accma draft report vrf expenditure plan

8/9/2019 ACCMA Draft Report VRF Expenditure Plan

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May 20, 2010

Prepared forAlameda County Congestion Management Agencyby:

in Association with:

DKS AssociatesDesign, Community & EnvironmentZell & AssociatesNext GenerationBarnes, Mosher, Whitehurst, Lauter & Partners


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Contributing to this report:Wendel, Rosen, Black & Dean

EMC Research


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Table of ContentsI. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY..................................................................................................... 1

A. Purpose of the Expenditure Plan ......................................................................................... 1

B. Statutory Authorization and Requirements ......................................................................... 2

C. How the Plan was Developed.............................................................................................. 2

II. EXPENDITURE PLAN .......................................................................................................... 2

A. Revenue Projections ............................................................................................................ 2

B. Programmatic Expenditures ................................................................................................ 3

C. Required Findings ............................................................................................................... 4

1. Benefits and Relationship of Fee to the Fee Payer.......................................................... 5

2. Consistency with the Regional Transportation Plan ....................................................... 5

3. Identification in Countywide Transportation Plan .......................................................... 6

4. Compliance with California Environmental Quality Act................................................ 6

D. Governing Board and Organizational Structure .................................................................. 6

1. Agency Responsible for Administering Proceeds of Fee................................................ 6

2. Annual Budget Financial Projections.............................................................................. 6

3. Annual Report................................................................................................................. 6

4. Use of Proceeds............................................................................................................... 7

5. Duration of Fee ............................................................................................................... 7

6. Severability ..................................................................................................................... 7

7. Amendments to the Plan ................................................................................................. 7

8. Option to Bond................................................................................................................ 8

9. Statute of Limitations...................................................................................................... 8

10. Implementation ............................................................................................................... 8

APPENDIX ..................................................................................................................................... 9

APPENDIX A ............................................................................................................................... 10

PUBLIC OUTREACH SUMMARY ........................................................................................ 10


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Public Outreach Products ...................................................................................................... 10

Public Workshops.................................................................................................................. 12

City Council, Board and Stakeholder Presentations.............................................................. 14

APPENDIX B................................................................................................................................ 16

REQUIRED FINDINGS ........................................................................................................... 16

Local Road Improvement and Repair Program..................................................................... 16

Transit for Congestion Relief Program ................................................................................. 16

Local Transportation Technology Program........................................................................... 17

Pedestrian and Bicycle Access and Safety ............................................................................ 18


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ALAMEDA COUNTY

CONGESTION MANAGEMENT AGENCY

VEHICLE REGISTRATION FEEREPORT ON THE EXPENDITURE PLAN(Draft: 5-20-2010)

I. EXECUTIVE SUMMARYThe purpose of this report is to describe how the Alameda County Vehicle Registration FeeExpenditure Plan (Plan) was developed. The report includes revenue projections for the proposedvehicle registration fee (Fee) and a summary of public outreach conducted to ensure the Planrepresents the input of a diverse population group across all geographic areas of Alameda County.

This report describes the elements and critical language of the Plan. This report also includes thefindings that need to be adopted by the Alameda County Congestion Management Agency(Agency) Board that the programs and projects to be funded by the Fee have a relationship orbenefit to the persons paying the Fee and are consistent with a Regional Transportation Plan, asrequired by statute.

A.Purpose of the Expenditure PlanThe Alameda County Vehicle Registration Fee Expenditure Plan (Plan) will guide the annual

expenditures of the funds generated by a $10 per year vehicle registration fee (Fee), if approved

by voters in the November 2010 election. Alameda County has very significant unfunded

transportation needs, and this Fee would provide funding to meet some of those needs. It is

expected that this Fee will generate approximately $11.1 million per year.

The goal of this Plan is to support transportation investments in a way that sustains the Countys

transportation network and reduces traffic congestion and vehicle-related pollution. The Fee

would be a key part of an overall strategy to develop a balanced, well thought-out program that

improves transportation and transit for County residents. The Fee will fund programs that:

Repair and maintain local streets and roads in the county. Make public transportation easier to use and more efficient. Make it easier to get to work or school, whether driving, using public transportation,

bicycling or walking.

Reduce pollution from cars and trucks.The Plan would have the following specific elements:

All of the money raised by the Fee would be used exclusively for transportation in AlamedaCounty.


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None of the funds raised, outside of the costs incurred by the Department of Motor Vehicle tocollect the Fee, can be taken by the State.

There must be a relationship or benefit between the programs in the Expenditure Plan to theowners of motor vehicles paying the Fee.

Help fund roadway repairs and maintenance that make roads in Alameda County safer formotorists, bicyclists and pedestrians.

Provide investments that will help create a smarter, more efficient transportation system. Establish a reliable source of funding to help fund critical and essential local transportation

programs.

B. Statutory Authorization and RequirementsThe opportunity for a Countywide transportation agency to place this Fee before the voters was

authorized last year by the passage of Senate Bill 83, authored by Senator Loni Hancock

(Oakland). The Alameda County Congestion Management Agency (Agency) proposes to place a

transportation measure on the November 2, 2010 ballot to enact a $10 vehicle registration fee that

would be used for local transportation and transit improvements throughout Alameda County. A

majority vote of the electorate is required to enact this Fee.

The statute requires that the Fee collected be used only to pay for programs and projects that bear

a relationship or benefit to the owners of motor vehicles paying the Fee and be consistent with a

regional transportation plan. To implement this Fee, the statute requires the governing board of

the Agency to adopt an Expenditure Plan. The statute also requires the ballot measure resolution

be approved by majority vote of the Agency members at a noticed public hearing.

