January 31, 2024
Carrie Weal, Deputy City Clerk
City of Camarillo
601 Carmen Drive
Camarillo, CA 93011
SUBJECT: CITIZEN TRANSPORTATION ADVISORY COMMITTEE –
ANNUAL REPORT/MAJOR TOPICS
Ms. Weal,
Thank you for entrusting Bev and I to serve on the Citizen’s Transportation Advisory Committee representing the City of Camarillo and our community interests. CTAC/SSTAC meets on a quarterly basis acting in an advisory capacity to the Ventura County Transportation Commission regarding Unmet Transit Needs. The following list covers major topics and/or projects discussed in 2023.
All 2023 meetings were held in-person at the County of Ventura Government Center.
• January 10, 2023: The CTAC/SSTAC elected Miranda Patton to serve as the Committee Chair for 2023. Marissa Rodriguez, representing the City of Fillmore, was elected Vice Chair. In addition, the committee approved the annual meeting schedule, consisting of 4 meetings. The new General Manager of Gold Coast Transit presented an annual update of services, programs, and key initiatives for 2023.
• Staff presented an overview of the draft Transit Integration Efficiency Study (TIES) and requested the committee review and comment on the draft prior to the April Commission meeting.
• The FTA 5310 Large Urbanized Area and 5307 JARC grant program Call-for-Projects selections were announced during the January meeting. The Camarillo Health Care District’s Care-A-Van Vehicle Replacement project was awarded a FY23/24 $168K grant.
There were 15 projects submitted as part of the competitive process and 12 project funded.
• Staff presented the guidelines and schedule for the 2023 Access for All Call-for-Projects, a new program intended to expand on-demand transportation services for people with disabilities.
• April 11, 2023: CTAC/SSTAC unanimously approved the Unmet Transit Needs findings at the April meeting. There were no Unmet Transit Needs meeting the minimum thresholds for FY23-24. Local requests in Camarillo included expanded service to provide a transit stop near SAGE, servicing individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities and restoration of the Conejo Connection service line between Camarillo and Woodland Hills (Warner Center). Additional comments focused on increased local connections (within Ventura County), ease of use, service availability, and interoperability between other transit providers in Camarillo. There were also capital project requests for construction of double track to facilitate continuous 2-way traffic and bike/pedestrian friendly improvements near the Camarillo Metrolink Station and Downtown Camarillo.
• Staff presented 5 project concepts for the SCAG Regional Early Action Planning program to be developed into a series of grant applications.
• June 13, 2023: Staff provided a status update on the TIES draft report and findings of the VCTC Intercity and Valley Express Rider Survey, an on-board rider survey of 837 participants.
• September 12, 2023: CTAC/SSTAC approved the FY23-24 Unmet Transit Needs schedule, procedures, and definitions. Staff provide an update on SB-125 Transit and Intercity Rail Capital Program and Zero-Emission Transit Capital Program.
• An update of the Camarillo Transit Station ADA Improvements project was provided to the committee. Signage improvements have been completed and construction of future improvements will occur in 2024.
City staff were not present for any meetings in 2023. Bev and I encourage City of Camarillo staff participation at the quarterly CTAC/SSTAC meetings. Many other cities and transit operators in the County attend and provide updates to CTAC/SSTAC on activities, fare increases, route changes, new programs, etc. They also routinely seek committee input on programs or service changes impacting transit dependent populations.
We appreciate the City’s confidence in us to continue being advocates for the residents of Camarillo.
Respectfully submitted,
Miranda Patton & Bev Dransfeldt