttle Operator/ Funding Operated and funded by Samtrans Operated and funded by Samtrans Operated and funded by Samtrans Operated and funded by Samtrans Weekday Service Span 5:06 AM - 11:38 PM 5:42 AM - 8:27 AM 3:45 PM - 6:47 PM 10:43 PM -2:20 AM 2:43 AM - 5:20 AM City of East Palo Alto/ Sponsors 5:30 AM - 9:15 AM 4:20 PM - 8:10 PM City of East Palo Alto/ Sponsors 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM (M-F) Weekday Service Frequency Serves 30 San Francisco - Stanford Research Park 30 San Francisco - Stanford Shopping Center 60 Redwood City Caltrain - Palo Alto Transit Center 60 Redwood City Caltrain - Palo Alto Transit Center 4 AM/ 4 PM Trips Scheduled Stops East Palo Alto - Palo Alto Transit Center East Palo Alto - Senior Center - Downtown Palo Alto - Medical Center Page 2-4 Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates Inc.

13 History of Transit Services in Palo Alto Until joining the precursor to VTA, the Santa Clara Country Transit District, Palo Alto like most communities on the Peninsula had its own transit agency. The service was operated by the Palo Alto Division of Peninsula Transit Lines, and the routing consisted of five to six lines covering most of Palo Alto, plus portions of East Palo Alto and Menlo Park. All of the routes started from the downtown train station and headed out in loops serving the Research Park (Line 1); Stanford Shopping Center, Medical Center and University (Line 2); East Palo Alto and Belle Haven (Line 3); Willow Road and the Menlo Park Veterans Hospital (Line 4); and the Middlefield and Louis corridors out to San Antonio Road (Line 6). Each of the routes generally ran every half hour on weekdays and hourly on weekends. Because the routes only overlapped in the downtown, no neighborhood got better than half-hourly service. The adult fare in 1966 was 25 cents or about $1.55 in 2007 dollars using the Consumer Price Index. When the Santa Clara County Transit District took over in the 1970s, it streamlined Peninsula Transit s awkward routing system and better connected Palo Alto to other communities in Santa Clara County (see Figure 2-3, next page). Over the last three decades, as the county has urbanized and automobile usage increased, transit s share of the overall travel market has declined. Political pressures to provide service to all parts of Santa Clara County without an increase in operating funds placed further strain on VTA s ability to maintain service levels. As a result, VTA has had to reduce service throughout the county, including in Palo Alto. Stanford University has operated its own shuttle system, the Marguerite, since Named after the horse that drew the private carriage connecting Leland Stanford s new Main Quad with the Palo Alto station, the Marguerite was completely rerouted and rescheduled as part of a major planning effort in Today, Stanford provides shuttle services for the University and University-owned property as part of the general use permit negotiated between the City and University. The City of Palo Alto instituted its own shuttle service in 1999 as a pilot program, and permanently in The two routes established at that time the Crosstown and Embarcadero remain in service today. Page 2-5 Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates Inc.

14 Figure Map of Transit Services in the City of Palo Alto Page 2-6 Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates Inc.

15 Evaluation of Existing Bus Routes Data collected during the Comprehensive Operations Analysis, as well as VTA productivity standards adopted as part of the COA, informed an initial assessment by the Project Team of the cost-effectiveness of VTA routes in the City of Palo Alto. Transit services provided by other operators were also evaluated. The primary criterion used in the analysis was passenger boardings per revenue service hour, as this is the primary performance measure applied by VTA to Local and Community Bus bus services. Express Bus uses a different primary standard, average peak load factor, due to the unique characteristics of the service. The current standard for: Core routes, including routes 22 and 522, is 27 boardings per hour Local routes, including Route 35, is 18 boardings per hour Community bus routes, including Route 88, is 15 boardings per hour Express Bus is 60% average peak load factor In addition, the measure of subsidy per boarding was considered to evaluate financial performance of each route. Further details of VTA performance standards can be found in the VTA Short Range Transit Plan. Figures 2-4 and 2-5 display boardings per revenue hour and perpassenger subsidies for VTA and City of Palo Alto routes. Page 2-7 Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates Inc.

16 Figure 2-4 Productivity of Palo Alto Transit Routes 3 Figure 2-5 Financial Performance of Palo Alto Transit Routes 4 3 City of Palo Alto data collected July 2003-May VTA data collected January-June All figures are weekdays only. 4 VTA s preferred measure of financial performance is farebox recovery. However, as City of Palo Alto shuttles do not charge a fare, it is impossible to compare VTA and Palo Alto services on this basis. Page 2-8 Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates Inc.