C.How the Plan was DevelopedTo ensure the Plan is inclusive of Alameda Countys diverse population and geographic areas,significant outreach was made to a wide range of groups throughout Alameda County, as well aseach jurisdiction in the County. Public workshops were conducted in each of the four Planning

Areas. Input was requested of transit agencies, labor, business, community, environmental, faith-based and community leaders. A detailed website, http://alamedacountyvrf.org/, was created topresent information on the development of the Plan, provide links to important backgrounddocuments, notify the public of upcoming workshops and meetings, and offer a venue to submitcomments. A detailed summary of community outreach efforts is included in Appendix A of thisreport.

II.EXPENDITURE PLANA.Revenue Projections

Revenue from the proposed Fee is equal to the number of registered vehicles in the County

multiplied by the proposed Fee. Vehicles subject to this Fee include all motorized vehicles passenger cars, light-duty trucks, medium-duty trucks, heavy-duty trucks (such as semi-truckcabs), buses of all sizes, motorcycles and motorized camper homes. The same flat Fee would beimposed on all motorized vehicle types regardless of classification. Vehicles that are exemptfrom this Fee, as articulated in the California Vehicle Code Division 3, Chapter 6, Article 1,


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include publicly operated vehicles, educational institutional vehicles, privately owned schoolbuses, fire vehicles used for firefighting or as ambulances, tribal firefighting equipment, vehiclesowned by a federally recognized Indian Tribe and used exclusively on tribal land, vehicles ownedby disabled veterans, recipients of the Congressional Medal of Honor and civil air patrol vehicles.

The total number of legally registered motorized vehicles in 2009 was 1,090,764. Using ABAG

Projections for the year 2011, 1,107,000 registered vehicles are projected for Alameda County. Ifvoters approve this measure in November 2010, the Fee would take effect in May 2011. Basedon these forecasts, a $10 annual vehicle registration fee will generate about $11.1 million. Ifhouseholds grow as forecasted and the ratio of households to vehicles remains the same, it isprojected that the fee would apply to approximately 1.33 million vehicles annually generating$13,302,000 by 2030.

B. Programmatic ExpendituresThe Plan identifies four types of programs that will receive funds generated by the Fee. Below

are descriptions of each program and the percentage in parentheses of the annual revenue that will

be allocated to each program after deducting for the Agencys administrative costs.

Local Road Improvement and Repair Program (60%)

This program would provide funding for improving, maintaining and rehabilitating local roads

and traffic signals. It also would incorporate the complete streets practice that makes local

roads safe for all modes, including bicyclists and pedestrians, and accommodates transit. Projects

eligible could include:

Street repaving and rehabilitation, including curbs, gutters and drains Traffic signal maintenance and upgrades, including bicyclist and pedestrian treatments Signing and striping on roadways, including traffic and bicycle lanes and crosswalks Sidewalk repair and installation Bus stop improvements, including bus pads, turnouts and striping Improvements to roadways at rail crossings, including grade separations Improvements to roadways with truck or transit routingTransit for Congestion Relief Program (25%)

This program would seek to make it easier for drivers to use public transportation, make the

existing transit system more efficient and effective, and improve access to schools and jobs. The

goal of this program is to decrease automobile usage and thereby reduce both localized and area-

wide congestion and air pollution. Projects eligible could include:

Transit service expansion and preservation to provide congestion relief such as express busservice in congested areas Rapid bus development and implementation as well as other transit priority treatments on

local roadways

Employer or school-sponsored transit passes such as an EcoPass Program


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Park-and-ride facility improvements Increased usage of clean transit vehicles Increased usage of low floor transit vehicles Passenger rail station access and capacity improvements

Local Transportation Technology Program (10%)

This program would continue and improve the performance of road, transit, pedestrian and

bicyclist technology applications, and would accommodate emerging vehicle technologies such

as electric and plug-in-hybrid vehicles. Projects eligible could include:

Development, installation, operations, monitoring and maintenance of local street and arterialtransportation management technology such as the Smart Corridors Program, traffic signalinterconnection, transit and emergency vehicle priority, advanced traffic managementsystems and advanced traveler information systems

Infrastructure for alternative vehicle fuels such as electric and plug-in-hybrid vehicle stations New or emerging transportation technologies that provide congestion or pollution mitigation Advance signal technology for walking and bicyclingPedestrian and Bicyclist Access and Safety Program (5%)

This program would seek to improve the safety of bicyclists and pedestrians by reducing the

conflicts with motor vehicles and to reduce congestion in areas such as schools, downtowns,

transit hubs and other high activity locations. It also would seek to improve bicyclist and

pedestrian safety on arterials and other locally-maintained roads and to reduce occasional

congestion that may occur with incidents. Projects eligible could include:

Improved access and safety to schools, such as Safe Routes to Schools Programs,Greenways to Schools Programs, and other improvements (including crosswalk, sidewalk,lighting and signal improvements) for students, parents and teachers

Improved access and safety to activity centers (such as crosswalk, sidewalk, lighting andsignal improvements)

Improved access and safety to transit hubs (such as crosswalk, sidewalk, lighting and signalimprovements)

Improved bicycle and pedestrian safety on arterials, other locally-maintained roads and multi-use trails parallel to congested highway corridors

C.Required FindingsThe statute requires that the ballot measure resolution, adopted by the Agency, contain a findingof fact that the projects and programs to be funded by the Fee increase have a relationship orbenefit to the persons who will be paying the Fee, and the projects and programs are consistentwith a Regional Transportation Plan. Below is a summary of the benefits and relationship of thisFee to the Fee payer. Detailed documentation is included as Appendix B of this report.


