Loading...
HomeMy Public PortalAbout2019-02-28 TOWN OF TRUCKEE :-64� ��g, , ' Transit Center Relocation Study ,„,, 1-, Project Advisory Committee `.% ,' �' MEETING MINUTES 1E tA� 9 sr46lf s'� •' n a, al February 28, 2019 She-1869:x`:. a~"_ into ` 1.:00—3:00 p.m. G Town Hall — Prosser Room 10183 Truckee Airport Road, Truckee, CA 1. INTRODUCTIONS CALL TO ORDER— Kelly Beede, Administrative Analyst II, called the meeting to order at 1:05 p.m. Committee Members present: Jamie Wright, Truckee North Tahoe Transportation Management Association; Douglas Wiele, Foothill Partners; Ron Retting, Truckee Resident; Gordon Shaw, LSC Transportation Consultants; Kyle Crezee, Squaw Valley/Alpine Meadows; Will Garner, Placer County TART; Ruth Geresy, Truckee Chamber/Welcome Center; Cassie Hebei, Truckee Downtown Merchants.Association; Anna Klovstad, Truckee Town Council; Stacey Justesen, Truckee Tahoe Airport District; Jazmin Breaux, Nevada County Health & Human Services Agency; Mike Woodman, Nevada County Transportation Commission; Brenda Hernandez, Caltrans; Alison Schwedner, Community Collaborative of Truckee Tahoe. Project consultants present: Gladys Cornell, AIM Consulting; Isabelle Gaillard, AIM Consulting; Jeff Schwein, Stephanie Alward, and Bryce Goldstein, Green DOT Transportation Solutions, Steve Noll, Design Workshop. Staff present: Dan Wilkins, Director of Public Works/Town Engineer; Kelly Beede, Administrative Analyst II; Kirk Skierski, Assistant Planner; Kelly Larson, Administrative Technician. . Project Consultant, Jeff Schwein stated the goal of PAC meetings for the Transit Center Relocation Study is to come up with a technical solution for the project which everyone could be happy with. Meeting participants outlined their interests in the relocation of Truckee's Transit Center during the round of committee introductions. Some of the participant interests include: • Squaw Valley/Alpine Meadows is looking for a Park and Ride location • Placer County TART is able to provide input on balancing the needs of operational features, comforts, and amenities • Truckee Chamber and Welcome Center has on the ground experience with what works best at the current Transit Center including the number of buses, connectivity, and staffing • TDMA is looking at the effects of changing the Transit Center and what it would look like for downtown • Anna Klovstad from Truckee Town Council asked how this project will connect rather than separate communities and how riding the bus can be cool • Truckee Resident, Ron Retting is interested in senior access and offers the Town of Truckee - _ -February 28, 2019 Transit Center Relocation Study Project Advisory Committee Page 1 perspective of a 40 year Truckee resident • Gordon Shaw is a resource for circulation issues and the transportation plans for Placer TART and Truckee-TART • Nevada/Placer Health & Human Services is interested in accessibility issues and resources for disadvantaged communities • Doug Wiele from Foothill Partners represents the Railyard project and is interested in urban economics • • Town of Truckee Planning Division will look at transit and land use developments as well as indirect impacts from legislation • Transportation Management Association is concerned with regional connectivity and the service of all of the different routes when the Transit Center move occurs • Dan Wilkins from the Town of Truckee would like to come up with a long term plan which is realistic and implementable • Nevada County Transportation Commission is interested in funding and transit planning as well as the location for short term and long term transit operation plans • Caltrans is concerned with regional planning and to hear and be part of the PAC conversations 2. INTRODUCTION TO THE PROJECT Truckee's current Transit Center exceeds its capacity on a regular basis. The first step of the project is talking to community members about relocating all or some operations of Truckee's existing transit center. Jeff Schwein, project consultant from Green DOT Transportation Solutions facilitated a presentation to the committee which is on file with the Town Clerk and available at the project website https://www.truckeetransitcenter.com/ Existing conditions wereaddressed and it was noted that in order to accommodate current and future activity at the terminal, a new transit center would need to accommodate space for 10 buses within an hour. This scope would also allow for expanded bus services such as to Glenshire and other neighborhoods. A key reason SB1 grant funding was provided for the Truckee Transit Center Relocation Feasibility Study was to address the issue of buses hanging out in Truckee's downtown corridor with a lack of adequate parking options. The role of the PAC was addressed and will meet 4-5 times to make sure the design team is on the same page and walk through whole process on what the future of the transit center would look like. There is grant funding available for the project and California is invested in the long term of what transit will be like in the future. 3. CHARACTER OF REGIONAL TRANSIT CENTERS The consultant presentation highlighted associated transit center projects for what they bring to communities including transit center features and design aspects. Some discussion points on the design aspects of the transit center included: • Verandas and open areas • Electricity as a key important feature for the future for the transit. It was stated that electric buses would be the norm by 2030. • i Loop circulation where buses come all the way around • Half and half facilities and indoor vs. outdoor Town of Truckee February 28, 2019. Transit Center Relocation Study Project Advisory Committee Page 2 • Bay layout • A potential new transit center or modifications to the existing facility would employ multi- modal connectivity in order to maximize its productivity in the community and serve all routes. 