Reso 2002-070 - Laserfiche WebLink

Home

Site Use Potential Accessibility Describe the accessibility of the proposed site for the residents in the library service area: Equal Access Discuss the site's accessibility to all parts of the library service area and its location in relationship to the geographic center of the library service area. Discuss any natural and artificial barriers that may impede access to the site. The Manor Branch is located in the highly populated and growing Washington Manor neighborhood. It has the largest neighborhood branch service area in the City with 28,093 residents. The service area consists of the area southwest of the I-880 freeway and east of the Union Pacific Railroad line. The library is bounded to the east and south by a vibrant neighborhood commercial district, and to the west and north by residential areas. There are no natural or artificial boundaries to impede access to the branch by patrons in the library's service area. The branch is centrally-located, near a neighborhood commercial center, banks, and small retail stores. The population is evenly distributed throughout the service area, mainly living in single-family homes. The neighborhood's isolation makes the branch even more important to its residents. The I-880 freeway separates the neighorhood from the rest of the City. Limited street access between the service area and the rest of the City makes it difficult for residents to travel outside of the area. Many branch patrons do not use the Main Library due to these geographic barriers and consider the Manor Branch their primary library. The branch location provides easy access by foot or bicycle as well as public transit, especially important to children and seniors. Centrally-located to the surrounding schools, the Manor Branch is within walking distance to six public and three, private schools. Two residential developments in the service area house seniors. Surveys conducted during the needs assessment process indicate almost half of the patrons walk to the library. The surveys also indicate that over half of the branch patrons do not use libraries other than the Manor Branch, further evidence that the branch location offers access to the majority of residents in the service area. The branch is located on Manor Boulevard, amajor east/west thoroughfare, and within 300 feet of Famsworth Street, a major north/south thoroughfare. The facility is easily accessible from anywhere in the service area. Public Transit Access ~- Number of public transit stops located within'/< mile of site: > 2 If public transit is available in the library service area, describe the various public transit access opportunities for the site. If no public transit is available in the library service area, enter "No Public Transit Service." Public transit provides residents with easy access to the library. Two Alameda County (AC) Transit bus shelters are located within 300 feet of the facility, just off the intersection of Manor Boulevard and Farnsworth Street, major neighborhood thoroughfares. The branch is serviced by three bus lines (84, 36X, and SA) with 30 minute headways. Together, the buses on these three lines make 73 taps each day and bring 2,258 passengers past Manor/Farnsworth. The AC Transit network provides excellent transportation for residents to the Manor Community Branch Library as it connects to the service area by way of multiple stops located within its boundaries. The buses also connect the service area to regional Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) lines. The City, AC Transit, BART and East Bay Paratransit all provide public transportation to the elderly and disabled in the community. These special services are provided to ensure that residents with limited mobility have a means to access various public services, including library services. In the past, access to the Manor Community Branch Library was not included in this service due to the restricted disability access available at the small existing facility. The new library will be ADA compliant and therefore more suited to this public transportation service. 10