Status Report Regarding the Larkspur Ferry Terminal Parking Project and Urban Partnership Program Funds

In a report to Committee, Deputy District Engineer Ewa Bauer, District Engineer Denis Mulligan and General Manager Celia Kupersmith presented an informational report regarding the status of the Larkspur Ferry Terminal Parking and Access Improvement Project (LFT Parking Project), as well as the $12.8 million grant funds from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Urban Partnership Program (UPP) that have been secured for the LFT Parking Project.

The report stated that staff briefed the Building and Operating Committee at its December 6, 2007, meeting regarding current and future parking needs at the Larkspur Ferry Terminal (LFT). At that meeting, the staff report and presentation discussed the following:

The report also stated that at the December 6th meeting, staff presented an artist rendering for each of the above-referenced sites which depicted a four-story parking structure. These renderings had been preliminarily presented to and discussed with Larkspur City Manager Jean Bonander and Larkspur Planning Director Nancy Kaufman at a meeting on November 16, 2007. District staff also met with City of Larkspur staff during the week of April 21, 2008, to update them on the project.

The report further stated that since November 2007, staff has been working with federal officials to determine the appropriate next steps for actually acquiring the UPP grant funds for the LFT Parking Project. In response to both technical review of the potential sites and initial feedback from the Committee, and in order to meet the UPP grant requirement that a specific project in a specific location be identified in order to move forward in securing the funds, it was determined that the four-story parking structure should be located on the existing LFT parking lot site. District staff submitted the UPP grant application documents, with the LFT site identified as the specific location for the project, by the DOT’s deadline of March 31, 2008.

The report also stated that a key requirement of the UPP grant program is that all projects funded by the UPP, except for Doyle Drive reconstruction, must be completed by September 30, 2009. The District has received confirmation from federal officials that its plan to undertake the LFT Parking Project in two phases, with only the first phase completed by September 30, 2009, is acceptable and meets the program requirements.

The report explained that the project plan provides for a two-phased expansion of parking at LFT. The Phase 1 project, Contract No. 2008-FT-8, Larkspur Ferry Terminal Parking and Access Improvement Project, will modify the existing parking lot by reconfiguring existing landscape strips, parking areas and driving lanes; will construct parking spaces, landscaping, pedestrian crosswalks, in-roadway warning lights, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) access improvements; and, will undertake pavement and signage improvements. The Phase 1 project will result in an increase in approximately 200 parking spaces. Contract No. 2008-FT-8 is scheduled to be advertised in May 2008, with construction scheduled to be completed December 2008.

The report also stated that the Phase 2 project contemplates building a four-story parking structure located on a portion of the existing LFT at-grade parking lot. As a first step, staff will issue a Request for Proposals (RFP) and hire a consultant to perform the design, engineering and environmental work associated with the parking structure. It is anticipated that the Phase 2 project will be advertised for construction by September 2009, with actual construction anticipated to last an additional eighteen months. The report noted that the $12.8 million of UPP grant funds make up a substantial portion of the budget for the Phase 2 parking structure project, but additional funds must be found during FY 08/09 in order to fully complete the parking structure as planned. To that end, the District has submitted a request for additional federal funds in this year's appropriations cycle. A copy of the report is available from the Office of the District Secretary and on the District’s web site.

At the meeting, Celia Kupersmith introduced the staff report, noting that the District has already secured the $12.8 million in UPP funds to initiate the LFT Parking Project. She further noted that a related budget adjustment item will be presented at the Finance-Auditing Committee meeting immediately following this meeting of the Building and Operating Committee, to amend the FY 07/08 Ferry Transit Division Capital Budget to add the LFT Parking Project to the District’s budget.

