AGENDA ITEM 9-A
ACTION ITEM
TO:
CHAIRMAN MILDE AND THE VRE OPERATIONS BOARD
FROM:
DALE ZEHNER
DATE:
APRIL 16, 2010
RE:
AUTHORIZATION TO RENEW THE MANASSAS WAREHOUSE LEASE
RECOMMENDATION:
The VRE Operations Board is being asked to authorize the Chief Executive Officer to
renew a contract with KAO Manassas Airport, LLC for warehouse space in an amount
not to exceed $141,436 for a fifteen month term.
BACKGROUND:
In May of 2004, the Operations Board authorized a three-year lease with KAO
Manassas Airport, LLC for warehouse space near the Broad Run yard. In August of
2007, the Operations Board authorized renewal of the existing lease which will expire
on October 1, 2010.
A search of available locations was conducted and considered cost prohibitive, primarily
due to the relocation costs. This space has proven essential for maintenance activities
and will be adequate until the permanent VRE warehouse is completed in late 2011. As
such, a renewal to extend the existing lease fifteen months is being recommended.
The renewal includes the same terms and conditions as the current lease agreement
with no changes.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Funding is provided in the FY 2011 operating budget and will be included in subsequent
budgets on an annual basis.
TO:
FROM:
DATE:
RE:
CHAIRMAN MILDE AND THE VRE OPERATIONS BOARD
DALE ZEHNER
APRIL 16, 2010
AUTHORIZATION TO RENEW THE MANASSAS WAREHOUSE LEASE
RESOLUTION
9A-04-2010
OF THE
VIRGINIA RAILWAY EXPRESS
OPERATIONS BOARD
WHEREAS, the current lease for the Manassas warehouse expires on October 1, 2010;
and,
WHEREAS, the warehouse meets the current operating needs at VRE and will be
suitable until the VRE warehouse construction is complete; and,
WHEREAS, relocating all of the operations and materials to another location would be
cost prohibitive.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT, the VRE Operations Board authorizes
the Chief Executive Officer to renew the lease with KAO Manassas Airport, LLC for
warehouse space in an amount not to exceed $141,436 for a fifteen month term.
AGENDA ITEM
ACTION ITEM 9-B
TO:
CHAIRMAN MILDE AND THE VRE OPERATIONS BOARD
FROM:
DALE ZEHNER
DATE:
APRIL 16, 2010
RE:
AUTHORIZATION TO AWARD A TASK ORDER FOR FINAL DESIGN
WORK AT THE BROOKE VRE STATION
_____________________________________________________________________
RECOMMENDATION:
The VRE Operations Board is being asked to authorize the Chief Executive Officer to
execute a Task Order with AECOM for final design of the parking expansion at the
Brooke VRE station. This authorization is being requested in an amount not to exceed
$271,000, plus a 10% contingency of $27,100, for a total amount not to exceed
$298,100.
BACKGROUND:
On June 15, 2007, the VRE Operations Board approved a task order for environmental
assessment and preliminary engineering for a parking expansion at the Brooke VRE
station. Those tasks have been completed and the Federal Transit Administration
(FTA) issued final approval of the Environmental Assessment (EA) in March of 2010.
Property was subsequently acquired on March 5, 2010. The alternative moving forward
into final design is a surface parking lot on the recently purchased property to the south
of the existing lot.
The expansion goal is approximately 230 spaces. Design is estimated to take six to
eight months to complete. At that time, VRE staff will return to the Operations Board to
request the project be advertised for construction.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Funding for this task order is being provided using CMAQ funds. No local match is
required.
TO:
FROM:
DATE:
RE:
CHAIRMAN MILDE AND THE VRE OPERATIONS BOARD
DALE ZEHNER
APRIL 16, 2010
AUTHORIZATION TO AWARD A TASK ORDER FOR FINAL DESIGN
WORK AT THE BROOKE VRE STATION
RESOLUTION
9B-04-2010
OF THE
VIRGINIA RAILWAY EXPRESS
OPERATIONS BOARD
WHEREAS, the preliminary engineering and environmental assessment have been
completed for a parking expansion at the Brooke VRE station; and,
WHEREAS, the FTA approved the environmental assessment in March of 2010; and,
WHEREAS, property was acquired on March 5, 2010; and,
WHEREAS, the project will increase parking at the Brooke VRE station by
approximately 230 spaces to the south of the existing lot.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT, the VRE Operations Board authorizes
the Chief Executive Officer to execute a task order with AECOM for final design work at
the Brooke VRE station. This authorization is being requested in an amount not to
exceed $271,000, plus a 10% contingency of $27,100, for a total amount not to exceed
$298,100.
