CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMITTEE (CAC) REPORT

• CAC Chair Larry Shaine noted the presence of fellow CAC members in the audience and reported:
1. With the New Year, the CAC will be focusing on strategic planning and project prioritization.
2. Thanked Howard Goode for his continuous support with the CAC. The CAC congratulated him on his upcoming retirement.
3. At the last CAC meeting, a presentation was made by Joe Hurley on agenda item 13a, Allocations to the JPB for Preliminary Engineering at the 25th Avenue Grade Separation and Engineering at South Linden and San Bruno Grade Separations and an Amendment to the Fiscal Year 2005 Capital Budget. The CAC unanimously supported the allocation requests.
4. The next CAC meeting will be February 1.

Mr. Shaine said attendance has been good throughout the year.

CHAIRPERSON’S REPORT
No report.

SAMTRANS LIAISON REPORT
A written report from the December 8 board meeting was included in the packet to the board.

Director Lee thanked SamTrans for its continued support with the American Heart Association Hear Walk.

JOINT POWERS BOARD REPORT
Michael Scanlon, Executive Director, reported on the January 6 board meeting:

• Michael Nevin (San Mateo County) was elected chair and Ken Yeager (Santa Clara County) elected vice-chair.
• Sue Lempert, MTC Liaison reported:
1. The Bay Bridge cost overrun is still an unresolved issue. MTC is doing all it can to make sure the future costs do not rest solely on the Bay Area taxpayers.
2. At the last MTC meeting, appointments were made to the Dumbarton Corridor Committee. Ms. Lempert will represent San Mateo County and Director McLemore will represent Santa Clara County. There will also be a representative from Alameda County
• Brian Wilfley, JPB CAC chair reported:
1. Mr. Wilfley will be serving as CAC chair. Sepi Richardson will serve as vice-chair.
2. A resolution thanking staff of JPB and of Amtrak for tremendous success in 2004 was approved.
3. Reports were heard regarding the San Francisco bicycle facility and additional results from the ridership survey post Baby Bullet.
4. There was a discussion regarding the agenda process and ensuring open discussions at the CAC meetings.
• A Resolution of Appreciation was presented to Howard Goode, who is retiring after 15 years of service at SamTrans.
• Trains for Tots collected more than 6,000 toys, double the number of toys collected from last year. There were 255 volunteers, 10 sponsors and three partners. Janet McGovern was recognized for her leadership with this event.
• November 2004
1. Average Weekday Ridership was up 14.4 percent, from 25,637 riders to 29,337.
2. Total Ridership was up 23.1 percent from 610,549 riders to 781,806.
3. Total Revenue was up 23.6 percent from $1.45 million to $1.79 million.
4. On-Time Performance was at 98.4 percent versus 94.5 percent from last November.
5. Shuttle Ridership was up 8.8 percent from 3,601 riders to 3,918.
• A board workshop will be held in the next few months to discuss the budget for next fiscal year.
• The new Muni sticker was available January 1.
• Special service was operated on New Year's Eve. Free service was offered after 11:00 p.m.
• Regular weekday service will operate January 17. In addition, the Freedom Train will run in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr.
• An amendment was executed to the Trackage Agreement with Union Pacific.
• The monthly Safety and Security Report was distributed. There was one fatality on December 12 in the Palo Alto area. It was the ninth fatality of the year, one fewer than last year. Four other attempted suicides were averted by quick thinking and responsiveness from the operating staff.
• Caltrain/SamTrans hosted the APTA National Safety Committee Mid-year Seminar on December 3 and 4.
• The Board took the Following Actions:
1. Approved an Extension of the Current Operating Contract with Amtrak.
2. Authorized an Increase to the FY2005 Capital Budget for the San Francisco Downtown Extension/Transbay Terminal EIR/EIS, Hillsdale Station and Closed Circuit Cameras & Equipment.
3. Authorized the Filing of FY2005 Federal Transit Administration Applications.
4. Authorized an Application for Transportation Enhancement Activity Funds in the Amount of $200,000 to the SFCTA for Construction of the San Francisco Bicycle Station.
5. Authorized an Application for Federal Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Funds and an Allocation Request for Proposition K Sales Tax Funds to the SFCTA for the Start-up Operation of the San Francisco Bicycle Facility

AMENDMENT OF 2004 TRANSPORTATION EXPENDITURE PLAN TO CORRECT CLERICAL ERROR
David Miller, Legal Counsel, said the amendment would clarify that the duration of Measure A is 25 years. He said the County Board of Supervisors amended its Ordinance No. 04223 to correct the clerical error.

The motion to approve the amendment to the Expenditure Plan was unanimously approved and Resolution 2005-2 was adopted.

