Title
Report regarding a recommendation to authorize the submittal of two applications for the San Mateo County Shuttle program funding in a total amount of $1,661,876.25, committing a 25% total matching contribution of $553,958.75 from South San Francisco Local Measure A funds, in support of the South City Shuttle program. (Marissa Garren, Management Analyst I)
label
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Staff recommends that the City Council take the following necessary actions regarding the submittal of two San Mateo County Shuttle program funding applications in support of the South City Shuttle program:
1) Adopt a resolution authorizing the submittal of an application for the San Mateo County Shuttle program funding in an amount of $1,064,400 and committing a 25% matching contribution of $354,800 from South San Francisco Local Measure A funds, in support of the continuation of the existing South City Shuttle program; and
2) Adopt a resolution authorizing the submittal of a second application for the San Mateo County Shuttle program funding in an amount of $597,476.25 and committing a 25% matching contribution of $199,158.75 from South San Francisco Local Measure A funds, to provide additional shuttle services in South San Francisco.
Body
BACKGROUND/DISCUSSION
The South City Shuttle has been in operation since November 2014, funded by four rounds of San Mateo County Transportation Authority (TA) Shuttle Program funds. Staff applied for the TA Shuttle Program funds for South City Shuttle operations in February of 2014, 2016, 2018 and 2020; all four applications were successful. The TA provided the City with $1,437,225 in funding for the current cycle, fiscal year (FY) 2020-2023 and the City provided a 25% match of $475,075 in local Measure A funding, for a total project cost of $1,912,300.
Since its inception, the South City Shuttle has become a vital service to the South San Francisco community; providing a critical connection between the regional South San Francisco BART station, SamTrans stops, and numerous pedestrian generators throughout the City, such as the downtown, recreation centers, libraries, local shops, parks, and others. The City has two shuttles, running in opposite directions that provide service throughout the City. The current routes begin and end at the SSF BART station and provide access to Sunshine Gardens, Hillside Boulevard, Linden Avenue, and Grand Avenue. They also serve the Terrabay Recreation Center, downtown South San Francisco, both libraries, the Roberta Cerri Teglia Senior Center, Orange Memorial Park and Pool, Rotary Plaza, the Municipal Services Building, and Kaiser Medical Center.
The second bus was added to the program in October 2018. Since its addition, the South City Shuttle has served as a transportation option to an average of 350 riders per day, an increase of approximately 20 passengers per day since the 2020 funding cycle. The shuttle program averages 16 passengers per hour at an average cost of $7.16 per passenger. These metrics place the South City Shuttle among the best performing community shuttles in San Mateo County, exceeding the performance benchmarks of the TA of 10 passengers per hour at $11 per passenger.
Staff also provided the Shuttle’s General Transit Feed Specification (GTFS) data to the Metropolitan Transportation Commission’s (MTC) 511 Open Data Portal. Sharing this data to the portal allows MTC to share the Shuttle’s data with private sector disseminators to maximize the number of travelers benefitting from 511 data. Private sector partners include Google, Apple, TomTom, HERE, and INRIX. Similarly, the Open Data Portal provides several APIs for developers who would like to create applications, widgets, and other tools using 511 data.
Community Feedback and Shuttle Study
Staff has been working with transportation consultant, Fehr & Peers to proactively address common requests staff had received from the community and to assess potential service changes including the effects of the new Civic Campus and Caltrain station. Common requests included the increase of service frequency, improving travel times, and to expand the shuttle’s service area. To better improve service frequency, travel times of the current routes, plus connection options, the following tentative changes have been recommended:
1) Elimination of West Orange Avenue stops (currently on both clockwise and counter clockwise routes) - most ridership on this stretch is received from patrons and staff of the library. With the tentative completion date for the new Civic Campus scheduled for late 2023, the new library will be relocating to this facility. There are currently two stops located near this location, plus the additional route will also stop at this location, if approved. (Note - Staff plans to return the West Orange Avenue stops in a future funding application once the current West Orange Library has completed its conversion into a childcare facility).
2) Addition of Caltrain stop - to increase connections to alternate forms of transportation.
New Proposed Route
In response to Council and community feedback and requests for expanded service, staff is submitting a second application for an additional shuttle route. This conceptual route will operate for a 12-hour period on Mondays through Fridays from approximately 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. The route will begin and end at the South San Francisco BART station and travel to or near the Treasure Island RV Park, Winston Manor, Buri Buri, Avalon, and Westborough neighborhoods and includes access to parks, schools, the Civic Campus, Rotary Plaza, and provide connections to the current South City Shuttles and SamTrans.
Call for Projects
The TA, in conjunction with the City/County Association of Governments of San Mateo County (C/CAG), issued a Call for Projects on January 13, 2022 for the San Mateo Shuttle Program. The estimated $11 million program is a combination of City/County Association of Governments of San Mateo County (C/CAG) Local Transportation Services Program and the San Mateo County Transportation Authority (TA) Measure A sales tax funds. The funding is available on a competitive basis for a two-year funding cycle: fiscal years 2023-2024 and 2024-2025. To seek funding pursuant to this Call for Projects, TA and C/CAG require a governing board resolution from the City committing the City to the completion of the South City Shuttle.
The shuttle has proven to be successful and staff recommends requesting funds for the next two funding cycles for the continuation of the current routes and one additional route. Based off feedback received from community surveys, staff is recommending minor changes to the current routes to improve frequency. The current tracking technology and the 511 Open Data Portal has attracted more riders to the shuttle routes and increased program participation in the last couple years. The program includes new shuttle wraps, additional route stops, new signs designed and installed, and curb painting to improve safety and enhance sidewalk connectivity. The costs for these improvements are included in the projected cost.
FISCAL IMPACT
The projected cost of the Free South City Shuttle program over the next two years is $2,215,835. If approved, new Measure A or C/CAG congestions relief funds will cover 75 percent ($1,661,876.25) of the projected costs. The proposed city match for the next two years is 25% of the projected costs ($553,958.75). This amounts to approximately $276,979.38 per year for FY 2023 - 2024 and FY 2024 - 2025. Staff proposes the matching funds come from the City’s Local Measure A fund.
RELATIONSHIP TO STRATEGIC PLAN
The Free South City Shuttle program supports Priority Area 2: Quality of Life of the South San Francisco Strategic Plan by providing access to multi-modal transportation options.
CONCLUSION
City Council’s support of the two (2) applications for the San Mateo County Shuttle program will allow the City to provide and expand free public transportation options to the South San Francisco community.
Attachments:
1. Presentation slides