TRANSPORTATION & ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Mid‐Year Report to the Town Council February 21, 2012
Cover Page Photography Upper le photo: Thursday Night Street Fes val, by Paige Green Photography Lower le photo: Ligh ng of the Old Oak Tree, by Kyle Mix Photography Right photo: “Safety Sam“ at an elementary school assembly
TRANSPORTATION
Program Overview The overarching goal of the Transporta on program area is to ensure mobility for all modes of travel (automobiles, bicycles and pedestrians) in a manner that maintains an excep onal quality of life for Danville residents. Transporta on ac vi es fall into five broad categories.
Local Traffic Opera ons. This func onal area manages an interconnected system of traffic signals, signage and roadway striping that collec vely channels the flow of traffic throughout Danville’s roadway network. This area also manages curb markings installa ons as well as parking management town‐wide.
Transporta on Planning. This func onal area addresses the long‐term transporta on needs of the Town, including the prepara on of transporta on plans, coordina on of local and regional transporta on ini a ves, transporta on demand management and the assessment of proposed developments for poten al transporta on impacts.
Transporta on Improvement Projects. This func onal area oversees the planning, design and construc on of transporta on capital projects within the community. In addi on, Danville plays an ac ve role in the management of regional transporta on projects that may have an impact on local traffic pa erns.
Traffic Calming & Traffic Safety. As a commitment to community character and livabil‐ ity, this func onal area implements the Neighborhood Traffic Management Program (NTMP), the valley‐wide Street Smarts traffic safety program and the Safe Routes to School program that is currently funded by a federal grant.
Regional Advocacy and Partnerships. Danville takes a leadership role on regional agencies, and leverages strategic mul ‐agency partnerships, to assure that the Town’s interests are represented and that the community receives its fair share of regional, state and federal transporta on resources.
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TRANSPORTATION
Traffic Opera ons Danville owns and maintains 51 interconnected traffic signals. These signals are programmed to operate as a synchronized system, moving vehicles and people along the Town’s roadways, some of which carry about 30,000 vehicles per day. Traffic Signal Synchroniza on. The Town con nually strives to improve signal coordina on along key road‐ way corridors. This year, the Town is u lizing grant funding from the 2011‐12 cycle of the MTC PASS (Program for Arterial System Synchroniza on Project) to refine coordina on at 22 intersec ons along Sycamore Valley Road/Camino Tassajara, from I‐680 to the Mustang Soccer Complex.
Coordinated signal ming reduce delays and emissions
TRAFFIX Student Transporta on Sycamore Valley Road/San Ramon Valley Boulevard (SRVB) Improvements Project. TRAFFIX aims specifi‐ cally to reduce traffic conges on by offering a safe and reliable alterna ve for San Ramon Valley children to travel to school. Now in its third year of service, TRAFFIX serves 7 schools and over 1,240 students in the San Ramon Val‐ ley. A parent and community survey conducted in December showed that 92.4% of TRAFFIX users are very likely to recommend the program to other par‐ ents. Giant kudos, thanks and praise to those who had the vision and the determina on to make this happen. I know there must have been a lot of moving pieces, ge ng the schools to change start and end mes, envisioning the routes, ge ng the word out, etc.—please know that your efforts were not in vain. You have improved the lives of all of us who drive in the Diablo Road/Green Valley Road corridor in the morning hours. Bravo!
TRAFFIX has demonstrated to be an invaluable traffic conges on relief tool, reducing over 400 vehicles per intersec on approach at the intersec on of Green Val‐ ley Road and Diablo Road, Danville’s most congested intersec on. TRAFFIX is funded primarily by Contra Costa’s 1/2‐cent transporta on sales tax measure (Measure J). In the 2011‐12 school year, Measure J funds represent a pro‐ gram subsidy of 83.3 percent. 4
TRANSPORTATION
Transporta on Planning Regional Planning. The Town’s transporta on plan‐ ning efforts include long range systems planning; transit, bike and pedestrian planning; and develop‐ ment review. Highlights of the past year include: Con nuing input on the development of the
TransportaƟon 2035 Plan for the San Francisco Bay Area, which specifies how $218 billion in an‐ cipated federal, state and local transporta on funds will be spent over the next 25 years. Con nuing input on ABAG’s Sustainable Communi-
Ɵes Strategy development effort, a Bay Area wide ac on plan that would e land use planning to future transporta on funding. Submi al of an applica on for the Contra Costa
TransportaƟon for Livable CommuniƟes (CC‐TLC) grant program to fund improvements within downtown Danville. Review of the Magee Ranch/SummerHill proposed
development’s traffic study. Bicycle Planning. Danville is commi ed to developing a “complete streets” network that allows individuals to travel by any mode they choose‐‐driving, bicycling, walking or transit. One step toward this goal is the development of bicycle parking infrastructure, an im‐ portant support element to bicycling. In 2011, the Town conducted a Bicycle Parking Study that assessed bicycle parking needs and recommend‐ ed the quan ty, type and loca on of new or replace‐ ment bike racks in a phased approach. Once it is adopted, the Study will be ready to use as a resource in seeking grant funding for bicycle parking racks.
