Transit Times Volume 2, Number 4

8/14/2019 Transit Times Volume 2, Number 4

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Tran s i t Ti lnesI ) Co l 11 ACT

Volume 2, Number 4 OAKlANO, AUGUST 1959

$24,000,000 PROJECTNew EastBay Transit Plan Complete;Express Network, New B u s e ~ Top List

B. W. BookerBooker AppointedTransit Consultant

B. W. Booker, widely known BayArea transportation expert and formerassistant state highway engineer, hasbeen appointed consultant to the Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District.The appointment was approved thismonth by the Transit Disbict Board of

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Engineers Recommend$16,500,000 Bond IssueTo Finance New SystemA $24,000,000 program to revitalize

East Bay public transit with ultramodernbuses, a network of fast express lines andmore than 200 miles of new or improvedlocal routes has been recommended bytransit district consulting engineers.Bulk of the financing would come froma bond issue of $16,500,000. District revenues would provide the remaining $7,-500,000 to assist new equipment purchases.The blueprint for a faster, more comfortable and attractive transit system wasoutlined to the district board of directorsthis month by Charles E. De Leuw, president of De Leuw, Cather & Company,consulting engineers.De Leuw said the system will be selfsupporting from district revenues, andwi1l not require additional taxes. Incomewill be large enough to provide operating costs, funds to payoff the bonds, andnecessary equipment and property renewals, he said.Estimates of revenue are based on the

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Vast 700-mile Transit System to IncludeNew Routes, Improved Service Frequency

(Continued from Page 1)existing 20-cent token fare. The engineersrecommended cutting the fare for children 12 years and under, however, to astraight 10 cents.The district is planning a special transit bond election this October or November. Public approval ofthe bond issue is neededto pu t the district intobusiness and replaceKey System oper:,ationsin the area.Highlights of th etransit program, whichinvolves a total of 700route miles, are as fol-lows: Charles De Leuw

1. Acquisition of 572 new city and suburban "Transit Liners" many of themair-conditioned-including 296 to be purchased during the first two years of operation.2. Establishment of five new expressroutes extending between EI Cerrito inContra Costa County and Decato inSouthern Alameda County. The 65 milesof new express lines would operate overfreeways wherever possible.Faster Service3. Improvement of service frequencyon approximately 170 miles of existingtransit routes throughout the district.4. Establishments of 55 miles of newlocal lines, principally in the areas ofHayward, Alameda and El Cerrito.5. Acquisition of land and buildingspresently used by the Key System forterminal and storage purposes in Emeryville, Richmond and East Oakland.Other improvements include tightening schedules to provide for increasedspeeds; development of off-street passenger transit terminals in Oakland, Berkeley, and possibly San Leandro and Hay-2

ward; construction of passenger sheltersat principal bus stops, and provision ofall-day parking facilities for park-andride patrons at strategic points served bythe express bus lines.The terminals and parking facilitieswere not included in the bond issue because of the additional engineeringstudies that are needed, the engineersreported.Largest single amount of the proposedbond issue would be $8,000,000 for the

initial purchase of 296 new diesel buses.Purchase Plan

Acquisition of 276 used buses to augment peak hour service during the firstyears of operation would run to about$2,800,000. These buses would be replaced by new buses out of district revenue under a planned renewal programbegining with the third year of operations.De Leuw told the transit board theplanned acquisition of both new and usedequipment at the outset of district operations would be the most logical and economical program for establishing the orderly change from private to public operation.Any attempt to provide all new busesfor the initial operation would be unbusinesslike and impractical, and in addition, would delay operation of the district and result in unnecessary tax subsidy, he said.The printed De Leuw report will bedelivered the end of this month. De Leuwsaid the plan contains numerous changesover his recommendations of a year ago.This is the result of suggestions receivedfrom public agencies and other East Bayorganizations studying last year's preliminary plan, and the reduction in sizeof the district.

