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CALL TO ORDER

The Regular Meeting of the Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (BPAC) was called to order at 6:09 p.m. by Chairperson Wadler, Valley Transportation Authority, Auditorium, Building A, 3331 North First Street, San Jose, California.

ROLL CALL

A quorum was present.

PUBLIC PRESENTATIONS

There were no Public Presentations.

The Agenda was taken Out of Order.

Committee Staff Report

• Project Design Review

Chris Augenstein, Transportation Planning Manger and Staff Liaison, referenced Consent Agenda Item #5., Minutes of March 8, 2006, stating that due to reorganization and staffing issues, approval of the March 8, 2006 Minutes is deferred to the May 10, 2006 BPAC Meeting. 

Mr. Augenstein reminded BPAC Members signed up for Board Tour for April 14, 2006 and April 28, 2006 to meet at the Auditorium 8:50 a.m.

Michelle DeRobertis, Senior Transportation Planner, stated the dedication ceremony for the River Oaks Bicycle Bridge has been moved from tentatively to May 5, 2006 from April 2006 due to the rain. 

Ms. DeRobertis noted that Colman/I-880 Project will be opening Summer 2006 and once the rains stops striping will be implemented. 

Ms. DeRobertis stated that with regard to Design Projects, State Highway 152/156 is at 95 percent at design, US Highway 101 operations improvements which includes the Tully and Capitol Interchanges has just moved from Project Study Report (PSR) phase to design, and the Mary Avenue Overcrossing of US Highway 101 Project, US Highway 101/Trimble/DeLaCruz Interchange Project, Interstate 880/280 Stevens Creek Project, Calaveras Boulevard Project, State Route 85/State Route 237/El Camino Real Project, and State Route 237/Middlefield Project PSRs are commencing.

Ms. DeRobertis referenced Bike-to-Work Day stating that VTA is taking the lead with the Silicon Valley Bicycle Coalition (SVBC).    VTA will have at least one energizer station; and SVBC will be hosting 40. 

VTA will be contributing bicycle maps for the 4,000 bags that will be passed out, has offered to display posters, and contributed a cash donation. 

Chairperson’s Report

Chairperson Wadler advised that Marc Jensen has resigned from the BPAC because he is starting a new business venture that he needs to devote his time to.  

Mr. Augenstein stated that election of Vice Chairperson will be agendized for the  May 10, 2006 BPAC Meeting.

CONSENT AGENDA

(Deferred to the Meeting of May 10, 2006.)

Approve Minutes of March 8, 2006.

Request for Proposals – VTA Organizational & Financial Assessment

Jim Lawson, Government Affairs Manager, stated the item before the BPAC is a referral from the Board of Directors from their April 6, 2006 Board of Directors’ Meeting in response to Chairperson Chavez’ request for an organizational financial assessment.   In order to pursue an analysis of VTA’s business practices, staffing levels, methods and forms of reporting, opportunities to identify cost savings, and create a goal to maximize VTA’s ability to provide service. 

Mr. Lawson reported that VTA has contracted with Robert Kuo, Robert Kuo Consulting, LLC assist in the development of a Request for Proposal (RFP) to provide this independent audit. 

To date Mr. Kuo has interviewed and received input from VTA’s Executive Staff and representatives from the three bargaining units, Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 715, Amalgamated Transit Union (ATU) Local 265, and Transportation Authority Engineers and Architects (TAEA).    This input has been incorporated into the RFP Work Scope.

Mr. Kuo provided an update regarding the scope of work for the RFP stating that the scope derives from Chairperson Chavez’ request at the January 5, 2006  Board of Directors’ Meeting that VTA undertake an organizational financial assessment

Due to the broadness of the Scope, it will require a team of consultants rather than a single firm because it is unlikely that any single firm will have expertise in all of the areas. It will be the responsibility of the lead firm from each team to pull team members together so that all of the work scopes are covered.   Mr. Kuo advised that updates throughout the process will be provided to the Board of Directors and all Committees.

Mr. Kuo noted that the RFP is organized into the following four sections: 

Part I.  Organizational and Financial Assessment

The intent of Part I is to evaluate VTA as a whole and assess how VTA has performed to date in meeting its own goals and objectives.   It will provide a financial analysis and will analyze VTA’s financial stability.   The goal is to provide an independent assessment of how VTA’s finances look in the coming decade.

The report from the Consulting Team will also address VTA’s organizational structure and will provide recommendations about VTA’s current structure and how it might be structured differently to improve VTA’s performance.

The Consulting Team will also evaluate communications both with stakeholders and employees through upper management.

