CRESCEN
CIT
ARCT)
1854
CALIFORNIA REDWOOD COAST TRANSIT
SPECIAL JOINT MEETING OF THE
CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF CRESCENT CITY
AND THE
REDWOOD COAST TRANSIT BOARD OF DIRECTORS
AGENDA
Flynn Center
981 H Street
CRESCENT CITY, CA 95531
MONDAY JANUARY 23, 2023 6:00 P.M.
ZOOM PHONE NUMBER: (253) 215-8782
ZOOM WEBINAR ID: 862 8770 4227
MUTE / UNMUTE PRESS *6 RAISE HAND PRESS *9
The public may access and participate in the public meeting using one or more of the following methods:
1) Attend the meeting in person, public comment at the podium will be allowed. 2) Participate live online via Zoom (details below) or by utilizing the link to join the meeting posted on both the City of Crescent City - City Hall Facebook page and the City of Crescent City website (www.crescentcity.org), public comment may be made by using the raise hand feature on Zoom;
3) Watch the meeting via livestream on YouTube (channel: City of Crescent City, California), City Clerk prior to 12:00 p.m. the day of the meeting. Please identify the meeting date and agenda item to which your comment pertains in the subject line. Public comments so received will be forwarded to the City Council and District Board and posted on the website met to the agenda. Written pubic comments will not be read aloud during the
OPEN SESSION
Redwood Coast Transit Board of Directors
Call to order
Roll call
City of Crescent City/Redwood Coast Transit
Special Meeting Agenda
January 23, 2023
City Council
Call to order
Roll call
Pledge of Allegiance
NEW BUSINESS
1. Front Street Transit Hub Site Selection
Recommendation: Hear staff report
• Technical questions from the Board/Council
Receive public comment
Further Board/Council discussion
Give staff direction regarding preferred location of the transit hub If appropriate for the transit hub location, direct staff to bring back an Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the City / RCT Board for the use of public property
ADJOURNMENT
Redwood Coast Transit Board of Directors:
Adjourn to the regular meeting of the Redwood Coast Transit Board of Directors scheduled for February 27, 2023 at 5:30 p.m. at the Flynn Center, 981 H Street, Crescent City, CA City Council:
Adjourn to the workshop for the City Council of the City of Crescent City and the Measure S Oversight Committee scheduled for January 30, 2023 at 5:30 p.m. at the Wastewater Treatment Facility, 210 Battery Street, Crescent City, CA 95531.
POSTED:
January 20, 2023
/s/ Robin Altman
City Clerk/Administrative Analyst
City of Crescent City
Notice Regarding Americans with Disabilities Act: In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act, if you need special assistance to participate in the meeting, please contact the City Clerk's office at (707)464-7483 ext. 223. Notification 48 hours before the meeting will enable the City to make reasonable arrangements to ensure accessibility to this meeting |28 CFR 35.102-
35.104 ADA Title II] For TTYDD use for speech and hearing impaired, please dial 711. A full agenda packet may be reviewed at City Hall, 377J Street, during regular business hours, 8:00 a.m. 5:00 p.m., or on-line at www.crescentcity.org 2 CRESCENT
IRCT
REDWOOD COAST TRANSIT AGENDA REPORT
CALIFORHIN
REDWOOD COAST TRANSIT AUTHORITY
AND CITY COUNCIL
TO: MAYOR WRIGHT AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
CHAIR ALTMAN AND MEMBERS OF THE REDWOOD COAST TRANSIT
AUTHORITY
FROM: JOE RYE, RCTA GENERAL MANAGER
ERIC WIER, CITY MANAGER
DATE: JANUARY 23, 2023
SUBJECT: FRONT STREET TRANSIT HUB SITE SELECTION
RECOMMENDATION
• Hear staff report
Technical questions from the Council / Board
• Receive public comment
• Further Council / Board discussion
• Give staff direction regarding preferred location of the transit hub • If appropriate for the transit hub location, direct staff to bring back an Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) between the City/RCT Board for the use of public property
BACKGROUND
The City Council and the Redwood Coast Transit Authority had a joint meeting on December 6, 2023 to discuss the proposed locations of the transit hub of Front Street between Hand I Street and the City owned lot at Front Street and K Street, the library parking lot. At that meeting, Council directed staff to meet with adjoining property owners to discuss the locations. The meeting was held on January 9, 2023 via Zoom and included Jeff Schwein of Green DOT Transportation Solutions, Redwood Coast Transit Manager Joe Rye, City Manager Eric Wier, and representatives from the Library, Wild Rivers Foundation, the Downtown Divas, and the National Parks. Although the stakeholders at the meeting were generally supportive of project there were concerns over the proposed location in regard to loss of parking as well as safety and transient activity.