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1. Benefits and Relationship of Fee to the Fee PayerThe Plan includes four programs. Since this fee is on motorized vehicles, by extensionthe Fee payer is predominately the driver of the vehicle. Each program benefits the Feepayer as follows:

Local Road Improvement and Repair Program: Fee payers benefit from havingroadways safely maintained and operating efficiently. It is difficult for motorvehicles (auto, truck and buses), pedestrians and bicyclists to safely negotiate poorlymaintained roadways (i.e. low pavement quality, faded striping or signal operationproblems). Programs that improve local road operations benefit the driver byidentifying and mitigating recurring congestion problems.

Transit for Congestion Relief Program: Fee payers benefit from the operation ofdesirable, effective transit service. Because transit currently carries a substantialnumber of peak hour work, school and shopping trips in congested corridors, transitcan contribute to reducing traffic congestion and air pollution. Many regional transitriders drive to stations, so providing good access benefits those drivers. Transitservice can be made more attractive with priority treatments, station access andfaster-loading vehicles that help it operate more effectively and attract more peopleaway from driving. Cleaner transit vehicles can also reduce air pollution. Programsthat encourage transit ridership can also be effective if offered by employers orschools as a way to reduce both corridor and site-related congestion.

Local Transportation Technology Program: Fee payers benefit from the introductionand utilization of new transportation technology. Projects that use roadwaytechnology can provide overall traffic speed improvements on the corridor andreduce congestion at hot spots when they occur. Use of advanced detection systemscan identify when pedestrians, bicyclists or transit vehicles are present and need to beconsidered as part of street operations. One purpose of advanced systemstechnology programs is to intercept drivers before reaching congested hot spots and

influence a driver's decision to choose a less congested route or use transit. Programsthat support emerging "greener" transportation technologies such as alternative fuelvehicles can reduce air pollution.

Pedestrian and Bicyclist Access and Safety Program: Fee payers benefit frombicyclist and pedestrian access and safety programs. Programs designed to increasebicyclist and pedestrian use can reduce localized traffic congestion such as in thevicinity of schools or in shopping areas and related air quality impacts. The driveralso benefits from safety improvements that reduce occasional congestion and relatedair pollution that are created when incidents occur. This program can also providebetter access to transit, resulting in fewer drivers in congested corridors.

2. Consistency with the Regional Transportation PlanThe Plan is consistent with the Metropolitan Transportation Commission RegionalTransportation Plan (Transportation 2035 Plan) and performance objectives outlinedin the Regional Transportation Plan. Details that support these findings are included asAppendix B of this report.


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3. Identification in Countywide Transportation PlanPrograms in the Plan are identified in the investment policies outlined in the CountywidePlan adopted by the Agency. Details that describe investment policies of the CountywidePlan are included as Appendix B of this report.

4. Compliance with California Environmental Quality ActEnvironmental review of the Expenditure Plan is not required under the rationale statedin Sustainable Transportation Advocates of Santa Barbara v. Santa Barbara CountyAssociation of Governments (2009) 179 Cal.App.4th 113. None of the programs in theExpenditure Plan rises to the level of specification that would create a project underCEQA. Many of the programs would be categorized as exempt. If a project to be fundedby one of the programs listed in this Expenditure Plan requires an analysis under CEQA,no expenditures will be made until the requisite analysis has been completed.

D.Governing Board and Organizational Structure1. Agency Responsible for Administering Proceeds of Fee

The Alameda County Congestion Management Agency ("Agency"), pursuant to

California Government Code Section 65089.20, shall place a majority vote ballotmeasure before the voters to authorize a $10 per year increase in the motor vehicleregistration fee. If so approved, the Agency will collect and administer the Fee inaccordance with the Plan.

The Agency and the Alameda County Transportation Improvement Authority (Authority)

have approved a merger of the two agencies into a new Alameda County Transportation

Commission (Alameda CTC), which would have members from all the jurisdictions that

currently are represented on the Agencys Board. The Agency and the Authority expect

to delegate all of their powers, assets and liabilities to Alameda CTC. Upon such

delegation, the Fee would be collected and administered by the Alameda CTC pursuant to

the Plan. All references to Agency include reference to Alameda CTC.

2. Annual Budget Financial ProjectionsThe Annual Budget, adopted by the Agency each year, will project the expected Fee

revenue, other anticipated funds and planned expenditures for administration and

programs.

3. Annual ReportThe Agency shall draft an Annual Report, which shall be made available to the public

and will include the following:

Revenues collected

Expenditures by programs, including distribution of funds within each program andin each planning area of the County, and administrative costs

Accomplishments and benefits realized by the programs Proposed projects for funding in each program


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Before adopting the Annual Report, the Agency will hold a public meeting and will

address public comments in the Annual Report.

4. Use of ProceedsThe proceeds of the Fee governed by this ordinance shall be used solely for the programs

and purposes set forth in the Plan and for the administration thereof. The Agency will

administer the proceeds of the Fee to carry out the mission described in the Plan. A

sponsors costs shall be reimbursed for expenditures incurred on an approved project

rather than provided in advance. Pursuant to California Government Code Section

65089.20, not more than five percent of the Fee shall be used for administrative costs

associated with the programs and projects, including the amendment of the Plan.

Pursuant to California Vehicle Code Section 9250.4, the initial setup and programmingcosts identified by the Department of Motor Vehicles (Department) to collect the Feeupon registration or renewal of registration of a motor vehicle shall be paid by theAgency from the Fee. Any direct contract payment with the Department by the Agencyshall be repaid, with no restriction on the funds, to the Agency as part of the initial

revenue available for distribution. The costs deducted pursuant to this paragraph shallnot be counted against the five percent administrative cost limit specified in CaliforniaGovernment Code Section 65089.20(d).

The costs of placing the measure authorizing imposition of the Fee on the ballot,including payments to the County Registrar of Voters and payments for the printing ofthe portions of the ballot pamphlet relating to the Fee, advanced by the Agency, shall bepaid from the proceeds of this Fee, and shall not be counted towards the five percent limiton administrative costs. The costs of preparing the Plan, advanced by the Agency, shallbe paid from the proceeds of the Fee subject to the five percent limit on administrativecosts. At the discretion of the Agency, these costs may be amortized over a period ofyears.