17 VTA Routes Routes 22 and 522. Solid performers. Because El Camino is one of the densest corridors in the county and serves a variety of destinations that generate high ridership, routes 22 and 522 meet VTA s performance criteria. Route 35. A borderline performer. COA changes to the southernmost segment of the route (see COA Bus Service Operating Plan later in this chapter) in Mountain View are expected to improve overall performance. The route provides important connectivity between Palo Alto and Mountain View. Route 88. Performance does not meet VTA standards. The subsidy per boarding is $13.11 and the number of passengers per revenue hour is 14. The route serves several distinct, though not quite competitive markets. It has a strong anchor at the Palo Alto Transit Center (Downtown Palo Alto/University Avenue Caltrain Station) yet its performance at that location is lackluster. Strong markets for the current route are: California Avenue Caltrain Station to Palo Alto Veterans Administration (VA) Medical Center; and Gunn High School to just past the school attendance boundary. Together these two markets comprise more than 75 percent of the route s daily ridership. Express Routes 101, 102, 103, 104. Performance does not meet VTA standards. The service design guidelines use average peak load factor, or percentage of occupied seats during the peak periods, as a measurement standard for Express Bus services. The standard for new Express services is 60% average peak load factor. Subsidies per boarding is another measure that highlights the significant cost of providing this type of service, even when it is well utilized. Figure 2.6 presents both the peak hour load factor and subsidy per boarding for VTA Express services operating in Palo Alto. Figure 2-6 Express Route Average Peak Load Factors and Subsidies Per Boarding Route Average Peak Load Factor Subsidy per Boarding VTA % $20.48 VTA % $12.88 VTA % $19.24 VTA % $21.76 VTA % $8.83 Non-VTA Services Stanford Marguerite Shuttles. The Stanford University shuttle system is free to all users and provides important community and intra-campus connectivity. With its cap on peak period motor vehicle trips, Stanford University, Stanford Medical Center and the Stanford Research Park will generate more transit ridership as growth continues, particularly at the Medical Center and Research Park, with expected improvements to the shuttle system. Page 2-9 Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates Inc.

18 For the period between September 2006 and August 2007, the Marguerite system claimed 1,325,000 annual boardings, an increase of 8.2 percent over the previous year. City of Palo Alto Shuttles. The municipal system provides important connectivity in the community, particularly for all three public middle schools and Gunn High School. The two largest market sectors are seniors and students, with students accounting for more than half of the shuttle market and seniors making up about one-third. Palo Alto shuttles also provide important access to community services and regional transportation options. The Crosstown Shuttle provides important access for Terman Middle School and Gunn High School. The route also serves a significant population of seniors, connecting them to a variety of community services. Due to a lack of capacity of the vehicles, the shuttle sometimes can t accommodate all the passengers traveling to Gunn. In addition, the Gunn attendance schedule does not lend itself to a twice-daily fixed schedule service. Therefore, VTA runs a supplemental school tripper to accommodate bell times. The Embarcadero Shuttle appears to have developed a market combining significant school ridership, community access, and some employment access. Samtrans Routes. Samtrans, the San Mateo Country transit operator, provides transit service to downtown Palo Alto and East Palo Alto. Samtrans also provides high frequency service along El Camino north of Palo Alto and express service into the Stanford Research Park. These services will most likely continue to address these markets without impacts from this study. Dumbarton Express. A joint venture between SamTrans, AC Transit and VTA with additional funding from Stanford University operates all day Express Bus services between Fremont, Union City and Palo Alto and the Stanford University campus. Additionally, a number of noteworthy issues related to existing service were identified early in the study: Palo Alto Shuttle/VTA coordination. Where VTA lines and the free Palo Alto Shuttle serve the same corridors, it is important that they appear seamless from a customer s perspective. Due to different fare structures between VTA service and City Shuttles, VTA does not compete well with an equivalent free service. In order for two services to perform well in the same corridors, there should be no difference in fares. Research Park connections. As Caltrain has emphasized service to the downtown Palo Alto station and de-emphasized California Avenue, it has become more important for Research Park shuttles to shift toward downtown. Similarly, as individual development agreements and employer programs have increased the number of shuttles serving the Research Park, coordination among the various shuttles and VTA lines becomes more important. Express Bus routes The express buses to the Research Park are among the least productive in VTA s system. In addition, the high operating cost also contributes to the high subsidy of these routes. Several concerns regarding the cost effectiveness of the Express Service to the Stanford Research Park were raised. VTA will soon be developing an Express Bus Business Plan that will explore issues such as vehicles, routes, fares and marketing for existing and potential express bus services. Stanford Medical Center. Neither VTA nor Samtrans serves the Stanford Medical Center. Instead, passengers must transfer to the Marguerite Shuttle, which runs on Page 2-10 Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates Inc.

19 weekdays only. Currently the Stanford Medical Center does not have the capacity to accommodate additional buses or bus layover. Jewish Community Center. A new, expanded Jewish Community Center (JCC) will open in 2009 near the corner of Fabian and Charleston. Connecting the new center into the City s transit system is challenging at this location, since it requires a trade-off between serving the new campus and the City s existing community facilities in the block that includes Mitchell Library, JLS Middle School, Stevenson House and other transitintensive uses. The site design of the Center is not necessarily accessible by transit and the transit potential based on the use is unknown. No shuttles were required as part of the JCC s development approval. Seamless service. Because of its location at the intersection of two counties, Palo Alto is currently served by eight different public transit operators (VTA, Samtrans, Caltrain, Marguerite, Dumbarton Express, East Palo Alto Shuttle, Palo Alto Shuttle, Caltrain Shuttle), each with different fare policies, marketing programs, branding, stop configurations and other details. In any recommendation, confusion should be minimized for riders. Brand value. Both the Palo Alto Shuttle and Stanford Marguerite have high brand value. Riders are able to distinguish between them and regular VTA or SamTrans buses and have a positive view of their service. However, the community meetings revealed that transit passengers may not be aware that these services are open to all. Palo Alto Transit Center Capacity. The Downtown Palo Alto Transit Center has a substantial level of service and is the focal point of rail-bus and bus-bus transfer activity. While VTA and SamTrans services connect to each other well at the transit center, connections to the Stanford Marguerite and Palo Alto shuttles are poor due to a lack of capacity within the bus terminal. Marguerite shuttles stop on the University Avenue overpass out of view of other buses. Similarly, Palo Alto shuttles stop at the corner of Lytton and Alma, across the tracks from and out of view of other buses and shuttles. The difficult pedestrian connection to Downtown may also be perceived as an inconvenient barrier by many choice travelers. Page 2-11 Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates Inc.

