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Mountain View Double Track Phase II

Public Meeting Agenda 6:00 to 6:30 pm Open House View displays and ask questions 6:30 to 7:00 pm Project Presentation 7:00 to 8:00 pm Public Comment and Open House

Mountain View Double Track Phase II

May 22, 2014

Light Rail Efficiency Project

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Agenda

• Introduction

• Project Purpose and Need • Project Description

• Environmental Analysis

• Public Comment Process

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Purpose and Need

• Remove single track constraints which limit the flexibility of operations and connections between light rail and other services like Caltrain

• Improve overall system performance and reliability • Accommodate future demand and special events at Levi’s Stadium

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Project Description

• Add a second light rail track between SR 85 and Whisman Light Rail Station to enable simultaneous northbound and southbound train operations

• Close and remove of Evelyn Light Rail Station • Install light rail support systems

• Remove landscaping

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Project Map

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Environmental Review

• Initial Study/ Mitigated Negative Declaration

• California Environmental Quality Act Checklist

Aesthetics Agriculture and Forestry Air Quality Biological Resources Cultural Resources Geology/Soils Greenhouse Gas Emissions Hazards and Hazardous Materials

Hydrology/Water Quality Land Use/Planning Mineral Resources Noise/Vibration Population/Housing Public Services Recreation Transportation/Traffic Utilities/Service Systems

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Transportation/Traffic

• No significant traffic impacts would occur at the Whisman Station Drive and Ferguson Drive intersections along Central Expressway

• A Traffic Management Plan will be prepared to minimize traffic impacts

during project construction

• Downtown Mountain View and Whisman Light Rail Stations would be able to accommodate riders who utilize Evelyn Light Rail Station

• Evelyn Park and Ride Lot would be partially closed during construction but remain open after the Project

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Noise and Vibration

• Noise measurements at 12 sites

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Noise and Vibration

• Construction and operation related noise and vibration levels were calculated at sensitive receptors along the Project

• Project noise and vibration levels are below FTA thresholds • Most construction activities would take place during the day, but some

night work is required

• Measures would be implemented to reduce construction-related noise impacts

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Schedule

• Public Review Period: May 15 to June 16, 2014

• Final Initial Study / MND: July 2014 • VTA Board of Directors considers approval of the Project: August 7,

2014

• Construction would begin in early 2015 and end in late 2015

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Public Review

• Verbal comment tonight

• Written comment card (available tonight)

• Email: LRE.InitialStudy@vta.org • Postal mail:

VTA, Environmental Programs and Resources Management Attention: Tom Fitzwater 3331 North First Street, Building B-2 San Jose, California 95134-1927

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Speaker Guidelines

• Please submit a speaker card

• The moderator will call each speaker

• Speakers will have 3 minutes to present comments

• Clearly state your name for the record

• We will not be responding to your comments tonight

• Responses will be in the Final Initial Study / MND

• Comments must be received by June 16, 2014

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Community Outreach

• For further information about the project please contact:

Ethan Winston Title: Public Communications Specialist Phone: (408) 321-5978 Email: Ethan.Winston@vta.org

• Project website: vta.org/lre-mv

Caltrain RealignmentDesign: May 2014Contract award: August 2014 Completion: December 2014

Environmental: April 2013Design: April 2014 Contract award: August 2014Completion: July 2015

Environmental: August 2014Design: July 2014 Contract award: November 2014Completion: December 2015

Double Track Phase 1

Project Schedule

2 013 2 014 2 015

Double Track Phase 2

Phase 1

Phase 2

Caltrain

2 016 2 017

BART Extension to Silicon ValleySuper Bowl L

Caltrain$6.4 Million

Phase 1$26.6 Million

Phase 2$30 Million

Total Project Cost: $63 Million We Want to Hear From YouOver the next few months we will be coming to neighborhood meetings and you’ll have the opportunity to learn more about the speci�cs that a�ect your area and ask VTA sta� about the project. In late May,we’ll have a public hearing on the Double Track Phase 2 Environmental study.

