Washtenaw County Transit Master Plan

Alternative Futures

January 2011
Objectives / Agenda

• Update you on the Transit

Master Plan

• Introduce the Transit Master

Plan Scenarios

• Educate you about the benefits

of each Scenario

• Enable you to make an informed

choice

2
Building a Transit Master Plan, Step-by-Step

What COMMUNITY GOALS must a county-wide

Shared Community Vision transit system serve?

What UNMET NEEDS must a county-wide

Transit Audit and Needs Assessment transit system address?

What PROJECTS and SERVICES can a county-

Transit Options wide transit system contribute to meeting
unmet needs?

In what ways can a county-wide transit

Scenarios system help achieve community goals?
(ALTERNATIVE NETWORKS)

What is the best way a county-wide transit

Transit Master Plan system can help achieve community goals?
(PREFERRED SCENARIO)
Building Scenarios
 Public Research on Research on Studies of Input from Combinations
involvement how transit how our transit our existing of options
and open serves our community options and community designed to
discussion community and our experiences plans meet our
today needs may worldwide community’s
change in needs and
future help us
achieve our
wider goals

DEVELOPMENT OF SCENARIOS
Designed to help:
• Achieve our Goals;
• Address our Key Transit Needs; and
• Maintain an efficient and sustainable transit system.

6
 Introducing the Scenarios
3 Approaches to Countywide Transit
Scenario Concepts
“Lifeline Plus”

“Smart Growth”
“Accessible County”
• Improves lifeline • Builds on the • Adds to the
services where Lifeline Plus Accessible County
they exist today Scenario Scenario

• Provides essential • Establishes transit • Stimulates job

door-to-door as an integral part creation, focuses
connections for of the County development in
seniors , the transportation areas that best
vulnerable and system accommodate it,
people with and preserves
disabilities across green space
the County
Lifeline Plus

Smart Growth
Accessible County
•Urban bus network •Countywide express services •Regional rail
enhancements (services, •Flex Ride Service •New mode corridors
stops, vehicles) Countywide •Countywide express services
•Place-making, parking and •Urban bus network •Flex Ride Service
Transit Centers enhancements (services, Countywide
•The Wave bus network stops, vehicles) •Urban bus network
enhancements •Place-making, parking and enhancements (services,
•Bus priorities Transit Centers stops, vehicles)
•Intercept Park & Ride •The Wave bus network •Place-making, parking and
•Walking and biking enhancements Transit Centers
•D2D countywide – seniors •Bus priorities •The Wave bus network
and disabled people eligible •Intercept Park & Ride enhancements
•Vanpool •Walking and biking •Bus priorities
•Airport service •D2D countywide – seniors •Intercept Park & Ride
•Advertising, fares and and disabled people eligible •Walking and biking
ticketing policies •Vanpool •D2D countywide – seniors
•Information, education and •Airport service and disabled people eligible
marketing •Advertising, fares and •Vanpool
•Strategic Policies ticketing policies •Airport service
•Information, education and •Advertising, fares and
marketing ticketing policies
•Strategic Policies •Information, education and
marketing
•Strategic Policies

Legend Greater geographical coverage Additional

Lifeline Plus
Lifeline Plus Scenario Map

12
Enhanced
urban bus
network
 Enhanced
WAVE service
Enhanced A2
Express
Services to
Canton and
Chelsea
New Intercept
Park & Ride
Lots
Airport Express
from
Ann Arbor
 Countywide
Door-to-Door
and
Car/Vanpool
Accessible County
 As a
reminder…
Lifeline Plus
Scenario
Countywide
Express
Network and
Local Transit
Hubs
Countywide
Flex-Ride
Service and
Local
Circulators
Smart Growth
 As a
reminder…
Accessible
County
Scenario
East – West
Rail
Connection
North – South
Rail
Connection
Urban High
Capacity
Corridors
Comparing the Scenarios
Local Community Impacts
Impact Lifeline Plus Accessible
Smart Growth
County
Year 2040 2040 2040
Urban Transit Mode Share (peak period) 2010
9.3% 9.3% 12.2%
Base = 6.2%
Rural Transit Mode Share (peak period)
3.4% 5.5% 5.5%
2010 Base = 0.3%
Car trips taken off the road in the peak
2.9m 3.3m 5.4m
(annual)
Transit trips (annual)
24.7m 25.3m 32.2m
2010 Base = 12.2m
Additional new jobs created 418 475 1830
Reduction in number of serious road
-59 -67 -111
accidents (annual)
Senior population within 10 minutes walk of
86% 94% 94%
fixed route transit 2010 Base = 66%
Reduction in emissions (annual tons CO, NOx,
-374 -422 -701
VOC)
Local Community Benefits
$ millions, 2040 Lifeline Plus Accessible Smart
County Growth
Value of new, local jobs created 13.4 15.2 58.5
Road decongestion benefit to existing road
users (from people switching to transit and 15.4 17.0 26.2
bicycling)
Accessibility and livability benefits to existing
and new riders, people with disabilities, rural 55.2 62.5 96.0
communities, students and seniors
Accident saving benefits from reduction in car
2.7 3.0 5.0
miles travelled
Reduced emissions benefit from reduction in
1.2 1.4 2.3
car miles travelled
Health benefits from increased walking and
3.3 3.5 4.4
bicycling (in part associated with transit use)
Total additional community benefits 91 103 192
Base community benefit 83 83 83
Total community benefit 174 186 275
Performance

