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File Number: 12 -372 additional alternative for study. Based upon funding, community acceptance, and BRT operational issues, a project that eliminates improvements in north Oakland and Berkeley, the Downtown Oakland -San Leandro Alternative (DOSL) was recommended for study. The DOSL follows the same alignment as the proposed project from downtown Oakland to San Leandro BART and has the same features as the proposed project. DOSL is a lower cost alternative that would have fewer environmental effects and lower capital costs, meeting the project's purpose and needs. AC Transit adopted the DOSL Alternative as its Locally Preferred Alternative. The FEIS /FEIR included the DOSL Alternative because it would result in less transportation related impacts than the original proposal. From late 2010 through early 2011, AC Transit refined the project based upon input from the participating cities. One of the major changes AC Transit made was a commitment to procure dual -side door buses that would load and unload passengers on both sides of the vehicle. This allows for the use of a single center platform rather than two separate platforms at each median - located BRT stop, resulting in less displacement of curbside parking, which was evident at one such station in San Leandro. AC Transit distributed the FEIS /FEIR on February 3, 2012 with the review period concluding on March 5, 2012. On March 1, 2012, approximately 60 people attended an AC Transit public meeting hosted by the City of San Leandro in the South Office's Conference Room. Feedback from the community meeting was mixed; generally either extremely supportive of the project and its benefits or conversely strongly concerned about impacts to vehicle drivers, lost parking, and the restriction on turning movements. The City forwarded these comments on the FEIS /FEIR, pointing out the main concerns of turn restrictions and lower quality of service for the East 14th Street serving bus line. On April 25, 2012, the AC Transit Board of Directors approved the selection of the DOSL Alternative as the LPA. On May 31, 2012, a subcommittee of the Facilities and Transportation Committee met with AC Transit elected officials in San Leandro to review the project and provide input. AC Transit forwarded alternative plans that eliminated several of the challenges that were identified earlier in the process and are the basis for the current LPA that will be reviewed in the following section of this staff report. Analysis Final Design of the East Bay Bus Rapid Transit Project is scheduled to start in Winter 2012. Construction is anticipated to start in 2014, with revenue operations beginning in 2016. The proposed DOSL alternative would operate with transit priority at all signalized intersections, new passenger bus stations, and in the combination of mainly mixed -flow and limited dedicated travel lanes within San Leandro. The project would also feature self- service proof of payment fare collection, real -time bus arrival information, and low- floor, dual -sided door buses. The project as proposed extends approximately 9.52 miles from Downtown Oakland to the Downtown San Leandro BART Station. In San Leandro, dedicated lanes are proposed on East 14th Street from the northern city border to approximately Georgia Way. BRT would subsequently operate in mixed -flow lanes. The route continues to Davis Street, then turns west on Davis Street and then south on San Leandro Boulevard, terminating at the San Leandro BART station. The stations in San Leandro are proposed at the following locations: City of San Leandro Page 3 Printed on 711012012