Part II.    Division-by-Division Review and Assessment

Part II looks at a Division-by-Division analysis somewhat similar to Part I but specific to each of the five major divisions at VTA.   The Consulting Team will review an assessment of each Division’s goals and objectives, performance against meeting those goals, staffing levels, and whether staffing levels are appropriate.

Part III.   Financial Information and Financial Policies

Part III refers to VTA’s financial information and financial policies.   The Consultant Team will review existing budget documents and other financial information.. 

The Consultant Team will also be asked to review VTA’s financial policies, which includes policies adopted by the Board of Directors and policies that may exist at the staff level. 

Part IV.   Program-Specific Reviews

Part IV of the RFP Scope covers Program Reviews and this is a bit of a catchall section.   The Program Review will review fringe benefits, workers compensation, ATU Pension Fund, contracted services, security, use of consultants, procurement process, and information technology. 

The Consulting Team will be asked to review and assess what VTA is doing now and provide recommendations, if any, for things that can be done better in the future. 

Member Stallman referenced VTA’s mission and requested that the mission be evaluated.    

Member Stallman referenced the 1976 half-cent sales tax allocated for supporting transit and requested the Consultants review and evaluate where the funding is actually being allocated. 

Member Stallman expressed concern that transit money may still be used towards parts of the operation that is not involved with delivering transit.  

Member Stallman requested the Consultants itemize jobs at the River Oaks Facility, equipment costs, debt service on buying new fare equipment, cost of Translink cards, advertising, marketing, printing asses, distributing passes, collecting   money, drivers’ time, the cost for transit trip times and operators having to deal with fare issues at point of boarding, fare collection, and inspectors and see if it all adds up to what VTA is collecting in fares. 

Member Carpenter took his seat at 6:32 p.m.

Mr. Lawson clarified that the purpose of audit is to look at VTA as it currently exists, to perform an in-depth audit of the way we are functioning currently, and provide recommendations that will allow us to maximize resources. 

Mr. Lawson stated that the Consulting Team will be reviewing reports that have been done in the past and are currently being worked on now, as well as reviewing the recommendations from the Ad-Hoc Financial Stability Committee. 

Member Swent stated the audit is a good idea and is in full support of it.

Member Muniz queried if there are plans to benchmark the operating costs with similar communities throughout the Country, relative to how efficient VTA is operating a transit system in Santa Clara County compared to other operating systems throughout the United States.  Mr. Kuo responded he thought it would likely be part of the project.

On order of Chairperson Wadler, there being no objection, the briefing on the Request for Proposals for Organizational and Financial Assessment Consulting Services as requested by Chairperson Cindy Chavez at the January 5, 2006 Board of Directors’ Meeting was received.

REGULAR AGENDA

FY 2007 Transportation Fund for Clean Air Program Manager Fund

Bill Hough, Transportation Planner III, reported staff is requesting the BPAC review and recommend programming of TFCA Program Manager Funds as shown in Attachment A, entitled Santa Clara County FY 2006-07 TFCA 40% Program (Attachment A) to the Board of Directors. 

Mr. Hough explained the funding comes from a $4.00 vehicle registration fee collected by the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV).   The funding is forwarded to the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) who then returns 40 percent of the proceeds back to the county of origin to fund air reduction projects such as alternative fuel projects, bicycle projects, arterial management projects, and trip reduction strategies within that county. 

Mr. Hough stated that previous Board of Directors’ action divided the TFCA 40% into two halves; half to the Bicycle Expenditure Plan (BEP) and the other half to the Competitive Program.   In 2005 the Board of Directors approved a fund exchange with the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) wherein VTA would program a portion of the TFCA fund from the BEP to MTC to fund the Vehicle Buy Back Program in exchange for an equal amount of Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality (CMAQ) funding returned to the County of Santa Clara for the BEP which resulted in no loss of bicycle funding but just a more appropriate pot of money to fund the BEP.

Mr. Hough referenced Attachment A stating that member agencies submitted nine projects requesting approximately $1.7 million in funding. To fund all of the eligible projects, staff is recommending borrowing back $540,000 from the BEP side and sending the remaining $811,000 to MTC for the CMAQ fund exchange which would fund the nine projects listed on Attachment A.

Member Stallman stated that City of Sunnyvale Project, Mathilda Adaptive Signal Project, could provide a good feature for the smaller street crossings of the major arterials because it is supposed to enable the signals to look for breaks in the traffic and allow crossings to take place prior to arbitrary timeouts.