Denis Mulligan provided a PowerPoint presentation to the Committee, which included the following:

During his presentation, Mr. Mulligan highlighted the following points:

• The District has been providing cost effective alternatives to single occupancy vehicles in the U.S. Highway 101 corridor for over 30 years and currently averts over 32 percent of all automobile trips over the Golden Gate Bridge during the peak commute hour.
• Over the past several years, there has been a significant growth in ferry service, resulting in parking demand exceeding capacity at the LFT, with ferry patrons parking on the bike paths and on the perimeter of the LFT.
• By intercepting vehicles heading to San Francisco at the LFT, the District plays a major role in providing regional congestion relief and improving air quality, as well as reducing the number of vehicles on U.S. Highway 101 and on San Francisco streets.
• The parking structure concept for the LFT site would have a total of 969 parking spaces, covering a footprint that would occupy approximately 300 existing spaces, resulting in a net increase of approximately 650 new parking spaces at the LFT.
• The LFT parking structure would be located adjacent to Wood Island, in order to minimize impacts to the view shed. The proposed four-story height would be similar to the height of other buildings in the Larkspur Landing area.
• When the District implements the variable pricing toll associated with the UPP grant, it is anticipated that some commuters may choose to ride the ferry from the LFT, rather than drive single occupancy vehicles over the Golden Gate Bridge into San Francisco, increasing the demand for parking at the LFT.
• The DOT has concurred with the District’s plans for a two-phased expansion of parking at the LFT, noting that Phase 1, to be undertaken later this year as Contract No. 2008-FT-8, will address the immediate parking needs related to the variable pricing toll.
• In addition to providing 200 additional legal parking spaces at the LFT, Contract No. 2008-FT-8 will also make improvements to existing accessible parking for disabled persons, which parking spaces are located on land that has settled over time. Contract No. 2008-FT-8 will also reconstruct the bike path from East Sir Francis Drake Boulevard to the terminal buildings.
• The long-term needs for parking improvements at the LFT will be addressed by the Phase 2 parking structure project, which must be environmentally cleared and ready for construction by September 2009, according to the UPP grant requirements.
• The Phase 2 parking structure project will undergo a comprehensive California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) review process, as well as a thorough public outreach process. In addition, staff will continue to meet with the City of Larkspur staff to hear their concerns.

Following the conclusion of Mr. Mulligan’s presentation, Ms. Kupersmith reiterated that the budget for both phases of the LFT Parking Project currently exceeds the total amount available through the UPP grant funds, as well as the required local match; therefore, the District is in the process of seeking additional federal discretionary ferryboat funding to fully fund the project.

Public Comment

David Schonbrunn, of TRANSDEF, expressed his concerns regarding the proposed parking structure at the LFT, noting that in his opinion, providing free parking at the LFT is fundamentally wrong. He explained that because the ferry service is attractive in and of itself, the District should control parking demand by charging a fee to those who choose to drive and park their vehicles at the LFT, as well as offer free shuttle bus service as an alternative to driving to the LFT. He opined that in the past, the District’s ferry shuttle bus service was unsuccessful because the District was competing with itself by providing both free parking and free shuttle buses. He noted his concurrence with the March 24, 2008, letter from Doug Wilson, Chair of the Sierra Club Marin Group, which letter expressed opposition to the construction of a parking garage at the LFT. He noted the correlation between variable pricing toll at the Golden Gate Bridge and a parking fee at the LFT. Mr. Schonbrunn stated that at this time, TRANSDEF will actively oppose the construction of a parking structure at the LFT.

Discussion ensued, including the following:

• Director Boro reported that during the last few weeks he had attended various civic meetings in Marin County, at which concerns were expressed by representatives of the City of Larkspur regarding the overall transportation planning for the Larkspur Landing area. He noted that Larkspur Councilmember John Lundstrom is planning to introduce a resolution at the City Council to convene a meeting with representatives from the City of Larkspur, the Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit District (SMART), the Transportation Authority of Marin (TAM) and this District. He stated that as a first step, Jean Bonander, the Larkspur City Manager, will hold a meeting with the three General Managers from each of these agencies to frame the topics of discussion, and then hold additional meetings with the appropriate policy makers from these agencies. He expressed his support for the City of Larkspur taking the lead in initiating these discussions.