AGENDA ITEM 9-C
ACTION ITEM
TO:
CHAIRMAN MILDE AND THE VRE OPERATIONS BOARD
FROM:
DALE ZEHNER
DATE:
APRIL 16, 2010
RE:
AUTHORIZATION TO EXECUTE FINAL YEAR OF MARKETING
CONTRACT
RECOMMENDATION:
The VRE Operations Board is being asked to authorize the Chief Executive
Officer to execute the final option year of the marketing contract with Williams
Whittle Associates of Alexandra, Virginia in an amount not to exceed $400,000.
BACKGROUND:
In May of 2004, the Operations Board approved a marketing, advertising and
public relations contract with Williams Whittle Associates of Alexandria, Virginia.
The contract includes a three year base contract plus two, two-year renewable
options. Since that time, all three of the contract terms have been exercised, with
spending for the first year of the final two year option authorized in April of 2009.
Authorization is now being sought for spending authority for the second, and final,
year of that option. As the term of this contract will be complete on June 30,
2011, a procurement for these services will be initiated next winter.
The first four contract years were executed in the amount of $450,000 per year.
Last year, due to budget constraints, the contract value was reduced to $185,000
and only included re-printing of schedules, posters, Rider’s Guides, and
brochures. No advertising campaigns were scheduled for FY 2010. The FY2011
budget includes reprinting as well as one marketing campaign potentially focusing
on the proposed service change or directing passengers to stations where parking
capacity exists.
FISCAL IMPACT
This contract is funded through the marketing line item of the FY 2010 and FY
2011 VRE operating budgets.
TO:
FROM:
DATE:
RE:
CHAIRMAN MILDE AND THE VRE OPERATIONS BOARD
DALE ZEHNER
APRIL 16, 2010
AUTHORIZATION TO EXECUTE FINAL YEAR OF MARKETING
CONTRACT
RESOLUTION
9C-04-2010
OF THE
VIRGINIA RAILWAY EXPRESS
OPERATIONS BOARD
WHEREAS, in May of 2004, the Operations Board approved a marketing,
advertising and public relations contract with Williams Whittle Associates; and,
WHEREAS, since that time, all three of the contract terms have been exercised,
with spending for the first year of the final two year option authorized in April of
2009; and,
WHEREAS, work for FY 2011 includes the re-printing of schedules, posters,
Rider’s Guides, brochures; and one marketing campaign.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT, the VRE Operations Board
authorizes the Chief Executive Officer to execute the final option year of the
marketing contract with Williams Whittle Associates of Alexandra, Virginia in an
amount not to exceed $400,000.
AGENDA ITEM 9-D
ACTION ITEM
TO:
CHAIRMAN MILDE AND THE VRE OPERATIONS BOARD
FROM:
DALE ZEHNER
DATE:
APRIL 16, 2010
RE:
AUTHORIZATION TO APPROVE THE ADDITION OF AN EARLY
MORNING EXPRESS TRAIN ON THE FREDERICKSBURG LINE
RECOMMENDATION:
The VRE Operations Board is being asked to authorize the Chief Executive
Officer to add an early morning Express Train on the Fredericksburg line
beginning July 19, 2010.
BACKGROUND:
As part of the FY 2011 budget presentation in December, VRE staff presented a
service expansion proposal designed to mitigate crowing on trains, fully utilize
VRE equipment, provide expanded service, and increase ridership.
The proposal included lengthening trains and adding an express train which
required two morning trains (one on each line) and two evening trains (one on
each line) to terminate and originate at the L’Enfant VRE station.
A public outreach campaign seeking comments on the proposal commenced on
February 1, 2010. Survey Monkey was also launched on March 12 to collect
information on specific scenarios posed to the passengers. After preliminary
review of the comments received, a modified proposal with three options was
presented to the public and the deadline for comments was extended to March
31, 2010.