20 Market Analysis A market analysis building on the work completed as part of the COA was developed for Palo Alto to determine the market for transit services in the City. The analysis found that there are several locations and corridors that would qualify as transit competitive because of the level of congestion, density of development and quantity of transit amenable travelers. However, the analysis found that the most competitive locations are well served by existing services. The market analysis is documented in a separate report. The key findings are summarized in this section. Figures 2-7 and 2-8 illustrate transit competitive destinations and origins within the City of Palo Alto. Figure 2-7 Transit Competitive Destinations Transit Competitive Downtown Stanford Shopping Ctr PA Med Foundation, T&C Village Page 2-12 Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates Inc.

21 Figure 2-8 Transit Competitive Origins Transit Competitive Stanford Shopping Ctr Downtown Stanford Med Ctr, Clinics Sheraton, Westin Hotels Stanford Western Residences Stanford Escondido Village Southern El Camino West of Caltrain. Areas to the west of the Caltrain tracks experience a rich level of service mainly by the Stanford Marguerite Shuttle but also on El Camino Real via VTA Line 22 and 522 Rapid services. In addition, Samtrans services from San Mateo County go to both the Palo Alto Transit Center and the Stanford Research Park. There are strong origin and destination markets on the El Camino Real corridor, especially south of Downtown Palo Alto. Close to 40 percent of work trips destined for Palo Alto originate south of the City, with San Jose accounting for the largest portion at 14 percent. East of Caltrain. East of the Caltrain line, Downtown Palo Alto is a highly competitive transit market, with a transit competitive factor rating of 149, compared to the County average of 56. While Downtown has a substantial level of service nearby at the Palo Alto Transit Center and Caltrain Station, the difficult pedestrian connection to Downtown may be perceived as an inconvenient barrier by many choice travelers. A modest transit market east of the Caltrain tracks headed to downtown Palo Alto is centered on the Page 2-13 Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates Inc.

22 Middlefield corridor and links the cities of Palo Alto and Mountain View. This corridor is currently well served by VTA Line 35, which will undergo improvements in routing as part of the COA in January Stanford Research Park. Despite its nearly 11,000 jobs, the Stanford Research Park is not a competitive transit destination. The reasons for this are similar to the reasons other high tech employment areas such as the Golden Triangle, First Street or Moffett Park are not competitive transit markets: the abundance of free parking, a low-density, autooriented development pattern and the prevalence of Santa Clara County s most difficult market segments. These choice travelers prefer a high level of comfort and convenience, schedule flexibility and travel times competitive to the automobile. Nevertheless, a significant level of transit serves the Research Park, including Marguerite shuttles, VTA Express Buses 101, and 104, Samtrans KX Line and the Dumbarton Express Bus. The VTA Express Bus services are not strong performers and they were the subject of discussion by the project team early in the study. Eventually, it was decided that any solution to VTA Express Buses needed to be made countywide and that these services should be revisited when VTA develops its Express Bus Business Plan. South Palo Alto. South and east of Downtown there is a modest transit market centered around community facilities such as libraries, senior centers and schools. This area is currently served by the City s Crosstown Shuttle, Embarcadero Shuttle and the VTA Line 88. Because it was determined by the project team that the markets in the other parts of the city were already well served by existing or proposed services, this area became the focus of the Community Transit Study. Page 2-14 Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates Inc.

23 COA Bus Service Operating Plan On January 14, 2008, a number of changes to VTA bus service in Palo Alto were introduced as a result of the Comprehensive Operations Analysis. Most significantly, Route 88 was truncated and divided into two Community Bus routes: The new Route 88 no longer serves the California Avenue retail district, the California Avenue Caltrain station, Downtown Palo Alto, Channing Road or Louis Road corridors. Instead, it is now operating between the VA Medical Center and the San Antonio retail district and Caltrain Station in Mountain View via Arastradero and San Antonio Road. School service along Louis Road remains unchanged. It operates weekdays only on hourly headways. A new Route 89 is a peak-only service between the California Avenue Caltrain Station and the VA Medical Center via Stanford Research Park. It operates weekdays only on half-hourly headways. Introduced as part of the new Bus Service Operating Plan, Community Bus Service is a new concept in which VTA s larger 40-foot buses are replaced on local routes with smaller, more fuelefficient 25-passenger buses. Community buses are better able to circulate within local communities while serving downtown districts, schools, employment centers and other popular destinations. Community buses also charge reduced fares, as shown in Figure 2-9. Figure 2-9 VTA Bus and Light Rail Fares Cash Fare Single Ride Community Bus Single Ride Day Pass Adult $1.75 $1.00 $5.00 Express $3.50 n/a n/a Youth (5-17) $1.50 $0.50 $4.00 Youth (under 5) FREE FREE FREE Senior/Disabled $0.75 $0.50 $2.00 Page 2-15 Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates Inc.