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TRANSPORTATION
Regional Advocacy & Projects Danville takes a leadership role at regional transporta‐ on forums to ensure that the Town’s interests are well represented. A highlight of these efforts include: I‐680 Rehabilita on Project. Funded with a combina‐ on of State and local 1/2‐cent transporta on sales tax funds, the project is designed to rehabilitate 12.8 miles of deteriora ng roadway along I‐680. The work includes extensive repair of the traffic lanes and shoul‐ ders, on and off ramps, as well as new safety features such as concrete barriers and guardrails. Currently in one of the final stages, the concrete sur‐ face between Diablo Road and Alcosta Boulevard is being ground to provide for a smoother ride. Once the weather warms, the asphalt concrete along the HOV lane and the inside shoulder will be resurfaced. The project began in Spring 2011 and is expected to be completed by late Spring 2012. The Town is working with Caltrans to minimize the impact of construc on ac vi es to the community. I‐680 Auxiliary Lanes Project. Iden fied in 1988 as an important opera onal improvement for the San Ra‐ mon Valley, two of the three segments of the project were constructed in 2007. The funding necessary for the last segment, spanning the length between Sycamore Valley Road and Crow Canyon Road, is finally complete. The $34 million pro‐ ject will be funded by: $20.6 M in 1/2‐cent transporta on sales tax $ 9.2 M in local development impact fees $ 4.2 M in state and federal funds $34.0 M Total Project Costs This funding alloca on illustrates the importance of local revenue sources for transporta on projects. 6
TRANSPORTATION
Traffic Calming Since its incep on in 1996, the Town’s Neighborhood Traffic Management Program (NTMP) has served over 70 neighborhoods throughout Danville. The neighbor‐ hoods that are currently working through the commu‐ nity‐based engagement process include: Bolero Drive (Greenbrook area) Dunhill Drive (Tassajara Ranch neighborhood) Sonora Drive (westside Danville)
Neighborhoods that are not ac vely engaged in the NTMP receive traffic calming through targeted police enforcement and the benefits of a radar display trail‐ er, which had 40 mul ‐day deployments targeted at 20 loca ons throughout the Town.
Radar speed trailer
Traffic Safety: Share Our Streets Launched on June 21, the first day of summer, the “Share Our Streets” campaign reminds the primary three user groups of the road about being responsible and sharing the roads with each other. The campaign was developed to reduce the poten al for collisions among the roadway user groups during the summer season when outdoor recrea onal ac vi‐ ty—from running to cycling—is more prevalent. Among collisions involving vehicles and bicycles in Danville, 53% of cyclists were found at fault and 47% of drivers were found at fault. This sta s c reinforces the need to reach out to all user groups. The campaign was implemented in three phases: edu‐ ca on (June 21 ‐ July 18), warning (July 19 ‐ August 15) and enforcement (August 16 ‐ September 12). “Share Our Streets” is a joint collabora on of the Town’s Transporta on and Police Departments.
Share Our Streets campaign flyer
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TRANSPORTATION
Street Smarts Promotes Traffic Safety Launched in 2004 as the Town’s traffic safety educa on campaign, this Program quickly grew into a valley‐wide program with three public agency partners: the City of San Ramon, Contra Costa County, and the San Ramon Valley Unified School District. Street Smarts operates three core programs at each grade level: Elementary School “Storybook” Poster Contest. During the past year,
the poster contest a racted 604 poster submissions that illustrated pages of a storybook, The Great Zoo Escape, all about the fun of walk‐ ing or biking (rather than being driven) to school. The awards cere‐ mony a racted over 600 a endees, filling the venue to capacity. This year’s contest which will illustrate pages of The Gigan c Pizza Sur‐ prise also promises to a ract a large number of poster submi als. The awards ceremony is scheduled for Wednesday, March 7 at the Dougherty Valley Performing Arts Center. Middle School “Be Reel” Video Contest. The video contest offers two
opportuni es, once in the fall and again in the spring, to create videos that demonstrate traffic safety concepts. The fall 2011 video contest engaged 91 middle school par cipants to create videos that demon‐ strate how “How to Cross the Street Safely”. Finalists from both the fall and upcoming spring contests will be screened at an awards cere‐ mony in May 2012. High School “It Happens” Campaign. New for 2012, the “It Happens”
Street Smarts program ac vi es
campaign was launched on Facebook and at each of the four SRVUSD high schools during a chosen “Launch Week” throughout the months of January through February. Teens from the each high school hosted Launch Week lunch me ac vi es—Safe Driving Pledges, ac vi es using Visual Impairment goggles to demonstrate the effects of driving under the influence and a day‐long “disappearing students” exercise to bring home the impact of driving accident sta s cs. Another group of teens, represen ng schools from the en re San Ramon Valley, served on a Facebook Commi ee and is responsible for the cam‐ paign’s online social media content. Check out their new Facebook page at: www.facebook.com/becauseithappens.
