Item 12 - Select Locally Preferred Alternative for the First Street Multimodal Boulevard Study

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COMMUNITY OUTREACH low-income households to resources through improved transportation. In addition, the analysis showed the percentage of: • Residents who lack access to a private vehicle: 55% • Residents who own smartphones, enabling mobile-focused engagement strategies: 94%. • Blue collar workers in the area: 31%. • Service workers, often traveling outside traditional commuting hours, highlighting the need for flexible mobility options: 25%. • Homes that lack internet access: 15%. Equitable Engagement The team developed a technical memorandum evaluating the equity framework (framework) related to existing conditions and connectivity to needs within the community, which can be found in APPENDIX E: Equity Framework Technical Memorandum. The framework incorporated multiple indicators that threatened residents' health, safety, and quality of life. The team leveraged community analytics and extensive experience in equity-based geographic analysis, utilizing tools such as CalEnviroScreen, the California Department of Education, the California Healthy Places Index, and CDC PLACES data, to illustrate risks and needs across census tracts. The preliminary equity analysis revealed that all census tracts within the study area were categorized as SB535 Disadvantaged Communities. East of Interstate 5, the community analytics showed other equity concerns, including low healthcare access and high exposure to diesel particulate matter due to its location between two freeways. The assessment became comprehensive by integrating multiple data sources, community feedback, and on-street observations. Field investigations documented informal economic activities, such as street vendors, and identified opportunities for bus stop amenities, and designed alternatives to support micro-community spaces. Crash data compiled in geographic information systems (GIS) overlaid on land-use maps to examine correlations among crash density, income levels, and proximity to transit or community services. Further analysis explored disparities in race, ethnicity, and income to inform transportation access, engagement strategies, and safety measures. The memorandum provided a detailed snapshot of socioeconomic and demographic characteristics, environmental conditions, and health outcomes along the corridor. This baseline informed stakeholder engagement and guided the development of multimodal concept alternatives to improve equitable health outcomes, while addressing risks. It included maps of disadvantaged census tracts using common metrics such as income and environmental hazards, as well as nuanced measures, including housing security, health factors, and food access. Examples of these maps are shown in Figure 5 and Figure 6. First Street Multimodal Boulevard Study— 10