Member Carpenter referenced the City of Mountain View Project, Stevens Creek Trail Reach 4, stating that Stevens Creek Trail is not only a recreational trail and also serves as an expedient commuting trail for bicyclists.

M/S/C (Stallman/Carpenter) to review and recommend that the VTA Board of Directors approve the programming of FY 2007 Transportation Fund for Clean Air Program Manager (TFCA 40%) funds to projects.

Amendment to Tier 1 Bicycle Expenditure Program Project:   River Oaks Bicycle and Pedestrian Bridge

Amin Surani, Senior Transportation Engineer, reported the Rivers Oaks Bicycle and Pedestrian Bridge is at an advanced stage of construction and completion of the Project has been hindered by unprecedented rain.

Mr. Surani stated that due to delays and some difficulties with retaining walls and bridge abutments, funding has been depleted and staff is requesting an additional $282,000 for Geotechnical Services, Environmental support, Design support, Construction Inspection, Testing and Survey and Construction Contingency to complete the construction phase of the project.    Mr. Surani advised the BPAC that upon completion of the project, a final cost reconciliation will be conducted and any unused funds will returned to the1996 Measure B Bicycle Account.

Member Muniz queried what the contingency on the project was.   Mr. Surani responded that there was a project contingency of 10 percent for construction items but unfortunately that portion of the funding had to be reallocated for support services.

M/S/C (Swent/Kobayashi) to review and recommend that the VTA Board of Directors approve an increase of $282,000 in the Bicycle Expenditure Program 1996 Measure B allocation for the River Oaks Bicycle and Pedestrian Bridge for a total allocation of $1.92 million from the 1996 Measure B Bicycle Account.

Programmed Projects Quarterly Monitoring Report for January to March 2006

John Sighamony, Transportation Planner III, referenced Attachment A, Progress Summary Sheet Funds Expiring 2006, which depicts a list of projects whose Plans, Specifications and Estimates are nearly complete and expect the Authorization to Proceed by June 2006. 

Mr. Sighamony stated that each quarter, as the Monitoring Report is updated, the Report will be provided on the VTA website at www.vta.org.

On order of Chairperson Wadler, there being no objection, the Programmed Projects Quarterly Monitoring Report for January to March 2006 was reviewed.

Presentation on the County Projects Priority List     

Paul Pascoal, Santa Clara County Roads & Airport Department BPAC Liaison, outlined the ten projects in Proposed TDA Article 3 Project Priority List for FY 2006-2007 Guarantee Funds stating that there have no changes to the proposed list since 2005.  

The List is as follows:

1.  Bicycle Shoulder Delineation Along Expressways; San Tomas Expressway and Camden Avenue

Mr. Pascoal announced that the Phase 1 of the Bicycle Shoulder Delineation Project came in lower than the engineer’s estimate.

Traffic Operations have taken the lead on the intersection of San Tomas Expressway and Camden Avenue for Phase 2.  The intersection needs to be geometrically changed to more user friendly for vehicles and bicyclists. 

Mr. Pascoal noted that Design has commenced and he will be the Project Manager once construction commences. 

Mr. Pascoal advised that due to the lawsuit settled between the County of Santa Clara and the City of San Jose, the List should change dramatically in 2007.

2.  Pedestrian path along Westerly side of McKee Road between White Road and Staples Avenue

This area has essentially no standard pedestrian facility which forces people to walk in the street, as well as pushing strollers out on the street. 

3.  Pedestrian path along Easterly side of McKee Road between White Road and Staples Avenue         

This project is located between McKee Road between White Road and Staples Avenue on the easterly side.

During the years parts of the City of San Jose were developed, this area was left behind and is considered part of the County of Santa Clara’s unincorporated area. 

4.  Pedestrian path along the North side of Downing Avenue at Thorton Way        

There is a pedestrian pathway that needs to be built between Downing Avenue and Thorton Way, which will keep vehicles from being parked on the right-of-way.

5.  Pedestrian path on Westerly side of Almaden Expressway at Camden Avenue

A pedestrian pathway will be installed due to a chain link fence being removed to provide easier access from the neighborhood to the residential shopping complex. 

This is a project that will move quickly once it is time to move to design and construction phases.

6.  Pedestrian path on Westerly side of Almaden Expressway between Rajkovich Way and Casual Way

There are fair amount of people from the residential neighborhood who are trying to get over to a supermarket and are jumping a fence to get there.   A pedestrian pathway will be installed to provide the neighborhood with easier access.   This project will be a little bit more design intensive.

