Commuter Rail Extension Alternatives Analysis - Transportation ...

CALTRAIN EXTENSION TO MONTEREY COUNTYALTERNATIVES ANALYSISedge of Castroville where it connects toSR 1. As a connector, it experienceshigh weekday peak period and weekendtraffic volumes, carrying a significantnumber of visitors.This facility carries local and interregionaltruck traffic, agricultural traffic, andcommuter traffic. As such, improvementsto SR 156 are considered to be vital tothe county economy and have beenclassified as a regional priority by TAMC.The segment of SR 156 between Castrovilleand U.S. 101 has also been identifiedas a “focus route” by Caltrans. Thelevel of service along this section of roadis currently an E and is expected to dropto F by the year 2010 if no improvementsare undertaken.645188AA-059The first part of the improvement project would widen the existing conventional two-lane highway to afour-lane expressway between Castroville and the existing U.S. 101 interchange in Prunedale. Thesecond part of the project would construct interchange improvements at U.S. 101 and SR 156 toimprove traffic flow in the area. The estimated cost of these highway improvements is $248 million.Currently, the project is undergoing environmental review. Due to funding constraints, the project isnot assumed to be constructed until 2020 or later, but is assumed for the 2030 No Build Alternative.MST Public Transportation PlansMonterey–Salinas Transit (MST) serves a 275-square-mile area of Monterey County and southernSanta Cruz County. MST’s 33 routes serve an estimated 352,000 population based on the areawithin ¾-mile of established routes within the county.MST’s routes provide service primarily in the Monterey Peninsula jurisdictions and in the SalinasValley. Intercity service is provided via Highway 68 and SR 1 between these two urban areas ofMonterey County. In addition, intercity routes connect MST with the Santa Cruz Metropolitan TransitDistrict at their Transit Center in Watsonville.In fiscal year (FY) 2005, MST operated 3,116,583 vehicle miles of service and carried 4,738,112 onits fleet of 78 buses and 6 trolleys. Its farebox recovery ratio was 27.7 percent and its FY 2006operating budget is $19.6 million.Due to uncertain funding, MST prepares a Business Plan and Short Range Transit Plan every otheryear. Its current plan, covering FY 2006 through FY 2008 was adopted as modified in October 2005.These plans set forth a conservative expansion strategy given anticipated capital and operatingfunding shortfalls of $100 million over the five-year transit plan horizon. Funding is needed to expandand improve service, expand and improve its bus fleet, and to construct new transit centers and anoperations and maintenance facility.If the TAMC-sponsored sales tax initiative had passed on June 6, 2006, MST intended to increaseservice on high demand routes and initiate service on a number of new routes. While the sales taxparsons CHAPTER 3: DETAILED DEFINITION OF ALTERNATIVES 51