RCTA has been developing a project to house a staffed presence at RCTA's main transit center, currently Front Street near the Cultural Center. The project has evaluated a spectrum of investments, from very modest improvements to the current location, to a similar stretch of curb space in the public right-of-way, to an off-street location that could host a permanent transit center building. The preferred vision has evolved to include an off-street location where RCTA can build a customer service center, restrooms for employees and the public, off-street bays for buses, seating for boarding and alighting passengers, real-time bus info, concessions, etc.
Front Street Transit Hub Site Selection 2
January 23, 2023
RCTA engaged Green Dot Transportation to evaluate locations in the Front Street/Downtown area that could be developed into an off-street transit center. In April 2022, the RCTA Board selected the City-owned parking lot on Front between Hand I streets as its preferred site after considering 6+ locations near Front Street/Downtown. As RCTA proceeded into the entitlements process with the City, RCTA was asked to consider the Library Site once again before making any further investment into the project. The RCTA Board and City Council held a Special Joint Meeting on December 6th to select between the two City-owned parking lots.
DISCUSSION:
The first location (Front between H and | Streets) is about two blocks east of the second location, the City-owned lot at Front and K, known as the Library Site. The library site is located just diagonally northwest from RCTA's current stretch of curb that functions as a transit center, and directly across from the Cultural Center.
Either of the final two locations under consideration at the Special RCTA and City Council Meeting on December 6th 2022 could work nicely to host this transit hub facility. While there are pros and cons to both sites, RCTA is excited to pursue whichever site is chosen for the future transit center hub. The December Joint RCTA/City Council meeting did not choose the preferred site, but directed staff to further develop the options at each location and to initiate outreach with impacted businesses and entities at both locations.
Site Specific Strengths and Challenges
The Front between Hand I site has few site-specific challenges, and is larger than anything that can be fit into the Library Site without negative impacts to other users of the parking lot (Library, various offices). This parking lot is less utilized at this time, and is closer to large apartment complexes (Surf, Crescent Arms) that could produce significant ridership increases should the transit hub be located much closer. The location a bit west towards the ocean may result in route time adjustments for most RCTA routes, which access US 101. Buses would enter and exit safely off of Hor I Streets, and there is room for parking if required. There are existing public restrooms just across Front Street which would allow RCTA to being operations at this location prior to constructing the buildings.
The Library Site is closer to the heart of tourist action in the Cultural Center area, is closer to existing transit-attractions (grocery stores, fast food, drug store) and could be used without any schedule adjustments to existing RCTA routes (its right across the street from current location) This site also features convenient access to the Library and the transit hub could include space for commercial tour buses as well as provide mobility for users of the numerous EV charging infrastructure recently installed in this parking lot. The site is also directly across K Street from the Redwood State and National Parks Administration Office, a high volume tourist stop. The site is constrained and balancing existing parking for the businesses with RCTA transit center space requirements will be a challenge. There is an issue with homeless individuals and groups congregating in the area already, so the design will need to be done in close cooperation with law enforcement to avoid creating a nuisance. This is most likely the case with either site, but the current challenges seem more acute at the Library Site.