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25 Chapter 3. Study Process The goal of the Palo Alto Community Transit Study was to evaluate all transit services in Palo Alto to determine whether a better coordinated arrangement among the many providers could be found. The VTA Transit Planning and Operations Committee asked that VTA staff return with results of the study and recommendations for modified or additional service provided a valid transportation need is identified by December The Community Transit Study consisted of two focus areas: the detailed market analysis described in the previous chapter, and a service analysis detailed in the following chapter. During the service analysis, a number of alternatives were considered and ultimately rejected. Maps and descriptions of these alternatives can be found in Appendix A. Figure 3-1 Organizational Structure of the Palo Alto Community Transit Study Palo Alto Community Transit Plan Workshop I Existing Conditions, Service Brainstorming Workshop II Service Alternatives, Marketing Ideas Workshop III Service Proposal, Marketing Plan City Council, VTA Board Service Plan, Marketing Plan Adoption Market Analysis Service Alternative Development Proposed Service Plan Data Collection Implementation Service Analysis Marketing Plan Development Proposed Marketing Plan Project Duration: 4 months Sep-Oct Oct-Nov Nov-Dec Page 3-1 Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates Inc.

26 The study approach, illustrated in Figure 3-1, was centered around three public workshops held in Palo Alto, along with presentations to the City Planning and Transportation Commission, City Council and the TP&O Committee. A Project Team made up of staff, consultants and community representatives met at Palo Alto City Hall throughout the study duration to share draft products and discuss study progress. The table below details the meetings that occurred throughout the course of the study. Figure 3-2 Palo Alto Community Transit Study Meetings No. Meeting Date 1 City-VTA Project Planning Meeting September 4, Team Meeting, Kick-off September 25, Team Meeting October 18, Public Workshop 1 October 23, Team Meeting November 6, Public Workshop 2 November 13, TP&O Status Report November 14, Team Meeting November 20, Mayor s Briefing November 29, Planning Commissioners Briefing December 11, Joint Public Workshop 3 & Planning Commission Meeting December 12, City Council Recommendation December 17, TP&O Recommendation December 20, VTA Board Action January 3, 2008 Page 3-2 Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates Inc.

27 Chapter 4. Development of Service Alternatives Development of Alternatives Initial Alternatives Using the market analysis findings and the input of the project team, the consultants led the first of three community workshops aimed at brainstorming ideas for an ideal routing in the South Palo Alto area. Several issues and challenges arose at the first workshop. These challenges became integral to future discussions at team meetings and subsequent workshops: Geography is a barrier in any routing scheme because there are limited crossings of the Caltrain tracks and some streets are not sufficient for the operation of full sized buses. Productivity of any new route will be necessary because of VTA s new Transit Sustainability Policy, which evaluates routes on performance every year. There is real concern from both city residents and VTA staff that any new VTA route put in place will attract riders and not be subject to elimination one to two years after implementation. School service, especially to Gunn High School, is extremely important to residents because it can provide a safe and reliable alternative for students and will help reduce localized congestion during peak periods. For local community service, schools are the highest ridership generator and can create bus capacity problems at peak. There is a strong desire for late afternoon and evening service to Gunn High School to accommodate students involved in extracurricular activities. The existing City Crosstown Shuttle service to Gunn does not have sufficient capacity to meet demand, especially at bell times. Overcrowding is a common concern. Connecting residential areas and community activity centers to downtown and the Downtown Caltrain station are very important. Of lesser importance are connections to San Antonio Transit Center, the California Avenue retail district and Caltrain Station and the Midtown retail district. Any service that integrates VTA and City shuttles needs to have a uniform fare. Overlapping service needs to be seamless in terms of cost and identity to the rider for a reasonable chance of success. This point led to other challenges: City shuttles cannot charge a fare. The vehicles are not equipped with fare boxes and Air District funding constraints prevent the imposition of a fare. VTA service can only be free if a third party (the City or other entity) would be willing to cover 25 percent of the line s operating costs, per the Transit Sustainability Policy. Service between the Stanford Research Park and Downtown Palo Alto oriented around the Caltrain Baby Bullet schedule will be improved in the coming months as the Stanford Marguerite Shuttle expands its service to major employers such as VMware. Page 4-1 Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates Inc.

