West Contra Costa Transportation Advisory Committee West Contra Costa Transit Enhancement Strategic Plan & West Contra Costa/Albany Transit Wayfinding Plan
Working Group Meeting Thursday, December 9, 2010 10:30 a.m.
AGENDA I. II.
Introductions
III.
Meeting Objectives
IV.
Update on Audits
Information
V.
Wayfinding Workshop
Discussion
VI.
Draft Outreach Schedule
Discussion
VII.
Next Working Group Meeting – January 13
Information
November 18 Working Group Meeting Notes/Key Actions
Walking and Biking Audits VIII.
Adjourn
West Contra Costa Transportation Advisory Committee West Contra Costa Transit Enhancement Strategic Plan & West Contra Costa/Albany Transit Wayfinding Plan
Working Group Meeting Thursday, November 18, 2010 10:30 a.m.
MEETING NOTES
Attendees: Christina Atienza, John Rudolph, Linda Young (WCCTAC); Yvetteh Ortiz (City of El Cerrito); Jamar Stamps (Contra Costa County); Steven Tam (City of Richmond); Robert Reber (City of Hercules); Deidre Heitman (BART); Rob Thompson (WestCAT); Aaron Priven, Puja Sarna, Robert Del Rosario (AC Transit); Bob Grandy (Fehr & Peers); Linda Rhine (Nelson/Nygaard) I. October 14 Meeting Notes The Working Group requested the following change to the October 14 meeting notes. • References to Pinole and WestCAT being the recipients of I‐80 funds for pedestrian improvements should be deleted. II. Update on Data Collection Efforts, Audits, Focus Groups Linda and Bob summarize the current status of data collection efforts, audits and focus groups. The Employer Focus Group #1 was held in October. 26 employers were invited. Major employers that attended included Kaiser, BioRad, and the City of San 1
Pablo. The objectives were to identify key employers, explore current practices, identify what works well, and identify desired future strategies. The most important priority for the employers was to provide better connections to major transit centers. Deidre noted that BART had done a recent shuttle study and would forward to Linda.
Transit Agency Focus Group #1 was held in October. All three Working Group agencies attended. The purpose was to discuss barriers to transit ridership and expectations for the study. Walking and biking audits have been completed for Richmond and El Cerrito. The Pinole audit is scheduled for December 2. The remaining audits are for Hercules and Contra Costa College. AC Transit asked if bus stop amenities (benches, etc.) are an eligible strategy. The Working Group said yes. The establishment of needs could be compiled by a combination of AC Transit staff and possibly the WCCTAC intern.
III. Transit Toolbox Workshop Linda and Bob discussed the purpose of the toolbox, the format, and a draft framework matrix The purpose of the Transit Toolbox is to provide a description of relevant transit enhancement strategies and their key characteristics. The toolbox will be used by Working Group members for future planning purposes. The group discussed format options, and initially agreed that a searchable web‐ based format would be most useful. The group reviewed the MTC toolbox. The toolbox would be linked to the agency web sites. 2
The matrix provides an initial list of strategy types and their core purposes. The Working Group asked about adding “marketing” under TDM, and “Bus Stop Amenities for Feeder/Nearby Bus Routes” under Transit Access & Information. The group discussed “Expansion of Valet Parking”, and will provide input on whether this should be included in the toolbox.
ACTION ITEM – WCCTAC to send a link to the MTC web site on pedestrian and bicycle strategies. Working Group members to review the toolbox matrix and provide comments. IV. Draft Summary of Wayfinding Documents The draft summary of wayfinding documents was distributed for informational purposes, for Working Group members to review prior to the Wayfinding workshop at the next December 9 meeting. V. Next Working Group Meeting The next Working Group meeting will be December 9 at 10:30 am. The focus of the November meeting will be a workshop on the Transit Wayfinding strategy.
