1994 Santa Cruz – Los Gatos Rail Corridor study - BayRail Alliance

162 Pages·2009·5.95 MB·English

SANTA CRUZ-LOS GATOS RAIL CORRIDOR
FEASIBILITY STUDY
DRAFT FINAL REPORT
Prepared for
The Joint Policy Board
(Santa Clara County Transit District, the Santa Cruz County
Regional Transportation Commission, and the Santa Cruz
Metropolitan Transit District)
Prepared by
De Leuw, Cather & Company
In association with:
Arthur Bauer & Associates
Barton-Aschman Associates, Inc.
Engineering Science, Inc.
Moore lacofano Goltsman
Woodward Clyde Consultants
December 1994

SANTA CRUZ-LOS GATOS RAIL CORRIDOR
FEASIBILITY STUDY
DRAFT FINAL REPORT
Prepared for
The Joint Policy Board
(Santa Clara County Transit District, the Santa Cruz County
Regional Transportation Commission, and the Santa Cruz
Metropolitan Transit District)
Prepared by
De Leuw, Cather & Company
In association with:
Arthur Bauer & Associates
Barton-Aschman Associates, Inc.
Engineering Science, Inc.
Moore lacofano Goltsman
Woodward Clyde Consultants
December 1994

TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
A. Background 1
B. Purpose of the Study 1
C. Study Process 2
D. Structure of the Work Program 3
E. Goals and Objectives 3
II CORRIDOR INVENTORY
A. Introduction 5
B. Description of Existing Conditions 7
III PATRONAGE
A. Summary 18
B. Introduction 19
C. Existing Travel Demand in Route 17 Corridor 19
D. Service Concept Conclusions 27
E. Ridership Estimates 29
IV RAIL ALIGNMENT CONCEPTS
A. Introduction 43
B. Alignment Concept 1- Historic Corridor 44
C. Alignment Concept 2 - Historic and Scotts Valley Corridor 46
D. Alignment Concept 3 - Route 17 Corridor 46
E. Alignments Considered But Not Evaluated 51
V RAIL TECHNOLOGY ALTERNATIVES
A. Introduction 54
B. Light Rail 54
C. Heavy Rail 55
D. Commuter Rail 55
E. Self-Propelled Rail Car 56
F. Technologies Selected for Evaluation 56
VI RAIL OPERATIONS
A. Operating Concept 58
B. Potential Fleet Requirement 59
C. Prototype Timetables 59
D. Connectivity Issues 62
E. Institutional Issues 63
F. Railroad Freight Issues 63
VII ENGINEERING CONCEPTS AND ASSUMPTIONS
A. General 65
B. Alignment, Trackage, and Roadbed 65
C. Structures -66
D. Tunnels and Subways 67
E. Local Street Improvements 69
F. Stations 69
G. Parking 69
H. Technology and Systems 70
I. Operations, Maintenance, and Storage Facilities 71
J. Right-of-Way 71
VIII ENVIRONMENTAL SCAN
A. Introduction 72
B. ~mmary of Environmental Issues by Segment 74
C. Summary of Station Site Concerns 76
IX COST ESTIMATES
A. Introduction 78
B. Capital Cost Components 79
C. Capital Cost Estimates 81
D. Operating and Maintenance Costs 81
X FUNDING SOURCES AND INSTITUTIONAL ISSUES
A. Introduction 83
B. Existing Sources of Funding 83
C. Potential New Sources of Funding 91
D. Potential Funding Strategy 94
E. Institutional Issues Associated with the Route 17 Corridor 95
XI FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS
A. Introduction 98
B. Travel Market and Patronage Forecast 98
C. Service Requirements 99
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D. Light Rail Versus Commuter Rail Technology 99
E. Environmental Impact 100
F Capital and Operating Cost Estimates 101
G. Comparison of Rail Transit Alternatives 101
H. Cost Effectiveness 101
I. Funding Sources 103
J. Institutional Structure and Funding Structure 104
K. Other Transportation Alternatives 105
L. Next Steps 106
REFERENCES 108
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APPENDICES
A Geologic Conditions along Historic Railroad Route A-1
B Capital Cost Estimates B-1
C Environmental Significance Checklist C-1
FIGURES
1 Study Area 6
2 Regional Rail Network 8
3 Average Traffic Volumes on Route 17-South of Bear Creek Road 21
4 Hourly Traffic Volumes on Route 17-South of Granite Creek Road 22
5 Santa Cruz County Residents Commuting to Santa Clara County 34
6 Santa Clara County Residents Commuting to Santa Cruz County 37
7 Alignment Concept 1-Historic 45
8 Alignment Concept 2-Historic and Scotts Valley 48
9 Alignment Concept 3-Route 17 50
10 Conceptual Alignment Segments and Stations 73
TABLES
1 Summary of Tunnels Along Abandoned Rail Corridor 15
2 Route 17 Express Bus Service Fares 23
3 Amtrak Santa Cruz-San Jose Bus Service Fares 24
4 Vehicle Mix on Route 17 South of Bear Creek Road 24
5 Route 17 Travel by Trip Purpose 27
6 Comparison of Rail Versus Automobile Travel Times 32
7 Santa Clara County Employer Survey Results 35
8 Santa Cruz County Employer Survey Results 38
9 Potential Santa Cruz-Los Gatos Commuter Rail Patronage 39
10 Preliminary Daily Ridership Forecasts 41
11 Initial Station Locations - Alternative Concept 1-Historic 47
12 Initial Station Locations - Alternative Concept 2-Historic and Scotts Valley 49
13 Initial Station Locations - Alternative Concept 3-Route 17 52
14 Prototype Timetable - Commuter Rail Technology 60
15 Prototype Timetable - Light Rail Technology 61
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16 Summary of Tunnel Construction 68
17 Station Parking Assumptions 70
18 Capital Cost Alternatives 79
19 Composite Cost Elements 80
20 Contingencies 81
21 Range of Capital Costs by Alternative 82
22 Estimated Operating Costs, Passenger Fares, and
Farebox Recovery Ratios by Alignment Alternative 85
23 Stability and Purpose of Existing Funding Sources 90
24 Comparison of Capital Financing Costs 93
25 Comparison of Rail Transit Alternatives 102
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INTRODUCTION
A. BACKGROUND
For several years there has been an interest in exploring the feasibility of instituting a modern
passengerrail service alternative tothe automobile in'the Route 17Corridor between Santa Cruz
and the San Jose-Los Gatos area. This interest stems from the increasing traffic volumes and