A site selection decision is advantageous today so that RCTA can submit a competitive grant applications this winter for TIRCP (Transit Intercity Rail Connection Projects), a joint application with regional transit partners in Humboldt County, as well as a Clean California grant in collaboration with the City. Final design and additional outreach can continue during the design effort, but having the site selected and an agreement in process for the site development will greatly strengthen grant applications. That said, if consensus on the site cannot be reached at Front Street Transit Hub Site Selection / 3
January 23, 2023
this point, RCTA and the City can wait, continue to evaluate other locations, bank funding for the project, and prepare to apply for future rounds of grant funding.
RCTA will work with the DNLTC and its regional partners to seek grant funding until enough funds are available to design and construct the ultimate project - a brick and mortar structure which will include a staffed ticket office (coffee kiosk sized building), employee restrooms/break room, and public restrooms that would be maintained by the City. With either site, it is possible that RCTA could construct the project in phases, starting with the bus bays and islands, while seeking the grant funding to add the kiosk and restroom building(s).
Next Steps
Project Funding Plan
The project promises to compete well for grant funding, and two grant efforts are already in progress: a joint application with City and RCTA for Clean California Grant Funds, and a regional application with North State Super Region partner transit agencies for TIRCP grant funding.
RCTA has engaged Green Dot and Adkins Engineering to develop the design and permitting needed to build at least) Phase 1 as soon as 2023. Design work was paused in November to allow for the site selection process to involve RCTA and City Council. Once a site is selected, design will re-commence concurrent with the development of a Letter of Agreement between City and RCTA, project entitlements, and design.
A first step next will be to finalize the MOU (or similar agreement) between the City and RCTA for the chosen site. City has offered to draft the MOU, which will need to be approved by both policy boards so that design work can move forward. This MOU will give both parties the certainty about roles and responsibilities of the development so that RCTA can feel secure investing design funds into the site. Design on the chosen site will re-start after the MOU is approved, allowing RCTA to obtain the required planning entitlements and complete construction plans sometime in 2023 / 2024.
ATTACHMENTS
1. Transit Hub Relocation Location Study / Report (GreenDOT Transportation Solutions)
2. Location Concept Designs
TRANSIT HUB
RELOCATION
Redwood Coast Transit
-2022 / 2023-
RCT)
Redwood Coast
Transit Authority
Redwood Coat Transit Authority (RCTA) operates
in Del Norte County which has a population of
about 27,470. Crescent City, California is the only
incorporated city in the county and holds 80% of
the county's population (22,808) according to the
2017 U.S. Census. From January 2019 to January
2020, the county's population declined 0.05%
while Crescent City's population declined b y
5.0%. Certain demographics, such as older adults
or those with low incomes, are more likely to be
transit dependent for some or all of their trips.
Del Norte County has a high proportion of older
adults and is twice as likely to have people with a
disability, when compared to the statewide aver-
age. An onboard survey collected by RCTA in 2017
Key Ridership Statistics:
indicated that 72% of RCT passengers had an av-
erage annual household income of $20,000 or less.