3
Best Practices
in Wayfinding Programs
The following qualities are characteristic of successful wayfinding programs:
User Friendly • legible & readable
Destination Focus • by user group
• logical & consistent • friendly wording • useful information
Visitor Friendly
Icons & Symbols
• m ultilingual (where appropriate)
• in conjunction with text
• standard symbols
• graphic embellishment
• symbols prioritized
• welcome message
Strong Identity
Information Hierarchy
• city/area logo
• color coding
• user group affiliation • color associations
• location priority/destination priority
• information symbol
• sequencing
• city/district/historic • agency or program
Map Based • transit system • local • user group information
Transit Focus • transit message included • transit message separated/ emphasized
West Contra Costa/Albany Transit Wayfinding Plan 9 December 2010
Comprehensive System • various sign types display different types of information/messaging • encompasses various user groups • incorporates messages, symbols, maps, historic and interpretive content
Case Studies
in Wayfinding Programs
Project Area Wayfinding Programs El Cerrito El Cerrito’s wayfinding program heightens the city’s identity. Signs with a unique design character provide clear, readable wayfinding messages.
El Cerrito Ohlone Greenway Wayfinding signage along the trail in El Cerrito provides users with detailed wayfinding information, while also reinforcing city and trail identity.
Pinole
MTC Transit Connectivity
Pinole’s signage and wayfinding program provide the city with a strong identity. Use of unique graphic styling is consistent throughout signs.
MTC’s regional program, located primarily around major transit hubs such as BART stations, includes detailed local and regional maps, as well as community wayfinding to transit.
Bicycle Wayfinding Programs Berkeley Bike Boulevards
Oakland Bicycle Program
Berkeley’s bike boulevards are marked by highly-identifiable wayfinding signage that provides bicyclists with distances to popular destinations.
Oakland’s bicycle wayfinding signage is based on MUTCD’s standard. Transit information is highlighted with logos.
West Contra Costa/Albany Transit Wayfinding Plan 9 December 2010
Case Studies
in Wayfinding Programs
Other Wayfinding Programs Baltimore
Oakland Chinatown
Baltimore’s graphic wayfinding signs are attached to existing infrastructure. Signs provide neighborhood branding, and highlight transit wayfinding information.
Bi-lingual wayfinding signs and graphic banners provide neighborhood wayfinding and identity for Oakland Chinatown.
Berkeley Aquatic Park
Philadelphia
Wayfinding signage near Berkeley’s Aquatic Park and the Bay Trail provides an example of graphic, iconic signage that highlights single destinations.
Philadelphia’s wayfinding system features strong district identity and graphics, color-coded wayfinding directional signs, and comprehensive pedestrian maps.
Los Angeles
Portland
Los Angeles’ color-coded, districtbased wayfinding program heightens neighborhood identity and branding, and highlights transit wayfinding information.
Portland’s color-coded directional signs provide pedestrians with walking times and distances to popular district destinations. The comprehensive system also incorporates color-coded maps on the same panel.
New Orleans
Seattle
New Orleans has a comprehensive pedestrian wayfinding system that welcomes both visitors and residents alike with large maps, friendly directional information, and historic content.
Seattle’s color-coded maps and directional signs are oriented towards visitors, but provide wayfinding for visitors and residents alike.
West Contra Costa/Albany Transit Wayfinding Plan 9 December 2010
Questions
about wayfinding concepts as they apply to this program
1. The plan calls for installing all of the signs under a single contract. What does this imply about the physical format of the signs — do they need to be consistent across all jurisdictions? 2. The RFP describes the purpose of the wayfinding component as “to develop a plan to direct pedestrians and bicyclists to and from major transit facilities and major sites in West County and Albany through static roadway signs.” This implies wayfinding signs that:
a. direct users to transit centers (specifically)
b. direct users from transit centers to “major sites” (other local destinations)
This leaves a third potential wayfinding function open to discussion: c. provide users that are on the direct route to the transit center with wayfinding information to the other local destinations — in other words, a comprehensive wayfinding system
3. What should be the focus of the wayfinding sign identity or “branding”? Possibilities include:
a. city, neighborhood or local entity
b. regional (West Contra Costa)
c. unique program branding (West Contra Costa Transit)
d. specific transit agency (BART, Amtrak, etc.)
