Recent transportation studies for the kern region

Overview of Recent Studies

Overview of Recent Studies

• Kern County Bicycle Master Plan• Long Range Transit Plan• High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV)/ Bus Rapid

Transit (BRT) Study• Commuter Rail Feasibility Study• Kern County Goods Movement Strategy• Short Haul Rail Freight Study

Kern County Bicycle Master Plan

• Goal– Assess existing bicycle

facilities– Develop a plan for new

bicycle amenities– Provide recommendations

for complete streets

Kern County Bicycle Master Plan

• 664 miles of new bikeways including:– 30 miles of Class I bike paths– 297 miles of Class II bikes lanes– 46.6 miles of Class III bike routes– 186 miles for Class III bike routes on State routes

Long Range Transit Plan

• Goal– Document the

relationship between:• Population growth• Employment growth• Transit ridership demand• Current operations

– Improve Customer Service– Improve Cost-

effectiveness

Expanding Access to High Quality Transit

GET Long Range Transit Plan

• Short-Term Recommendations– New Transit Center at CSUB– Increased service to CSUB and BC– Faster cross-town trips: Express routes, “Rapid”

routes, More direct routes• Mid- Long- Term Recommendations– Accommodate projected growth– Phase out downtown and southwest Transit Centers– Convert “Rapid” routes to full Bus Rapid Transit– Introduce “enhanced” KRT intercity express bus

routes

2005 Transit Priority Areas – 5,600 Households

2012 Transit Priority Areas – 127,600 Households

2035 Transit Priority Areas – 415,000 Households

• 19,000 employee trips per year

• 1.4 Million Miles Less Travel Annually

Employer Subsidized Transit

Kern Regional Transit (KRT)Service Analysis

• Goal– Determine whether KRT

might be able to take advantage of the GET changes to:• Improve service for its

own customers• Reduce operating costs

Kern Regional Transit (KRT)Service Analysis

Draft High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV)/ Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Study

• Goal– Examine the long-range

feasibility of implementing HOV lanes and/or BRT services

– Assess the performance, benefits, and potential impacts of HOV and BRT

High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV)/ Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Study

• Short- and Mid-Term Recommendations– Improve rapid bus with:• Traffic signal priority systems and queue jump lanes• Exclusive HOV and bus lanes

– Introduce express bus service along SR 178/24th Street/Rosedale Highway

– Construct truck climbing lanes eastbound SR-58– Add express bus services– Introduce ramp meters at identified interchanges– Designate new peak period-only HOV lane

One Approach: Phased Light Rail

Today

Bus Rapid Transit

Long RangeLight Rail

Centers/Corridors Concept

Commuter Rail Feasibility Study

• Goal– Examine a set of alternatives

for providing commuter rail service within:• Bakersfield metropolitan area• Surrounding portions of Kern

County• Eastern region of the county

– Identify corridors that may be feasible for future service and potential station locations

Commuter Rail Feasibility Study

Expansion of MetroLink to Rosamond

Added stops to Amtrak Northwest of Bakersfield

Possible Future South Valley Commuter Rail

Link to Study:http://www.kerncog.org/docs/studies/KernCOG_Commuter_Rail_Draft_Report_20120720.pdf

Wasco

Bakersfield

Delano

Rosamond

Short-Haul Rail Freight Study Phase II• Goal

– Expand on Short-Haul Rail Freight Study Phase I

– Focus on San Joaquin Valley Rail (SJVR) operations

– Profile existing traffic base based on shipper comments

– Forecast growth in traffic base 10 years into the future

Short-Haul Rail Freight Study Phase II

• Recommendations– Proactively identify rail quality service issues &

solutions– Engage KEDC, SJVR and communities to craft

solutions to attract rail-dependent industries.– Develop multi-use facilities along Buttonwillow and

Oil City corridors– Explore rail intermodal options – Explore potential future uses for the southern

portion of the Arvin Subdivision

Kern County GoodsMovement Strategy

• Goal– Use data from SR-58,

SR-99/I-5, SR-223, 166, 119, 46 & 65 Origins & Destinations Studies to inform future project development activities

– Propose future truck-related capital improvements through 2035

– Determine the impact of current and future transportation projects on goods movement

29%

21%

9%

SurveyLocations

Kern County GoodsMovement Strategy

• Stakeholder Project Ranking– SR-58 – From I-5/SR-58 to Allen Road – add through lanes– SR-58 – From Union Avenue to Cottonwood Road – add

through lanes• Other Project Ranking – (not a complete list)

— Southbound SR-99 off-ramp – Panama Lane to Wible Road - add auxiliary lane

— SR-119 – From Golf Course Road to aqueduct – add through lanes

— SR-178 – From SR-184 to Rancheria Road – add through lanes