regional transportation alliance presentation on regional transit and boss

Regional Transportation Alliance

Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce

Regional Transportation Update

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Joe Milazzo II, PE

Executive Director, RTA


• 23 chambers of commerce, 100+ members

• Founded by Cary, Chapel Hill-Carrboro,

Durham and Raleigh Chambers in1999

• Voice of regional business community on regional

transportation issues

• “Business leaders for regional mobility”

• Focus on advancing top mobility priorities:

– Highways

– Transit

– High speed rail

– Air service

• Economic vitality and quality of life


• Legislation and policy- Catalyze regional transportation policy

• Streets and Highways- Construct Triangle Connector to I-85

- Coordinate I-40 Regional Partnership

• Regional Transit- Encourage vetted transit plans, progress towards referendum

• Intercity High Speed Rail- Advance high speed rail between Richmond and Raleigh

• Air Service

- Increase flights at RDU and assist with marketing efforts

• Member Relations and Development- Foster retention, engagement, outreach

2011 RTA Action Plan

• Streets and Highways – additional priorities- Keep the 540/Triangle Expressway turnpike/extension moving

- Accelerate I-40 widening south of Raleigh- Designate US 64 east as future Interstate

- Seek improvements to US 64 west and NC 54 east

2011 RTA Action Plan

Regional transit – recent activity

2006 – TTA withdraws federal funding request for regional rail plan

2007 – Special Transit Advisory Committee (STAC) of business and

civic leaders charged with forging a new vision for transit

2008 – STAC recommends 51 mi of rail, expanded bus, circulators

2009 – MPOs (Metro planners) approve long-range plan w/ transit

2009 – Legislature passes Intermodal (H148) and Rail (H1005) bills

2009,10 – Raleigh, Durham begin free, rapid downtown circulators

2008,10 – NC Railroad commuter rail capacity, ridership studies

2010/11 – Triangle Transit conducting Alternatives Analysis of rail

2011 – Three counties exploring possible rail, bus plans

Chamber /RTA focus on transit

– 1989-present – Continued support for transit options

– 2005 – RTA trip to San Diego (light rail/trolley, commuter rail, etc.)

– 2007/8 – Cary, Raleigh, Durham and Chapel Hill visits to Charlotte

– 2008 – RTA created region’s first transit overview map

– 2008/9 – Supported Special Transit Advisory Commission (STAC)

– 2009 – RTA trip to Dallas (express commuter rail, light rail, etc.)

– 2009 – Turnpike groundbreaking after 4-5 years of effort

– 2009 – Successfully lobbied for local empowerment legislation

– 2009 – RTA coordinated study of transit funding with Mike Walden

Regional transit

Chamber /RTA focus on transit

– 2009/10/11 – RTA /Chamber transit polling held

– 2010/11 – RTA Transportation Breakfast – County Leaders Remarks

– 2010 – RTA Annual Meeting included interactive exercise

– 2010/11 – RTA action team meetings / “Making Transit Simpler”

– 2010/11 – RTA outreach on transit

– 2010/11 – Coordinate I-40 Regional Partnership meetings / Focus on

Bus on Shoulder Systems (BOSS)

– 2011/11 – Alternatives Analysis Outreach Steering Committee

– 2011 – RTA trip to Denver – commuter rail, light rail, transit circulator,

multi-modal transit stations, multiple referenda

– 2011 – RTA Solutions Forum – Regional Transit Improvements

– 2011 – Preparation for Referendum / Referenda

Regional transit

Regional transit – current process

2010 – We have STAC vision, MPO plan, commuter rail studies

2010-11 – Ongoing rail alternative analysis and local bus studies

2011 ? – Elected leaders decide:– What the regional plan should look like in each county:

Specific bus, rail, circulators … and priorities for each

– Whether, and when to take the plan to referendum







Based on strength of economy






Based on goals of and input from community





2010-11 – Ongoing rail alternative analysis and local bus studies2010-11 – Business community must engage in the dialogue about

what our enhanced transit system should be






Regional Transit

What is transit?- Travel within a metro area

- In a vehicle that you don’t own

- That you don’t have to drive, and don’t have to park

Why don’t people use transit more often?- They have to think about how to use it before they go

- It won’t get them where they want to go in time for

many trips

Enhancing transit options would enhance transit usage

Regional Transit

What is transit?- Buses

- Rail

- Circulators

- Private taxis and shared-ride shuttles

Local Buses

• Backbone of any local transit system, provides movement within city

• Most run continuously during day and perhaps evening as well

Max wait for next bus (“headway”)

Typically 15 - 60 minutes

Can be added in 1 year

Regional or Commuter Buses

• Backbone of any regional transit system, routes to/through the region

• Some may run continuously, others just during peak hours

Max wait for next bus (“headway”)

