#2 (Evaluation Criteria)

Humboldt County Association of Governments

Park-and-Ride Study

FINAL Technical Memorandums

#1A (Preliminary Site Locations)

and

#2 (Evaluation Criteria)

http://www.hcaog.net/


Board of Directors

Stuart Titus, Mayor of the City of Ferndale

Jack West, City Council, City of Trinidad

Susan Ornelas, Chair, City Council, City of Arcata

Ryan Sundberg, Supervisor, 5th District

Gordon Johnson, City Council, City of Rio Dell

Sherman Schapiro, Mayor of the City of Blue Lake

Doug Strehl, Vice-Chair, Mayor of the City of Fortuna

Frank Jager, Mayor of the City of Eureka

Service Coordination Committee

Larry Pardi , Arcata & Mad River Transit System

Greg Pratt, Humboldt Transit Authority

Jaison Chand, Chair, City Ambulance of Eureka

Dave Carstensen, Caltrans District 1

Christina Boone, Public Transportation

Traci Ferdolage, Humboldt State University

Russell Shorey City of Eureka

Susan Harincar-Driscoll, Vice Chair, HCAR

Dusty Napier

Cheryl Tucker, College of the Redwoods

Anita Huff, Blue Lake Rancheria

Staff:

Marcella Clem, Executive Director

Oona Smith, Senior Planner

Prepared by:

`

Matthew C. Boyer & Associates

3549 Brittany Way

El Dorado Hills, CA 95762

Social Services Transportation Adv. Council

Susan Harincar-Driscoll, Chair

Richard Johnson- Vice-Chair

Maren Rose

Joyce Hayes (interim)

Cindy Calderon

Jaison Chand

Charlie Bean

Donnice Hildreth

Ross Jantz

Christy Snyder

James Forbes

Paul Pitino

Ali Lee

Sharon Batini


Park-and-Ride Study FINAL Technical Memorandums #1A (Preliminary Site Locations) and #2 Evaluation Criteria

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ION

INTRODUCTION / PARK-AND-RIDE STUDY OVERVIEW

The Humboldt County region has a complex set of inter-related public and

private transportation systems (buses and vans). Some aspects of the

supporting infrastructure, including sufficient Park-and-Ride capacity, may

need to be enhanced in the future, to support the existing and future transit

systems.

Over the last ten years, the trend of State and Federal transportation planning requirements, and related land use, infrastructure financing, and energy policy, is towards a long-term future of ‘complete streets,’ ‘transportation choices,’ and ‘mixed use ‘ development, and green house emission reductions. A key element of each of these objectives is reducing dependence on automobile trips. For existing communities with relatively-low existing land use densities, and more-dispersed patterns of development, increasing the use of public transportation is an important strategy, as trip avoidance, walking, and cycling have only limited potential to reduce auto dependence. The work of the Humboldt County Association of Governments (HCAOG) includes several transportation and transit plans that are addressing the broader financial and institutional challenges to increasing transit service, and transit use.

Local

Context

Statewide /

National

Context

The public transit system is not linked to designated park-and-ride facilities regionwide.

There is the Trinidad Park & Ride at RTS’s bus stop, and there is parking at the Arcata

Transit Center. Otherwise, commonly the only parking lots near transit lines are private

business/commercial lots.

The public transit system would support multi-modal transportation better if there were

dedicated park-and-ride facilities along certain transit routes. To be most effective, park-

and-ride facilities should include services for cyclists, including bike lockers and/or racks.