• Director McGlashan made the following comments:

  • He provided additional details regarding the meetings proposed by the City of Larkspur, emphasizing the importance of having key staff and elected officials from Larkspur, SMART, TAM and the District come to the table to discuss the long-term vision for the Larkspur Landing area, which he believes is the most important transportation hub in Marin County.
  • He noted that in his role as the Chair of the Bay Conservation and Development Commission’s (BCDC’s) Enforcement Committee, he is concerned about the illegal parking on the existing bike path at the LFT. He expressed his support for the first phase of the LFT Parking Project as a viable short-term solution to the current parking problems.
  • He expressed his support for imposing a parking fee at the LFT, as part of a coordinated effort to encourage more bicycle, pedestrian and shuttle access to the LFT. He noted that such a coordinated approach is crucial, in order to avoid diverting more cars back to the freeway and the Golden Gate Bridge.

• Director Grosboll made the following comments and inquiries:
  • He inquired whether the Marin bicycle community is in support of the LFT Parking Project, with respect to improvements to the bike path. In response, Mr. Mulligan stated that District staff has met with the Marin County Bicycle Coalition, as well as with staff from the BCDC, and that both groups are supportive of the Phase 1 parking project.
  • He noted the concerns expressed in the Sierra Club Marin Group’s March 24th letter, namely that the District should use the $12.8 million in UPP grant funds for bicycle and pedestrian access improvements, as well as improved shuttle bus service to the LFT. He inquired regarding the limitations on the uses for the UPP grant funds. In response, Ms. Kupersmith explained that the UPP grant funds represent the most highly regulated money she has dealt with in over 20 years. She stated that according to the UPP grant agreement, the $12.8 million can only be spent on capital projects “that directly result in reduced traffic congestion on the Golden Gate Bridge and Doyle Drive.” She noted that officials from the DOT are highly supportive of the proposed parking garage at the LFT, and that the monies are locked in for that purpose only. Ms. Kupersmith also noted that there is a possibility of using the proceeds from the proposed variable toll on the Golden Gate Bridge to fund additional transit services, including reinstating some or all of the LFT shuttle bus service.
  • He inquired as to whether or not some of the UPP grant monies would be used for Phase 1 of the LFT Parking Project. In response, Mr. Mulligan clarified that approximately $1.5 million of the UPP grant monies will be spent on Phase 1of the project, including improvements to the bike path and existing ADA parking.

• Director Newhouse Segal inquired as to whether moving forward with the LFT Parking Project would in any way preclude the District from charging for parking at the LFT in the future. In response, Ms. Kupersmith stated that a potential parking fee is not precluded, and that staff will investigate the possibility of charging for parking at the LFT, in conjunction with the planning and design process for the LFT Parking Project.

• Chair Eddie commented that with gasoline and grocery prices escalating, adding a parking fee to commute costs may be difficult for some people. He also noted the irony of the District depending on Golden Gate Bridge toll revenue to fund its bus and ferry transit services, and then losing revenue as more motorists choose to take public transit instead of driving their cars across the Golden Gate Bridge.

• President Moylan noted that the proposed parking structure would effectively take thousands of cars off of the U.S. Highway 101 Corridor and the streets of San Francisco.

• Director Hernández suggested that when the design process for the LFT parking structure is underway, the District should consider including as many environmentally friendly initiatives as possible, such as dedicated City CarShare parking spaces and energy-saving light fixtures.

Action by the Board – None Required

Presentation of the District’s “Going Green” Program

In a report to Committee, Deputy General Manager/Bus Division Susan Chiaroni, Deputy General Manager/Administration and Development Teri Mantony, Deputy General Manager/Ferry Division James Swindler, Deputy General Manager/Bridge Division Kary Witt and General Manager Celia Kupersmith provided information about the District’s efforts regarding environmentally-preferable solutions in its business practices to reduce its energy consumption and harmful carbon dioxide (CO2) greenhouse gas emissions that damage the environment.

The report stated that the District has established a concentrated program targeted at conserving energy and the planet’s finite resources, with projects that range from simple conservation activities to more comprehensive efficiency programs. The report also stated that the District also has extensive emission reduction programs underway at its Golden Gate Transit facilities in San Rafael, Novato, Santa Rosa and San Francisco, as well as its Golden Gate Ferry facilities in Larkspur and San Francisco. According to the American Public Transportation Association, a commuter who travels by single-occupancy vehicle on a 20-mile round trip and switches to public transit, can reduce his or her annual CO2 emissions by 4,800 pounds per year. This equates to a 10 percent reduction in greenhouse gases produced by a two-adult, two-car household. Golden Gate Transit and Golden Gate Ferry assists with this goal by providing transit alternatives for North Bay commuters. A copy of the report is available from the Office of the District Secretary and on the District’s web site.