11.90 5.19
The Redwood Coast Transit system operates four
FY 2018/2019 FY 2020/2021 local fixed routes in Crescent City. RCT also oper- ates two regional flex routes along Route 20 and
Passengers per Revenue Hour- Passengers per Revenue Hour- Route 199. It is the lone provider of public tran- Crescent City Locals Combined Crescent City Locals Combined sit services in extreme Humboldt County, pro-
Interviews with passengers, stakeholders, and viding service to Orrick, Trinidad, and both Red- Board members in 2017 revealed that RCT pro- wood National and State Parks, Providing high vides lifeline transportation services for those with level intercity and regional routes with a natu- no personal vehicle or driver's license. Passengers rally lower regional ridership requires a high- acknowledged that they are able to conduct their er subsidy. All routes start and end at the Tran- daily lives utilizing Redwood Coast Transit. Yet sit Center at 1001 Front Street in Crescent City with cuts in budget and therefore services, rider- which primarily serves as the Cultural Center. ship has declined. Since the COVID-19 pandem-
ic, regional ridership has recovered even slower Key Destinations in the Crescent City area include than local ridership around Crescent City. Market- many vital services including: Sutter Coast Hospi- ing of transit services among high potential riders tal, Safeway, the County Administrative Center, as and improving transit facilities is critical to attract wellas the Middleschool and High School. Redwood new riders to both maintain and expand ridership. Coast Transit is a critical service that provides ac- cess to jobs, training, medical and social services
Front St
Transit Hub
Feasibility Study Front St
The Redwood Coast Transit Hub Feasibility Study
is a planning effort focused on addressing security
concerns and customer service enhancements of
RCTA transit and transit passengers. Determining Existing a new location for the Public Transit Hub with the
requested amenities is a main goal of the Study.
Improving the perception of safety and security Transit Hub at the Transit Center as well as increasing acces- Crescent City has an existing RCTA transit sibility and information are of utmost importance. hub located along the southern portion of Front Street between K and L streets at 101
The Study set out to identify and evaluate loca- Front Street. Amenities include only two bus tions that could be leased for office space and shelters with benches and minimal signage. locations that could host permanent improve- There is also a lack of easily accessible re- ments to support daily parking of a mobile kiosk. strooms for transit operators and passen- gers. It is located near other amenities such
as Del Norte Library District and Beachfront
Potential Enhancements Park and serves as the City's Cultural Cen- ter. The community has a perception of the
• Improved Signage current Transit Center as "unsavory" due to • Availability of Information safety concerns from the surrounding home- less population and intoxicated passersby.
• Operations Office Crescent City has unfunded street scape plans • Ticket Kiosk to improve access to the Cultural Center bus • Shelters stop and adjacent park. However, RCTA staff
have noted concerns that the current design
• Restrooms
plans for the area do not address the need
for westward exit and infrastructure for daily
human presence, such as a ticket sale/info.
3ias
HONEST
Front St
prast
Potential Operations
Front St Front St Stamps Way
Parking lot at K and Front Streets Parking lot at Front Street between H and I Streets
Proposed
H and I Streets
The 0.90 acre parking lot site between H
Locations and 1 Street is located adjacent to the Surf
Apartments complex and nearby Cres-
Two sites were selected as a potential new loca- cent Arms Apartments complex. This pres- tion for the city's transit hub based on the central- ents the opportunity to increase rider- ity of the sites and accessibility of the surround- ship from the multi-family housing units ing community. Both sites can address current and connect more people to key destina- RCT needs as well as the possibility to expand and tions using transit. The Crescent City Post- serve charter and excursion buses in the future. al Office is located near the site as well.
Kand Front Streets
The 1.75-acre parking lot site at K and Front Street
presents an opportunity to connect many nearby
services. The Crescent City Library and Redwoods
National and State Parks Information Center are Site Design both within a short distance of the proposed
site. It would also be across the street from the
Cultural Center and the Coastal Trail and the fu- Options ture, planned Discovery Center. Furthermore, se-
lecting this site would enable the National Parks The following document outlines conceptual Service to utilize the transit hub for shuttling pa- designs for the proposed Transit Hub loca- trons to their priority destinations, therefore re- tions. There are a variety of options for infra- ducing visitor VMT. There is ample space within structure such as a mobile (food truck) style this site to improve amenities by including a ki- or more permanent (coffee hut) style. osk to hold ticketing operations and restrooms.
