HomeMy WebLinkAbout21 - OCTA Bus Service Plan Revisions
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NEWPORT BEACH
City Council Staff Report
CITY OF
February 9, 2016
Agenda Item No. 21
ABSTRACT:
The Orange County Transportation Authority (OCTA) is proposing service changes to
their countywide bus system. The OC Bus 360 plan outlines changes to bus routes
based on current demand and ridership levels. There are three (3) bus routes that
operate within the city with proposed changes per the plan. Two (2) of the routes begin
and end in Newport Center, and the other route terminates at the Balboa Pier area. One
(1) of the routes in Newport Center will remain in operation. The other two (2) routes will
either be eliminated, or segments will be eliminated. Based on the current schedule, the
OCTA Board of Directors will review the OC Bus 360 Plan on February 22, 2016.
RECOMMENDATION:
Provide direction to staff regarding any comments that may be submitted to OCTA in
response to its OC Bus 360 Plan.
FUNDING REQUIREMENTS:
There is no fiscal impact related to this item.
DISCUSSION:
Based on information provided by OCTA, in the past few years, bus ridership and
revenue have declined every month. Ridership has dropped 30% in the last seven (7)
years. The OC Bus 360 plan outlines proposed increased service on high ridership
routes, and reduced or eliminated service on low ridership routes. OCTA is also
exploring new and alternative service options including vanpools, and “community
circulators” such as trolleys or shuttles to replace eliminated routes. In the OC Bus 360
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: David A. Webb, Public Works Director - 949-644-3311,
dawebb@newportbeachca.gov
PREPARED BY: Antony Brine, City Traffic Engineer, tbrine@newportbeachca.gov
PHONE: 949-644-3329
TITLE: OCTA Bus Service Plan Revisions
OCTA Bus Service Plan Revisions
February 9, 2016
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plan, the “community circulator” projects are listed as being part of the Measure M2
Project V Program.
The following routes will be changed with the OC Bus 360 Plan:
1) Route 71 travels from Yorba Linda to the Balboa Peninsula via Tustin Avenue,
Red Hill Avenue and Newport Boulevard and currently terminates at the Balboa
Pier area. It is proposed that Route 71 terminate at Triangle Square in Costa
Mesa.
2) Route 76, which travels between Huntington Beach, John Wayne Airport and the
Newport Center Transportation Park and Ride, is proposed for elimination.
3) Route 79, which travels between Tustin, UC Irvine and Newport Center, is
proposed for “frequency improvements.”
Staff has received ridership data from OCTA for Route 71 along the Balboa Peninsula.
OCTA collected data between June 21, 2015 and October 10, 2015. Based on the
information provided, on an average weekday, a daily total of 53 people would get on
the bus at the Balboa Pier heading north. There are 24 bus trips per weekday
northbound, meaning that 1-2 people boarded the bus per trip at this stop. This is the
busiest stop on the peninsula.
At the Balboa @ Palm stop, an additional 24 people would board the bus over the entire
day. At the Balboa @ 23rd Street stop, 10 people would enter the bus and 19 people
would exit the bus over the entire day. In general, the ridership appears to be low.
There are two (2) other bus routes that serve West Newport and the peninsula. Route 1
travels on Coast Highway between Long Beach, Newport Center and terminates in San
Clemente. Route 47 travels between Fullerton, the UCI Medical Center, the OC
Fairgrounds, Hoag Hospital and terminates at Balboa @ 23rd Street on the peninsula.
There are no changes proposed in the OC Bus 360 Plan for these two (2) routes. If the
OC Bus 360 Plan was approved, the only change on the peninsula would be an
eliminated segment between the Balboa Pier and the Newport Pier.
At the January 26, 2016 City Council meeting, the City Council approved Resolution No.
2016-15 authorizing the submittal of the Balboa Peninsula Shuttle Program to OCTA for
funding under the Project V – Community Based Transit Circulators Program. If
authorized, this shuttle would serve to meet some of the transit needs on the Balboa
Peninsula with a possible elimination of Route 71.
We note that we as a City staff have encouraged our colleagues at OCTA to
thoughtfully examine the resource allocations associated with bus transit and road
improvements. In some cases, we believe that less-frequented bus routes absorb other
OCTA Bus Service Plan Revisions
February 9, 2016
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important resources that can be used for road improvements (paving, lane additions,
signal improvements, and more). OCTA strives to strike the appropriate balance here,
as both transit and road improvements are vital to our transportation network. The
Council may wish to consider this challenging balance as it looks at this issue.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW:
Staff recommends the City Council find this action is not subject to the California
Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) pursuant to Sections 15060(c)(2) (the activity will not
result in a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment)
and 15060(c)(3) (the activity is not a project as defined in Section 15378) of the CEQA
Guidelines, California Code of Regulations, Title 14, Chapter 3, because it has no
potential for resulting in physical change to the environment, directly or indirectly.
NOTICING:
The agenda item has been noticed according to the Brown Act (72 hours in advance of
the meeting at which the City Council considers the item).
ATTACHMENT:
Attachment A – OCTA Bus 360 Plan Summary and Proposed Route Plan Revisions
Attachment B – OCTA Maps for Routes 1, 47, 71, 76 and 79
ATTACHMENT A
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ATTACHMENT B
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