28 VTA s proposed Community Bus 89 will likely suffer ridership losses as Stanford introduces a free alternative that connects to the more desirable train station. The project team, working with the consultants, produced an initial five route concepts for review and input by the public at the second workshop. Interim Alternatives After the public provided input, these alternatives expanded to include subsets and derivatives. In all, 12 separate service alternatives were considered and analyzed. The consultant provided analysis of each alternative by estimating the cost and number of buses needed to serve the new route along with the potential for attracting ridership. The alternatives could broadly be defined as fitting into two categories: 1) routes that preserved the City Crosstown Shuttle and introduced a revised version of VTA Community Bus Line 88, and 2) routes that attempted to integrate the operations of the City Crosstown Shuttle with a new VTA route connecting South Palo Alto to downtown. In both sets of alternatives, the team assumed that Community Bus Line 89, connecting the Stanford Research Park to the California Avenue Caltrain Station, would be replaced by a new service being planned by the Stanford Marguerite Shuttle. The public input received in the discussion of route alternatives indicated that the most important function of any transit service in the South Palo Alto area is to adequately serve the school commute. To do this, larger capacity buses would be needed to handle peak loads. In addition, parents expressed a strong desire to have regular service connecting to Gunn High School in the afternoon when after-school activities keep students until 5 to 6 p.m. The public and the project team both struggled with the concept of a service that integrated City and VTA operations. While most people recognized that the advantage of the service is a connection to downtown and other community facilities, the barriers to creating a uniform fare were significant. All recognized that a VTA service charging a fare competing with a free City Shuttle in the same market territory would not be functional. Finally, if a service that will stand independent of the City shuttles, oriented towards South Palo Alto and Midtown but not connecting to Downtown, is to succeed, it will need an anchor or connecting point to the larger transit network. As a result of these influences, the focus of the alternatives became to preserve the independence of VTA and City services. The challenge was to ensure that the school commute was adequately covered and that a connection to the larger transit network or route anchor could be identified. It was agreed that the City shuttles, while they are small enough to navigate tight turns, also suffer from a lack of capacity, which hampers their ability to meet demand. It was also agreed that for larger VTA vehicles to serve the market, they could not compete with an equivalent free service. As a result, the project team and public attending the workshops recognized the advantage of VTA replacing the City Shuttle in the Gunn commute market. Regarding an anchor for an independent service, all participants agreed that the San Antonio Transit Center was not as desirable an anchor for Palo Alto residents as other destinations within the City. The discussion then centered on the merits of the Midtown commercial area or the California Avenue retail district and Caltrain Station. The tradeoff between the two hinges on operational advantages. Because of the difficultly of crossing the Caltrain tracks, a California Avenue alignment requires more bus service resources resulting in less-frequent bus service. A Midtown alignment can be accomplished more efficiently and has the added advantage of serving Page 4-2 Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates Inc.

29 Jordan Middle School, reinforcing the desires of the public to place school commute considerations first. Descriptions of Final Alternatives Short descriptions and maps of alternatives that were not carried forward can be found in the Appendix. Following are the three alternatives recommended for implementation or further study. Common to all of these alternatives are one key assumption and a shared goal: The assumption was that Community Bus Route 89, a new service that operates during peak hours between the California Avenue Caltrain Station and VA Medical Center via the Stanford Research Park, would be replaced by an extension of the Stanford Marguerite Hanover shuttle planned for July The shuttle will operate between the Research Park and University Avenue Caltrain Station. As a free service, it would likely render Route 89 much less competitive and productive. The shared goal was improved service to schools, in particular Gunn High School. Enhanced service to schools was identified during outreach as a community priority for a number of reasons (see Initial Alternatives, Pg. 22). Page 4-3 Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates Inc.

30 July 2008 Recommendation ( Independent ) Figure 4-1 Map of July 2008 Recommendation Description A modified Community Bus Line 88 operates between the Midtown Area and Jordan Middle School on the east and Gunn High School and the VA Medical Center on the west. City shuttles are maintained, except for service to Gunn High School. The new service replaces all Crosstown Shuttle runs to Gunn High School with larger-capacity vehicles. Two branches of the main Route 88 are deployed to serve Gunn High School bell times. In addition, the main route serves Gunn High School all day, addressing the need for regular afternoon service, post bell time. Community Bus fare applies. The route features 30-minute peak and 60-minute mid-day frequencies, an improvement over the January 2008 Line 88 which has hourly service all day. There is no evening or weekend service. Page 4-4 Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates Inc.

31 Beginning in January 2008, Lines 88 and 89 require a total of 5,500 annual operating hours, while the July Recommendation will require 6,000 annual hours. By replacing City Crosstown service to Gunn High School, there is a resulting cost savings for the City. Calculations of service hours of different options are shown on Appendix B. Pros and Cons Pros Cons Connects Arastradero and Louis Road corridors to Route 35 and existing Crosstown Shuttle, thus providing connections to North and Downtown Palo Alto as well as San Antonio Caltrain without duplicating those services. Also serves site of future Jewish Community Center. Does not require City to buy down fare. Meets some residents' desire to contain the service within Palo Alto. 30-minute peak and 60 minute mid day headways are better than the COA Line 88 (60 minutes all day). Increases overall capacity of Gunn service and enables city to eliminate Gunn service, resulting in City cost savings. Increased school-oriented service would benefit students, improve ridership and be relatively productive. Does not provide one-seat ride to North/Downtown Palo Alto destinations or to Caltrain, or increased service in Crosstown Shuttle corridor. Midtown would be a less productive northern anchor than Downtown Palo Alto. Would not serve California Avenue Caltrain Station or businesses. Overall service is not as coordinated as other alternatives and will not be as productive. Would charge fare, while existing Crosstown Shuttle is free. This will continue the dual fare system by the two major operators, VTA and City of Palo Alto. Page 4-5 Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates Inc.

32 Alternative Concept 1 ( VTA Crosstown ) In addition to the recommended alternatives presented above, the Study Team developed concepts for more enhanced service that would require consolidation of VTA and City Shuttle services. These concepts envision VTA providing expanded service routes that replace the City Crosstown shuttle and providing larger capacity vehicles for the school commute. One version of the concept would also require the City to contribute to VTA s operating expense to make the service financial feasible and allow the free fare service provided by the Crosstown shuttle to be continued. Due to the level of complexity of the implementation issues still yet to be resolved, staff recommended that this level of service consolidation be considered at a later date following additional discussion with City of Palo Alto staff. Figure 4-2 Map of Alternative Concept 1 Description Replaces the City's Crosstown Shuttle with a VTA route, with modifications serving Fabian Way and Louis Road. Bell-time runs to and from Gunn High School provide enhanced service. Page 4-6 Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates Inc.