What the Editors Are Saying About TransitTransit Must Be Integral Part of Roadway PlanningReprinted from the Sacramento BeePASSAGE in the California Senate of The report states further the estimateda bill by Senator John F. McCarthy 1980 traffic for Sacramento, if based onof Marin County calling for state con- that areas present meager use of publicstruction of a $115,000,000 rapid transit transit, would require the financing oftube between San Francisco and Oakland freeways for which there would be "onlyreveals an encouraging recognition that partial economic justification."freeways cannot solve the whole traffic Yet California and even the federalproblem. government have shown a tendency toIt is pertinent to the Bay Area s effort race ahea d wit h freeway constructionto further a rapid transit system to note with no effort to relate it to mass transit

that even planning firms that recommend or other values.freeways often make them contingent ona big step in mass transportation. The highway engineers are not to beThe De Leuw, Cather Company re- blamed too much if they place their jobport which laid out a freeway system for of road building above all else. But theth e City and County of Sacramento legislative bodies of the national governstated experience has shown it is impos- ment, the state and the cities are abdisible to finance and build all the free- eating their responsibilities if they do notways needed for peak hours. relate highway construction to the wholeThis report stated: transportation picture and all community"In city after city, rush hour traffic on values to attain a fair balance.freeways designed for speed of 50 to 60 To failin finding this balance will meanmiles and hour - is lowed down to 20 or the surrender of human, property and30 miles an hour. Complete stoppages civic values to concrete without evenare not infrequent. solving the problem of mobility.

Work Started on Exhaust After-burnersDETROIT-Engineers of Chrysler Corp.

and Thompson Ramo Woolridge, Inc.,will work together to "bring to the production state" an automobile exhaustafter-burner device intended to reduceunburne d hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide gas in auto exhaust.I t is these unburned hydrocarbons, incombination with other gases, that areblamed for smog.Thompson Ramo Woolridge engineersexplained their after-burner device to Detroit auto engineers early this year. Thecompany and Chrysler hope to reduce

the cost, size and complexity of afterburners, and perfect them so they perform reliably for the life of a vehicle,with minimum need for service or parts.Other smog-killing devices a re also under study by Ford Motor Co. and General Motors Corp.More InFormationA note or phone call to the transit district will place your name on the mailinglist for Transit Times if you are not al-ready regularly receiving a copy of themonthly newsletter.

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ULINGTON

LEGEND_ PROPOSED ..[xPRES$ ROUTES

NEW EXPRESS LINES-Nearly 65 route miles of new rapid inter-city express bus linesproposed for East Bay area by engineers of Alameda-Contra Costa Transit Districtare shown on above map. Routes would utilize freeways where possible, and would

SAN L.ORENZO

serve as the nucleus for the first express network linking East communities togetherin the area's history. Travel time among several of the cities by public transit wouldbe cut nearly in half.

New Express Lines To Sharply Reduce Travel Time By TransitA fast express network of freeway busroutes is among the numerous transit improvements reoommended for the EastBay area by consulting engineers of theTransit District.The rapid inter-city express lines, asproposed by consultants this month,would extend from EI Cerrito in the nor thto Decoto in Southern Alameda County.The initial express system would operate over nearly 65 route miles, utilizingfreeways wherever possible.Travel time between the Oaflland Central Business District and neighboringcommunities would, in some instances, besliced in half.Public transit travel between Oaklandand Hayward, for example, would be re-

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duced from 70 to 3 7 ~ minutes. BetweenOakland and San Leandro, travel timewould be lowered from 35 to 23 minutes.East Oakland ServiceThe express line between Ea st Oakland

and the Central Business District viaMacArthur Boulevard would reduce timefor the trip frem 35th Avenue, for example, from 3 3 ~ to 17 minutes.Express service between Oakland andBerkeley would involve a time reductionfrom 32 to 1 7 ~ minutes, and betweenOakland and EI Cerrito, from 34 to 28.The new express lines were so designedas to save sufficient time to compete withthe private auto.The most serious deficiency in bus service presently offered is considered to be

the almost complete lack of any reasonably fast service for long trips. For thisreason, the express system was proposedby engineering consultants to providethe closest approach to truly rapid transit service immediately obtainable.Other operational improvements recommended by the engineers include thefollowing:Increased Frequency

