07/20/2006 - Transportation
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MEETING MINUTES
TOPIC . TRANSPORTATION
CITY OF CLEARWATER
July 20, 2006
Present:
Frank Hibbard
William C. Jonson
Mayor
Councilmember
Also present: Patricia O. Sullivan
Board Reporter
The meeting was called to order at 4:03 p.m. at City Hall.
Public transportation efforts in Salt Lake City, Utah, Seattle, Washington, and Denver,
Colorado were discussed.
Light rail systems work well in Seattle where ridership exceeds expectations. The
system is being expanded. City centers in Seattle and Denver are highly congested. Public
transportation projects were defeated when first presented to the public. Small pilot projects
then were approved.
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Denver's regional transit agency combined all bus systems and works with the Colorado
Department of Transportation. The system was funded by a sales tax. Downtown buses, which
run every 75 seconds during rush hour, are free. Hybrid buses connect each end of downtown
with light rail, which extends to sports venues, to Littleton along an existing railroad, and will
open along an interstate right-of-way in November. A large maintenance facility has been
constructed. Future corridors and connectors are under consideration. Corridors are
coordinated with development.
Many Seattle residents take buses, which include 50-foot articulated ones and electric
trolleys. Each of the three local counties owns its own transit agency, which is separate from
the regional transit agency. The system was funded by a sales tax and vehicle registration fees.
The light rail project is estimated to cost $2 billion. The transit authority underwrote the bonds.
Downtown businesses opposed extending the World's Fair monorail into the downtown due to
aesthetic concerns.
Voters defeated the Salt Lake City transit system when it first was presented. Ridership
doubled projections. Now suburban areas also want transit services. Light rail has spurred
growth in the downtown, attracting people to the city center for purposes other than work. Los
Angeles is pursuing a BRT system. Portland is encouraging less vehicles in its downtown by
limiting the number of parking spaces provided by new construction.
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Discussion ensued with comments that the City of St. Petersburg had funded an initial
BRT feasibility study and then approached PST A (Pinellas Suncoast Transit Authority) with a
proposal. Most of the expanded BRT study in St. Petersburg is funded by a federal grant.
Engineering work is underway. Concern was expressed that PST A should not oversee the
Tampa Bay area's transit authority as it appears to support only busses or BRT, even though
high level BRT is a expensive as light rail. Concerns were expressed that local residents would
not support a sales tax to fund public transit. Suggestions were made that a regional public
transportation system include TBRPC (Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council) counties, plus
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Sarasota and Polk counties, that elected officials should be part of the membership of a transit
system governance board, and that the Pinellas Trail would be a good location fora light rail
corridor.
It was felt that a transit system needs to be separated from congestion. PST A is
eliminating old buses to encourage increased ridership. Concern was expressed that the
proposed BRT in St. Petersburg will not reduce congestion. It was felt that residents would be
more willing to utilize a transit system if they did not have to ride long distances on buses. Tying
growth and transportation was encouraged. It was stated that few centers of concentrated
development and high density necessary for light rail exist in Pinellas County. A study of
McMullen-Booth Road determined that BRT would not be justified as the corridor lacks sufficient
density. It was felt that BRT will be successful only if riders move significantly faster than
vehicular traffic.
Discussion ensued regarding a pilot guideway project between Clearwater's downtown
and the beach. If was felt a stand-alone system would not work and it was recommended that a
guideway terminal provide connections to other public transportation. It was stated that a
guideway requires a maintenance facility and sufficient ridership. It was felt that a BRT to the
beach would be unsuccessful as it would be delayed by traffic.
It was suggested that a spine of fixed rail would make the ribs (buses) more attractive. It
was stated that the public would not support a system that requires a 30 minute wait if a
connection is missed. It was suggested that the MPO (Metropolitan Planning Organization)
become involved with planning a transit system. It was recommended that either the City of
Clearwater or MPO manage a study of the guideway. In response to a statement that PSTA is
not biased against light rail, it was recommended that the PST A board realize that outsiders
think otherwise.
Adiourn
The meeting adjourned at 5:22 p.m.
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