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TRANSPORTATION
Safe Routes to School In 2009, the Street Smarts program was awarded a $290,000 federal Safe Routes to School (Cycle 2) grant to expand the valley’s exis ng traffic safe‐ ty educa on efforts. Subsequently, Street Smarts received two addi onal grants: one in the amount of $225,000 from MTC’s Conges on Mi ga on and Air Quality (CMAQ) program and a second grant in an amount of $365,000 from the federal Safe Routes to School (Cycle 3) program. These grants have enabled Street Smarts to significantly expand its programming to promote traffic safety as well as walking and bicycling at the K‐12 grade levels. The ac vi es currently underway include: Bike Rodeos provide an opportunity for children to learn about the
safety aspects of riding a bicycle in a safe, controlled, hands‐on envi‐ ronment. In fall 2011, Street Smarts held six bike rodeos which in‐ volved over 500 student par cipants. School Assemblies educate students about the basic tenets of traffic
safety in a fun and interac ve se ng. The half‐hour assemblies typi‐ cally feature Sam the safety car, who has his own trading card and a loyal following. In fall 2011, Street Smarts conducted assemblies at four elementary schools, reaching over 1,940 students. Traffic Safety Story me is offered, at the request of school site admin‐
istrators, during each elementary class’ library me wherein the latest Street Smarts Storybook wri en is read. The book serves as a valua‐ ble reading and traffic safety educa on tool. Walk Bike Challenge is
an 8‐week online challenge that promotes
walking and biking to school. A er registering, students can log‐in the number of days they’ve walked or biked to school and the number of miles they traveled (WalkBikeChallenge.com). The more miles trav‐ eled, the more prizes the students, their class and their school earns.
Safe Routes to School ac vi es
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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Program Overview The overarching goal of the Town’s Economic Development program is to promote economic vitality for all Danville businesses and residents. The program consists of five key elements: Business Development.
A founda onal cornerstone of economic development prac ce, this program area consists of three categories of efforts that nurture business growth and investment:
Business RetenƟon and Expansion ac vi es that focus on addressing the needs of exis ng businesses, encouraging them to stay (reten on) and grow (expansion).
Business CreaƟon ac vi es focused on suppor ng and nurturing businesses to diversify the local economic tax base. In this effort, Danville collaborates with partner agencies.
Business AƩracƟon ac vi es are a supplement to other economic development efforts and focus on iden fying and bringing in companies from outside of the area. Danville’s role in this program area is limited to providing informa on and facilita ng dialog among inter‐ ested par es and/or the permi ng process.
Market Development. This program area consists of ac vi es that seek to bring in new revenue to
the community by leveraging local assets and a rac ons. Much of the Town’s efforts in this area are focused on promo ng Danville as the regional shopping and dining des na on of choice. Infrastructure Development. This program area involves the con nual maintenance and improve‐
ment of public infrastructure as a means of facilita ng business growth and investment. Workforce Development. This program area focuses on partnerships with regional workforce
development programs and educa onal ins tu ons which have a mission to prepare the local labor pool to meet the needs of new or evolving employment sec ons (such as clean tech). Organiza onal Development. This program area involves looking for forums and other on‐going
opportuni es to exchange ideas, address issues and leverage collabora ve efforts with the business community.
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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Business Development Danville Business Concierge Consistent with the goal of promo ng and encouraging a vibrant and healthy local economy, the Town offers a complimentary “Business Concierge” service which provides one‐on‐one permi ng consulta on with new or exis ng businesses. The Town staff organizes mee ngs with the appropriate permi ng de‐ partments (planning, building and engineering) to provide a business with the informa on necessary to start or expand. To date, the Business Con‐ cierge facilitated over 120 consulta ons for new and exis ng businesses.
