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Chapter 1 x Executive Summary <br />1-19 <br />this study will be evaluated further in the environmental clearance phase to closely analyze <br />the potential impacts of each project on the communities in which they are located. <br />ƒƒ The comparative analysis showed that the alternatives that performed best were a <br />combination of bus, roadway, and rail improvements. While not all permutations of these <br />combinations were modeled in this phase of the study, there is evidence that there is a <br />demand for all modes in the Corridor. Further, the results suggest that these modes could <br />complement, rather than compete, with one another -especially if there continues to be a <br />high number of employees commuting from the East Bay (or beyond) to the Peninsula. <br />While the required capital investment in the Corridor will be significant, the opportunity to <br />involve partners from the private sector is unprecedented, and the urgency to address the <br />congestion is critical to health of the Bay Area economy. <br /> <br />1.8 Recommendations <br />Based on a comprehensive assessment of mobility, cost-effectiveness, environmental, financial <br />and safety considerations, in addition to equity, the recommended long-term solution focuses on <br />improvements to both the Dumbarton Highway and Rail Bridges as well as local roadways. This is <br />a departure from the “either/or” approach of typical alternatives analyses, including previous <br />studies of the Dumbarton Corridor where “the Project” was defined as a rail project and the <br />alternative was a form of bus service. This is the first time that a combination of rail, enhanced <br />bus service, express lanes and other roadway improvements comprise a Dumbarton project <br />alternative, although these elements were also analyzed separately for their individual benefits. <br />While the required capital investment in the Corridor will be significant, the opportunity to <br />involve partners from the private sector is unprecedented, and the urgency to address congestion <br />is critical to the health of the Bay Area economy. <br />This multimodal, multifacility approach can serve different travel markets that use the Corridor <br />and represents a more sustainable solution to long-term travel challenges through its focus on <br />fixed-guideway investments that are independent of the arterial and highway network. In <br />addition, roadway and highway improvements designated for transit and HOVs can increase the <br />person throughput in the area. It should be noted that the No Build Alternative is not considered a <br />viable option, as it would ultimately involve dismantling the Dumbarton Rail Bridge and <br />mitigating the potential environmental impacts associated with this action, requirements by the <br />U.S. Coast Guard if the Rail Bridge is not rehabilitated. <br />Due to the complexity and multitude of improvements needed to make a significant impact on <br />mobility in the Corridor, a phased approach is proposed. Figure 1-5 illustrates how the <br />improvements could be phased over time. <br /> <br />6.1.D. - Page 28