5. Duration of FeeThe Fee, if so approved, would be imposed annually unless repealed.

6. SeverabilityIf any provision of this Plan or the application thereof to any person or circumstance is

held invalid, the remainder of this Plan and the application thereof to other persons or

circumstances shall not be affected.

If any provision of this Plan or the application thereof to any person or circumstance isheld invalid, the remainder of this Plan and the application thereof to other persons orcircumstances shall not be affected.

7. Amendments to the PlanIt is expected that the Plan will be amended from time to time. Amendment to the Plan

shall be approved by a two-thirds vote of the Agency Board. All jurisdictions within the


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County will be given a minimum of 45 days notice and opportunity to comment on any

proposed Plan amendment prior to its adoption.

8. Option to BondThe Agency administering the Fee will have the authority to bond for the purposes of

expediting the delivery of projects within the transportation programs. The bonds will be

paid with the proceeds of the Fee. The costs associated with bonding will be borne only

by programs in the Plan utilizing the bond proceeds. The costs and risks associated with

bonding will be presented in the Agencys Annual Budget and will be subject to public

comment before approving a bond sale.

9. Statute of LimitationsAny suit, action or proceeding in any court against the Agency, or against any officer of

the Authority, to prevent or enjoin the collection under this ordinance, of any Fee or any

amount of Fee required to be collected must be brought within 120 days of the approval

of the imposition of the Fee by the voters of Alameda County.

10.Implementation The Agency will select and allocate funds to specific projects from each program. An equitable share of funds will be distributed among the four geographical sub areas

of the county over a five year cycle. Geographic equity is measured by formulaweighted 50 percent by population (as published by the California Department ofFinance) of the sub-area and 50 percent by registered vehicles (as determined byCalifornia Department of Motor Vehicles) of the sub-area.

The sub-areas of the county are defined by the Agency from time to time as follows:North Area refers to the Cities of Oakland, Berkeley, Albany, Piedmont, Emeryvilleand Alameda as well as unincorporated area within that boundary. Central Areaincludes the Cities of Hayward and San Leandro, and the unincorporated areas of

Castro Valley and San Lorenzo, as well as other unincorporated lands governed byAlameda County in the Central Area. South Area includes the Cities of Fremont,Newark and Union City and all unincorporated lands in that area. East Area includesthe Cities of Livermore, Dublin and Pleasanton, and all unincorporated lands in thatarea.

Leveraging of outside funding sources is highly encouraged. New cities or new entities that come into existence in Alameda County after Fee is

authorized by voters could be considered as eligible recipients of funds through aPlan amendment.


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APPENDIX

Appendix A: Public Outreach SummaryAppendix B: Required Findings


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APPENDIX A

PUBLIC OUTREACH SUMMARY

To ensure that the Vehicle Registration Fee (VRF) Expenditure Plan is inclusive of a diversepopulation and all geographic areas, significant outreach was made to a variety of people and

groups throughout Alameda County. In March and April, the Alameda County CongestionManagement Agency (ACCMA), with assistance from Design, Community and Environment,held a weeknight public workshop in each of the four ACCMA Planning Areas: North, Central,South and East. These workshops were noticed in 14 Alameda County newspapers,including notices in Spanish and Mandarin. In addition, ACCMA contacted over 100 localstakeholder groups and individuals, including elected officials, transit agencies, labor, business,community, environmental, faith-based and community leaders, to alert them of the process todevelop a VRF Expenditure Plan and upcoming workshops and presentations. The workshopswere also advertised on the project website, Facebook and Twitter. A detailed website,http://alamedacountyvrf.org, was created to present information about the proposed VRF, providelinks to important background documents, notify the public of upcoming workshops andmeetings, and offer a venue to submit comments directly to ACCMA staff.

Public Outreach Products

The following materials were prepared to inform and educate the public and stakeholders aboutthe proposed fee and development of an Expenditure Plan:

Branding: The VRF brand included a logo and trademark color palette and font used forall outreach material.

Website: The VRF website presented information about the proposed VRF anddevelopment of an Expenditure Plan and provided an opportunity for public comment.

Fact Sheet: The Fact Sheet presented the VRF message and summarized key pointsregarding the VRF and the Expenditure Plan. It also included workshop and meetingdates, times, and locations.

Invitation Letter to Key Organizations: This letter informed local environmental andbusiness organizations and political/legislative groups about development of the VRFExpenditure Plan process and encourage their participation.

E-Newsletters: The E-Newsletters notified the public about key milestones of theprocess and was e-mailed to over 100 stakeholder organizations and individuals.

Social Media: Facebook and Twitter accounts were established and updated periodicallywith reminders of upcoming events.

Newspaper Notices: Newspaper notices informed the public about the four publicworkshops. The table below summarizes when and where the newspaper notice wasadvertised.


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NEWSPAPER ADVERTISEMENTS

NewspaperNumber of Times

AdvertisedDates

Alameda News Group:- Alameda-Times Star

- Oakland Tribune- The Daily Review

1 Sunday, March 14, 2010

Berkeley Voice 1 Friday, April 9, 2010

Piedmont Post 1 Friday, April 9, 2010

El Mensajero (Spanish languagead)

3Sunday, March 14 and 21; April4, 2010

India West 2 March 12, 2010; March 19, 2010

Oakland Post 1 Week of Monday, April 5, 2010

Oakland Tribune 1 Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Sing Tao Daily (Chineselanguage ad)

1 March 16, 2010

The Daily Review 1 Wednesday, March 24, 2010

The Independent - Livermorepaper

1 Thursday, April 1, 2010

Tri-Valley Herald 1 Wednesday, March 31, 2010

Tri-Valley Views - Dublinedition

1 Monday, March 29, 2010


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Public Workshops

Four public workshops were conducted to inform the public about the proposed VRF and togather input for the Expenditure Plan. One workshop was held in each of the four ACCMAPlanning Areas.