The modified proposal included the following options:
Option 1 - Add two railcars to trains 300/307
Option 2 - Option 1 plus add an express train on Fredericksburg Line to store at
L’Enfant
Option 3 - Option 2 plus store another consist at L’Enfant, to add railcars to
Manassas Line 326/329 and Fredericksburg Line 308/311
PUBLIC COMMENT:
Public hearings were held in Alexandria, Burke, Woodbridge, Fredericksburg,
Manassas, and the Union Station area. Sixty-eight people attended the hearings
and 2,744 surveys were completed on Survey Monkey.
Nearly 45% of the official comments received, summarized below and samples
also attached, expressed concern regarding the origin and termination of trains at
L’Enfant. The consensus from these passengers was that reducing the amount
of service available to them in order to provide seats to other passengers was
unjust. The majority of passengers attending the hearings stated that they would
prefer overcrowding to terminating or originating any trains from the L’Enfant
station. They felt that the delay in their schedules and inconvenience would far
outweigh the benefits received. Many riders also indicated that they would move
to trains on either side of the train proposed to terminate or originate at L’Enfant,
furthering the crowding on those trains. It is estimated that at least 400 to 600 of
the current VRE riders would be disadvantaged or inconvenienced by terminating
and originating VRE at L’Enfant
A summary of the e-mails, faxes and letters sent to “Public Comment” at VRE is
provided below:
Not Happy with Proposed Changes re: L’Enfant
Happy/Okay with Proposed Changes re: L’Enfant
Thrilled with Express Train
Want Express Train on Manassas Line
Happy/Okay with All Proposed Changes
Not Happy/Okay with any of the Proposed Changes
Want Woodbridge added to Express
Want Quantico added to Express
Want Union Station to Remain Station on Express*
Total
216
23
93
16
111
3
11
11
11
495
*Number low because discussions regarding elimination of Union Station from Express train did
not occur until after the comment period began.
2
While we found that the majority of all riders completing the Survey Monkey
supported the concept of adding railcars, it was not surprising that the support
was predominantly to passengers not traveling to Union Station. The Survey
Monkey questionnaire and summary of the results are attached. Please note
that any comments received as part of Survey Monkey were reviewed and
considered but not included in the summary of official public comment.
RECOMMENDED PROPOSAL
After presenting riders with several options and evaluating the collective
comments made, VRE staff is recommending a modified proposal in which an
express train would be added to the Fredericksburg line. While initial thoughts
were to have the express train terminate at L’Enfant, requiring an evening train to
also originate at L’Enfant, the proposal is now to run a short express train that
can be stored on the existing tracks at Ivy City.
If approved, the express train would depart Fredericksburg at 5:05AM and make
stops at Fredericksburg, Leeland, Brooke, Woodbridge, Alexandria, Crystal City,
L’Enfant and Union Station beginning July 19, 2010.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The annual cost for operating the express train is estimated at $386,000. If 200
new passengers ride VRE, the train will be cost neutral. If only 160 new
passengers ride VRE, the annual net cost would be $106,000. We estimate a
minimum of 160 new riders of VRE and expect the number to be closer to 200
after one year. The cost is included in the FY 2011 budget, as presented to the
Operations Board in December.
3
TO:
FROM:
DATE:
RE:
CHAIRMAN MILDE AND THE VRE OPERATIONS BOARD
DALE ZEHNER
APRIL 16, 2010
AUTHORIZATION TO APPROVE THE ADDITION OF AN EARLY
MORNING EXPRESS TRAIN ON THE FREDERICKSBURG LINE
RESOLUTION
9D-04-2010
OF THE
VIRGINIA RAILWAY EXPRESS
OPERATIONS BOARD
WHEREAS, as part of the FY 2011 budget presentation in December, VRE staff
proposed a service expansion plan in which an express train would be added
and two morning and two evening trains per day would provide service only as
far as the L’Enfant VRE station; and,
WHEREAS, this proposed plan included adding an express train and lengthening
several existing trains to provide more seats; and,
WHEREAS, VRE initiated a public outreach campaign to seek comment on the
proposal on February 1, 2010, which was extended until March 31, 2010; and,
WHEREAS, following public comment, a modified proposal is now being
recommended.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT, the VRE Operations Board
authorizes the Chief Executive Officer to add an early morning Express Train on
the Fredericksburg Line beginning July 19, 2010.
4