Transit Hub Kiosk Example
Site Location Map
F Street G Street H Street I Street
Postal Office
Г 1
H to l Street
Option
L
Crescent Arms -
Apartments Surf Apartments Front Sti
Battery Street Current Stren
Bathrooms Pay
Future Beachfront
Park Master Plan
330
3rd Street
K Street J Street M Street
2nd Street
Library Site
Option
reet Cultural Center
Current Transit Hub
Highway 101
I to H Street Designs
I to H Street Designs
The parking lot bound by H Street and I Street is current- ly underutilized, as it only serves the Gallery of Arts & Culture. This plan proposes to convert the entire park- ing lot into the Transit Hub. This would allow for am-
ple right of way for buses to pull in and out of the lot, and increased space for greenery and amenities. There
would also be no mixing of traffic within the Transit
Hub, reducing potential minor collisions and improv-
ing safety. This location would also potentially increase the ridership of the Transit Hub due to its adjacency to the Surf Apartments and Crescent Arms Apartments.
However, this location is slightly farther from the desti- nations surrounding the Library Site. The H to I site is a 2 block walk away from the Cultural Center, County Vis- itor Center, grocery stores, fast food establishments,
and the public library. Therefore, although this site
would be a substantial improvement upon the current
Transit Hub, it would not provide the exact same cohe-
siveness as the proposed Library Site. Additionally, it's distance from the current Transit Hub would require
Redwood Coast Transit to slightly adjust its bus routes.
Preliminary Design
I Street to H Street Option 1
H to l Concept 1
144
-31-
+44'-
-32'- --28-
- 26—
TICKET KIOSK
Shelter Bench Restroom Kiosk Bioswale
Gallery of
Arts & Culture
ONLY BUS
RCTA Only
Martie's Bike Storage
Hair
Transit Kiosk/
Salon DETAISH
Restroom
Bench
RCTA/Flex
Surf
Apartments
FRONT ST
Redwood Coast Transit Concept Designs January 17
ONLY Sn&
RCTA Only RCTA Only
ench Bench
I STREET Del Norte
Bench Association for
Bench Developments
RCTA/Flex RCTA/Flex
BUS ONLY (O)
ign Localon 30
5gn Lecabse
TREET
2023 I Street Option 1
Option 2 for H to I Street site plan provides a different employee parking configuration for consideration by Red- wood Coast Transit. Currently, RCTA requires three bus
spaces for its routes to the Transit Hub, and three addi- tional spaces for future expansion, tour buses, and excur- sion buses. This alternative allows RCTA to determine the best configuration of bus and employee parking, so there is minimal conflicts. This alternative would widen the hard scape in front of the buildings, but shrinks the width of the sidewalk adjacent to Front Street, while maintaining the size of the main median hub and the bus's right of way.
Preliminary Design
I Street to H Street Option 2
9≥
Gallery of
Arts & Culture
Martie's ONLY BUS
Hair RCTA Only RCTA Only
Bench
Salon H STREET
Bench
Bench Bench
Surf RCTA/Flex RCTA/Flex
Apartments BUS ONLY
TEMPORAR
BLEAGHER
FRONT ST
Redwood Coast Transit Concept Designs January 17
ONLY sng
RCTA Only
Bench I STREET
Bench Del Norte
Association for
Transit Kiosk/
Restroom Developments
Bike Storage Bench
RCTA/Flex CO)
BUS ONLY
ago Location 30
Sign Licater
TREET
2023 I Street Option 2
Option 3 provides ample employee parking for use by Red- wood Coast Transit bus operators. Some of these spaces
could also potentially be made into handicap accessible spaces, to increase accessibility to the Transit Hub and the Gallery of Arts & Culture. Both the hard scape in front of the buildings and the sidewalk adjacent to Front Street are made wider than alternatives 1 and 2, while the drive aisles for the buses have been reduced by roughly 5 feet.