Typically 20 - 60 minutesSome only run in peak


Light Rail

• What many people think of when they hear “transit”

• Provides all-day movement within city, stops every mile or less

Max wait for next light rail train

Typically 5 - 15 minutesUp to 30 mins. off-peak

Can be open in 9 years

Commuter Rail

• Connects outlying workers to regional employers

• Can provide rail connection within region; most trains in peak only

Max wait for next commuter train

Typically 20 - 60 minutesMost run only in peak


Local Circulators

• Intended to solve the “last mile problem” for major destinations

• Rapidly circulating buses and trolleys reduce parking needs

Max wait for downtown circulator



Area Circulators

• Emerging personal rapid transit (PRT) seeks to reduce most waiting

• Provides non-stop, point-to-point “last mile” service for an area

Max wait for next PRT vehicle



Private Taxis, Shared-Ride Shuttles

• Complements public transit by providing premium service option

• Shared-ride less expensive than taxi but adds intermediate stops

• Both SuperShuttle and RDU Airport Taxi serve RDU airport today

Max wait for next taxi, shared-ride


Rail corridors being studied

(continued)

Commuter rail options by 2025

(continued)

Light rail options by 2025

(continued)



2010-11 – Ongoing rail alternative analysis and local bus studies2010-11 – Business community must engage in the dialogue about

what our enhanced transit system should be






• SE HSR corridor will link region to

Richmond, Washington DC,

Hampton Roads, points north on

Northeast corridor

• January 2010 - NCDOT received

approval for $500m in federal

funding for Raleigh-Charlotte

upgrades, future service options

• May 2011 - Raleigh Richmond

link received $4m in federal

funding for environmental and

ridership studies

High Speed Rail

30

Alternatives

Analysis• Light Rail

• Commuter Rail

• Stations

• Cost Estimates

Bus Planning• new service

• increased frequency

• park and ride

• amenities

Financial Model• Balance of Bus & Rail

• Settings for variables

• Use of borrowing

• Plan must be affordable!

Public Input The

draft

Plan

DRAFT Orange Bus and Rail Investment Plan

Bus Investment

• New bus hours by end of

FIRST year – 22,050 hrs

• New bus hours by end of

THIRD year - 44,100 hrs

• Total number of new bus

hours by 2035 – 50,400 hrs

• MLK Busway

Improvements completed

-2017

• Potential Rail Dividend Bus

Hours – 30,000 to 45,000

Rail Investment

• Opening year of Light Rail

– 2025

• LRT Capital Cost - $330 m

• LRT Annual Operating

Cost – $3.2 m

* Sales Tax Growth Rate –

3.6 %

32

Durham-Orange (Light Rail)

Light Rail Connection at the

Durham and Orange County Boarder

33

Elements of draft plan

• Light rail: Chapel Hill to Durham

― 10 minute frequency during peak

― 20 minute rest of day/evening/weekends

― 17 miles, 35 minutes including stops [avg. 29 MPH]

― 17 stations, from Smith Center to Durham/Alston

― 2035 projections: > 12,000 boardings per day

― $1.4b total capital cost for corridor [$82m/mi]

― $15m annual O&M costs for corridor


• Commuter rail: Durham to Raleigh

― 20-30 minute frequency during peak

― “opportunity for some limited off-peak service”

― “no initial weekend service is planned”

― 37 miles, 51 minutes including stops [avg. 44 MPH]

― 12 stations, from W Durham-RTP-Cary-Raleigh-Garner

― 2035 projections: > 7,000 boardings per day

― $645m total capital cost for corridor [$17m/mi]

― $11m annual O&M costs for corridor


• Expanded bus service – Durham only

― Currently DATA provides 177,000 hours of service

― Plan would add 50,000 hours in first three years

― Plan would add additional 27,000 hours over 23 yrs

― $15m in small capital costs


• Expanded bus service – Orange only

― Currently Chapel Hill transit provides 190,000 hours of

service

― Plan would add 44,000 hours in first three years

― Plan would add additional 6,000 hours over 22 yrs

― Plan would implement Bus Rapid Transit on MLK, at a

capital cost of $22m

― $19m in small capital costs beyond MLK BRT


• Summary of draft plan – Durham only

― Rail Capital: $1,669m (YOE$) = $1,350m (2011$)

― Rail O&M: $283m

― Bus Capital: $47m

― Bus Ops: $151m

― Debt: $136m

• Summary of draft plan – Durham only

― Rail Capital + O&M: 89% (2011 $)

― Bus Capital + O&M: 11%


• Summary of draft plan – Orange only

― Rail Capital: $423m (YOE$) = $330m (2011$)

― Rail O&M: $58m

― Bus Capital: $41m (including MLK bus lanes)

― Bus Ops: $127m

― Debt: $23m

• Summary of draft plan – Orange only

― Rail Capital + O&M: 70% (2011 $)

― Bus Capital + O&M: 30%

Financial Resources available for Transit

• Local revenue in Transit Investment Plan

― ½ sales tax

― $7 vehicle registration fee

― $3 increase in Triangle Transit vehicle fee

― Rental car tax revenue

• State participation – 25% assumed for rail

• Federal participation – 50% assumed for rail


• Overall assumptions

• “All of the elements listed in the Draft

Durham County Bus and Rail Investment Plan

are fiscally constrained.”

