REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Policy Discussion on El Camino Real Bus Rapid Transit and Potential City Council Action on a Formal Position Relative to a Preferred Alternative
Report
BACKGROUND
On January 13, 2015, staff presented to Council the City's comments on the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) El Camino Real Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Environmental Impact Report (EIR). The key areas identified in the comment letter included the following items:
* Concerns over diverted traffic and additional congestion within Sunnyvale
* Operational concerns due to removal of left turns on El Camino Real
* Parking needs along the corridor
* Sunnyvale specific transit ridership data
* Station locations, aesthetics, and trees
Although not a typical process, VTA has opted to select a Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA) prior to responding to EIR comments and completing a final EIR. In Sunnyvale the options are either a no build alternative (everything stays as is except for new buses), a Mixed Flow alternative (the bus shares travel lanes with motor vehicles), or a Dedicated Lane alternative (reduces El Camino to four lanes and provides bus-only lanes). Below is the current VTA schedule for the BRT project:
* VTA presents selected LPA to VTA Committees and Commissions - March 2015
* LPA goes to VTA board for approval - April 2015
* VTA provides response to comments for the LPA - June 2015
* VTA board certifies EIR for the LPA only - Fall 2015
Based on the current VTA schedule, it is not feasible to wait for a response to comments prior to Sunnyvale having a policy discussion on whether Sunnyvale has a preferred alternative. Staff has reviewed the current EIR, comment letters from adjacent jurisdictions (Attachment 1), and information presented by VTA staff at either staff or community meetings to help guide a policy discussion on the project. Although more information and responses to comments would better facilitate a more complete po...
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