Preliminary Design
| Street to H Street Option 3
H to | Concept 3
34 14
Gallery of
Arts & Culture
ONLY sng
Martie's RCTA Only
Hair Bench RCTA Only
Bench
Salon H STREET
Bench Bench
RCTA/Flex RCTA/Flex
Surf BUS ONLY
Apartments
TEMPOR
FRONT ST
Redwood Coast Transit Concept Designs January 17
ONLY
RCTA Only
Bench
Bench
I STREET Del Norte
Transit Kiosk/
Restroom Association for
Bike Storage Bench Developments
RCTA/Flex
BUS ONLY (0)
30 Son LeCter
TREET
2023 I Street Option 3
Library Site Design
The Library Site would convert a portion of a busy lot in the heart of Crescent City into a cohesive destination and hub for all forms of transportation. This site option is ad- jacent to the Cultural Center, County Visitor Center, gro- cery stores, fast food establishments, the public library, and existing electric vehicle chargers. This not only makes the site an attractive destination for transit riders, but also provides for a very strong narrative for grant appli- cations in the near future. Additionally, Redwood Coast Transit would not need to adjust any routes due to the Li- brary Site's proximity to the current Transit Hub location.
However, this parking lot is currently well utilized and busy. Although there will be additional parking added
during the Front Street Reconstruction, The Library Site Transit Hub would remove 56 of the existing 131 total
parking spaces, leaving 75 parking spaces. There are many businesses which utilize this parking lot, and customers driving to these destinations may have to park across the street. Additionally, the Farmer's Market currently occu- pies the southerly aisle of the parking lot and would have to relocate if this lot was converted into the Transit Hub.
TICKET KIOSK
Shelter Bench Restroom Kiosk Bioswale
Preliminary Design
Library Design Option 1
+24'-
18' 18!
--29- CATNO 1-23- ATNO --29- EXIT
-16'
-481
St
Hai
Del Norte
Library District
Bike
Storage Bench
Transit Kiosk/
Wild Rivers Restroom
Community
Foundation
ONLY BUS
RCTA Only
Bench
RCTA/Flex
FRON
Redwood Coast Transit Concept Designs January 17
:udio 21 • Del Norte Redwoods National
r by Julie Child Care Council and State Parks
Jedediah Smith
Redwoods
State Park
4 4
K STREET
ench
4 (CD
Bench Bench Bench
ONLY BUS
RCTA Only RCTA Only
Bench Bench
RCTA/Flex RCTA/Flex
IT STREET
2023 Library Option 1
Connect with Us
627 Broadway Suite 220, Work: 530-895-1109
Chico, CA 95928 Mobile: 530-781-2499
https://greendottransportation.com/ [email protected]
GREEN DOT
transportation solutions
Studio 21 Del Norte Redwoods National
Hair by Julie Child Care Council and State Parks
Del Norte
Library District
Jedediah Smith
Redwoods
State Park
K STREET
Benchil Bench a
ransit Kiosk/ ฿ 94
Wild Rivers Restroom
Ranch Bench. Benchi
Community
Foundation
ONLY BUS BUS
RCTA Only RETA Only
Bench,
ACTA/FleX RCTA Flex RCTA Flex
FRONT STREET
Redwood Coast Transit Concept Designs January 17, 2023 Library Option 1 Gallery of
Arts & Culture
Martie's RETA Only
Bike Storage Bench
Hair
Salon Transit Kiosk!
H STREET Restroom I STREET Del Norte
Association for
Bench
RCTAIFI RCTA/Flex Bench Developments
Surf (O)
Apartments
@an aceton
FRONT STREET
Redwood Coast Transit Concept Designs January 17, 2023 I Street Option 1 Gallery of
Arts & Culture
Martie's ONLY BUS
Hair RETA On
Salon H STREET I STREET
Bench Bench Del Norte
Association for
Restroom Developments
Bench Bench Bike Storage
Surf RETA Flex
Apartments SnE ONLY
Ran aceton 30
SON LEADE
FRONT STREET
Redwood Coast Transit Concept Designs January 17, 2023 I Street Option 2