Transportation Planning

VRPA Technologies offers services related to the evaluation, assessment, design, and siting of transportation facilities including streets, highways, bike and pedestrian facilities, and public transit.

Services Offered:

  • Senate Bill 743 Analysis

  • Long-Range Transportation Plans

  • Corridor Studies

  • Mobility Elements

  • Parking Studies

  • Transit Planning and Design

  • Transportation and Land Use Integration Plans

  • Active Transportation Plans

Projects

Merced College Mobility Hub

  • VRPA led the development of the Merced Regional Multimodal Access Plan (MRMAP). A major focus of the MRMAP was to identify transportation projects that facilitate multimodal access to and from the future integrated rail station in downtown Merced, recognizing passenger rail service as a critical component of the region’s mobility network that complements planned improvements to SR-99 and freight movement. At the time of the plan’s finalization, the California High-Speed Rail Authority had proposed relocating the Merced High-Speed Rail station to a site southeast of downtown Merced. The project team designed the multimodal transportation projects to remain highly relevant by providing essential connections to the existing Transpo Center in downtown Merced, which would serve as the primary hub linking local transit services to the future High-Speed Rail Station.

    Based on the wide range of public input received and corresponding technical analysis, the MRMAP includes 18 projects, including an Express Bus route connecting UC Merced, Merced College, and Downtown Merced, four new microtransit zones, two new mobility hubs, and 11 active transportation projects that increase opportunities for non-car-dependent travel to access downtown Merced, Atwater, and Livingston. Collectively, the projects are calculated to result in capital costs of almost $40 million and reduce an estimated 677,000 vehicle miles traveled (VMT) per year–the equivalent of driving around the earth annually almost 27 times. The multimodal improvements will be incorporated into the next Merced County Association of Governments (MCAG) Regional Transportation Plan/Sustainable Communities Strategy.

    The final Plan has been completed as is now available to the public: https://www.mcagov.org/DocumentCenter/View/5508/Final-MRMAP-Plan---02-11-26

    Image Source: Citythinkers

Fresno County Transportation Planning and Public Outreach Project

  • The project arose from the need to revise the City of Fresno’s FAX fixed-route bus services so they integrate well with the new BRT services (The “Q”) launched in February 2018. Bus routes and frequencies were adjusted to enable all parts of the City of Fresno to benefit from the newer higher speed and more frequent FAX-Q service at the core of the bus system.

    VRPA’s responsibilities as prime consultant included:

    • Facilitating eight (8) workshops in different venues across the City of Fresno

    • Participating in several pop-up events held in conjunction with community events

    • Conducting interviews with key stakeholders representing transit riders, including County Social Services, major employers, and educational institutions

    • Seeking and obtaining public input on Title VI policies, including the threshold changes, disparate impact and disproportionate burden policies to guide the route restructure

    • Upon completion of the new FAX route structure in early 2018, the VRPA Team worked closely with Fresno Department of Transportation staff to educate and publicize the improved routes and schedules

Tuolumne County Transit Agency public outreach event

  • The Short-Range Transit Plan (SRTP) and the Coordinated Public Transit – Human Services Transportation Plan provides strategic direction for the Tuolumne County Transit Agency (TCTA) operations over a five-year period. The project included extensive community outreach, passenger and stakeholder surveys, and community workshops to inform the development of key components, including performance standards, transit demand analysis, transit alternatives, financial evaluation, and operating plans. VRPA served as a subconsultant to Via Mobility for this project.

    VRPA’s responsibilities on this project include:

    • Leading the data collection for the Coordinated Public Transit-Human Services Transportation Plan.

    • Developing the Public Participation and Community Outreach Plan.

    • Leading public participation and community outreach activities including stakeholder identification, stakeholder interviews, community and on-board passenger surveys, stakeholder meetings and community workshops, and preparation of a findings summary memo.

    • Preparation of the Coordinated Public Transit – Human Services Transportation Plan.

Northern California Transportation Planning and Public Outreach Project

  • The Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) is conducting a Pilot Project to test the functionality, capability, usage and application of a Smartphone App-Based Occupancy Verification Service. The Pilot targeted users of the I-680 Contra Costa express lane corridor, incentivized carpoolers to use the app, and collected and evaluated usage information and data. The goals of the Pilot include assessing the functionality and accuracy of the technology, gauging user acceptance and ease of use, assessing privacy concerns, informing full deployment costs, and assessing future customization opportunities. VRPA is responsible for Pilot outreach/recruitment, Pilot strategies, webpage and outreach materials, and Pilot evaluation including Focus Groups. VRPA’s involvement on this project to date includes the following:

    • Development of a stakeholder listing for recruitment

    • Assistance with the creation of Pre-Pilot and Pilot Memorandum

    • Preparation of a Recruitment Strategy

    • Review of Pilot framework

    • Assistance with the creation of a Recruitment Plan

    • Review of the Evaluation Plan, Matrix, and Use Cases

    • Preparation of three (3) survey instruments (initial phase, ongoing phase, and final phase) to be tested by the Pre-Pilot/Pilot groups

    • Assistance with pilot recruitment via eblast and calls to the prepared stakeholder listing

    • Development of Focus Group materials including a Focus Group Framework Guide and a participant consent form

  • The purpose of the project is to prepare a five-year Strategic Transit Plan for transit services in the SCT service area boundary. This will be done in collaboration with staff from SCT, the Sonoma County Transportation and Climate Authorities (SCTCA), Santa Rosa City Bus, and Petaluma Transit. VRPA Technologies, Inc., in partnership with Via Mobility, LLC., will assess current transit conditions, facilitate stakeholder engagement, engage in collaborative regional transit planning, and develop an actionable strategic plan for pursuing transit improvements in the SCT service area and enhanced connections to the other transit systems in the region. VRPA is leading the development of this Plan with assistance from Via Mobility, LLC.

    VRPA’s responsibilities as prime contractor for this project include:

    • Conducting a comprehensive assessment of current transit services and infrastructure.

    • Gathering input from key stakeholders, including community members, transit riders, governmental agencies, and partner organizations.

    • Conducting surveys and analyzing survey results.

    • Engaging in collaborative regional transit planning.

    • Developing recommendations for a five-year Strategic Transit Plan for Sonoma County Transit.

    • Presenting findings, including proposals for phased implementation.

    Image Source: County of Sonoma

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