3D renderings will be created both to apply the visions of the project in ensuring proper planning as well as to.walk the public through how people arrive and depart from the transit center. • 4. TRUCKEE TRANSIT CENTER NEEDS Transit Center needs were addressed in the presentation where the committee was asked to think about projects which are transformative. Initial analysis for transit center needs focused on turning radius of buses, pedestrian safety, and the external circulation of buses to get in and out,of the transit center safely and efficiently. The initial study of the length of interstate buses was done just by the tracking of the;tires, not the full length of the bus. Potential site locations presented by the consultant that could meet basic site requirements of being 1.25-1.5 acres and accommodating for 10 buses at a time include: • CA Hwy Patrol Substation o Circulation of the ingress and egress works • Airport site'(1.7.acre parcel) o Airport has expressed interest in working with the Town • Truckee Railyard o Exact location would need to be within a turnaround sphere and integrated into other development happening • Improving Truckee's existing Transit Center as an alternative to building a new center would be challenging because of limited space for buses and the parking challenges in downtown Truckee. It was stated that it would not be logical to preclude train service to downtown Truckee and that it would also preserve the historic nature of transit in Truckee. The question was posed on whether the transit center would have to be downtown or not, a threshold question that would influence breadth of sites to be evaluated.The option of keeping a train stop at the existing site was presented where land uses of this scenario could be integrated and linked with,the new site. Staffing the existing center plus a new center was brought up as a potential issue because it might take funding away from buses. A committee discussion followed to share first impressions and considerations. Other sites to consider Sites within Town boundaries suggested by the committee included: • Forest Service parcel ' • Gray's Crossing • New Recreation Center • Former Catholic Church (old assumption building) o There is a business currently in the permitting process with the Town of Truckee at this location o HPAC needs to be involved with this site Town of Truckee February 28, 2019 Transit Center Relocation Study Project Advisory Committee Page 3 Public Works Director/Town Engineer, Dan Wilkins asked the consultantteam to generate a map identifying site recommendations by the PAC committee and to then go through a screening with the committee for more detailed review. Site opportunities Important site considerations that were stated include: ease of connection, access to historic downtown, route efficiency to minimize wait times, and general access to catching the bus in this region. Specific to the railyard site, the loop area would need a large space for buses to turn around.Conversely, a long and'skinny layout could make for a smaller footprint. The Town has a viable partner in the Airport District where there would be the opportunity for a park and ride facility. There would need to be an assessment for which times of the year the park and ride facility would be used. Site design and circulation logistics were addressed. Curbsides with a "Saw-Tooth" design should be implemented. Having buses park same place every time will facilitate ease ofgetting in and out. During wintertime layovers, buses would be away from their designated space so that passengers don't stay on the bus. Tahoe City Transit Center hindsight is that the complexity which was put in building is requiring more labor to maintain than anticipated. Rainwater collection systems for flushing toilets don't work well,because the system gets clogged from pine needles. Keep the project scope matched to ability to run the place such as light bulb fixtures that require only one person to change. Ticketing stations in a potential new Truckee site may be unnecessary if Placer TART goes to free fares. Truckee TART went to a fare free system on July 1, 2018. Site constraints Constraints at the Train Depot are numerous where the footprint has been outgrown and will become more significant if transit service is expanded. ADA parking is limited, especially in the wintertime. Tour buses and RVs have no place to park and RVs are allowed parking for 20 minutes only if there is availability. There is only one offsite parking place on Soaring Way. The train often runs late and California Welcome Center staff sometimes may stay late to assist passengers in the Depot which already has a small lobby. Especially when there are fifty people waiting, cleaning becomes another issue and people have been bringing their chairs in the Depot. Depot staff have been 'requesting to see passenger tickets to give them an idea of when their transport is arriving. Interstate travel is different than local. Traffic also presents challenges. Future development Regional routes will need access to both Highway 267 and Highway 89 routes. There is already a stop at the Airport for both 267 and 89. Ensuring access for both will be vital for regional connection and flow of routes. Looking at where our existing regional transportation corridor is located, 267 connects to the Train Depot down Brockway road and 89 services turn down Donner Pass Road to connect at the Depot. TART and local route riders wouldn't need to catch their bus downtown especially when they would have ,to leave a car in a