33 City may instead operate a new shuttle from Midtown to Gunn High School/VA Medical Center via California Avenue and Park Boulevard. VTA Community Bus fare applies. Frequencies: peak, every 30 minutes; mid-day, every 60 minutes. No evening or weekend service. Approximately 6,400 annual operating hours, which is an increase of 900 hours over the service that began in January Pros and Cons Pros Cons Provides one-seat ride from South Palo Alto to major destinations including Jordan Middle School, Palo Alto Cultural Center, Main Library, Avenidas Senior Center, Downtown Palo Alto and University Avenue Caltrain station. Provides service to corridors previously unserved by transit (Park Boulevard, California Avenue east of Caltrain). Does not require City to buy down fare. Meets some residents' desire to contain the service within Palo Alto. 30-minute peak and 60-minute mid-day headways are somewhat better than COA alternative (60 minutes all day) at nearly the same overall operating cost. Increases overall capacity of Gunn service and enables city to eliminate Gunn service, resulting in City cost savings. Increased school-oriented service would benefit students, improve ridership and be relatively productive. One-way loop at south end is not user-friendly. Requires greater capacity at the Downtown Transit Center, which is limited. For most destinations east of Caltrain, requires transfers to reach Gunn High School (outside of bell hours) and the VA Medical Center. Page 4-7 Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates Inc.

34 Alternative Concept 2 ( Streamlined ) Figure 4-3 Map of Alternative Concept 2 Description Replaces the City's Crosstown Shuttle with two VTA routes, with modifications serving Louis Road and potentially Fabian Way. Bell-time runs to and from Gunn High School provide enhanced service. City may instead operate a new shuttle from Midtown to Gunn High School/VA Medical Center via California Avenue and Park Boulevard. The service can only be provided with the City s contribution, which would allow VTA to operate it as fare-free. Frequencies: 60 minutes (30 minutes where routes overlap). No evening or weekend service. Approximately 7,700 annual operating hours, a net increase of 2,200 hours over the January 2008 service. Page 4-8 Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates Inc.

35 Pros and Cons Pros Cons Provides one-seat ride from South Palo Alto to major destinations including Jordan Middle School, Palo Alto Cultural Center, Main Library, Avenidas Senior Center, Downtown Palo Alto and University Avenue Caltrain station. Provides service to corridors previously unserved by transit (Park Boulevard, California Avenue east of Caltrain). Allows VTA to operate along more productive corridors with higher ridership potential. Reduces duplication between VTA and City services Can be extended to the future Jewish Community Center when it opens. Meets some residents' desire to contain the service within Palo Alto. 30-minute headways along overlapping segments and 60-minute headways elsewhere are somewhat better than COA alternative (60 minutes all day). Increases overall capacity of Gunn service and enables city to eliminate Gunn service, resulting in City cost savings. Increased school-oriented service would benefit students, improve ridership and be relatively productive. Would require City to buy down fare by contributing 25% of the operating cost. Requires greater capacity at the Downtown Transit Center, which is limited. For most destinations east of Caltrain, requires transfers to reach Gunn High School (outside of bell hours) and the VA Medical Center. Differences between Alternative Concepts Concept 1 provides 30-minute peak and 60-minute midday service, while Concept 2 provides 30-minute service in the trunk portion and 60-minute service on the branches. The two concepts also differ in routing. Concept 1 features a one-way loop serving South Palo Alto, while Concept 2 employs two separate routes that operate in a shared trunk section between Downtown and Midtown and branch off to serve different areas of South Palo Alto. The most significant difference between the two, however, is that Concept 1 is less costly, requiring 6,400 annual operating hours as compared to 7,700 hours for Concept 2. For this reason, funding assumptions differ between the two concepts. Concept 1 assumes VTA Community Bus service with a standard Community Bus fare, while Concept 2 would require the City or a third party to contribute 25 percent of the operating costs, enabling a free fare and a more realistic chance of meeting productivity standards. The provision of a 25 percent operating cost contribution is provided in VTA s Transit Sustainability Policy. It is possible that one of these concepts or a blend of the two could be the best transit solution for Palo Alto. Additional time would be needed to explore this possibility and to address the significant institutional challenges they present. Page 4-9 Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates Inc.

36 Ridership Assessment Following development of the final three Palo Alto transit service alternatives, Cambridge Systematics performed an assessment of the relative ridership potential of each, as well as of the Palo Alto elements of the COA Bus Service Operating Plan. A memorandum detailing the assessment can be found in Appendix C. In short, the assessment: Compared the transit-competitiveness of four neighborhoods that would be served by the various alternatives; and Compared the proposed frequency and speed of service between those neighborhoods and Downtown Palo Alto, which is the City s most transit-competitive destination. (It also compared the alternatives for service to San Antonio in Mountain View.) While the assessment did not rank the alternatives overall, Alternative Concept 2 ( Streamlined ) generally performed best. The July 2008 Recommendation ( Independent ) and the January 2008 COA Plan perform comparably, although when service to San Antonio is removed as a factor reflecting the desire expressed in community workshops to contain service within the City of Palo Alto the July 2008 Recommendation outperforms the COA Plan. Page 4-10 Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates Inc.