ALLOCATIONS TO THE JPB FOR PRELIMINARY ENGINEERING AT THE 25TH AVENUE GRADE SEPARATION AND ENGINEERING AT SOUTH LINDEN AND SAN BRUNO GRADE SEPARATIONS AND AN AMENDMENT TO THE FISCAL YEAR 2005 CAPITAL BUDGET
Joe Hurley, Director of Transportation Authority Programs, said the 25th Avenue grade separation project requires an additional $200,000 allocation to the JPB for preliminary engineering to complete the project study report. This report is expected to be finalized in spring.

Stephen Chao, Supervising Engineer, said the 25th Avenue Grade Separation consists of a four track alignment with grade separations at 25th, 28th and 31st Avenues. Bridges to accommodate the additional two tracks will be constructed at Hillsdale Boulevard and 42nd Avenue. The project also includes a new Hillsdale station and a modified Hayward Park station. Mr. Chao presented aerial photographs of the project sites.

Director Panza asked why bridges are needed at 28th and 31st Avenues since there aren't streets to cross.

Mr. Chao said there was a request from the City of San Mateo to improve these at-grade crossings. The JPB currently is working with San Mateo to identify the costs, which they would reimburse to the JPB.

Director Lee said part of the Bay Meadows Phase II Redevelopment Program intent is to tie this project into El Camino and improve the traffic flow.

Mr. Hurley said the engineering at South Linden and San Bruno grade separations portion of this item consists of an allocation of $1.8 million from the South Linden project to complete 35 percent of the design effort and an increase to Grade Separation Category of $1.2 million and allocate the funds to the JPB for 35 percent design of the San Bruno Grade Separation.

Steve Minden, Senior Engineer, said part of the project would be a grade separation at South Linden Avenue, San Bruno Avenue, San Mateo Avenue and Angus Avenue. Pedestrian under-crossings will be provided near Walnut Avenue, Sylvan Avenue and Scott Street in San Bruno. The new San Bruno Caltrain Station will be between San Bruno Avenue and San Mateo Avenue. The South Linden Avenue project was originally packaged with the South San Francisco Station and Trackwork Improvements project but was combined with this project in order to expedite the schedule of the South Linden grade separation. There are also significant construction benefits because it allows for a balance excavation cut-and-fill between San Bruno and South San Francisco. Once the project is complete, all grade crossings will have been eliminated north of Millbrae. Mr. Minden said environmental clearances have been completed. The 35 percent design is in progress and scheduled to be completed late spring. JPB staff has actively been meeting with the San Bruno Citizens Advisory Committee as the design has been developed.

Director Galligan asked how the tracks would be raised to get over Highway 380.

Mr. Minden said the tracks would go over South Linden and then come back to grade at Highway 380.

Director Galligan asked if San Bruno Avenue would be at-grade.

Mr. Minden said no, there is enough distance between Highway 380 and San Bruno Avenue to grade separate.

Director Galligan asked if the station would be at ground level.

Mr. Minden said the station will be elevated between San Bruno and San Mateo Avenues.

Director Panza asked how the projects will be constructed while Caltrain is in service.

Mr. Minden said most of the construction will be done within the existing right of way. However, there are some small right of way takes that will be required and a shoe-fly track will be built. The project will be constructed in three stages.

Mr. Scanlon said JPB staff is still looking at this project design. There is a possibility that there may not be four tracks.

Director Panza said during the BART construction many San Bruno residents had disruptions during the night. He asked if there was a construction program to minimize the pile-driving at night and on the weekends.

Mr. Scanlon said the JPB has made a commitment to minimize construction at night. This will primarily be a daytime project.

Director Galligan asked when construction would begin.

Mr. Minden said the goal is to go out to bid in early 2006 with a tentative 2-year construction period.

The motion to approve the allocations to the JPB for preliminary engineering at the 25th Avenue grade separation and engineering at South Linden and San Bruno grade separations and an amendment to the Fiscal Year 2005 Capital Budget was unanimously approved, by roll call, and Resolution 2005-3 was adopted.

REQUESTS FROM THE AUTHORITY
Director Foust thanked everyone for making her feel welcome on this board. She also thanked Mr. Goode for all he has done for this County and congratulated the elected chair and vice-chair for 2005.

REPORT FROM LEGAL COUNSEL
None.

WRITTEN COMMUNICATION TO AUTHORITY
The communication packets were distributed to the Board members.

DATE/TIME OF NEXT MEETING:
February 3, 2005 at 5:00 p.m. at the San Mateo County Transit District Administrative Building, 1250 San Carlos Avenue, San Carlos, CA 94070