place that is already impacted by visitors though having two locations, a new bus shelter and the Depot, to meet transit standards is a daunting task. Expansion of the capital corridor is something Nevada County Transportation Commission has advocated for through efforts in working with stakeholders over the last Town of Truckee February 28, 2019 Transit Center Relocation Study Project Advisory Committee Page 4 decade. Amtrak is not currently focused on Roseville and its areas south. Amtrak remains concerned about impacts to good rail movement. From Union Pacific's standpoint, expansion would be pushing for a double track to meet capacity and they are unwilling to do a study. Amtrak is having challenges on who would join for this Committee but would likely be someone from the capital corridor. There could be a transition in train travel up to our community due to a dip in tolerance of visitors sitting 4 hours in freeway traffic from people driving to the area every weekend. What is the possibility of one Capital Corridor route coming from Auburn and implementing a couple of new loops? The current schedule is not user friendly, often late and inconsistent with cancellations as a reality. Redevelopment opportunities Underperforming, obsolete properties such as the Crossroads where there are 10 acres could be redeveloped though Crossroads has multiple owners which may cause challenges in coordinating development. Talks with Truckee River Associates could occur to explore the potential for expansion of parking. Amtrak is redeveloping the apron on the backside of the Train Depot. Additional uses Additional site uses which were discussed include: • Park and Ride which some sites could accommodate and others could not depending on space for additional parking • Accommodating for Uber and Lyft which would need to operate under Town regulations Improving bike and pedestrian access Bike and pedestrian access could be improved through some of the following ways: • Station for electric bikes • Incentivizing youth to ridership though campaigns that make the Transit Center and using public transit appealing • Advertising transit as fast, free and efficient • Coordinating a downtown shuttle to connect with Truckee destination spots like West River and the new Railyard. Improving mobility and public perceptions A visual overlay should be created to show major residential centers against where people are trying to get to and evaluate how things intersect so to ensure connections are made to those areas. It will be important to have a conversation with the Truckee business community to gather opinions about what they want to have in downtown. Tourist buses are not required to coordinate with us. Passengers from tourist buses come into downtown for shopping and lunch. Intermittent outreach was proposed as a positive way to educate the public about the project scope and how the project will unfold overtime. Keep outreach incremental with what people can expect now and then what will transit look like in 5, 10 and 20 years. Town of Truckee February 28, 2019 Transit Center Relocation Study Project Advisory Committee Page 5 5. COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT Community involvement will be addressed throughout the project process in a way that works within the context of the Truckee community. The consulting team will work with Committee members and staff on best practices for increasing public awareness where the public can engage in the process and give meaningful feedback. Engagement will be offered in a variety of ways including through experiential stations at community meetings, pop-up locations and other avenues for information dissemination. Public input for the plan can serve as the foundation for future grant applications. Outreach Strategies and Committee Recommendations. • Questions to Ask of Stakeholders: o What does the public want? o How will we rank sites? ■ Integration opportunities, mobility, effects to downtown businesses? • Community meetings o Truckee Senior Center o Should be offered in Spanish o Presentations to community service groups o Pop ups • Targeting an event in Squaw (Winter Wondergrass, Beeriest, Earth Day) or Northstar and holding the pop-up near the bus drop off location ■ Truckee Clean-up Day • Music in the Park • Information dissemination o Truckee Thursday's (the first two Truckee Thursday's are attended by majority locals) o Project Website ■ A place for the public to send their input ■ County and school district, Family Resource Center would have informationabout current riders • Additional Recommendations o Outreach list through the Community Collaborative of Truckee Tahoe o Talking to the Consultants for Truckee 2040 and their workshop methods 5. PROJECT SCHEDULE PAC meetings, community meetings and project study components are being addressed from the project initiation in December 2018 through project adoption which is expected around January 2020. 6. CONCLUSION More details will be made available about community outreach, site selection criteria and the preliminary screening of sites. Please direct thoughts, ideas and questions to the project team via the website: www.truckeetransitcenter.com. A preliminary analysis of sites is expected by the end of March 2019. Town of Truckee February 28, 2019 Transit Center Relocation Study Project Advisory Committee Page 6 ADJOURNMENT. The next meeting of the Transit Center Relocation Study Project Advisory Committee TBD and will be held at 10183 Truckee Airport Rd., Truckee, CA 96161. Approved: Respectfully submitted by: Kelly Be/se, Committee Chair Kelly Larson, Committee Secretary Town of Truckee February 28, 2019 Transit Center Relocation Study Project Advisory Committee Page 7