37 Chapter 5. Conclusions and Next Steps Recommendations It is recommended that VTA Bus service in Palo Alto be modified beginning July 2008 to: Delete Community Bus Line 89 and reinvest service hours into a modified Community Bus Line 88; and Modify the existing Community Bus Line 88 to serve both Midtown and South Palo Alto, provide additional peak-period frequency and expanded service to Gunn High School. In addition, because the scope of the study was to evaluate all transit services in Palo Alto, a list of issues for future consideration has been developed and is presented below. The alternative concepts discussed in Chapter 4 fall into this category. These issues were identified during the course of the study and will serve as the basis for future cooperative efforts among Palo Alto s transit operators. Issues for Future Study The Study enabled a Project Team made up of all operators serving Palo Alto to engage in an open dialogue, working cooperatively toward improved transit service under a confined schedule. The following issues should be viewed as potential areas of future study requiring resolution to continue the solid effort begun with this study. Line 35 Evaluation. Line 35, which operates on Middlefield Road connecting Downtown Mountain View with Downtown Palo Alto, remains as a standard local bus in the January 2008 service plan. However, it is possible that the line could be reclassified as a Community Bus with riders receiving a lower fare if it is under the Community Bus passenger load threshold. VTA will need to monitor and evaluate loads to determine whether a large- or small-capacity vehicle is appropriate. Express Bus Business Plan. Several concerns regarding the cost-effectiveness of VTA s Express Service to the Stanford Research Park were raised during the course of this study. While worthwhile suggestions were made for alternatives such as vanpools, any solution to Express Bus lines needs to be a system-wide action. VTA is intending to conduct an Express Bus Business Plan that will explore alternatives. Transit Center Capacity and Expansion. Good connections between all the operators serving Palo Alto are needed, and the Downtown Transit Center is the focal point of transfer activity. However, existing connections between VTA and Stanford or City shuttles are poor and should be addressed. Because this may require a significant level of site and facility design, it is a longer-term effort. Stanford Research Park Improvements. As Stanford University, the City of Palo Alto and individual employers move forward with Research Park improvement plans, transit and pedestrian accessibility should be a focus. Community Bus Monthly Pass. Many parents raised concerns regarding the lack of any monthly pass option for VTA Community Bus, forcing riders to pay a cash fare. A standard VTA monthly pass would be much more expensive. VTA should review this issue in the context of the full Community Bus program and Fare Policy. Page 5-1 Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates Inc.

38 Stanford Hospital. Neither VTA nor Samtrans provides service to Stanford Hospital. Instead, all transit passengers must transfer to the Marguerite shuttle, but this runs weekdays only. As the Stanford Medical Center expands, improved transit connections will merit further study. Page 5-2 Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates Inc.

39 Chapter 6. Marketing Plan Marketing of the July 2008 service changes will be important as the changes will occur less than six months after the Comprehensive Operations Analysis reconfiguration existing and potential riders will have to be made aware of a third configuration of routes and schedules in just half-ayear. Furthermore, market research conducted by Cambridge Systematics as part of the COA suggests that residents of Palo Alto, and in particular those residing east of the Caltrain right-of-way where most of the July 2008 changes will take place, are characterized by a relatively high sensitivity toward the inconvenience sometimes associated with transit service: just 6 percent of the East-of- Caltrain market was identified as tolerant of transit. Conversely, just 6 percent of area residents were identified as part of market segments consisting of those most amenable to transit. That said, the nature of the redesigned service, with its emphasis on connectivity to schools and other community facilities, suggests that a customized, carefully targeted outreach campaign will be most effective. Target Markets Any effective marketing strategy will be twofold in its aim: It will both provide information about as well as promote transit service. To do so, it must reach both existing and potential transit users. The first market, for obvious reasons, is less difficult to access; but the second need not be difficult to access, nor must it be cost-ineffective to do so. Moreover, market sectors presenting the most attractive opportunities for targeted outreach often combine both segments. Two demographic groups combining both existing and potential transit users but with relatively high proportions of transit-dependent populations will serve as the primary objects of any marketing strategy in Palo Alto: students and senior citizens. Four large schools Gunn High School, with its enrollment of 1,900, as well as all three middle schools (Jordan, Terman and JLS) will be served by the realigned Route 88 and/or supplemental school-trippers timed to meet morning and afternoon bells. Route 88 will also serve the VA Medical Center, the Stevenson House senior housing community, the planned Jewish Community Center and Mitchell Park. Additional community destinations will be accessible via transfers from Route 88 to VTA Routes 22, 522 and 35, as well as the City of Palo Alto Crosstown Shuttle. All of this suggests that direct outreach to community facilities distribution of marketing materials to, or even staff presentations at schools, senior centers and other sites could prove especially effective in both informing existing passengers of planned changes as well as attracting new riders. Groups affiliated with institutions such as the Gunn High School Traffic Committee, should also be contacted regarding information and presentations. Materials and Methods Presentations by staff are a personal and interactive way to both inform existing customers of planned service changes and promote the service to potential users. Additionally, maps, schedules and brochures including updated fare information, dates of planned service changes, and major destinations that will be served by realigned routes can be distributed on transit vehicles, at community facilities, over the VTA website, and through other means: To community groups such as the Midtown Residents Association, whose members might then inform other residents through word of mouth. Page 6-1 Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates Inc.