4. In a related question, what terminology should used for the message directing to the transit centers? For example, is the wayfinding sign message “Transit Center”, or is it “Richmond BART Station/Amtrak Station”? 5. What should be the role of icons & symbols in the wayfinding signs? Alternatives include:
a. “international” symbols (DOT and others) for transit functions and destinations
b. transit agency logos
c. unique program branding
6. If there are insufficient funds available for full implementation of all proposed signs, what factors could be used for prioritization and/or phasing?
a. proximity to transit center (closest first)
b. strategic location (most critical first)
c. message content: “to transit” vs. ”to local destinations”
d. prioritize transit centers, completing each in turn
West Contra Costa/Albany Transit Wayfinding Plan 9 December 2010
E ISEN |L ETUNIC TRANSPORTATION, ENVIRONMENTAL
AND
URBAN PLANNING
West Contra Costa Transit Enhancement Strategic Plan
Outreach Timeline By task Employer focus groups (Task 5a) First meeting
Discuss barriers to transit use, and gaps and needs at transit centers
Mid‐November 2010
Second meeting
Provide input on the draft needs assessment report, priority list and recommendations
Mid‐June 2011
Transit-agency meetings (Task 5b) First meeting
Review background information, review inventory and maps of transit centers, and discuss gaps and needs at transit centers.
Early November 2010
Second meeting
Provide input on the draft toolbox, needs assessment report, priority list and recommendations
Early June 2011
Community open houses
(Task 5c)
First open house / charette
El Cerrito: Provide input on gaps and needs at two BART stations and Rapid Bus study area; provide input on draft priority list and recommendations
Early May 2011
Second open house / charette
Richmond: Provide input on gaps and needs at transit centers (BART station, Richmond Parkway, Contra Costa College) and South Richmond PDA; provide input on draft priority list and recommendations
Mid May 2011
Third open house / charette
Hercules/Pinole: Provide input on gaps and needs at Hercules Transit Center, Old Town Pinole PDA, and planned Hercules Intermodal PDA;
Late May 2011
304 ½ Lily Street | San Francisco, CA 94102.5608 | ph 415.552.2468 | www.eisenletunic.com
West Contra Costa Transit Enhancement Strategic Plan
Outreach timeline
provide input on draft priority list and recommendations
Website initiation (Task 5d) Launch project website
Allow visitors to track progress on the study, respond to the public survey and review project materials and deliverables developed to date
Late January 2011
Create survey
Online survey to solicit public input, especially from area residents and employees, on travel behavior, key demographic data, barriers to transit use, gaps and needs at transit centers, and receptiveness to potential transit‐enhancement strategies
Late February 2011
Website updates (Task 5e) Monthly refresh #1
Update website with draft needs assessment report
Late March 2011
Monthly refresh #2
Update website with draft project list
Late April 2011
Monthly refresh #3
Update website with draft priority list
Late May 2011
Monthly refresh #4
Update website with input from open houses/charettes and draft recommendations
Late June 2011
Monthly refresh #5
Update website with final recommendations (Working Group version)
Late July 2011
Monthly refresh #6
Update website with final recommendations (WCCTAC Board version)
Late August 2011
Monthly refresh #7
Update website with final transit enhancement toolbox
Late September 2011
West Contra Costa Transit Enhancement Strategic Plan
By date First transit‐agency meeting First employer focus group Launch project website Create online survey Monthly website refresh #1 Monthly website refresh #2 First community open house / charette Second community open house / charette Third community open house / charette Monthly website refresh #3 Second transit‐agency meeting Second employer focus group Third community open house Monthly website refresh #4 Monthly website refresh #5 Monthly website refresh #6 Monthly website refresh #7
Early November 2010 Mid‐November 2010 Late January 2011 Late February 2011 Late March 2011 Late April 2011 Early May 2011 Mid‐May 2011 Late May 2011 Late May 2011 Early June 2011 Mid‐June 2011 Mid/late June 2011 Late June 2011 Late July 2011 Late August 2011 Late September 2011
Outreach timeline