At the meeting, Ms. Kupersmith introduced the “Going Green” Program, noting that many of the District’s environmentally friendly projects have been ongoing for quite a while, and that staff wanted to package all of these projects into a single presentation to tell its “green story.” She stated that some of these projects arose from specific direction by the Board of Directors or the General Manager, as well as from initiation by a single employee and by individual departments, because it was the right thing to do. She also stated that while sometimes “going green” can result in cost savings, such as replacing incandescent light bulbs with energy-efficient LEDs, in most cases such initiatives can cost more money. She noted that it is important to understand the trade-offs involved with the District’s “Going Green” Program because despite the costs involved, it is the right thing to do.

As described below, several staff members provided a PowerPoint presentation which outlined the District’s efforts to address green maintenance and operating practices, and described the District’s public outreach and educational materials that show how the District is “going green.”

Kary Witt, Deputy General Manager/Bridge Division, started off the presentation, describing the Bridge Division’s “green” initiatives. He noted that Superintendent of Facilities and Maintenance Craig Dodson took the lead on converting most of the diesel engine scooters to run on vegetable oil, as an experiment in using alternative fuels in the District’s small vehicle fleet.

Mr. Witt displayed several photographs of Bridge vehicles and equipment that have been converted to more fuel-efficient engines, including the following:

• Zero-emission electric scooters;
• Hybrid vehicle in the pool fleet;
• Small diesel engine scooters running on 95% or 100% vegetable oil;
• New Tier 3 diesel air compressors, with the cleanest diesel engines available;
• Tow Vehicles using B-20 or B-40 biofuels;
• All Changeable Message Sign vehicles converted to use LED lights, which draw only 3 amps instead of 50 amps for incandescent light bulbs, and which can operate with the engine off instead of idling; and,
• Vanpool program, funded by employees who live in areas not serviced by Golden Gate Transit.

Mr. Witt noted that the District prides itself as a leader in conservation measures at the Golden Gate Bridge, and has been the recipient of many conservation awards. He noted that many of these measures have resulted in cost savings, as well as environmental benefits, such as:

• In 2007, the District was given the Honorable Mention Award for Energy Conservation by Flex Your Power, California's statewide energy efficiency marketing and outreach campaign;
• In 2007, 1950s vintage reciprocating compressors were replaced by modern rotary vane units, which resulted in a payback in energy savings within 18 months;
• In 2006, electricity conservation measures resulted in a 14 percent reduction kilowatt usage over 2005, equating to $28,000 in cost savings and 175,000 few carbon emissions;
• All traffic signals were converted to LED lights, which are 80 percent more energy efficient and require no maintenance;
• Heating and air conditioning units on the roof of the Toll Plaza Administration Building were replaced with modern, energy efficient units;
• All water heaters were replaced with Energy Star models;
• All west-facing windows covered with window film to reduce excessive heat in the Toll Plaza Administration Building on sunny days; and,
• Converted all bathrooms to use low-flow fixtures to conserve water and switched to drip and soil moisture irrigation systems in the Toll Plaza garden, resulting in savings of 922,000 gallons of water from 2005 to 2006.

James Swindler, Deputy General Manager/Ferry Transit Division, summarized the environmentally friendly measures undertaken by the Ferry Transit Division, including the following:

• New recycling bins added to terminals and ferryboats;
• Solar-powered lighting at the LFT;
• Parking for electric vehicles and carpools at the LFT parking lot;
• Secure bicycle parking inside the terminal facility;
• Participated in Spare the Air days, offering free passage on ferries, with a record 25,000 ferry passengers on one Spare the Air day in 2006;
• Repowered all Spaulding ferryboat engines in 2000;
• Repowering of M.V. Mendocino engines currently underway; and,
• Shortly going out to bid for RFP No. 2008-FT-1, New High-Speed Passenger Ferry, the specifications for which will include Tier 2-20 engines that, when the new ferry is placed in revenue service, will be the cleanest ferry engines on the San Francisco Bay.