pressing safety issueson Route 17. Ingeneral, primary weekday commutes areto Silicon Valley
worksites while weekend traffic is recreational and coast-bound out of the San Francisco Bay
and San Joaquin Valley areas. Route 17, a four-lane highway, has already reached its
theoretical peak-hour traffic volume capacity. Its steep grades, tight curves, and low sight
distance characteristics create a facility with considerable safety concerns. All ofthese factors
lead to congestion and delays, conditions frequently experienced by Route 17 travelers. The
current Route 17travel conditions, the existence of rail service between Santa Cruz and Felton,
and a remnant of an abandoned rail line through the Santa Cruz Mountains suggests to many
that passenger service could be readily instituted in the Corridor as a means of improving
mobility between Santa Cruz and Santa Clara Counties.
In 1977, Caltrans conducted an initial reconnaissance, which explored the feasibility of rail
service between Santa Cruz and San Jose in the Route 17 Corridor. The Santa Cruz County
Board ofSupervisors atthattime expressed that an "over-the-hill" rail connection between Santa
Cruz and Santa Clara Counties would be inconsistent with planning objectives of Santa Cruz
County. However, the circumstances affecting the feasibility ofinstituting services have changed
in the 17 years since Caltrans' study. Among the changes are definitive land use policies in
Santa Cruz County, the commitment in Santa Clara County to construct the Vasona Light Rail
Corridor from downtown San Jose to Route 85 in Los Gatos, and the increased flexibility and
innovation in transportation funding. The 1994 General Plan and Local Coastal Program for
Santa Cruz County establishes policy to support rail planning studies in the Santa Cruz-to-Los
Gatos Corridor. Moreover, this Study is identified as an action element in the Fixed Guide
way/Rail Program of the Draft 1994 Santa Cruz County Regional Transportation Plan and a
potential project in Santa Clara County's T2010 Rail Plan.
B. PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The purpose ofthe Santa Cruz-Los Gatos Rail Feasibility Study is to assess, at the conceptual
level, the feasibility of providing passenger rail service in the Route 17 Corridor between Santa
Cruz and Los Gatos. It is intended to provide preliminary technical information from which it will
be possible for the stUdy's Joint Policy Board (JPB) to determine whether or not to proceed to
the next phase ofthe project. The consultants retained to conduct the Study are not expected
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to recommend a course of action to the JPB. That determination is exclusively the province of
the JPB. Ifthe JPB concludes that the project should progress, the next phase would be a more
detailed engineering, economic and environmental analysis and a thorough comparison of rail
service and other major transportation investment options in the Route 17 Corridor.
C. STUDY PROCESS
1. Introduction
The process established for the Santa Cruz-Los Gatos Rail Feasibility Study is very inclusive.
An organizational structure that includes a policy board, comprised primarily ofelected officials,
provides guidance and direction to the study. A Technical Advisory Committee consisting of
technical and key managerial stafffrom the participating public agencies in the Corridor review
all documents prior to being considered by the policy board.
2. Joint Policy Board
The Study's eight-member Joint Policy Board (JPB) was established to oversee the Study,
prOVide policy direction to the Study, and determine if any subsequent actions should be taken.
Membership ofthe JointPolicy Board includesrepresentatives from the Santa Cruz Metropolitan
TransitDistrict, theSantaCruzCountyRegionalTransportation Commission, andelected officials
from the Santa Cruz County Board ofSupervisors and from the cities ofScotts Valley and Santa
Cruz. The Santa Clara County members includetwo county supervisors who are also members
ofthe Santa Clara County Transit District, a city council member representing the Town of Los
Gatos, and arepresentative ofthe SantaClara County unincorporated area. Ex-officio members
ofthe JPB include stafffrom the U.S. House ofRepresentatives (15th and 17th Congressional
Districts), stafffrom theCalifornia State Senate (11th and 15thDistricts), stafffrom the California
State Assembly (24th and 27th Districts), and a Deputy District Director from Caltrans District 4.
3. Technical Advisory Committee
Each agency which has a representative on the Joint Policy Board also has a key manager or
amember ofits staffparticipating on the Study's Technical Advisory Committee (TAC). The role
ofthe TAC is to meet with the consultants on a monthly basis to review the status of the work
in progress and any preliminary documents before they are forwarded to the JPB. The TAC also
ensures thatthe methodologies being used bythe consultants forthe required analyses conform
with accepted standards.
The Joint Policy Board and the Technical Advisory Committee meet monthly to review the status
ofthe work and to provide comments on the project. It should also be pointed out that both the
Policy Board's and the TAC's meetings conform with the opening meeting laws that local
governments are expected to meet under state law.
4. Public Workshops
A requirement ofthe approved work program is that publicworkshops be held at specific points
during the StUdy. To date, two workshops have been held. These workshops, held in Los Gatos
and Scotts Valley, had as their objective to secure the public's response to the possibility of rail
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