3A Public Hearing 2010 0517 - Laserfiche WebLink

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congested traffic. Even today, the 1R which is scheduled to operate every 12 minutes but due to its growing unreliability, one often needs to wait more than 20 minutes. Other Concerns Also people say we already have BART, which makes the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) redundant. If this is so, how many will use BART to go to local destinations along International Blvd? To use BART, it is likely one needs to travel well over half mile to access BART?s widely spaced stations, which is well beyond the distance most would walk to use transit. So what other ways are there to access BART? Drive to a BART station and park? But one needs to pay for parking and it is limited. Or use the infrequent local feeder bus, pay an extra fare and at BART wait for the proper train to get to ones destination? Most bus trips are local trips between 1-1/2 to 4 miles, whereas BART trips are longer Integrated land Development Many cities currently are planning TODs and greater density along corridor where there exists well functioning, frequent, and reliable operating transit. Sadly however, most of our current local bus transit is and having difficulties keeping schedules since (1) it operates in mixed flow along with the autos and (2) our roads are getting more congested. Should we thwart the effort to build well functioning TODs by restricting the development of well functioning transit system that is more reliable, faster, and convenient than present worsening transit? I have been to Sweden and japan and seen TODs that are well integrated with transit that decreases the need for auto use to a fraction of what we currently use in the Bay Area. Since they use transit, their greenhouse gas emissions (GHGe) per capita from these developments are at least a third of what we produce. Around their transit centers for about a block it is strictly pedestrian oriented where there is no car parking. Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Because BRT will take up two existing traffic lanes ? one in each direction - many are concerned about the increase in traffic congestion on the remaining mixed flow lanes plus removal of some curb parking that will be lost to provide BRT platforms in the median of the street. However - as mentioned earlier - even without BRT - in the near future we will have more traffic and congestion since existing streets are currently near capacity and in a short time International Blvd will become more congested and the existing Rapid Bus will become slower and less reliable and all travel will be affected. The greatest number of destinations in the East Bay -medical and governmental facilities, businesses, schools, stores, parks and residences - are within a half mile of the Telegraph and International Blvd corridors. And BRT stops will generally be located less than 1/3 mile apart. Therefore, the BRT will provide easy access with frequent service for people to access these destinations along this corridor. Using BART to access these destinations will be more costly and time consuming. Since BRT will serve this corridor within easy walking distance it is projected to generate a ridership of 40,000 trips a day. And during peak periods the BRT will carry about 3 times the number of people than the adjoining mixed flow lanes. BRT with exclusive lanes can take full advantage of signal priority. This will not only provide faster service and more reliable service but will attract many drivers who formerly drove due to their encountering greater congestion and more delays, whereas, in contrast the BRT will provide as fast and comparable service. Recent study showed that BRT trip from Berkeley to Oakland would take in about 20 minutes. Whereas, the Rapid Bus even with signal z