• “At every turn, the Plan has been

conservative in revenue assumptions and

through added contingencies for capital

and operating expenditures.”


• RTA/Chamber poll results for 1/2c tax

Orange County 2011 59.2 For, 37.6 Against, 3.2 Unsure 2010 61 For, 35 Against, 4 Unsure 2009 56.6 For, 37.4 Against, 6.0 Unsure

Durham County 2011 59.7 For, 33.6 Against, 6.7 Unsure 2010 58 For, 41 Against, 2 Unsure 2009 52.2 For, 45.9 Against, 2.0 Unsure


• RTA/Chamber poll results for 1/2c tax + 1/4c tax

Orange County 2011 55.1 For, 35.9 Against, 6.7 Unsure (total 3/4c) 2011 59.2 For, 37.6 Against, 3.2 Unsure (1/2c alone)

Durham County 2011 54.2 For, 40.3 Against, 5.5 Unsure (total 3/4c) 2011 59.7 For, 33.6 Against, 6.7 Unsure (1/2c alone)

Approval Process: Who Must Approve Bus and Rail Investment Plan?

• Durham-Chapel Hill-Carrboro MPO

• Triangle Transit Board of Trustees

• Orange County Commission

• Durham County Commission

* All municipalities within Durham and Orange County

must receive copy of Bus and Rail Transit Plan for review

* Each county can act alone if desired, although

Triangle Transit is implementing agency for 2+ counties

Orange County Transit Plan dates

• DCHC MPO TAC Financial Plan Review – May 11

• BOCC Briefing – May 17

• Triangle Transit Review of D/O Financial Plan – May 25

• BOCC Review of Financial Plan – June 7 (tonight)

• MPO open houses on plan – June 14, 16 in Orange Co.

• DCHC TCC Approval of D/O Financial Plan – June 20

• DCHC TAC Approval of D/O Financial Plan – June 22

• Future BOCC meetings to approve plan and authorize

referendum – TBA, next meeting is June 21

• Triangle Transit Board Approval – June 22

Durham County Transit Plan dates

• DCHC MPO TAC Financial Plan Review – May 11

• Durham City Council review of plan – May 19

• Triangle Transit Review of D/O Financial Plan – May 25

• BOCC Review of Financial Plan – June 6

• MPO open houses on plan – June 7, 8, 15 in Durham Co.

• DCHC TCC Approval of D/O Financial Plan – June 20

• DCHC TAC Approval of D/O Financial Plan – June 22

• Future BOCC meetings to approve plan and authorize

referendum – next meetings are June 13, 27

• Triangle Transit Board Approval – June 22

Chamber and enhanced transitSuggested guidance regarding possible action

• Treat discussion of position on plan separate from

discussion of position on referendum

• Recognize that plan is in draft form, at least right now

• Evaluate plan based on whether it meets and reflects

needs and desires of community today and in future

• Be clear about assumptions, tradeoffs, and choices

inherent in the plan

• Evaluate position on and support for referendum based

on timing -- after decision on plan reached

• Buses bypass slower traffic on

freeways or boulevards when main

lanes less than 35 MPH

• Buses limited to 35 MPH on shoulder

• Buses cannot go more than 15 MPH faster than other traffic


States with active bus on shoulder programs:

Northeast/Mid-Atlantic NJ, DE, VA, MD

South FL, GA

Midwest MN*, OH

West CA, WA


Minnesota was first

to implement Bus

on Shoulders over

20 years ago

Encourages transit usage

• Creates time predictable,

reliable alternative to

congestion

• Avoids thinking on journey

• Allows more people/vehicles

to travel during congested

periods

• Keeps buses on schedule

• Saves transit operating costs


• I-40 Regional Partnership Initiative focus

• NC BOSS Implementations and Operations Plan

approved draft by NCDOT, FHWA, Triangle Transit

• Summer 2011:

• Selection of pilot BOSS corridors

• Shoulder improvements / restrictions

• Finalization of driver training program



Chapel Hill-Carrboro Chamber of Commerce

Regional Transportation Update

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Joe Milazzo II, PE

Executive Director, RTA