Draft 2013/14 Regional Transportation Plan Update, “VROOM”

Chapter 5 – Public Transportation Element

October 2013



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Purpose of the Park-and-Ride Study

A major factor in improving the efficiency, effectiveness, and usability of individual transit services, as well as the overall transportation system, is developing a more-formal series of Park-and-Ride facilities. It is expected that this may include facilities both large and small, and both publicly-owned and new public-private partnerships. Some facilities will be better positioned to include amenities such as lighting, and bicycle racks and lockers, and in other locations these may be less feasible or desirable for a number of reasons ranging from maintenance and upkeep to security. The purpose of the Park-and-Ride study is to assess the feasibility of future Park-and-Ride facilities by: studying the existing transit systems, trip patterns and needs; developing criteria that define a successful facility; evaluating Best Practices and success strategies from other rural regions; and, assessing financing possibilities. The results of this work will be summarized in a Study that identifies feasible priorities, and project-specific implementation measures, by jurisdiction, for each project. The focus of the study is the corridors along existing bus routes in Humboldt County, near bus stops and/or transit transfer points, such as Bayshore Mall. The ultimate goal is to reduce automobile trips, especially single-occupancy-vehicle trips, and increase transit ridership. Although the project requires significant new work, with fresh eyes, recommendations from recent, previous studies will also be carefully evaluated, such as the recommendation in the fiscal year (FY) 2011/12-2015/16 Transit Development Plan Update of approaching Redwood Village Shops’ property management for additional Park-and-Ride space as part of a strategy to reduce Redwood Transit System (RTS) running time and enhance schedule adherence. In order to reach a final Park-and-Ride Study a series of preliminary technical memorandums will be prepared for review and comment by the HCAOG staff, the Service Coordination Committee (SCC), the Social Services Transportation Advisory Council (SSTAC), and other interest parties.

Technical Memorandum #1A: Preliminary Site Locations, listing the general areas that will be

further refined in the subsequent #1B memorandum.

Technical Memorandum #1B: Potential Sites, a simple document that will include narrative

summaries and graphic depictions of initial concepts including a list of potential sites, simple

aerial-photo based exhibits of each site, potential project issues, and a data table addressing

the criteria listed in Task 2 above.

Technical Memorandum #2: Evaluation Criteria, a simple document that describes the criteria

that will be used to assess each alternative for purposes of comparing/contrasting



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alternatives that meet a common objective and that might be used to rank projects in the

Park-and-Ride Study. This will include factors such as ease of implementation, environmental

issues and constraints, project development costs, construction costs, and maintenance and

operation costs.

Technical Memorandum #3: Best Practices and Success Strategies, summarizing approaches

used through the United States, in similar communities, that can be used in the Humboldt

County region to develop cost-effective and useful Park-and-Ride facilities.

Technical Memorandum #4: Financing Strategies, identifying and describing funding sources.

This will include the potential for successfully obtaining funding, the approximate range of

potential funding, and the process for obtaining funding, including the level of effort

associated with a successful grants or other applications.

Based upon the Technical Memorandums, the Final Park-and-Ride study will determine if there are potential Park-and-Ride facilities worth pursuing to help achieve the ultimate goal. The study will also recommend “next steps” for HCAOG, transit providers, and/or local jurisdictions to act on in order to pursue park-and-ride projects found to have good potential. The document will identify priorities, and project-by-project implementation strategies, by jurisdiction.

DISCUSSION

Park-and-Ride facilities look very different from community to community.

Some area very small – with fewer than 10 parking stalls, others are quite large, with a capacity in the hundreds.

Some include a bus transfer point between two or more routes, and/or two or more service providers.

Some include restrooms, bicycle racks, indoor waiting rooms, and other amenities, while others are functional but not lavish.

General considerations include transit and paratransit services, private transportation services, and the potential that facilities might be jointly used for other purposes, including staging areas for special events and special event shuttles. It is also possible that social service organizations and non-profits might benefit in specific circumstances from a Park-and-Ride facility. Identifying multiple beneficiaries/users of a facility will increase the number of opportunities for partnerships and will lead to increased funding opportunities. Factors to be evaluated in planning, designing, constructing, and operating a Park-and-Ride facility include the following.



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Assessing User Demand.

Identifying the Purpose of the Facility and Target Customers.