   8.  Replacement of modified R44 (No Peds) signs with R43 sign and the addition of W79 and W80 signs on various Expressways

The W79 and W80 signs are bicycle signs that advise motorists to be aware that bicyclists are present.

   7.  Pedestrian path along Westerly side of Alum Rock Avenue between Miguelita Bridge and Ridgeview Avenue

The pedestrian pathway will connect a piece that is missing between Miguelita Bridge and Ridgeway Avenue.

   9.  Pedestrian path along Southerly side of Hyland Avenue between St. John Vianney School and White Road

Currently vehicles are parked on County right-of-way and wheelchair bound people from the neighborhood have to go around the automobiles so a pedestrian pathway will be installed between St. John Vianney and White Road.

10.  Bicycle shoulder widening at Junipero Serra Boulevard at West Campus Drive

This area has been very difficult and the only solution for it is to spend a lot of money and widen the road.   Although there is an alternate route available but it is out of the way if you are a bicyclists.

Member Stallman expressed concern there is not sufficient funding to fund all of the projects on the List.

Member Kobayashi referenced Project 1. Bicycle Shoulder Delineation Along Expressways; San Tomas Expressway and Camden Avenue (Project 1), stating that the Expressway Study comments have been made regarding pedestrian accommodation and bicycle access to that area.   The County of Santa Clara would like to get that addressed as quickly and get the access through there because it is a difficult area to cross.   Mr. Pascoal noted there is geometric realignment that needs to be done to the actual intersection.  Member Stallman stated it would be his preference to go with one of the other projects and not have Project 1 be the first priority.  Mr. Pascoal advised that there is a serious amount of design invested in Project 1 as well as different pots of money so the project can be completed in 2006.

Member Swent queried if County Roads is an agency that is eligible to apply for Safe Route to School Funds.   Mr. Pascoal responded that County Roads is not only eligible but does in fact apply for them.

After Committee discussion it was agreed that the Presentation on the County Projects Priority List will be agendized for the May 10, 2006 BPAC Meeting for further discussion.   The BPAC will be provided with the List provided in 2005 for comparison to the List for 2006.

On order of Chairperson Wadler, there being no objection, the presentation on the County Projects Priority List was received.

Announcements

Member Carpenter, City of Mountain View, announced he as been elected to another term on the VTA BPAC. 

Mr. Carpenter reported work in continuing on the city map updates for the bicycle and pedestrian map.

Member Swent, City of Palo Alto, reported that the Adobe Creek undercrossing of US Highway 101, which was scheduled to open on April 15, 2006, is presently underwater and consequently the opening has been rescheduled for May 1, 2006.

Member Thielges, City of San Jose, reported that an at-grade crossing is being recommended as an interim measure for the Blossom Hill and Monterey Highway Railway Intersection.

Member Stallman, City of Saratoga, reported that the latest MTC report on all transit agencies reports that Santa Cruz Metro Highway 17 Bus Line has a 53 percent fare box return.   Member Stallman stated he is hopeful that one day soon the Highway 17 Bus Line will have a stop in West Valley Corridor to enable the area to make use of the Highway 17 Bus Line.

Member Kobayashi, County of Santa Clara, reported there was an incident on Page Mill Expressway where a gentleman was run off the road by a black pick-up truck and cautioned the BPAC to be careful in that area and to keep an eye out for the vehicle.

Member Reisinger, City of Milpitas, introduced Fred Zies, Vice Chairperson of the Milpitas BAC, who may be the next representative from the City of Milpitas on the VTA BPAC.

Member Reisinger reported the City of Milpitas will host three energizer stations on Bike to Work Day.

Member Muniz, City of Gilroy, reported he has been elected to represent Gilroy for another term on the VTA BPAC.

Chairperson Wadler, City of Campbell, announced he has been elected for another term to serve on the VTA BPAC.

Chairperson Wadler reported the City of Campbell asked him to teach a class to City employees as an League (of American Bicyclists) Cycling Instructor (LCI) and unfortunately the City Attorney advised that he cannot do so since he is on the City of Campbell’s BPAC and it is a conflict of interest.  

Chairperson Wadler informed the BPAC that he will be holding a bicycle clinic for NASA on Bike-to-Work Day.

ADJOURNMENT          

On order of Chairperson Wadler, there being no objection, the meeting was adjourned at 7:20 p.m.

Respectfully submitted,

Gilda M. Gozdanich, Board Assistant
VTA Board of Directors

NOTE:     M/S/C MEANS MOTION SECONDED AND CARRIED AND, UNLESS OTHERWISE INDICATED, THE MOTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.