Steven Miller, Maintenance Superintendent for the Bus Transit Division, provided a presentation on the extensive emission reduction programs underway at Golden Gate Transit (GGT). He cited the California Code of Regulations, Title 13, Section 2023, known as the “Fleet Rule for Transit Agencies” (Fleet Rule), and stated that GGT staff have been undertaking many environmentally friendly measures in accordance with the Fleet Rule since the regulations were adopted in 2000.

Mr. Miller highlighted the following measures undertaken by the Bus Transit Division:

• In response to the State of California, Air Resources Board’s (CARB’s) Risk Reduction Plan to Reduce Particulate Matter Emissions from Diesel-fueled Engines and Vehicles, published in 2000, the District reduced its particulate matter (PM) emissions by 85 percent by 2005, two years ahead of CARB’s mandated deadline of 2007;
• The District has exceeded CARB’s regulation for reducing nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions through repowering and retrofitting of existing bus engines, and the buses in the District’s fleet are now nearing zero emissions;
• At a press event held by the Metropolitan Transportation Commission, GGT staff held up a white handkerchief to the exhaust pipe of a stationary, revved up GGT bus, and the handkerchief remained completely clean of any exhaust residue, proving that GGT bus emissions are as clean as possible;
• Air conditioning in half of the buses in the fleet now using the most environmentally friendly commercial refrigerant;
• Beginning in 2001, GGT partnered with AC Transit in the Zero Emission Bus (ZEB) hydrogen fuel cell demonstration project and recently completed an on-the-road demonstration of a ZEB coach in Marin County, logging 2,630 passengers on 3,768 miles over 24 days;
• Currently, GGT is a participating member, in conjunction with SamTrans, Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority, San Francisco Municipal Railway and AC Transit, in the Advanced Zero Emission Bay Area Program, which has secured $38 million in funding and will be running 12 ZEB coaches on Bay Area roads over the next few years;
• GGT is in final preparation steps to begin testing a renewable 7 percent Ethanol fuel blend, known as O2 Diesel, which will result in a CARB-verified 1.6 percent reduction in NOx and 20 percent reduction in PM;
• GGT has long-range plans to test an O2/B-20 Ethanol/Biofuel blend renewable fuel in its buses;
• GGT won an Earth Day Award in 2000 for the use of laboratory analysis to establish oil change intervals, a process that GGT pioneered and that is now a transit industry standard;
• GGT has achieved significant reductions in the use of lubrication oil and in lubrication oil disposal, and has also achieved cost savings through the use of synthetic lubrication oils;
• Through the use of advanced coach paint materials, GGT has reduced its usage of paint and solvents by approximately 500 gallons per year;
• GGT achieved approximately $100,000 per year in cost savings because shop wastewater at the San Rafael Bus Facility no longer requires treatment plant operation, due to fewer oil changes and fewer leaky buses, as well as overall shop cleanliness;
• GGT has significantly reduced its power and water consumption at all bus facilities through the use of energy-efficient light fixtures, occupancy sensors, skylights in the maintenance buildings, low-flow bathroom fixtures and reclaimed water for bus wash facilities; and,
• GGT uses bulk cleaning and lubrication products to save money and minimize greenhouse gas propellants and reduce the solid waste stream of spent aerosol cans.

Peter Guthlein, Marketing and Communications Specialist, summarized the District’s ongoing public outreach efforts to tell its “green story,” noting that the District has set up a special page on its web site, www.goldengate.org/green, which describes how the District is “going green.” He also displayed a new brochure, printed on recycled paper, which outlines the District’s environmentally friendly measures. In addition, he reported that the District uses display ads in local media to promote the use of GGT bus and ferry services to reduce greenhouse gases.