REGIONAL WORKSHOPS SUMMARY

Five people attended the Fremont workshop and approximately 15 people attended the Oaklandworkshop. The San Leandro and Dublin workshops did not attract any participants.

The same format was used for all the workshops. A presentation included an overview of theproposed VRF, the types of potential programs that funds could be used to cover, the process of

developing the Expenditure Plan, and opportunities for public participation. A question andcomment period followed the presentation. Some frequently asked questions from the workshopswere:

Q1: How will the funds from the VRF be distributed?

A1: The distribution formula will be determined as part of the Expenditure Plan. ACCMA iscommitted to ensuring that, over time, the funds are distributed fairly throughout all geographicareas of the County.

Q2: Could the funds be used to support transit operations?

A2: The funds could preserve existing transit operations. Or, if these funds are not directly usedfor transit operations, they could allow transit agencies to shift existing funds to cover operations.

Q3: How much will it cost to administer these funds?

Date Day Planning Area* Location

3/18/10 Thursday Central Bay Fair Center Mall, San Leandro

3/31/10 Wednesday South Fremont Library

4/8/10 Thursday East Dublin Library Community Room

4/15/10 Thursday North City of Oakland, Hearing Room 3

*North: Refers to the Cities of Oakland, Berkeley, Albany, Piedmont, Emeryville and Alameda aswell as unincorporated area within that boundary.Central: Refers to the Cities of Hayward and San Leandro, and the unincorporated areas of CastroValley and San Lorenzo, as well as other unincorporated lands governed by Alameda County in theCentral Area.South: Refers to the Cities of Fremont, Newark and Union City and all unincorporated lands in thatarea.East: Refers to the Cities of Livermore, Dublin and Pleasanton, and all unincorporated lands in thatarea


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A3: SB 83 limits administrative costs to five percent of total funding. ACCMA is proposing todirect the VRF funds to existing programs with administrative frameworks already in place to beas efficient as possible. Actual administrative costs cannot be estimated since, at the time of theworkshops, the Expenditure Plan has yet been developed. Funds generated from the fee wouldhave to be used for programs or projects that have a relationship or benefit to the fee payer.

Participants then reviewed the five program categories under consideration for VRF funding:Roadway Rehabilitation, Maintenance and Operations, Non-Motorized Transportation, Transit,New Roadway and Vehicle Technology, and Goods Movement. For each category, potentialtypes of improvements were described, and then comments were solicited on that category.Comments from workshops included:

General

Consider adding a sunset provision to help ensure accountability. Minimize spending on VRF administration. Funding should be equitably distributed throughout the County. Although this is called a fee, it is really a tax.

Roadway Rehabilitation, Maintenance and Operations

There is a significant need for roadway rehabilitation and maintenance in manyAlameda County communities.

Directing most of the funds to this category would reduce VRF administrative costs.Non-Motorized Transportation

Funding to improve access to transit hubs, including bus as well as BART hubs, ispreferred over funding for BART operations.

Transit

Provide regular bus service not Bus Rapid Transit (BRT). Reduce public transit fares. Improve transit operations and maintenance. BART should not receive VRF funding because it serves the entire region and this

money should stay within Alameda County.

New Roadway and Vehicle Technology

Electric vehicle programs should not be considered at this time because its unclearwhere the additional electricity needed would come from or whether the existing gridcan carry it.

Goods Movement

Intersection improvements that help trucks make easier turns may make thoseintersections less safe or inviting for cyclists and pedestrians.

After the comment period, workshop attendees participated in an expenditure plan exercise. Thepurpose of the exercise was to give the public an opportunity to provide input on whichtransportation programs should be funded by the VRF. At the beginning of the workshop,participants were given play money in $1 million dollar bill increments totaling $11 million


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dollars, equivalent to the funds that would be expected to be generated from the VRF.Participants were asked to distribute their money into the following five categories, which weredescribed in detail during the presentation and are listed in the table on the next page.

EXPENDITURE PLAN WORKSHOP EXERCISE RESULTS

Expenditure Plan Program

Fremont

Workshop

Oakland

WorkshopRoadway Rehabilitation, Maintenance andOperations

18% 55%

Non-Motorized Transportation 23% 17%

Transit 36% 18%

New Roadway and Vehicle Technology 11% 6%

Goods Movement 11% 4%

City Council, Board and Stakeholder PresentationsBy the end of May 2010, information about the proposed VRF and development of anExpenditure Plan and identified opportunities for public participation had been presented to allCity Councils of the 14 incorporated cities in Alameda County, as well as to the Alameda CountyBoard of Supervisors, BART Board, AC Transit Board and LAVTA Board. Presentations weremade to the East Bay Economic Development Alliance, the Mayors Conference, Breakfast ofChampions, the Oakland Chamber of Commerce, the City Managers Association, the Countyand City Planning Directors Forum, the Livermore Chamber of Commerce, the Tri-ValleyBusiness Council and the East Bay Bicycle Coalition.

Comments received at these presentations included:

Clarification that the State cannot take the vehicle registration fee funds. There isconcern that protections be put in place to make sure that the State cannot take thefunds.

Similar to the poll results, roadway rehabilitation and maintenance and transit andbicycle connections (e.g., the complete streets concept) have also garnered support.

Consider a maintenance of effort requirement for transit systems. Keep the program flexible as needs will change over time. Transit connections, especially in cities that do not have good connections, should be

emphasized.

An equitable distribution of the funds is critical. It was suggested that the fee be collected by vehicle type rather than a flat fee on all

vehicles.

