CV MAC Meeting: Utility Boxes and Bus Changes Reviewed
Get ready to spot foxes, chickens, hot air balloons, and more around town, as the next phase of the Alameda County Arts Commission’s utility box art and street banner project has taken another step towards fruition.
The Castro Valley Municipal Advisory Council (MAC) saw mockups from 11 artists whose artwork will be featured on utility boxes and banners throughout town. The new designs will replace the current designs on the County-controlled boxes around Castro Valley, which debuted in 2019.
Previously, at meetings earlier this year, the MAC voted to support the new phase of designs and approved the individual artists. The Alameda County Board of Supervisors approved the artists' contracts at a meeting late last month.
The artists are Karen Berry of Fremont, Ekaterina Bazlakova of Castro Valley, Alice Beasley of Oakland, Rhonda Chase of Pleasanton, Yan Inlow or Alameda, Rekha Joshi of Pleasanton, Moonji Pickering of Albany, Hilda Robinson of Oakland, Sarah Sammis of Hayward, Azar Vaghefi of Castro Valley, and Kim Vanderheiden of Castro Valley.
Installation of the artwork on vinyl wraps on the boxes and banners will begin in early 2024.
The MAC also heard from AC Transit about the future of the bus system and how routes and schedules could be streamlined as a reflection of struggling ridership numbers.
AC Transit reports that their rider demographics are 65 percent low-income, 75 percent people of color, and 29 percent people with limited English proficiency. People riding to work make up 27 percent of riders, and 30,00 students take AC Transit to school daily. The takeaway is they serve workers, students, low-income individuals, and seniors.
The possible “realign” is happening because of challenges in hiring and keeping bus drivers, a shift in rider habits (ridership is at 75 percent of pre-pandemic levels), and a budget that reflects those fare revenue losses. Any ridership changes are anticipated to go into effect in late 2024.
Currently, service in Castro Valley consists of the 28, 35, and 93 lines and focuses on major corridors and connections to Castro Valley BART.
Line 28 runs every hour from San Leandro BART, down Castro Valley Boulevard to Castro Valley BART, down Redwood Road, to Center Street, and then to the Hayward BART station. The 35 runs hourly from Foothill Square in Oakland, down Estudillo Avenue, to the San Leandro BART station and then the Juvenile Justice Center on weekends. Line 93 runs every 45 minutes from Bay Fair BART, down Paseo Grande, to A Street, the Hayward BART station, and then to the Castro Valley BART station.
One possibility that AC Transit is considering is more frequent service to serve commuters, but with less coverage on less productive local lines.
The realignment is in the public comment and review stage for the rest of this month. A draft of the final service plan and adoption phase will begin in January 2024.
Bus line proposals are available for review and comment online at ACtransit.org/realign. A virtual community workshop is also scheduled for Thursday, December 7.