Mr. Guthlein stated that the District is an active participant in Spare the Air Days, a program established by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District to encourage people to take transit to reduce air pollution on days with forecasted poor air quality. In addition, the District provides free transit for its employees, thereby reducing single-occupancy vehicle use in the Golden Gate Corridor. In conclusion, Mr. Guthlein stated that the District will tell its “green” story at the 2008 Marin County Fair, for which this year’s theme is, “The Greenest County Fair on Earth,” and will ask the public to do its part of committing to taking public transportation.

Discussion ensued, including the following:

• Director Newhouse Segal noted that some of the environmentally friendly measures presented by District staff include significant cost savings, and she inquired as to whether staff has calculated a total amount for this cost savings. In response, Joseph Wire stated that such a calculation has not yet been determined. He commented that some “going green” initiatives increase expenses, and others reduce expenses.

• Director Grosboll inquired as to whether there are any environmentally friendly measures that other Bay Area transit agencies are undertaking that the District have not yet considered. In response, Ms. Kupersmith provided the example of the electric trolleys operated by the San Francisco Municipal Railway, a type of vehicle that the District cannot operate due to the specialized infrastructure required. She also noted that the Marin County Transit District (Marin Transit) recently approved the purchase of hybrid buses, which buses will be operated by GGT on local Marin bus routes under contract with Marin Transit.

• Director Boro noted that the City of San Rafael has recently installed a solar panel on one of its fire engines, in order to power the instrumentation panel on the vehicle without the engine idling.

Public Comment

David Schonbrunn of TRANSDEF, expressed his appreciation to the District for its leadership in undertaking such comprehensive environmentally preferable solutions in its business practices. He noted that the District’s emission reduction programs must be considered in the context of the fact that 60 percent of emissions in Marin County come from single-occupancy vehicles.

John Kaltenstein, of the Friends of the Earth commended the District’s on undertaking such extensive environmentally friendly measures, particularly with regard to ferry operations. He stated that his organization has been working with Ferry Transit Division staff to reduce ferryboat emissions, and that more work needs to be done to bring the District in line with more stringent ferryboat emission control systems being undertaken by other transit agencies, such as the San Francisco Bay Area Water Emergency Transit Authority. He described the “Green Ship” Initiative that CARB is currently reviewing, which includes measures that will promote reduced fuel use through engine and vessel maintenance best practices. He also described other innovative harborcraft technologies aimed at reducing emissions, such as optimized propeller designs and the use of advance hull coatings. He stated that his organization looks forward to continuing to work with Ferry Transit Division staff to further reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Action by the Board – None Required

Status Report from District Appointees on Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit (SMART) Board

The Committee was provided with a copy of the agenda for the April 16, 2008, meeting and the minutes of the March 19, 2008, meeting of the Sonoma-Marin Area Rail Transit District (SMART). Copies of these items are available in the Office of the District Secretary, as well as on the District’s web site.

At the meeting, Director Eddie, one of the members of the SMART Board of Directors (SMART Board), reported on items discussed at the April 16, 2008, meeting of the SMART Board, including a report on the first public hearing for SMART’s Supplemental Environmental Impact Report, as well as reporting on the meetings that have taken place with city officials from Larkspur and Novato regarding SMART rail stations.

Action by the Board – None Required

Status Report on Engineering Projects

In a memorandum to Committee, Deputy District Engineer Ewa Z. Bauer, District Engineer Denis Mulligan and General Manager Celia Kupersmith reported on current engineering projects. A copy of the report is available in the Office of the District Secretary and on the District’s web site.

Discussion ensued, including the following:

• Director Hernandez inquired as to whether any liquidated damages will be charged to the contractor for Contract No. 2007-FT-3, Larkspur Ferry Terminal Administration Building Improvements, noting that the amount of contract time expended by the contractor has exceeded the contract time by 138.3 percent. In response, Mr. Mulligan stated that the contractor has been delayed on some final punch list items, and that Contract No. 2007-FT-3 is not yet completely closed out. He noted that staff assesses projects on a case-by-case basis and pursues liquidated damages on approximately one-third of the District’s construction contracts.

Action by the Board – None Required

Public Comment

Public comment was received under Agenda Items Nos. 1 and 2, above.

Adjournment

All business having been concluded, the meeting was declared adjourned at 11:30 a.m.