Ownership Models.

Maintenance and Operation.

Benefits of Being a Landlord vs. Tenant.

On-Site Amenities. User Demand With few existing, designated Park-and-Ride facilities in the Humboldt region, the potential demand for new facilities requires thoughtful assessment of several data sets. “Conscious demand” includes current users of formal and informal Park-and-Ride facilities, and users that desire a facility to meet a known need. Known and conscious demand can best be assessed by reviewing:

Use of existing, designated facilities; and,

Public comments made during on-going planning processes, including the unmet transit needs hearing process, and preparation of updates to the Regional Transportation Plan, Short and Long Range Transit Plans, Transit Development Plan, and other related transportation plans.

Latent demand is more challenging to identify. Latent demand is a desire or preference which a customer is unable to satisfy due to lack of information or a lack of awareness. Are there potential users of the existing transit systems if there were more no-cost, safe, secure, and convenient Park-and-Ride facilities? To identify the latent demand, this study will consider:

transit routes and commute corridors, and existing ridership, including origins and destinations; and,

Census-related data sets. Finally, some jurisdictions have found that having a supply of Park-and-Ride spaces helps support shuttle services for special events. These are considered secondary benefits, and will be kept in mind during this study, but not specifically evaluated. Purpose of the Facility and Target Customers Throughout the country Park-and-Ride facilities also vary in terms of their purpose and target customer.



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Most facilities are oriented to commuters that are riding public, inter-city transit services to get from home, or near home, to work. These facilities also attract carpools and vanpools.

Some facilities also serve private inter-city transit services such as Greyhound Bus, Amtrak Thruway bus service, and other services, such as airport shuttle services.

Some facilities also provide parking for special event shuttles.

In some cases these commute-oriented facilities also attract recreational travelers that are meeting at a common point such as to go hiking, or be bused by private carriers to regional sporting, concert or other events, and tours.

Other designated Park-and-Ride facilities are privately-owned, joint-use commercial parking spaces at major retailers, with the more-remote, infrequently-used spaces designated as available for Park-and-Ride use. Most of these have been designated in the last twenty years, and have typically been accomplished through conditions of approval on a development application. The applicant typically can show some reduction of the traffic and air quality impacts or their development project through designating spaces as ‘joint use.’

Some facilities also provide a common access point for medical transportation services.

An emerging business is ‘car sharing’ programs and some jurisdictions are experimenting with public-private Park-and-Ride facilities that include commercial car-share vendors.

Finally, in areas with designated high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes, another emerging use of Park-and-Ride lots is “slugging” which is, essentially, informal carpooling where a single-occupant driver seeks a passenger in order to qualify for use of an HOV lane.

Ownership Models Over the years, several different ownership models have been used, throughout the United States. All are possible opportunities in the Humboldt County region, though some are more likely, and preferred, as noted below.

Informal facilities. These include parking lots and open areas along the shoulders of major roads and transit routes, where users have found convenient and safe locations to carpool, vanpool or catch the bus. These types of facilities that involve private property can be problematic as the use is generally not sanctioned, and works well until a specific issue arises.

Formal facilities. These are officially-recognized locations to carpool, vanpool or catch the bus. Most are formally-improved, although examples of gravel or minimally-improved facilities exist. The most common formal facilities are as follows.

State-owned: A facility located within the State Right of Way, usually adjacent to a State Route or major route. Older facilities were fit into remnant dimensions of parcels acquired for the construction of freeways and related interchanges. More recent facilities are typically larger and on parcels not necessarily acquired for the purpose of the roadway, but rather as separate, supporting facility.



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Locally-owned: A City, County or Transit Agency-owned facility. Typically, these facilities are developed by transit operators, including City’s and County’s to support their bus and commuter rail operations.

Privately Owned: A facility owned by a private entity (church, restaurant, shopping mall) allowing Park-and-Ride activities. Typically, the Park-and-Ride activity is limited to a portion of a larger parking lot, and typically the portion farthest from the related building, and closest to the access to the public road system.