Increase frequency of service on 19existing transit lines, including the No. 11Oakland Avenue, No. 14 Brookdale, No.17 Alcatraz, No. 39 Brookfield Village,No. 46 Arthur-Olive, No. 53 Fruitvale,No. 54 35th-38th Avenues, No. 59/76Montclair, No. 64 San Jose Avenue, No.79 High Street, C-Piedmont, E-Clare-

mont, H-Kensington, K-Havenscout, LEI Cerrito and Richmond, O-Alameda, R-Hayword and T-Treasure Island. Inaugurate seven new lines-four inthe vicinity of Hayward and San Lorenzo

Village, one in the Montclair section ofOakland, one linking Bay Farm Islandand downtown Alameda, and anotherconnecting EI Cerrito business and residential areas. Extend peak hour service on Berkeley transbay "F" line along Spruce St. andEuclid Avenue, and extend Berkeley University Ave. line to the Berkeley YachtHarbor. Re-route midday transbay service onEI Cerrito-Richmond "L" line throughAlbany.

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Retail Sales Profits Tied to AccessibilityBarber Sl:resses Necessil:y of BeHer Transil: 1:0 Business;Merchanl:s Warned of Growing Congesl:ion, Less Parking

Businessmen ar e the first to be hit bythe crippling eHect of congested streets,insufficient parking and outmoded publictransit.Furthermore, profits will be squeezedstill further as it becomes increasinglydifficult for shoppers to patronize themain business districts.These views were expressed by RobertK. Barber, president of the transit district, in a recent address before membersof the EI Cerrito Lions Club.

"I am sure that for most businessmenthe kind and quality of transportationavailable to and used by your customersare your everyday concern," Barber said."I t cannot be otherwise because thesuccess of your operations is so closelyand so inseparably linked with customeraccessibility.

Inadequate Transportation"Congested streets, limited an d inconvenient parking, and infrequent, crowdedand stuHy buses, all reflected on thewrong side of the profit and loss account,are an inevitable result of inadequate orthe wrong kind of customer transportation," he said.Looking into the area's future, Barbersaid that "area planning, as it stands today, will provide 400 miles of new freeways in the East Bay, 61 miles of interurban rail service between major centersof Alameda and Contra Costa countiesand San Francisco, and approximately700 route miles of East Bay local andfeeder service essential to augment andsupport the regional rail system."In this automotive-atomic age, with itsemphasis upon speed and mobility, andwith streets at a premium, Barber said,the urgent need of the East Bay is expanded and improved public transit that6

-Photo courtesy of Dayton City Transit Co.will be sufficiently fas t and convenient tooHer reasonable competition with the private car.

Turning to the local importance of thecommuter, Barber pointed out that during a single day in 1957, about 20,000trips were made between EI Cerrito andthe Richmond-San Pablo area, and another 12,000 trips made between EI Cerrito and the Berkeley-Oakland area.Local Business Stimulated"In terms of wages and salaries, thismeant that in 1957 the commuters included in these figures were bringingback into EI Cerrito an estimated $55,-000,000 to pa y local taxes and to stimulatethe growth of local business and services."By 1980, Barber said, it is estimatedthat nearly twice the present number ofdaily trips will be made between El Cerrito and her neighboring cities.

Public Showing of Transit Plan ReadyAn illustrated public presentation of

the transit district's new program for improved and expanded East Bay transit isnow available for scheduling by organizations in the area.Titled, "We're Rolling With Transit,"the presentation includes a series of descriptive charts and a commentary by adistrict representative pointing out theproblems of mass transportation in thearea and explaining the district's develop-

ment plan for meeting this need.Letters telling of the availability of thepresentation have been mailed to morethan 450 civic, business, community andother clubs and organizations.The presentation is available free ofcharge for luncheon meetings as well asfor groups holding their meetings duringthe morning, afternoon o r evening hours.Any interested group may arrange for apresentation by contacting the district.

