2018 – Page 2 – County Connection

Year: 2018

South Service Area – 2019 Service Restructure Proposal

South Restructure Concepts

Danville, Dublin, San Ramon

South Service Proposed Map

  • Eliminate Route 36, but retain coverage on its productive northern alignment with an extended Route 35. Review alternate transit options for San Ramon
  • Extend Route 35 to Crow Canyon Rd., roughly double frequency of service
  • Eliminate Route 97X and increase peak Route 35 frequency. Route 35 has similar travel times to the current Route 97X from East Dublin BART and Bishop Ranch. Route 97X has also has low ridership. This proposal requires additional discussion with Bishop Ranch
  • Remove Alcosta Blvd. from Route 92X to speed up run times

North Service Area – 2019 Service Restructure Proposal

North Restructure Concepts

Martinez, North Concord

North Service Proposed Map

The main changes to the north service area include:

  • Split Route 28 in half and retain its Martinez-DVC segments
    • New alignment with 2-way Walmart service
    • Eliminate service to Marsh Rd./Arnold Industrial Way
    • Add service to the Arnold/Morello high ridership corridor
    • Eliminate small, light industrial segment of Howe Rd.
  • Create a new Route 27 to serve North Concord
    • Create new North Concord BART connections
    • Allocate at least two revenue hours of service for loop
    • Replace current Route 627, with more frequent service
  • Add Route 98X peak trips to connect with Amtrak in Martinez

Core Service Area – 2019 Service Restructure Proposal

Core Restructure Concepts

Clayton, Concord, Pleasant Hill, Walnut Creek

Core Service Proposed Map

  • Streamline Route 19 to use Concord Ave. instead of going to Concord BART via Sun Valley Mall.
  • Streamline Route 9 by eliminating routing to JFK, Patterson Blvd., and Oak Park Blvd.
  • Realign Route 18 to service Patterson Blvd., and Oak Park Blvd. and adjust trip times to meet school bell times; consider routing along Taylor Blvd. instead of Viking Dr.
  • Create a new alignment for Route 10 to turn around at Washington/Michigan instead of the Ayers Rd./Kirker Pass loop. End 50% of peak trips at this loop that currently continues on to Marsh Creek Rd. in Clayton. Only one quarter of the ridership rides past Kirker Pass
  • Extend Route 14 to Walnut Creek BART to expand access to jobs from the Monument Corridor. Increase frequencies to every 30 minutes.
  • Terminate Route 15 at Pleasant Hill BART (it will no longer service Walnut Creek BART, this will be covered by Route 14
  • Eliminate Route 1M and Route 2 due to low ridership and poor efficiency
  • Realign Route 95X to exit Hwy. 680 at S. Main St., to provide direct access to Downtown Walnut Creek from the south and avoid congestion
  • Eliminate Route 301 to Rossmoor due to low ridership
  • Extend 311 to John Muir Hospital to cover the Ygnacio Valley Rd. portion of 301
  • Increase frequency on Route 4 from 15 minutes to 12 minutes
  • Adjust times, where possible, on local routes to meet school bell times in the Pleasant Hill area
  • Eliminate Route 315 due to low ridership

 

 

Notice of Public Hearings

Scheduled Public Hearings

Subject: Proposed Service Restructure and Fare Modification

More Information

All meetings will be held from 4:00p.m. to 6:00p.m. except San Ramon which will be held 4:30p.m. to 6:30p.m.

June 25, 2018 – Martinez: Council Chambers, 525 Henrietta St

June 26, 2018 – Lafayette: Supervisor Andersen’s Office, 3338 Mt. Diablo Blvd

June 27, 2018 – Concord: Council Chambers, 1950 Parkside Dr

July 9, 2018 – Pleasant Hill: Large Community Room, 100 Gregory Ln

July 24, 2018 – Walnut Creek: Council Chambers, 1666 N. Main St

July 25, 2018 – San Ramon: Community Center – Fountain Room, 12501 Alcosta Blvd

The deadline to submit comments is July 31, 2018.

Contact Customer Service:

925-676-7500

Customerservice@countyconnection.com

2019 Fare Proposal

Proposed Fare Modification

The last time fares were increased was in 2009, nearly ten (10) years ago. The current proposal will increase the one-way cash fare to $2.50 (for local and express routes) and eliminate paper passes.  However, a one-way fare on Clipper will remain at $2.00 and passengers will continue to benefit from the $3.75 Day Pass and Monthly Local/Express Passes, all available on Clipper.  For complete details of all changes, follow the link below.

Fare Proposal

 

 

LINK Gives Back

LINK Gives Back

When the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) became law, it meant that all public transit operators were required to provide special service to persons whose disabilities prevent them from using fully accessible public transit. At County Connection we call this ADA service LINK, which offers demand response location-to-location service for seniors and those with disabilities. A person’s ability to use LINK for all or for some of their transit trips is based on an individual’s specific condition(s). You may or may not know that County Connection contracts out the operation and maintenance of our LINK paratransit services to a private transportation company known as First Transit. This includes approximately 50 First Transit employees assigned to work according to a County Connection contract with First Transit. These hard working folks have been doing a great job for us for years. They have consistently maintained an excellent safety record, while providing a high level of customer service.

In addition to the regular work these First Transit employees do for us, many of them are involved in our community in other ways outside of work. While it is springtime at County Connection now, a great example of the dedication First Transit employees have to their community comes from this past holiday season, specifically on Christmas Day. To be sure I get the facts correct, I’m going to share with you what County Connection’s First Transit Site Manager Tim McGowen wrote about this particular event.

“Christmas is a special time when most of us get together with our loved ones. For many people, enjoying Christmas dinner with family and friends is a tradition that goes back through the generations. For some; however, the dinner table may be set for just one.

Christmas for Everyone (CFE) is non-profit volunteer organization with the goal that no one in Contra Costa County should go hungry; be without a present, or be alone on Christmas. CFE has been serving people in need during the Christmas season for the past 30 years! Through the generosity of local businesses, associations, churches, and others in the community, CFE has provided a Christmas experience for about 2,500 people per year.

For the past 15 years, First Transit’s Concord, California location, in collaboration with County Connection, has partnered with Christmas for Everyone to transport Contra Costa County residents for a Christmas celebration that includes dinner, gifts, entertainment, and great fellowship.

First Transit drivers Sonia Craig, Tyree Barnes, and John Higashi volunteered their time this past Christmas Day to transport more than 50 guests to the event. I have to say that it’s incredible to work with such great people. My team really believes in giving back to the community. It truly shows through this project.

CFE Executive Director, Mary Perez acknowledged the work and resources provided by First Transit and County Connection and said, “First Transit and County Connection have been so generous to us in the past, contributing the use of vehicles and amazing drivers who picked up those who cannot drive to CFE. We are blessed to have them as partners on this project.”

As the General Manager for First Transit in Concord, I extend my personal thank you, to our drivers Sonia, Tyree and John, for spreading some heartfelt Christmas cheer to many people who otherwise would have spent time alone on Christmas. This is a great example of the dedication and commitment to the community that our First Transit operators give on a daily basis and it is greatly appreciated. 

I join Tim in acknowledging this volunteer work, and add our appreciation for the work that County Connection LINK drivers do to make better access to our community possible for our LINK customers.

FOR MORE

About LINK: Download an application to assess your eligibility for the County Connection LINK paratransit service.

About Christmas for Everyone: Visit their Facebook page or call 925-228-2233.