Maintenance and Operation Just as there are many models for ownership, there are equally as many models for maintenance and operation. Examples include the following.

Typically, Caltrans maintains their State-owned facilities and does not require agreements with operators.

Some privately-owned facilities include on-site bus stops and many of these have formal operation and/or maintenance agreements between the private facility owner and the public transit operator(s). Related, Caltrans has a policy that it will consider establishing Maintenance Agreements with private entities, for joint use of the private facilities for shared-ride purposes, but few examples of this have been successfully implemented.

Some City and County facilities are maintained and operated by transit operators. The societal trend towards liability and indemnification is leading to more formal operating agreements between owners and users. Caltrans has a policy that it will consider establishing Maintenance Agreements with private entities, but few examples of this have been successfully implemented. Most importantly, all public and private entities that own parking facilities are increasingly concerned about adequate funding for: routine maintenance; periodic capital maintenance; and, repair costs including addressing theft replacement, and vandalism. These costs increase with every amenity that is provided, from shelters and restrooms, to trash receptacles. Benefits of Being a Landlord vs. Tenant New, stand-alone facilities are most likely to be developed by local agencies and/or transit operators. The exception is joint-use agreements under which commercial parking lot owners make a portion of their parking spaces available to carpool and vanpool use. For Park-and-Ride facilities that are served by public transportation operators there are a few challenges with providing on-site service directly to private parking spaces, including Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessibility, and ensuring safe operation of large vehicles in areas generally designed for passenger vehicles and pedestrians. Situations should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.



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All factors being equal, it is easier to be a landlord than a tenant. However, where ADA and safety factors are not an issue, it is generally far-less expensive venture, up front, and on-going, to be a tenant under a joint use agreement. Design Considerations/On-Site Amenities Historically, agencies developing a specific, publicly-owned Park-and-Ride facility carefully consider the space requirements needed to build a facility that meets the needs of the customers and service providers. This includes consideration of the design and construction costs, and on-going maintenance and operation costs associated with the facility as a whole, and with each design feature. On-site design features that are typically evaluated include the following.

The number, size, and dimension of transit vehicles that will serve the facility ‘on site’ or in an adjacent bus stop.

Whether the facility will also serve as a transfer point between two or more routes, and/or more than one service provider.

The type of surface (unpaved, asphalt, or concrete). Some are a combination, with the passenger vehicle parking areas being asphalt and the bus loading areas being concrete.

The initial capacity and projected demand. And, the potential for the initial capacity to be expanded.

Americans with Disabilities Act compliance. Amenities that are typically considered for each facility include:

Real-time and static information displays;

Bicycle racks and/or lockers;

Electric vehicle charging stations;

Public restrooms;

Showers for those cycling to the facility;

Non-public restrooms for transit drivers;

Lighting;

Security fencing;

Trash receptacles; and

Passenger shelters and/or enclosed structures. Increasingly, agencies are finding the need to include security cameras and recording equipment, to address crimes against individuals, and property crimes, as well as to provide supporting documentation for claims and legal actions.



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More-and-more, jurisdictions are looking for “low” and “no” cost alternatives, and alternatives that are financially feasible, including those that can be phased in over time, as demand warrants. As above, joint use should always be considered, including the trade-offs of being a landlord vs. being a tenant. As operations grow in the coming decade to respond to increased demand for transit services, these

facilities will be critical to effectively and efficiently provide patrons with access to the system,

information about how to use it, and transfer points to aid in moving passengers through the system.

Over-arching questions that should guide the identification and development of each facility include

the following.

What is the known and potential demand? What is the extent of latent demand or future

demand?

Where is the most cost-effective location given that areas closest to existing travel routes and

bus routes are more expensive than sites even a few blocks away?