Business Resource Guide The recently completed Business Resource Guide was created as an infor‐ ma onal resource booklet that can be customized with informa on that meets each individual business’ needs. A Business Resource Guide can be assembled for any business by contac ng the Danville Business Concierge.
Retail Incen ves Program Since 2010, the Town’s Retail Reten on & Promo on Incen ves Program (“Retail Incen ves Program”) made $400,000 in grant funding available to the retail community during this prolonged economic downturn. To date, the Town has awarded over 50 retail marke ng and promo on grants; 30 retail façade improvement and fee waiver grants; 6 coopera ve adver s‐ I want to thank you so much ing grants for retail center; and two retail for the thought and considera‐ on the Town puts into the develop‐ marke ng workshops. This represents ment of new businesses … an investment of about $320,000 into Your sign reimbursement program not the local business community. In 2011, the Town of Danville received an Award of Merit from the California Asso‐ cia on for Local Economic Development (CALED) for its Retail Incen ves Program.
only enabled me to purchase adorable, eye‐catching signs, but allowed me to invest addi onal funds into my busi‐ ness which I wouldn’t have otherwise had. This boost has given me a li le more me to establish my business and make it successful. Sweetly, Didi Jus n‐Reed
Business development efforts sup‐ port the local business community
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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Business Development Retail Incen ves Program (con nued) Chris and Jim Edlund of ChristeJames Jewelers, a locally owned and operated small business, took advantage of the retail marke ng grants offered through the Retail Incen ves Program and upgrad‐ ed their business web site (christejames.com). The enhanced site was a necessary step towards ensuring compe veness in a marketplace that expects a retailer’s online presence to be com‐ mensurate with the quality of its brick‐and‐mortar establishment. “We knew that [the new web site] was a necessary investment … but it was an expense that we could not otherwise afford without the help of the grant,” noted Jim Edlund,”we’re thankful for being in a Town that supports its business community during uncertain economic mes.”
Workforce Development Business Workshops Social media is quickly becoming an affordable means for businesses to connect with their cus‐ tomers. To help Danville businesses navigate the world of social media technology, the Town host‐ ed two Social Media Workshops in the fall of 2011. The response to customized and engaging work‐ shops was overwhelmingly posi ve, a rac ng over 300 local a endees for both events.
ChristeJames Jewelers web site ‐ BEFORE & AFTER
Thank you for taking the me to put this pro‐ gram together for the Danville business owners. It’s nice to do business in a town that supports us! ‐ Deb Rosenberg, Savvy Shopaholic
A endees at the “Social Media for Businesses” Workshop
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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Market Development Market development efforts focus on promo ng Danville’s natural assets and local a rac ons.
Shop Danville First This call‐to‐ac on effort rallies the collabora on of the Town, Danville Area Chamber of Commerce (Chamber) and the Discover Danville Associa on (DDA) in promo ng Danville as the regional shop‐ ping and dining des na on of choice. This effort includes, among others, the produc on of a monthly “advertorial news page” that fea‐ tures everything from services to dining op ons offered in Danville. In any given month, a specific business or event is promoted with the intent of driving patron traffic to the establishment. The news page, which is published in the San Ramon Valley Times and Valley Times, has a circula on of 35,537 and a total readership of 88,600.
Business Promo on Funding Each year, as a part of the Financial Plan process, the Town makes available approximately $50,000 in Business Promo on grants for the purpose of promo ng Danville as the regional shopping and dining des na on of choice. In FY 2011‐12, the Business Promo on grants helped non‐profit organiza ons market events from the Art & Wine Stroll to the Thursday Night Street Fes vals. The grant program makes it pos‐ sible for businesses to collaborate on coopera ve adver sing efforts, such as produc on of the first Spirit of Danville Holiday Shopping & Dining Guide. “Online Media Mini Grants” were also available as a resource to help businesses learn how to pro‐ mote themselves u lizing online and social media.