Let us know if you would like a meeting in your community or place of work.

Sign up on our mailing list and our Gov Delivery System will notify you by email when new information is available on this project. Stay tuned for project updates.

IntroductionLight Rail

Project

Mountain View Double Track Budget and Schedule

Light Rail

Project

How to contact us: Project website: vta.org/lre-mvProject e-mail: community.outreach@vta.orgProject phone number: (408) 321-7575TTY only: (408) 321-7575

Source: Esri, i-cubed, USDA, USGS, AEX, GeoEye, Getmapping, Aerogrid, IGN, IGP, and the GIS UserCommunity

Central Expressway

Central ExpresswayEvelyn Avenue

Evelyn Avenue

Existing Evelyn Station

Existing Pedestrian Tunnel

Proposed Second Track

Existing Park and Ride (remains open)

IntroductionLight Rail

Project

Mountain View Double Track Evelyn Station Closure

Light Rail

Project

Phase 2 Double Track Impact Evelyn Station is located in between Caltrain’s tracks and VTA’s single track, where the second light rail track needs to be located To accommodate the second track, without narrowing Central Expressway or Evelyn Ave, VTA proposes closure of Evelyn Station in January 2015

Closure of Evelyn station will include outreach and analysis to determine impacts to riders and the surrounding community.

Average Weekday Ridership: 66 Boardings (2nd lowest of 59 Stations)

79% Evelyn Park and Ride Occupancy (150/189 spaces full) 9-16 Light Rail riders park on typical weekday; lot serves mostly non-Light Rail use

Evelyn Station was constructedto handle anticipated over�ow from Downtown Mountain View Station.

Today Evelyn Station is one of VTA’s lowest ridership stations. The low ridership is due to poor connectivity with the surrounding neighborhood and lack of jobs and housing nearby.

When taken out of service, customers will use either Mountain View or Whisman Stations.

Adjacent stations are both 0.7 miles from Evelyn, approximately 12-15 minute walk time.

Evelyn Station is accessible only from Evelyn Avenue, through a pedestrian tunnel. Central Expressway is a barrier to walk, bike, and drive access.

While the need to close Evelyn arose due to the Phase 2 Double Track Project, station closure is consistent with VTA’s Transit Sustainability Policy.

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Downtown Mountain View Transit Center

EvelynStation

WhismanStation

WhismanPark and Ride Lot

CENTRAL EXPWYEvelynPark and Ride Lot

Existing VTA Traction Power Substation

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Mountain ViewPark and Ride Lot

Caltrain RealignmentPhase 1 Project

Phase 2 ProjectProposed Construction Staging AreaExisting Station

VTA Light RailCaltrainRelocated Signal CrossingStation Area

(Closure)

Phase 1 Adds 1400 feet of track and constructsreplacement storage track

Phase 2Adds 3000 feet of track, closes Evelyn Station, relocates crossing and signal equipment

Caltrain RealignmentShifts Caltrain tracks to create space for second light rail track

What’s the Project?

Why Double Track?

Mountain View Double Track projectwill construct a second track between Mountain View and Whisman Stationswhere currently only one track exists.

Total track length:

The Double Track will enable VTA to:• Introduce new service from Mountain View to Alum Rock• Increase connectivity with Caltrain and the future Milpitas BART station• Serve growing residential and commercial development• Respond to demand at Levi’s Stadium• Improve system-wide on-time performance, reduce train bunching

VTA is planning to complete the project in time to meet the demands on the system from Super Bowl 50 in 2016.

The single track segment at the end of the Mountain View line is a major choke point, which limitsthe amount of service VTA can operate and triggers delays that impact the entire systemFaster, more frequent, more reliable service means riders can get to where they are going fasterWhen BART and new Light Rail service open in 2017, riders can expect time savings ranging from 17 to 30 percent, depending on where they’re going

Mountain View Double Track Project Overview

Light Rail

Project

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Proposed Station Closure