The WCCTAC Policy committee recommendation on use of Measure C puzzles me. It recommends expending the Measure C funds for BART Parking which will do nothing to ease the current parking demand and disregard the future, for the current demand is at least double. Also it recommends parking charges be instituted at $3 per day which I do not know if the BART Board can be required to imposed since I understand the funds are for BART to administer.

One rationalized that this recommendation would benefit both the present condition and the future. Can this be the case if it falls far short of satisfying even present demand? And for the future, it embeds status quo of auto use with a permanent parking structure rather than Transit Oriented Development which encourages livability and discourages auto use.

The monies can be better utilized in provide far greater access more cost effectively which also is more acceptable to the community, is more equitable and is more environmentally sound, and conducive to building a livable community in keeping with Smart Growth.

Following points should be considered for the future of BART Access.

Proposed BART Parking Structure @ $15,000 per space - 386 spaces can be built for $5.8 million and If built over existing BART parking with a 4 story structure, the new spaces would be 290

Note; The plaza parking lot had around 800 cars that were BART riders and they were barred from it use last month. Added BART parking would not be able to satisfy even the present demand for the additional parking that the $5.8 million can provide. The Plaza provided more than double the parking spaces.

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EC Shuttlebus Costs

Cost of Buses @ $230,000 each with 5 buses ------------------------------------- $1,150,000

Operating cost @ $80/hr operates 2 hr each peak period - 4 hrs/day plus 1 hr to/from bus yard = 5 hrs

with 4 buses = 20 hour/day operating 250 days per year is 5,000 hrs X $80 = $400,000/yr.

Operating 12 years X $400,000 ------------------ $4,800,000

Total Cost for 12 year Free Shuttle ---------------$5,950,000

Shuttle would operate within 1.5-2 mile range of EC Del Norte and Plaza on about a 4 mile route at an operating speed of 12-15 miles per hour so each bus can make 3 round trips per hour. With four buses, it can make 12 round trips per hour and thoroughly cover the area. The headways would be a maximum of 20 minutes but most of the average along a good portion of the area can be served at 10 minutes.

If I recall correctly, BART's analysis of riders accessing El Cerrito Plaza within 2 miles was something like 80% and for El Cerrito Del Norte it was over 50 %. Also a large percent of riders access BART within the 2 hour peak and parking fills up by 7 AM. After parking fills, are when riders would consider using the shuttle so I believe the 2 hour peak service would be adequate and not the 3 hour as being recommended.

With a 50% load factor (LF), at 24 trips using a 32 passenger bus, it will carry 384 riders to BART, still, there is another 384 seat available or a total of 768 seated riders. Plus another 50% with standees if ultimate capacity was needed. (At $15,000 instead of $10,000, the assumed 410 spaces would be 290 spaces). So the shuttle bus even at 50% LF can provide 94 more riders or 32% more than 290 parking spaces. Putting this 32% another way, @ $15,000 per space 94 spaces would cost $1.35 million more.

BART's daily maintenance and operational coast of each structured parking space is $1.30 and If this $1.30 per space subsidy were applied to 290 space for shuttle service, over 12 years it would add to over $1.13 million which could add free shuttle another 2.5 years. Or if BART even charged $2 per day for all 3,038 existing spaces at Del Norte and Plaza and provided the 70c difference for the shuttle, this would pay for the shuttle operating cost by 133%. At $2 for all parking, a higher use of the free shuttle bus would be generated and even at $2 and 90% parking use, it would still recover more than 115%. Even charging a bus fare of 25-50c per trip bus use would increase.

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If private enterprise were to build and operate the parking structure, at current interest rate the cost would be at least $9.00 per space and adding 15% profit it would be about $10.35. The private Mayfair lot was charging $3.50 prior to the closure of the Plaza Parking. They currently charge $4.00 per day and spaces are fully utilized. They are now promoting preferential guaranteed parking at $105 per month equaling $5 per day.

It is clear to me that shuttle buses are not only more cost effective and provides more access, but is more acceptable to El Cerrito, more environmentally sound, more equitable, and more conducive to building a livable community for the El Cerritos future.

7/11 RN

Backup on the cost to privately build and operate parking structure;

$6 million for constr'n at 7.5% over 20 years is 8% of cost ---- = --------$480,000/yr

Depreciation @ 4% of $6 mil?----------------------------------------------240,000

Maint & Oper @ $1/space/day - 400 spaces X 250 days------------- 150,000

Adm & Oper Cost @ $12/hr/day - 250 days ----------------------------- 30,000

Insurance ---------------------------------------------------------- 5,000

Total Cost -----------------------------------$905,000

Cost per space $905,000/400 spaces/250 days ------------------------$9.00+

Plus Profit @ !5%? ------------------------------------ $10.35