40 To business owners in the Midtown retail district, who might then distribute the materials to customers as a means of promoting access to their businesses. To developers of the many new housing projects planned for South Palo Alto. While many developments will not be completed for several years, dense residential developments are an attractive market for transit, and increasing awareness of available transit service on the part of those who can, in turn, use the service as part of their own marketing pitch is a cost-effective strategy. To Palo Alto residents through enclosed mailers in utility bills (a particularly attractive alternative given the city s collaboration with VTA in developing the new service, and its ownership of Palo Alto Municipal Utilities). Finally, to residents of Palo Alto through both free and paid press, via press releases and advertising in publications such as Palo Alto Weekly and the Palo Alto Daily News. Future Steps Given that a fourth service configuration might be implemented as early as January 2009, a post-project evaluation of the effectiveness of any marketing strategy would likely prove valuable. Additionally, any future evaluation of alternatives to existing multiride passes, particularly for students, should be integrated with consideration of potential application to future marketing strategies. Page 6-2 Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates Inc.

41 Appendix A. Other Concepts under Consideration In the course of the study, more than a dozen concepts were developed and ultimately rejected. The concepts on the following pages are the formal concepts presented at community workshops and project team meetings, each of which was evaluated for operational feasibility, productivity potential and estimated operating costs. A number of additional concepts were rejected before reaching this stage of development. Page A-1 Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates Inc.

42 Concept I (COA January 2008) Palo Alto/northern Mountain View elements of the Bus Service Operations Plan to be implemented in January 2008 are a revised version of the initial COA proposal developed in collaboration with Palo Alto officials and community members. The very point of the Palo Alto Community Transit Study process was to assess whether preferable alternatives might exist. The COA service plan in Palo Alto has limited potential for productivity and lacks any connection between South Palo Alto neighborhoods and community destinations to the north. Figure A-1 Map of Concept I Page A-2 Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates Inc.

43 Concept II (Crosstown II) This concept would have maintained the COA routes but added a second City of Palo Alto Crosstown Shuttle serving the Louis Road corridor. It would have increased City costs while doing nothing to improve the productivity of VTA routes 88 or 89. Figure A-2 Map of Concept II Page A-3 Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates Inc.

44 Concept III (Crosstown II Lite ) A variation on the previous proposal, it would not have increased City costs. However, it would have reduced service on key segments of the existing Crosstown Shuttle alignment, and because it would have relied on buses looping around South Palo Alto in different directions to provide service to both the existing Crosstown alignment and Louis Road corridor without requiring additional resources, it would have been likely to confuse riders ( Which way is this bus going? ). Figure A-3 Map of Concept III Page A-4 Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates Inc.

45 Concept IV (Combined 88/89) Because this concept would have required that buses in the Stanford Research Park segment served under COA by Route 89 (here, the northern terminus is shifted from California Avenue to the Downtown Caltrain Station) operate all-day rather than only during peak hours, it would have increased VTA operating costs. It would not, as several other concepts would have, restored allday service to the Louis Road corridor, and it likely would have been no more productive than the COA proposal. Figure A-4 Map of Concept IV Page A-5 Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates Inc.

46 Concept V (Expanded Shuttles) Route 88 would have been replaced by a new, much longer Crosstown Shuttle serving the Arastradero corridor, Gunn High School and VA Medical Center. It would have resulted in either a major increase in City costs or a reduction in service along the existing Crosstown alignment, including the segment encircling the Mitchell Block in South Palo Alto. Figure A-5 Map of Concept V Page A-6 Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates Inc.

47 Concept I-B (Modified COA) Initially developed during the COA process, this concept was eliminated first, and then again, largely due to operational limitations: The roundabout loop required for Route 88 to access the California Avenue shopping district and Caltrain Station would have resulted in a round-trip running time for each bus of approximately 57 minutes, leaving too little recovery time for a single vehicle to reliably operate on 60-minute headways. Two vehicles could cover this route on 45-minute headways. However, 45-minute headways are not consistent with other VTA services or the City Shuttle services, which would make transfer very inconvenient to passengers. Note that a variation on this was developed serving California Avenue east of Caltrain, similar to Final Alternatives B and C. Figure A-6 Map of Concept I-B Page A-7 Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates Inc.

48 Shared Crosstown Concept A variation on Concept V, this concept would have had VTA operate a modified version of the second Crosstown route. In order to provide consistent, coherent headways along the alignment shared with the existing Crosstown Shuttle, it would have had to operate on 30-minute headways, significantly increasing costs. Moreover, unless the City made a contribution to VTA to make the service fare-free, it would have likely lost passengers to the free Crosstown Shuttle and would have been highly unproductive. Three variations were developed: the one shown on the following page, and two more featuring a slightly modified Route 88 (serving East Meadow Drive rather than Arastradero east of El Camino Real) and supplemental school-oriented service along separate alignments. It was during the development of this and the following alternative that the idea of additional school service in additional corridors was introduced. Figure A-7 Map of Shared Crosstown Concept Page A-8 Nelson\Nygaard Consulting Associates Inc.