How can a smaller facility be created that is safe, and convenient to test the potential

demand, with minimal investment?

Is it more practical to be a landlord or a tenant, and might that change over time?

PRELIMINARY SITE LOCATIONS

The following locations are the most-likely places for future Park-and-Ride facilities. Some, such as

those near, and/or serving the Humboldt State campus students and employees, might be very large.

Other facilities, in remote locations, such as along State Route 299, might be very small.

These locations are identified in no particular order.

City of Arcata (with focus on opportunities for joint use of existing, large commercial parking

facilities): (1) near H Street and 5th Street; (2) at/near Ray’s Food Place; (3) near U.S. 101 at

Sunset Avenue; (4) Sunnybrae, if demand not met by other facility.

City of Eureka (with focus on opportunities for joint use of existing, large commercial parking

facilities): (1) Bayshore Mall area; (2) other existing, large commercial parking facilities.

Other locations in Eureka and Arcata to reduce on-campus parking impacts at Humboldt

State, and College of the Redwoods, possibly in coordination with the City of Arcata

assessment of existing downtown parking limitations (peripheral parking).

U.S. 101 “corridor” smaller communities (common capture points).

o Orick

o Trinidad - long-term replacement of existing facility, if needed.

o McKinleyville (at or near Safeway)

o Humboldt Hill



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o Fernbridge/Loleta

o Fortuna (near intersection of Kenmar Road/Eel River Road)

o Rio Dell/Scotia

o Redway

o Garberville

Other/outlying communities (common capture points), if not met by other locations

o Bayside Post Office area – Old Arcata Road Corridor

o Blue Lake (at or near Bowling Alley)

o Intersection of Jacoby Creek Road/Old Arcata Road

o Freshwater Corners (Three Corners)

o Ferndale

o State Route 96 Hoopa area

o Elk River/Ridgewood

o Willow Creek (at or near the library)

Origins for tribal members, employees, and customers of Blue Lake Casino and Bear River

Casinos.

Other existing, under-utilized large parking facilities sized for peak seasonal demand.

In consultation with transit operators additional locations will be identified.

EVALUATION CRITERIA

To the extent that multiple options exist in a location, specific sites will be evaluated, using the

following criteria, in the Draft Park-and-Ride Study.

Physical Location

Location relative to existing transit routes.

Location relative to existing /future population centers.

Site Characteristics

Size (acreage) and dimensions.

Zoning and compatibility of adjacent uses - both potential synergies and potential

incompatibilities

Ownership of potential sites and existing easements.

Accessibility by walking and bicycling, including adequacy of sidewalks and bicycle

lanes/routes.

Universal Design and Americans with Disabilities Act considerations.



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Ease of Implementation

Potential complicated or costly environmental issues.

Regulatory and permit issues.

Grading and drainage issues.

Utility service connections.

Right-of-way acquisition issues.

Americans with Disabilities Act considerations.

Costs

Environmental studies, design, and other project development costs.

Right-of-way costs.

Construction costs.

Maintenance and operations costs: routine maintenance; periodic, capital maintenance; and,

repair/theft replacement/vandalism.

Opportunities for partnerships to reduce, share or eliminate costs.

Related, off-site costs, such as traffic improvements to ensure safe access and egress for all

modes of transportation.

Opportunities for grant or other financing.

Institutional Arrangements

Institutional arrangements that might be needed to design, construct, operate and maintain

the facility.

Other

The ability for a site to accommodate a facility that might be built in phases or otherwise

expanded in the future, should additional demand arise.

Potential for the facility to serve other shared-ride and special event shuttle purposes.

Existing (actual and latent) demand and potential future demand for parking spaces.

Existing and potential future need for additional bus turnout capacity and transfer point

infrastructure.

Other Considerations

Other, less quantifiable factors include the following.



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In some communities, where users have an option, they choose to park in the facility closest

to their destination, rather than the facility closest to their origin. The reasons for this

dynamic are not fully understood.

