Contra Costa Transportation Authority seeks public input for Integrated Transit Plan
To give input to help make transit easier to use and more convenient fill out the survey by July 15
By Lindy Johnson, Director of External Affairs, Contra Costa Transportation Authority
The Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA) is inviting residents and travelers within the county to participate in a survey on transit use. Survey responses will inform the development of an Integrated Transit Plan (ITP) to make public transportation easier to use and more convenient in Contra Costa County.
With improved transit, Contra Costa County will be a more livable, sustainable, and equitable place to live and travel. As recommendations in the ITP are put into place, the public will see many benefits:
- Better connections to regional services, like BART and Capitol Corridor.
- Improvements for increased speed and reliability.
- Enhancements to improve riders’ transit experience.
Background
Contra Costa residents want to drive less, but many still rely on cars. This is due in part to the challenges of using public transit, such as insufficient connections between transit provider services, too much time between trips, and long travel times.
The five bus transit operators in the county have a long history of working together, which has improved the transit system and made it easier for riders to transfer between services. However, the system needs to be updated to meet the needs of today’s travelers. We need to make it more efficient and better coordinated, and we need to update services and infrastructure to create a modern and sustainable transit network.
Creating the Integrated Transit Plan
CCTA is working with the Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) and the five Contra Costa bus operators (AC Transit, County Connection, Tri Delta Transit, WestCAT, and Wheels) to identify ways to optimize the transit network. The ITP will provide guidance for an improved transit network that better serves local and regional travelers.
The ITP will also include a list of improvements that will support enhanced services. The goal of these projects and improvements is to attract more riders and position the bus operators to meet future challenges.
The ITP will focus on the following areas:
- Coordination: Identify ways to improve coordination between transit providers so that riders have convenient and seamless travel. Improved coordination will also result in more efficient use of public funds.
- Innovation: Explore emerging technologies to enhance Contra Costa County’s transit system, like on-demand shuttles that get people to transit, Mobility as a Service, and traffic signals that prioritize the movement of buses.
- Equity: Improve transit so that all communities and residents benefit, including low-income communities, communities of color, and people with disabilities.
The ITP is necessary to enable Contra Costa County’s four bus operators to meet the transportation challenges of the future.
Improved Transit
CCTA wants to make public transportation easier to use and more convenient. With improved transit, Contra Costa County will be a more livable, sustainable, and equitable place to live and travel. As recommendations in the ITP are put into place, the public will see many benefits:
- Better connections to regional services, like BART and Capitol Corridor.
- Improvements for increased speed and reliability.
- Enhancements to improve riders’ transit experience.
Project Status
The ITP project team is actively working to identify new ways to make transit services more reliable, efficient, and accessible, while improving first and last-mile connections. They’re exploring innovative mobility options to help reduce our reliance on cars and promote sustainable transportation across Contra Costa County. The responses to the survey launched in May are being used to review and confirm the team’s recommendations. We’re committed to keeping the public informed throughout this process and plan to share our findings this summer.
Project Timeline
The ITP is an 18-month project that began in April 2023 and is scheduled to be completed in late 2024.
Get Involved
Tell us what would get you where you need to go using public transit! CCTA is looking for input from community members to make sure the ITP meets the needs of all travelers. We’re particularly interested in hearing from transit riders and people in equity priority communities. Five survey participants will have a chance to win a $100 Clipper Card! Take the ITP survey here.
About the project:
The Contra Costa Transportation Authority (CCTA) is working with all five bus service providers in Contra Costa County (AC Transit, WestCAT, County Connection, Tri Delta Transit, and Wheels) and the Metropolitan Planning Commission (MTC) to develop the Integrated Transit Plan (ITP) to improve transit services and coordination in Contra Costa County. CCTA is reviewing all existing services and will recommend new ways to improve transit for everyone, with special consideration for the different needs of riders across the county.
For more information, visit the ITP project website.
the attachments to this post:
CCTA_ITP_Timeline_Rev3
CCTA Integrated Transit Plan
