DEPARTMENT: Transportation & Capital Improvements
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Mike Frisbie, P.E.
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: Citywide
SUBJECT: A briefing by VIA Metropolitan Transit on the implementation of the Vision 2040 Plan
SUMMARY:
VIA Metropolitan Transit (VIA) will provide a briefing to the City Council Comprehensive Plan Committee on the implementation of the Vision 2040 Plan, their long range plan for public transportation in the greater San Antonio region.
BACKGROUND:
In coordination with the City of San Antonio’s SA Tomorrow initiative, VIA Metropolitan Transit (VIA) is moving forward with implementation of its Vision 2040, their long range plan for public transportation in the greater San Antonio region. Vision 2040 was completed in 2016 by VIA and established several goals and objectives around strengthening regional mobility, development, and sustainability; and providing an outstanding multimodal transportation system.
ISSUE:
VIA’s Vision 2040 included recommendations on the need to define major capital investments that facilitate operation of rapid transit services in designated corridors throughout the San Antonio region. VIA’s Rapid Transit Corridor Studies, which began in February 2017, are the first critical step in the process of developing a capital project. The goal is to identify how best to facilitate rapid transit services capable of connecting people and neighborhoods to concentrations of employment, education, service, and retail opportunities. The Rapid Transit Corridor Studies include considerations for capital project and operational feasibility, analysis of a multitude of reasonable alternatives, capital and operational cost implications, market conditions in potential station areas, competitiveness for Federal capital grants, and public and stakeholder engagement. These studies take into consideration findings from the VIA and City of San Antonio SA Corridors initiative.
Vision 2040 also identified the need to perform a Comprehensive Operational Analysis (COA) and Short Term Transit Service Plan (STTSP) which will serve as a five-year blueprint for transit and mobility in San Antonio. The goal for these studies is to provide the groundwork for the development of an outstanding multimodal transportation system by 2040. The studies will identify strengths and weaknesses of VIA service and explore opportunities to increase ridership and improve service efficiency and cost effectiveness. The COA will also examine the role of alternative mobility options and the feasibility of integrating them into the greater VIA network
ALTERNATIVES:
This briefing is for informational purposes only.
FISCAL IMPACT:
N/A
RECOMMENDATION:
This briefing is for informational purposes only.