Future parking demand should be centralized in as few a number of facilities as possible,

minimizing the impact on operations and providing the most parking-per-acre, giving priority

to the larger opportunity areas.

Facilities should be located within 1-2 minutes of transit route to ensure minimal impact on

routing and on-time operations.



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APPENDIX A

SAMPLES OF EXISTING FACILITIES

IN SIMILAR COMMUNITIES



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Examples of Facilities

The following pages depict examples of facilities that are similar to the type of facilities that are low-cost that

should be considered for locations in Humboldt County.

Example of use of excess road right-of-way

Sierra College Boulevard, outside Lincoln, CA 1000 feet south of State Route 193



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Example of joint use with commercial center

(Vintage Faire Mall, Modesto, CA, at State Route 99 at Standiford Ave.)



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Examples of Park-and-Rides Using Interchange Remnants

(U.S. Highway 50 at Ponderosa Road/South Shingle Road, Shingle Springs, CA)



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APPENDIX B

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

SOURCE: MODIFIED/ADAPTED FROM CALTRANS WEBSITES



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Frequently Asked Questions:

What is a park and ride lot?

A park and ride lot is a parking lot that travelers can use as a meeting point to carpool, vanpool, pedalpool and/or ride transit to their final destinations.

Is there a cost to park at a park and ride lot?

As long as you are carpooling, vanpooling, pedalpooling and/or using transit, park and ride lots owned or operated by Caltrans are free of charge. Most of the cities' or counties' park and ride lots are also free of charge; however, there may be an exception where unusual operating costs may require the operating agency to charge a small fee to cover special operating expenses.

Do I need a permit to park in a park and ride lot? Do I have a reserved space?

No. Permits are not used at park and ride lots listed on this website. Park and ride lots are on a first come first serve basis. It is wise to have an alternate lot planned with your carpool, vanpool or pedalpool.

If I go to a park and ride lot will there be a ride waiting for me?

No, unless the facility is served by you have made arrangements to meet up with carpool or vanpool partners.

How long can I leave my vehicle at a park and ride lot?

As a rule, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) will cite any vehicle left over 72-hours. Additionally, per Section 22518 of the California Vehicle Code, the CHP can also cite any vehicle left at the park and ride lot for usage other than commuter-related purposes.

Are there bicycle lockers at park and rides? How do I rent a bicycle locker?

Several park and ride lots offer bicycle lockers. For information on all other bicycle lockers at park and ride lots, please contact the bicycle locker owner indicated in the park and ride lot map details.

Are park and ride lot owners liable for damages to vehicles?

No. Owners of the park and ride lots are not liable for any theft or damages that occur as a result of parking in the lots. Park and ride lot user are encouraged to secure their vehicles and remove valuables from plain sight, secure remove valuables in sight and report suspicious activity.

Is it illegal for vehicles to be left at a park and ride lot with FOR SALE signs on them?

YES, it is illegal for a vehicle to be left at a park and ride lot with FOR SALE signs in the windows if the owner is not legitimately commuting. Section 22518 of the California Vehicle Code prohibits usage of the park and ride lot for vending or other commercial activity. However, no violation of the Vehicle Code occurred if the mentioned FOR SALE vehicle was left by the owner during their commuting hours.

Who owns and maintains the park and ride lots?

Park and ride lots are owned and maintained by various entities including the State of California Department of Transportation, local cities, counties, and transit agencies.

Who creates the rules and regulations for park and ride lots?

Rules and regulations for each lot are dependent upon which entity owns and operates the lot. State owned park and ride facilities fall under the jurisdiction of the California Vehicle Code while other locally owned lots may have different regulations.


http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/displaycode?section=veh&group=22001-23000&file=22500-22526


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APPENDIX C

SAMPLE BICYCLE LOCKER AGREEMENT

SOURCE: CALTRANS


#2 (Evaluation Criteria)

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