A sunset on the fee should be included and a less than five percent administrative feeshould be applied.

Concern that funds should not be spent on Bus Rapid Transit, but on local transit andexpress bus.


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Funds should be spent on reducing the vehicle miles travelled through transit,bicyclist and pedestrian projects rather than large capital projects.

The fee should support free access to transit, such as the EcoPass. Geographic equity should be maintained. It is important to use the fee on projects that will smooth traffic flow, synchronize

signals and give priority to buses.

Funding projects that provide safe routes to transit are critical. For the local road repair program, prioritization should be given to completing streets

that are on local bicycle and pedestrian plans.


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APPENDIX BREQUIRED FINDINGS

Local Road Improvement and Repair Program

This program would provide funding for improving, maintaining and rehabilitating local roads and traffic signals. It would also incorporate the complete streetspractice that makes local roads safe for all modes, including bicyclists and pedestrians, and accommodates transit. Fee payers benefit from having roadways safelymaintained and operating efficiently. It is difficult for vehicles (automobiles, trucks and buses) and bicyclists to safely negotiate poorly-maintained roadways (i.e. low

pavement quality, faded striping or signal operation problems). Programs that improve local road operations benefit the Fee payer by identifying and mitigatingrecurring congestion problems.

Eligible Projects Could Include: Relationship to Fee Payer

Street repaving and rehabilitation,including curbs, gutters and drains

Local streets and roads must be kept in good working order, including proper drainage, design and maintenance. Streetrepaving and rehabilitation are essential for the continued operation of all modes of transportation, especially automobilesand trucks. If streets are not routinely repaved and rehabilitated, the pavement quality deteriorates to a point where motorvehicles can no longer drive safely on roadways, and must drive slowly because they cannot travel at normal speeds. Ifdrainage is not maintained properly maintained, large pools of water may result during rainy periods, which createsslowdowns as vehicles are unable to drive through areas of standing water at safe speeds.

Traffic signal maintenance and upgrades,including bicycle and pedestrian treatments

Traffic signals are essential for the operation of major roads and streets in communities. These signals require routinemaintenance to keep them in proper working order. If signals are not in good working order, drivers will be unable tonegotiate the intersection without stopping, which creates significant local traffic congestion. It is also important toperiodically upgrade signal equipment and timing so that the operation of the intersection can be maximized.

Signing and striping on roadways,including traffic and bicycle lanes andcrosswalks

In order for roadways to be safe and effective for motor vehicles (and other users) to travel, good signing and striping areneeded. This includes making sure that lanes are properly marked and that the signs and stripes are visible. Signing andstriping also extends to good bicyclist and pedestrian treatments, which provide notice to drivers as well as other users

where the safer areas on the pavement are.Sidewalk repair and installation The installation and repair of sidewalks provide a safe route of travel for pedestrians. Without a sidewalk in good working

order, pedestrians may be forced to walk alongside traffic lanes, resulting in reduced motor vehicle speeds. It alsoimproves safety, so that there are fewer opportunities for vehicle/pedestrian conflicts and associated traffic congestion thatmay result when incidents occur.

Bus stop improvements, including buspads, turnouts and striping

The proper design of bus stop improvements greatly improves corridor traffic that operates along bus routes. For example,concrete bus pads in the roadway provide better places for buses to stop, so that they do not stop at locations which havesofter asphalt, resulting in uneven pavement for automobiles and trucks that can develop due to the weight created bybuses.

Improvements to roadways at railcrossings, including grade separations

Rail crossings at roadways are frequent causes of traffic delay. Improving the pavement quality around rail tracks canenable vehicles to cross the tracks at higher speeds, which reduces congestion. Grade separations can help eliminateplaces where traffic currently must wait for trains to clear a roadway before crossing, and remove the potential fortrain/vehicle/bicyclist/pedestrian incidents that can occur at at-grade crossings.

Improvements to roadways with truck ortransit routing, including intersectionimprovements

These roadways, a subset of all roadways, have roadway design elements which make them unique. Heavier and largervehicles often benefit from geometric and other improvements if roadways are not designed to accommodate themeffectively. Without these improvements, trucks and transit vehicles may have difficulty traveling on some roadways,resulting in slower general traffic speeds and an increase occurrence of localized congestion.

Consistency with Regional Transportation Plan

The program is consistent with the Metropolitan Transportation Commissions Regional Transportation Plan (Transportation 2035 Plan). The 2035 Plan includesseveral performance objectives that this Fee will help address, including:

Maintain pavement condition index (PCI) of 75 or greater for local streets and roads. Reduce fatalities from motor vehicle collisions by 15 percent from today by 2035. Reduce bicyclist and pedestrian fatalities attributed to motor vehicle collections by 25 percent (each) from 2000 by 2035. Reduce bicyclist and pedestrian injuries attributed to motor vehicle collections by 25 percent (each) from 2000 by 2035.

Included in County Transportation PlanThis program is identified in the County Transportation Plan (Countywide Plan), which seeks to:

Maintain and operate existing facilities. Ensure that regional gateways are safely operated to manage traffic flow and, where appropriate, give priority to the movement of carpools, buses and

commercial vehicles.

Ensure routine accommodation of pedestrians and bicyclists as identified in MTC Resolution 3765.

Transit for Congestion Relief Program

This program would seek to make it easier for drivers to use public transportation, make the existing transit system more efficient and effective, and improve access toschools and jobs. The goal of this program is to decrease automobile usage and thereby reduce both localized and area-wide congestion and air pollution. Fee payersbenefit from the operation of desirable, effective transit service. Because transit currently carries a substantial number of peak hour work, school and shopping trips in

congested corridors, transit can contribute to reducing traffic congestion and air pollution. Many regional transit riders drive to stations, so providing good access

benefits those drivers. Transit service can be made more attractive with priority treatments, station access and faster-loading vehicles that help it operate more

effectively and attract more people away from driving. Cleaner transit vehicles can also reduce air pollution. Programs that encourage transit ridership can also be

effective if offered by employers or schools as a way to reduce both corridor and site-related congestion.