Integrated Bus, Rail Networlc FoundNecessary in Plan for Nation's CapitalWASHINGTON-A $565,000,000 networkof express bus routes operating on freeways and rail rapid transit lines havebeen proposed for the District of Colum

bia metropolitan region.The plan was developed by the National Capital Planning Commission following a three-year mass transportationstudy. It was presented to President Eisenhower for referral to Congress.

Recommended in the report was a 66-mile express bus network, a 33-mile railrapid transit system, plus expanded andimproved local transit services.The plan also proposes a network offreeways and extensive improvements ofarterial streets and highways as part ofthe overall integrated program to adequately meet needs of the region whenits population reaches three million.

Booker to Assist on Joint Highway Use(Continued from Page 1)Directors to promote coordination between street, freeway and public transitplanning.Robert K. Barber, district president,said that Booker will advise the Districton future freeway planning for transit usein an eHort to obtain full utilization offreeway developments. He also will advise the district on the effects of vehiculartraffic on proposed transit routes."Freeways provide an excellent meansof transporting public transit ridersswiftly and comfortably," Barber said."Further, increased transit patronage willcontribute to freeway efficiency."

Booker also will serve in a liaison capacity with East Bay municipal andcounty officials who are developing streetand highway programs for their localareas.Booker, as assistant state highway engineer for the nine Bay Area counties from1952 until he retired May 1, was responsible for the planning an d design of majordevelopments in the freeway system.The former highway chief recently wasappointed by the Alameda County Boardof Supervisors as transportation advisorto the Alameda County Highway Advisory Committee. Booker resides in Oakland at 4640 Edgewood Avenue.

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At an adjourned regular meeting July9, 1959, the Board of Directors: Held a public hearing on petitionsfiled by Concord and Walnut Creek CityCouncils and Contra Costa County Boardof Supervisors requesting withdrawal ofarea from the transit district. Hearingwas continued to August 12.* * *At its regular meeting August 5, 1959,the Board of Directors: Approved appointment of B. W.Booker and Arthur C. Jenkins as districtengineering consu ltants. (Details, Page1.) * * *At an adjourned meeting August 11,1959, the Board of Directors: Received a report from Charles E.De Leuw, president of De Leuw Cather

& Company, dealing with recommendations of his firm on revised transit planfor the district. (Details, Page 1.) Referred the De Leuw proposal toComm ittee on Program Planning, Direc-

Transit Times

Alan t. Blll1Iham, Editor....

Robert K. 80rber Pre.ldentWm. J. Blttlncourt Vice Pre .h;!entJahn R. Worthlnglon . G ... al ManagerRobert E. Ni,b.1 Atlorney.s.o-llCII"yG.a rg . M. Tgylor Admlnhlrallve OfficerRoberl K. Barbilr Roberl M. Coplland WI lliam H. Coburn, Jr .J. Howard ArnoldJohn L McDonnellWm. J . Bettlncourt Paul E. Deadrich -"

Director al LarglOlrlc;lor 01 torgl

Ward IWard IIWord II IWord IVWord V

tor Deadrich. chairman, for study, by di-rection of President Barber.Transit: Riding Up First: Time in Ten YearsPassenger traffic of the transit indus- ning of 1959, according to the American

try for June showed a 1.39 per cent in- Transit Association. In each succeedingcrease over the corresponding month :last month of the present year an increasingyear-marking the firs t such monthly number of companies started to top theirpassenger rise in more than a decade_ monthly records for the previous year.The rate of decline of industry traffic Out of a total of 139 transit companieshas been slowing down since the begin- in the country, 75 showed increases.Tran ,U T ime,

Alameda-Contra Costa Transit District700 Plaza BuildingOakland 12, California

THOAS R BOLD5687 MILES AVEOAKLAND 9 CALIF U-l

atJtK RATEU.s. POSTAGEPAID

Permit No. 210.5Ooklond, Ca lifOl'1'lia

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Transit Times Volume 2, Number 4