Bus Rapid Transit and all that JAZZ

September 30, 2013

Michael Hernandez Assistant General Manager/COO

Monterey-Salinas Transit mhernandez@mst.org

MST Service Area

MST Today…

• Monterey County’s Sole Transit Operator

• Transit District /Regional Taxi Authority Administrator

• 60 regular/seasonal bus routes

• 142 vehicles (80 buses, 8 trolleys, 54 minibuses)

• 237 direct employees, 85 contracted (MVTI)

• $30M annual operating budget

• 4.5 Million annual passenger boardings

QUALITY TRANSIT -- NOW

QUALITY TRANSIT -- NOW

• Oct 2005 - Implementation of MST Grapevine Express service demonstrated that elimination of transfers and unique branding resulted in dramatic ridership increase on a single route.

• Dec 2005 - Customer Survey revealed lowest levels of customer

satisfaction in the following areas: – On-time Performance – Service Frequency – Bus Stop Amenities

• Aug 2006 - COA reveals lines serving Sand City, Seaside had a

highest percentage of transfers to routes serving Cannery Row and Monterey Bay Aquarium

Start With The Data

Fremont/Lighthouse BRT Line

• Highest ridership corridor on Peninsula • Nearly 4,000 passengers per day

Aquarium

Cannery Row

Fisherman’s Wharf

Conference Center

Fremont/Lighthouse BRT Line • 6.75 mile corridor – highest ridership in area

• Cities of Monterey, Seaside and Sand City, and State of California

• Links major visitor and shopping destinations

– Monterey Bay Aquarium

– Cannery Row

– Fisherman’s Wharf

– Downtown Monterey - Conference Center - Historic Dist.

– Monterey County Fairgrounds

– Regional Shopping Malls

– Hotels, Motels & Inns

Fremont/Lighthouse BRT Goals • Create a seamless transit connection between the local

communities for residents, employees and tourists of the area

• Improve the level of service for transit through more frequent service, more reliable service, and a higher capacity of service

• Showcase a high-quality transit service that is an attractive option for all forms of local travel

• Support local land use planning goals to develop mixed-use corridors that are well served by transit

Fremont/Lighthouse BRT Goals

Achieve operational benefits of BRT without high capital investment –No dedicated lanes – Target congested intersections –Use vehicles appropriate sized vehicles –Create stations that keep passengers

informed and comfortable – Fast, frequent, reliable service!

QUALITY TRANSIT -- NOW

BRT Project Funding

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FTA Section 5309 “Very Small Start” Program: $2,773,038

State of California Prop. 1B: $2,645,250

City of Monterey Regional Surface Transportation Program Fund: $607,000

AB-2766; Monterey Bay Unified Air Pollution Control District: $350,000

Total Budget: $6,375,288

Six Phases Of A Project

1. Enthusiasm

2. Disillusionment

3. Panic

4. Search for the Guilty

5. Punishment of the Innocent

6. Praise and Honors for the Non-Participants

MST BRT Brand Identity

What should we call our BRT?????

Bay Rapid Transit – historical name of MST

Breeze, Wave – tie to oceanfront location

English/Spanish - Rapid, Viva, Bravo, Presto

Symbols???

Seeking Inspiration

Lane Transit District Emx, Eugene OR

Seeking Inspiration

Cleveland RTA Healthline

Key Design Features of the JAZZ

• Distinctive shelters & totems at 27 bus stops

– Custom concrete sidewalk improvements

– Bus stop “Nubs” and “Bulbs”

• Jazz-themed vehicles/stations

• Real-time bus arrival information

• Traffic enhancements

– “Queue Jumps”

– “Signal Priority”

– 10 minute frequency express service with stations ~ ½ mile apart.

• Linear museum of Monterey Jazz Festival history

• Each shelter/totem features museum quality display

• QR Codes enable riders to listen to historic performances

• Mobile website allows options to purchase music

21 Microsoft Office Outlook.lnk

JAZZ BRT Stops

JAZZ “TOTEM” Signage Design

JAZZ BRT Stops

Unconstrained Locations Bus stops in lane of travel Mini-plazas created High-tourist locations

Constrained Locations Bus stops partially in parking lanes No room to widen sidewalk into property

Central Monterey • Fremont at Aguajito (eastbound and westbound)

Fremont/Lighthouse BRT Stops

Aguajito

MPC

Caltrans Freeway ROW

Decorative Pavings

LED Lamps shine on glass chips circular pavers

Transit Info Panels

- Route Map

- Schedule - Fares / Passes

- Phone Numbers - Website - Bilingual

Project Challenges:

• 100% staff change from original consultants – Initial cost estimates were inadequate; level of effort under-represented

• Final construction approval from local jurisdictions

• Contactor delays, bid protests, bizarre events

• Production delays: shelters, electronic signage, furniture

• Modifications to construction sites

– “Field Fit” challenges

• Conforming existing grades and condition of project sites

• Change orders & modifications after approval of plan

• State DOT “changed mind” about jump queue lane

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JAZZ BRT Project Cost Summary:

Construction: $3,262,930 54.1%

Bus Stop Amenities: Shelters, Totems, Benches, Bike Racks $1,082,329 18.0%

ITS Technology - TSP, Cameras, On-Street $609,277 10.1%

Design & Engineering / Consulting $775,264 12.9%

Advertising, Marketing, Promotion, Branding $238,055 3.9%

Misc. Additional Expenses: $61,397 1.0%

Total: $6,029,252

So What Was Accomplished?

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• Significant Street, Sidewalk, Curb, Gutter and ADA improvements at 24 locations within four jurisdictions

• 34 Traffic Signals upgraded providing improved coordination and traffic flow

• Increased number of shelters by 280% ( 5 shelters to 19 shelters )

• Total seating capacity on benches and in shelters increased 71% (63 to 108 seats)

• Shortened trip length the through the 6.75 mile corridor by 28% (:50 to :36)

• Passenger Boardings and On-Time performance outpacing system average

• Created hundreds of local jobs during a lengthy economic downturn

• Created a unique customer experience that marries art, history and transit

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http://jazz.mst.org/58/win/

Jump Queue Lane in Action

Traffic Signal Priority In Action Adwheel Award Winning TV Commercial

Accomplishments

Lessons Learned

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• The Very Small Starts Program Is A Viable Source of Funding

• Multi Jurisdictional Projects Are Exceedingly Complicated

• There Is No Such Thing As A Small Construction Project

• There is No Such Thing As A Simple Visit By The Secretary of DOT

• Never Link A Project Completion To A Fixed Date/Event

• Have A Well-funded Legal Reserve On Hand and Insurance Coverage

• Murphy Was An Optimist!

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General Manager / CEO Monterey-Salinas Transit

csedoryk@mst.org

Michael Hernandez Assistant General Manager/COO

Monterey-Salinas Transit mhernandez@mst.org