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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Regional Economic Development Promo ng Regional Tourism Building off of the success of the Tai Chi Dayca on at the Tao House, the Town’s regional tourism efforts now promote self‐ guided day trip i neraries in Danville with a theme for every member of the family, from “Ladies Day Out” and “Arts and Cul‐ ture” to “Fun for the Holidays”. All six self‐guided i neraries can be found on ShopDanvilleFirst.com
East Bay Economic Development Alliance (EBEDA) The Town con nues to be ac vely engaged with regional econom‐ ic development including the EBEDA, which released their findings and recommenda ons contained in the 2011 Building on Our Assets: Economic Development and Job CreaƟon in the East Bay re‐ port. Danville is directly engaged regional commi ees formed to market both the east bay as a place to do business as well as busi‐ ness resources in the east bay.
i‐GATE: A Regional Public‐Private Partnership i‐GATE was designated by the Governor’s Office of Economic Development as one of 12 “innova on hubs” intended help create innova‐ on industry cluster in the Tri‐Valley region. The goal is to promote entrepreneurship oppor‐ tuni es in the green transporta on and clean energy technology industry that surrounds the two Department of Energy na onal laboratories in Livermore. The i‐GATE innova‐ on hub consists of three programs: 1. i‐GATE NEST Incubator provides support services and re‐ sources to young companies with the goal of developing them into financially viable businesses. 2. i‐GATE Academic Alliance is an effort which seeks to bring research and academic ins tu ons, and its associated research talent, to the Tri‐Valley. 3. i‐GATE Development Corp is a 501c3 non‐profit with a mission to facilitate the construc on and use of research and academic facili es in associa on with the iGATE inno‐ va on hub ini a ve.
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SPECIAL EVENTS
The Town of Danville serves as host, either formally or informally, to over 50 special events each year. These events are an integral part of the com‐ munity and their variety offers something for everyone. Many of the events draw a large number of regional visitors and residents alike, and concierge booths are usually available to promote the Town and upcoming ac vi es within the community. The Town is commi ed to ensuring both public enjoyment and safety at each event. Event logis cs are reviewed on an annual basis and modified as necessary to minimize impacts on Town resources and the public incon‐ venience. In 2011, a number of special event closures were modified so that the roadways were accessible to the public for a longer period of me before and a er the event. These changes result in saving resources for the Town and event organizers and reduces the level of inconvenience for residents and businesses proximate to the event. May – The Devil Mountain Run benefi ng Children’s Hospital,
Memorial Day Observance sponsored by the Vietnam Veterans of Diablo Valley, Spring Chocolate & Wine Stroll and Doggie Night spon‐ sored by Discover Danville Associa on June – The Danville Fine Arts Faire sponsored by the Danville Area
Chamber of Commerce July – The Fourth of July Parade sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of the
San Ramon Valley, Danville Thursday Night Street FesƟval, sponsored by the Discover Danville Associa on, and Hot Summer Nights Car Show sponsored by the Danville Merchant’s Associa on. August – Hot Summer Nights Car Show sponsored by the Danville Mer‐
chant’s Associa on, Danville Thursday Night Street FesƟval sponsored by Discover Danville Associa on and the Wine and Art Stroll sponsored by the Discover Danville Associa on September – AnƟque and Art Faire sponsored by the Discover Danville
Associa on and the Danville D’Elegance car show sponsored by The Parkinson Ins tute and Christe James Jewelers October – Primo’s Run for EducaƟon sponsored by the San Ramon
Valley Educa on Founda on and the Danville Fall CraŌ FesƟval sponsored by the Danville Area Chamber of Commerce. November –The Spirit of Danville Holiday Shopping Event sponsored Special Events draw big crowds
by the Discover Danville Associa on and the holiday LighƟng of the Old Oak Tree sponsored by the Danville Area Chamber of Commerce Year Round – Farmers Market on Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. to
1:00 p.m. sponsored by the Pacific Coast Farmers’ Market Associa on. 17
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SPECIAL EVENTS
Le and right columns: Paige Green Photography; middle column: Alex Lopez Photography
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Paige Green Photography
Contact Informa on STAFF
RESPONSIBILITIES
Tai J. Williams, Director Transporta on Services | Economic Development 925.314.3313 | Email: twilliams@danville.ca.gov
Transporta on Planning, Projects and Funding Regional Transporta on Commi ees Economic Development
Nazanin Shakerin, Traffic Engineer 925.314.3390 | Email: nshakerin@danville.ca.gov
Traffic Opera ons: Signals Neighborhood Traffic Management Traffic Study Analysis
Andy Dillard, Traffic Engineering Associate 925.314.3384 | Email: adillard@danville.ca.gov
Traffic Opera ons: Signage, Striping, Curb Markings Downtown Parking Management Regional Transporta on Commi ees
Corinne Ferreyra, Program Analyst Transporta on Services | Economic Development 925.314.3382 | Email: cferreyra@danville.ca.gov
Street Smarts Program TRAFFIX Student Transporta on Program Economic Development
Jill Bergman Economic Development Manager 925.314.3369 | Email: jbergman@danville.ca.gov
Business Concierge Economic Development Special Events
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