cycle 2 business and industry presentation

Business and Industry StakeholderRoundtable Meeting

October 16, 2012

Agenda

• Welcome and introductions• Introduction to the project• Overview of recent studies• Policy Area Discussions• Wrap up and next steps

Welcome and Introductions

Welcome and Introductions

• Welcome!• Project team introductions– Kern COG– PMC team

Meeting Purpose

• To gain a better understanding of the Directions to 2050 project

• To learn about how transportation choices effect priorities for the future, community assets, and funding expenditures

Ground Rules

• Common conversational courtesy • All ideas and points of view have value• Speak up, and share the time• Cell phone courtesy• Be comfortable

Introduction to the Project

Project Funding

• Directions to 2050 is funded in part by:– California utility ratepayers and administered by

South California Edison– Kern COG provides major funding for this project

to encourage activities that lead to long-term, sustainable changes

Relationship to the Kern Regional Blueprint effort

• Directions to 2050 builds on the Blueprint by:– Revisiting the communities’ vision and guiding

principles– Considering a full range of choices and associated

trade-offs– Brainstorming locally-relevant strategies– Identify and prioritize next steps– Incorporate these next steps into the region’s plan

Relationship to Local Government Plans

• Directions to 2050 and the 2014 Regional Transportation Plan:– Guides the development of the planned

multimodal transportation systems in Kern County– Supports local planning efforts– Developed through a comprehensive coordination

effort between local, regional, state and federal agencies

Relationship to Other Activities in the Region

• San Joaquin Valley Blueprint• Regional Housing Needs Allocation (RHNA)• Regionwide transportation improvements– Bicycle and pedestrian– Transit– Freight

• Social Equity and Environmental Justice

Directions to 2050 Cycle 1 Community Outreach

• 16 community workshops throughout the region

• RPAC meetings• Stakeholder Roundtable

Meetings• Website with interactive

activities, background information, and online survey

Community Outreach – Key Findings To-date

• Community members prioritized:– Link education/training/youth mentorships with

economic development initiatives.– Maintain and develop comprehensive community

services for health, education, safety, and recreation.– Add, maintain, and improve sidewalks and bike lanes

for safer, active lifestyles.– Maintain local streets and roads.– Improve air quality.– Invest in renewable energy production and

distribution, including wind and solar power.

Potential impact of the 2014 Regional Transportation Plan (RTP)

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Overview of Recent Studies

Overview of Recent Studies

• Kern Regional Transit (KRT) Bakersfield Service Analysis

• High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV)/ Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Study

• Commuter Rail Feasibility Study• Regional Rural Transit Study• GET Long Range Transit Plan• Kern County Bicycle Master Plan• Eastern Sierra Public Transportation Study

Kern Regional Transit (KRT)Bakersfield Service Analysis

• Goal– Determine whether KRT

might be able to take advantage of the GET changes to:• Improve service for its

own customers• Reduce operating costs


• Short-Term Recommendations– Endure rapid repair of critical transportation

infrastructure in an emergency and enhance emergency preparedness

– Promote the use of intelligent transportation system technologies

– Enhance security with transportation infrastructure practices

– Establish a forum for policy-maker education and regional policy development


• Short-Term Recommendations (continued)– Enhance the region’s ability to respond to acts of

terrorism– Enhance capabilities of local and regional

organizations– Provide means for collaboration during a regional

emergency– Refine scheduling practices– Improve customer service with improved

passenger information practices


• Mid- and Longer-Term Recommendations– Plan for the new Downtown Transit Center

location– Retire the existing Downtown and Southwest

Transit Centers– Expand GET network– Increase BRT and possibly light rail transit (LRT)

service– Enhance KRT service– Provide new GET routes on KRT corridors

High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV)/ Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Study

