Transportation Planning

CHS Consulting Group’s planning professionals help our clients achieve consensus through a proven process that blends our technical expertise with close collaboration with key stakeholders.

Our seasoned transportation planners bring a wealth of experience in all transportation modes and are experts in developing efficient and effective transportation systems.

Areas of Expertise

Areawide Planning

Corridor Planning

Travel Demand Forecasting

Parking Studies

Transportation Demand Management (TDM) Planning and Implementation

Pedestrian Planning and Analysis

East Bay Greenway

Project Overview

The East Bay Greenway is a 16-mile bike lane that will connect the cities of Oakland, San Leandro, and Hayward. The project has two segments, the first is from Lake Merritt in Oakland to the San Leandro BART station and the second is from the San Leandro BART station to the South Hayward BART Station. The project corridor is largely shared by the Union Pacific Railroad Oakland Subdivision, which is an active rail line. The Project will provide a mix of Class I multiuse paths (under either the Rail-to-Trail or Rail-with-Trail Project alternative), as well as Class IV cycle tracks along adjacent roadways in some sections where Class I construction is likely infeasible.


CHS Role

CHS has been involved in multiple phases of this project:

  • In 2018, CHS completed a multi-modal transportation impact analysis to be included in the CEQA document for the northern segment of the project, from the Lake Merritt BART station to the South Hayward BART station.

  • We were reengaged in 2021 to update the study and design due to proposed changes in the alignment by the City of Oakland. The new design focuses on protected bike lanes and protected intersection designs.

  • CHS has recently begun signal, lighting, and signing and striping design for the PS&E phase on the northern segment.

Van Ness BRT Project

Project Overview

San Francisco’s first full BRT system includes nearly two miles of dedicated right-of-way, low floor buses, level boarding, real time data, far side stops and a signal priority system. The project required an extensive collaborative effort among the consultants and staff from several San Francisco City agencies. It began with a feasibility study for a bus rapid transit (BRT) system along Van Ness Avenue and continued in 2007 with preparation of a joint EIS/EIR. The project alternatives involved center running (center or side platforms) and side running bus lanes. Van Ness Avenue is also US 101, so close coordination with Caltrans was required on project reviews and approvals.

Van Ness Avenue currently has two primary Muni bus routes and seven Golden Gate bus routes, with approximately 51 buses per hour in each direction during the peak hour. Since the project opened in April 2020, key accomplishments have included a 35 percent reduction in northbound bus travel time and a 13 percent ridership increase on Route 49.


CHS Role

CHS Consulting Group was involved in this project from its inception in 2004 until shortly before it opened in 2022. In addition to the phases listed below, CHS participated in and led presentations for many agency stakeholder meetings and public meetings. We also assisted SFMTA in assessing the most cost-effective approaches to construction packaging.

  • For the feasibility phase (2004-2007), CHS was responsible for the identification of transit operations issues (travel time, delay, and schedule adherence), opportunities and constraints, and traffic analysis.

  • For the Project EIS/EIR phase (2007 until completion), CHS was responsible for detailed traffic, transit and parking analyses, including working closely with SFCTA staff on a travel demand forecast and traffic diversion analysis and decisions on the number of allowable left turn bays. CHS prepared a detailed traffic operations analysis for 141 intersections along Van Ness Avenue and 5 parallel streets. These forecasts included three BRT configurations (no project, side running, and center running) for two horizon years (2015 and 2035). VISSIM simulation analysis was used to estimate future transit travel time and speed.

Brisbane Baylands Project

Project Overview

This 680-acre development site was previously a landfill on the eastern portion and a rail yard on the western portion, bisected by Caltrain commuter rail tracks. Key challenges for developing this property include the need for significant transit and roadway improvements and partnering with public agencies in funding and phasing of transportation improvements.


CHS Role

CHS Consulting Group has participated in this project since 1992. CHS staff developed the overall vision for multimodal transportation investments, which include relocating Caltrain’s Bayshore Station southward into the project site and creating a multimodal transit center, developing an extensive pedestrian and bicycle network, improving the Harney Way interchange, and extending Geneva Avenue to the US 101 Harney Way interchange. CHS prepared a transportation study and the transportation section of the Specific Plan and coordinated with the teams working on the transportation plan, PSR for interchange improvements, and the multimodal transit center site selection study.