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MEMORANDUM Page 1 of 6 BART is currently proposing to seismically retrofit the Concord, Daly City, Richmond and Fremont lines as part of its Earthquake Safety Program. Construction activities of the proposed project would temporarily displace the Ohlone Greenway, a park area that runs along the BART aerial structures and includes bicycle and pedestrian paths. In order to determine appropriate mitigation measures, BART initiated a study to conduct a count analysis assessing the number of persons utilizing the El Cerrito portion of the Ohlone Greenway. The purpose of this memorandum is to document the number of existing users of the Ohlone Greenway in El Cerrito. The greenway is used for recreational purposes as well as a throughway for shopping and commuting trips. This memorandum includes area graphics, data collection methodology, use counts over a one-week period, and results from an origin-destination survey. Project Area: The Ohlone Greenway runs along commercial areas and residential neighborhoods in El Cerrito, CA. The greenway consists of two paved paths, one for pedestrians and another for bicyclists, which weave under and around the BART aerial structure. Trees and greenery mix with more urban and residential views from the paths. At most intersections with local streets, pedestrian crossings are clearly marked and signs announce the presence of the greenway. Figure 1: Project Area – Ohlone Greenway in El Cerrito a. Signage and Greenery b. Ohlone Greenway Bicycle Path TO: Cam Bauer DATE: November 2, 2007 FROM: Carmen Oleksinski & Judis Santos PROJECT NO: 160570.022 SUBJECT: Count Analysis and Survey for the Ohlone Greenway in El Cerrito PROJECT: BART Earthquake Safety Program Pedestrian Path Bicycle Path ---PAGE BREAK--- MEMORANDUM Page 2 of 6 c. Signage d. Pedestrian crossing at Portola Drive Methodology: The goal of the study is to determine the number of people utilizing the Ohlone Greenway in El Cerrito. Counts were conducted over a one week period, including the following dates: • Saturday, September 29 • Sunday, September 30 • Tuesday, October 2 • Wednesday, October 3 • Thursday, October 4 Individuals conducting the counts documented the number of users passing specific points on the path from 6:30a.m. to 6:00p.m., a total of 11.5 hours per day. Counting data sheets were provided to record data and describe any unique characteristics of users and site conditions, including weather and any extraneous occurrences. Observers were stationed at various sections of the path for the entire day, including four days by the BART stations and one weekend day by a recreational area called Fairmont Park (Figure These locations were chosen because they represent sites of moderate to high path activity. A path user survey was conducted simultaneously to the user counts. Users were asked for their city of residence as well as information about their origin and destination. ---PAGE BREAK--- MEMORANDUM Page 3 of 6 Figure 2: Observation Locations Legend: 1 Saturday, Sept 29 2 Sunday, Sept 30 3 Tuesday, Oct 2 4 Wednesday, Oct 3 5 Thursday, Oct 4 Results: Overall, results indicate that the Ohlone Greenway is well utilized by the local community as well as by regional users. A total of 2,940 people were recorded during the observation period. Weekday use, averaging 627 users per day, is higher than weekend use, which averages 531 users each day. Weather is not likely to have affected results since it was sunny or partially cloudy each of the observation days. An extraneous activity that occurred during the Wednesday and Thursday observations were class field trips, including both walking and biking, that boosted recreational path use during weekday afternoons. Weekdays between the hours of 8:00 a.m. – 8:59 a.m. reported the highest number of persons utilizing the greenway with an average of 42 people present (Figure The highest counts on weekends occurred between the hours of 11:00 a.m. – 11:59 a.m. (Figure with an average of 66 users. The lowest counts generally occurred before 7:00a.m. on both weekends and weekdays. Disabled users included both people in wheelchairs and blind users. Wheelchairs used the path at all hours of the day and weekends averaged two wheelchair users a day while weekdays averaged seven. Three to four blind path users were recorded each weekday, generally in the afternoon hours. ---PAGE BREAK--- MEMORANDUM Page 4 of 6 Figure 3: Average Weekday Path Use 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 6:30- 6:59 7:00- 7:59 8:00- 8:59 9:00- 9:59 10:00- 10:59 11:00- 11:59 12:00- 12:59 1:00- 1:59 2:00- 2:59 3:00- 3:59 4:00- 4:59 5:00- 6:00 Time Number of Users PEDESTRIANS BICYCLISTS RUN/JOGGER OTHER Figure 4: Average Weekend Path Use 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 6:30- 6:59 7:00- 7:59 8:00- 8:59 9:00- 9:59 10:00- 10:59 11:00- 11:59 12:00- 12:59 1:00- 1:59 2:00- 2:59 3:00- 3:59 4:00- 4:59 5:00- 6:00 Time Number of Users PEDESTRIANS BICYCLISTS RUN/JOGGER OTHER ---PAGE BREAK--- MEMORANDUM Page 5 of 6 An average of 5% of greenway users were surveyed during each observation day, for a total of 154 surveys. The surveys provided insight into trip purpose as well as user origins and destinations. Results indicate that an average of 79% of trips on the weekend are local (i.e. both origin and destination within El Cerrito, Richmond, or Albany). Weekend trips were mostly recreational, including trips taken simply to walk, run, or ride a bike and home was both the origin and the destination (see “Home-Home” in Figure Regional trips, with either an origin or destination outside of El Cerrito, formed the majority of weekday trips, averaging 86% during that period. Trips to and from work or school dominate weekday trips. People who took the survey were asked for their city of residence. Results indicate that virtually all weekend trips are made by nearby residents from El Cerrito, Albany, Richmond, and Berkeley. During the weekdays, many more regional users are on the greenway, including residents from San Francisco, Oakland and other North and South Bay locations. Figure 5: Surveyed Trip Purpose for All Modes 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% Sat, Sept 29 Sun, Sept 30 Tues, Oct 2 Weds, Oct 3 Thurs, Oct 4 Date Home-Home Home - Work, Work - Home Home - Shopping, Shopping - Home Other ---PAGE BREAK--- MEMORANDUM Page 6 of 6 Figure 6: Surveyed City of Residence 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% Sat, Sept 29 Sun, Sept 30 Tues, Oct 2 Weds, Oct 3 Thurs, Oct 4 Other San Francisco Oakland Berkeley Albany Richmond El Cerrito Conclusion: The Ohlone Greenway is well utilized by the local community as well as by regional users. During the weekend, recreational trips made by local residents dominate usage of the greenway. Bicycles are the preferred mode of travel during this period. During the weekday, trips between home and work are the majority of trips and there is a pronounced a.m. peak between 8:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. Walking is the preferred mode of travel during this period. School field trips, including class bicycle rides, boost pathway usage during weekday afternoon.