Accessible Smart
$ millions , 2040 Lifeline Plus
County Growth
Total community benefits 174 186 275
Total operating cost 73 78 101
Total fare-box revenue 25 28 49
Net operating cost 48 50 52
 Benefit by Spend
• There’s a strong case for transit investment in Washtenaw County, for every
$1 spent, $2.7- $3.2 benefits are generated within the community
• Smart Growth delivers the greatest economic growth and could provide an
additional 1,800 new jobs
 Overall Operating Costs, 2040
Historical Shares of Transit
Operating Funds
Fifteen Year Average, 1994 - 2008

$ millions
Breakdown of Capital
Costs over 30 Years
($ Million)

Lifeline Plus Accessible County Smart Growth

$48m $51m $465m
How Might Capital Costs be Paid For?
Historical Shares of Transit
Capital Funds
Twenty Year Average, 1989 - 2008

Lifeline Plus Accessible County Smarter Growth

$48m $51m $465m

Other Potential Sources Capital Funding

• E-W Rail – shares of cost attributable to Wayne County
• N-S Rail – shares of cost attributable to Livingston County
• AA Connector – Private contributions (e.g. M-1 Rail)
• High Speed Rail improvements may pay for some of the regional rail expense
Meeting the Goals

Impact Score
Positive High 5

Positive Medium 3

Positive Low 1
Neutral 0
Addressing the Transit Needs

Impact Score
Positive High 5

Positive Medium 3

Positive Low 1
Neutral 0
Meeting Goals and Key Transit Needs

Scenario Total Score

Lifeline Plus 24

Accessible County 31

Smart Growth 44

27
AATA can’t do this alone….
• Service operators
– WAVE
– People’s Express
– Manchester Senior Services
• Major employers
• Public institutions (education, health care)
• Providers of services and facilities
– Bikeways
– Sidewalks
– Roadways
• Land Use Planners
 If current trends
continue…

Land Use Transit

The urbanized area can If sustainable planning, zoning and

support corridors with high development tools are used…
capacity transit if a major
land use shift is achieved;

By attracting investment,
transit can help promote the
land use shifts needed.

Source: SEMCOG Planning Toolkit

 San Mateo Co., California TOD Incentives

• A jurisdiction receives incentive funds for

housing units. Typically, eligible projects
receive up to $2,000 per bedroom.
• Housing must be within one-third of a mile
of a rail transit station, and density must
be at least 40 units per acre.
• In addition to direct transportation
improvements, some general
improvements such as landscaping,
lighting, sidewalks, plazas, and
recreational projects are allowed.

" Redwood City is proud to have received the first-ever TOD Incentive grant from C/CAG for Franklin Project Phase I. This project has
been well received by the community and will provide 206 new residential units, including 31 affordable units, and convenient retail - all
within walking distance to the Caltrain Station and Downtown District employment/services. "
- Maureen Riordan, Senior Planner, City of Redwood City
 Tempe, Arizona Transit Center
Arizona's first bike station–The Bicycle Cellar–provides
secure indoor parking, showers, lockers, bike repairs, and
rental bicycles. The courtyard is a popular gathering place
for pedestrians, bicyclists, transit patrons, and visitors.
A multi-use green facility that is not only a
transportation hub, but also a gathering spot for the
community.
A multimodal, mixed-use facility, the center
integrates the downtown light-rail stop, the main city
bus station, and the state's first "bike station," which
offers secure on-site storage and repairs.
The center, which replaced a 2.7-acre surface parking
lot, provides much-needed public amenities,
including a community room and a shaded public
plaza.
Additional uses include a transit store, a café, shops,
and offices, including the city of Tempe's
Transportation Division.
Conclusions
• Transit can play a fundamental role in the future economic growth and
stability of the County
• Transit helps deliver wider community goals and address key needs
• Transit can support the creation of new, local jobs
• Policies associated with land use and traffic restraint will support the
achievement of the Plan
• All three scenarios will require working together with local authorities,
operators and key stakeholders
• Opportunities for strategic alliances need to be explored to deliver
economies of scale and efficiencies

• Community input is vital – what do we want the future to look like?

Next Steps

• Spread the word through your network

• Come to a public meeting

• Select and adjust your favorite scenario

• Tell us what you think

• Keep up to date: www.movingyouforward.org

Questions & Answers
Feedback Session