• Goal– Examine the long-range

feasibility of implementing HOV lanes and/or BRT services

– Assess the performance, benefits, and potential impacts of HOV and BRT


• Short- and Mid-Term Recommendations– Improve rapid bus with:• Traffic signal priority systems and queue jump lanes• Exclusive HOV and bus lanes

– Introduce express bus service along SR 178/24th Street/Rosedale Highway

– Construct truck climbing lanes eastbound SR-58– Add express bus services– Introduce ramp meters at identified interchanges– Designate new peak period-only HOV lane on SR-

178


• Long-Term Recommendations– Consider converting BRT to LRT– Construct additional peak period HOV lanes– Construct the truck climbing lane on

southbound SR-166 of Maricopa

Commuter Rail Feasibility Study

• Goal– Examine a set of alternatives

for providing commuter rail service within:• Bakersfield metropolitan area• Surrounding portions of Kern

County• Eastern region of the county

– Identify corridors that may be feasible for future service and potential station locations


• Short- and Mid-Term Recommendations– Initiate discussions with:• Southern California Regional Rail Authority (SCRRA)• Union Pacific (UP)• State regarding Amtrak San Joaquin stops• Various COGs

– Advance design of the Metrolink Antelope Valley line extension to Rosamond

– If High Speed Rail proceeds, identify a preferred corridor to connect Bakersfield and Delano


• Long-Term Recommendations– Implement extension of Metrolink service to

Rosamond– Select preferred governing and operating agency

for a commuter rail services (if HSR proceeds)– Pursue funding sources for commuter rail

improvements– Explore potential for purchasing existing rail

rights-of-way

Regional Rural Transit Strategy

• Goal– Evaluate alternatives

to its current network of rural transit services

Regional Rural Transit Strategy

• Recommendations– Provide alternative methods of countywide public

transit service focusing on:• Improving efficiency, effectiveness and cost savings

– Conduct a cost benefit analysis to fully assess priorities

GET Long Range Transit Plan

• Goal– Document the relationship

between:• Population growth• Transit ridership demand• Current operations

– Address emerging intracity transit system needs

– Address connectivity between rural areas and major regional transportation facilities

GET Long Range Transit Plan

• Recommendations– Initiate Express Bus Route 101 between:• Taft• The (new) Downtown Transit Center, and • Bakersfield College

Kern County Bicycle Master Plan

• Goal– Assess existing bicycle

facilities– Develop a plan for new

bicycle amenities– Provide recommendations

for complete streets

Kern County Bicycle Master Plan

• Recommendations– 664 miles of new bikeways including:• 30 miles of Class I bike paths• 297 miles of Class II bikes lanes• 46.6 miles of Class III bike routes• 186 miles for Class III bike routes on State routes

– Short- and Long-term bicycle parking facilities– Education, encouragement, enforcement, and

evaluation programs

Eastern Sierra Public Transportation Study

• Goal– Address short-term interregional transit demands– Identify strategies to enhance intra-regional mobility– Present a preliminary feasibility analysis of longer-

term passenger rail service between Mammoth Lakes and the LA region.

• Key Findings– Eastern Sierras have varied geography, sparse

population and long distances.– Despite these conditions, transit operations provide

exceptionally good coverage.

Policy Area Discussions

Transportation Choices Online Activity

• Purpose– To determine your group’s resource investment

preferences for the future• How to Play– Choose six priorities for the future– Allocated resources to transportation policy areas– Watch your budget and priorities for the future

change!

Report Out and Large Group Conclusions

• Which priorities for the future were important to your group?

• Which transportation policy areas were important to your group?

• What surprised you?• What didn’t surprise you?

Wrap Up and Next Steps

We are here

Next Steps

• Upcoming meetings and events– RPAC meeting– Stakeholder meetings– Community presentations

Business and Industry StakeholderRoundtable Meeting

October 16, 2012

cycle 2 business and industry presentation

Documents

rapid bus

krt service

bus lanes

customer service

light rail transit lrtservice

project funding directions

introductions welcome

regionaltransportation