Transit service expansion and preservation toprovide congestion relief, such as expressbus service in congested areas

The continuation or expansion of transit service provides congestion relief as there are fewer drivers on the road.Extending or expanding transit service beyond commute hours can increase the desirability of commuting by transitduring peak periods because riders know that there are options to leave and return home at any time during the day.There is a particularly strong relationship between providing express bus service in congested corridors and the Feepayer: this service can provide an alternative transportation choice for persons frustrated by waiting in traffic, resulting in

some benefit if drivers choose to make their trips by transit instead.Rapid bus development and implementation,as well as other transit priority treatments onlocal roadways

Transit priority treatments on local roads, transit speed protection and rapid bus. Transit priority treatments on localroads can also increase the running speeds of buses, and reduce the duration of the traffic signal stopping that buses mustmake while in service. The benefit is not only for the bus operators, but often the moving of buses can provideadditional time for adjacent traffic to also move more quickly though intersections. Without transit priority, buses muststop more frequently or for longer periods of time, creating short periods of traffic congestion and create overall lowercorridor driving speeds. Also, as buses are able to make trips faster, their desirability as an alternative transportationmode is increased.

Employer or school-sponsored transit passes,such as an EcoPass Program

These work or school site incentive based tools provide a financial incentive to use transit, bicycle or walk rather than todrive. Fewer vehicles on the road can lead to an easing of traffic congestion and air pollution.


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Transit for Congestion Relief Program

Park-and-ride facility improvements Park-and-ride facilities provide strategic intercept points for getting solo drivers off of congested roadways earlier, andeither form carpools or use public transportation instead. If no places to park are available or if the facilities are not ingood working order or designed safely, drivers may choose to make their entire trip by driving alone, resulting in morecongestion and air pollution.

Increased usage of clean transit vehicles These vehicles can provide a clear air pollution reduction benefit. These vehicles need to be both purchased and haveroutine maintenance to be effective at reducing air pollution.

Increased usage of low-floor transit vehicles Low-floor transit vehicles can increase the running speeds of buses, and reduce the duration of the stops that buses mustmake when boarding and alighting passengers in travel lanes. The benefit is only a few seconds for the generalpassenger, as they are more rapidly able to get on or off a bus; the benefits are much more significant for those whotravel by wheelchair or walker, and need considerably more time to adequately board or alight a bus. When a high-floorvehicle is used, buses must s top for longer periods as passengers must climb steps, which then creates short periods oftraffic congestion and overall lower corridor driving speeds. Also, as buses are delayed by longer stops, their desirabilityas an alternative transportation mode is reduced.

Passenger rail station access and capacityimprovements

Improving access to rail stations in all the possible modes driving, drop-off/pick-up, walking, bicycling, transittransferring are ways that provide an alternative to driving, thus providing some ease in traffic congestion and airpollution.

Consistency with Regional Transportation PlanThe program is consistent with the Metropolitan Transportation Commissions Regional Transportation Plan (Transportation 2035 Plan). The 2025 Plan includesseveral performance objectives that this Fee will help address, including:

Achieve an average age for all transit asset types that is no more than 50 percent of their useful life. Increase the average number of miles between service calls for transit service in the region to 8,000 miles. Reduce bicyclist and pedestrian fatalities attributed to motor vehicle collections by 25 percent (each) from 2000 levels by 2035. Reduce bicyclist and pedestrian injuries attributed to motor vehicle collections by 25 percent (each) from 2000 levels by 2035. Reduce daily per-capita vehicle miles traveled (VMT) by 10 percent from todays levels by 2035. Reduce emissions of fine particulates (PM2.5) by 10 percent from todays levels by 2035. Reduce emissions of coarse particulates (PM10) by 45 percent from todays levels by 2035. Reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions to 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2035.

Included in County Transportation Plan This program is identified in the County Transportation Plan (Countywide Plan), which seeks to:

Maintain and operate existing facilities. Encourage the purchase of alternative fuel transit vehicles to the greatest extent possible given financial constraints. Support strategies that reduce transportations share of greenhouse gas emissions. Ensure that regional gateways are safely operated to manage traffic flow and, where appropriate, give priority to the movement of carpools, buses and


Implement incentives for transit use, ride sharing and more efficient use of existing roads.

Local Transportation Technology Program

This program would continue and improve the performance of road, transit, pedestrian and bicyclist technology applications, and would accommodate emerging vehicletechnologies, such as electric and plug-in-hybrid vehicles. Fee payers benefit from the introduction and utilization of new transportation technology. Projects that useroadway technology can provide overall traffic speed improvements on the corridor and reduce congestion at hot spots when they occur. Use of advanced detection

systems can identify when pedestrians, bicyclists or transit vehicles are present and need to be considered as part of street operations. One purpose of advanced

systems technology programs is to intercept drivers before reaching congested hot spots and influence a driver's decision to choose a less congested route or use transit.

Programs that support emerging "greener" transportation technologies, (such as alternative fuel vehicles, can reduce air pollution.


Development, installation, operations,monitoring and maintenance of local streetand arterial transportation managementtechnology, such as the Smart CorridorsProgram, traffic signal interconnection,transit and emergency vehicle priority,advanced traffic management systems andadvanced traveler information systems

These programs can optimize the operation of the existing system, which minimizes congestion. The minimizing ofcongestion may even be possible if the same number of vehicles are on roadways, but are able to be operated with lessdelay as a result of the use of new technologies and thus less air pollution is created from idling or slow-moving cars.

Infrastructure for alternative vehicle fuels,such as electric and hybrid vehicle plug-instations.

Providing alternative vehicle fuel infrastructure can make using lower emission vehicles feasible for many drivers. Theresult would be less air pollution than if standard vehicle fuels are used.

New or emerging transportationtechnologies that provide congestion orpollution mitigation

The continuing advancement of transportation technologies to provide congestion or pollution mitigation will improve theefficiency and effectiveness of the overall transportation system. New technologies can also emerge that have lastingability of improving the operation of the existing system or the amount of pollution created by some vehicles.

Advance signal technology for walkingand bicycling.

Pedestrians and bicyclists often must cross roadways. Emerging technology will be better able to identify whenpedestrians and bicyclists are present and to determine the best time for them to cross a roadway. For example, signalequipment that can sense the presence of pedestrians and bicyclists can automatically provide longer crossing timeswithout relying on push buttons. The signal operation can apply this technology to automatically adjust crossing phasesthat provide better safety for pedestrians and bicyclists, while optimizing traffic flow.


Enhance or install critical infrastructure detection equipment on high-priority transportation facilities. Reduce emissions of fine particulates (PM2.5) by 10 percent from todays levels by 2035. Reduce emissions of coarse particulates (PM10) by 45 percent from todays levels by 2035. Reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions to 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2035.

Included in County Transportation Plan This program is identified in the County Transportation Plan (Countywide Plan),, which seeks to:

Maintain and operate existing facilities. Encourage the purchase of alternative fuel transit vehicles to the greatest extent possible given financial constraints. Support strategies that reduce transportations share of greenhouse gas emissions. Ensure that regional gateways are safely operated to manage traffic flow and, where appropriate, give priority to the movement of carpools, buses and



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Pedestrian and Bicycle Access and Safety

This program would seek to improve the safety of bicyclists and pedestrians by reducing the conflicts with motor vehicles and reduce congestion in areas such as

schools, downtowns, transit hubs and other high activity locations. It would also seek to improve bicyclist and pedestrian safety on arterials and other locally-maintained

roads and reduce occasional congestion that may occur with incidents. Fee payers benefit from bicyclist and pedestrian access and safety programs. Programs

designed to increase bicyclist and pedestrian use can reduce localized traffic congestion such as in the vicinity of schools or in shopping areas and related air quality

impacts. The driver also benefits from safety improvements that reduce occasional congestion and related air pollution that are created when incidents occur. This

program can also provide better access to transit, resulting in fewer drivers in congested corridors.


Improved access and safety to schools, suchas Safe Routes to Schools Programs,Greenways to Schools Programs, and otherimprovements (including crosswalk,sidewalk, lighting and signal improvements)for students, parents and teachers

School-related congestion can pose an issue on local streets as parents, teachers and sometimes students are all burdeninglocal street operations. Congestion is highest during periods of school opening or closing. Reducing localized trafficcongestion in school zones by encouraging walking or bicycling provides both congestion relief as well as general airpollution reductions.

Improved access and safety to activitycenters (such as crosswalk, sidewalk,lighting and signal improvements)

Improved pedestrian and bicycle access and safety to activity centers such as commercial districts, medical servicesareas, office parks and other major attractions -- can result in less driving in these areas, creating localized reduction incongestion as travelers journey to, from and within these activity centers.

Improved access and safety to transit hubs(such as crosswalk, sidewalk, lighting andsignal improvements)

All persons using transit are also pedestrians or bicyclists at some point on their trip. Improvements to these modes ofaccess, whether from a parking lot, home, business, or drop-off/pick-up area, can improve the usage of the transit systemand attract travelers from driving on congested corridors. In particular, crosswalk, sidewalk, lighting and signalimprovements can improve safety for persons using these modes of travel, as well as provide a greater awareness ofwhen it is desirable to not block general traffic movements. Fewer accidents will reduce occasional congestion. In

addition, it can attract persons to transit, resulting in fewer drivers on the road.Improved bicycle and pedestrian safety onarterials, other locally-maintained roads andmulti-use trails parallel to congestedhighway corridors

In order for motorized vehicles (and other users) to travel safely and efficiently on arterials and other locally-maintainedroadways, pedestrian and bicyclist safety treatments are valuable. These treatments alert drivers to bicyclists andpedestrians as well as direct bicyclists and pedestrians to safer areas of the roadway or away from congested roadways totrails. For example, without a sidewalk, pedestrians may be forced to walk alongside traffic lanes, and may result inreduced motor vehicle speeds. Without bicycle treatments, bicyclists may be forced to use traffic lanes, and may resultin reduced motor vehicle speeds. Finally, treatments can reduce the opportunities for vehicle/bicyclist/pedestrianconflicts to occur, resulting in less traffic congestion that may result when incidents associated with bicyclists andpedestrians occur.


Reduce bicyclist and pedestrian fatalities attributed to motor vehicle collections by 25 percent (each) from 2000 by 2035. Reduce bicyclist and pedestrian injuries attributed to motor vehicle collections by 25 percent (each) from 2000 by 2035. Reduce daily per-capita vehicle miles traveled (VMT) by 10 percent from todays levels by 2035. Reduce emissions of fine particulates (PM2.5) by 10 percent from todays levels by 2035. Reduce emissions of coarse particulates (PM10) by 45 percent from todays levels by 2035. Reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions to 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2035.

Included in County Transportation Plan This program is identified in the County Transportation Plan (Countywide Plan), which seeks to:

Maintain and operate existing facilities. Give priority to projects that are most effectively coordinated with land use planning, with special focus on Priority Development Areas (PDAs). Support strategies that reduce transportations share of greenhouse gas emissions. Ensure routine accommodation of pedestrians and bicyclists as identified in MTC Resolution 3765.

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