Transportation Technical Report

Transcription

1 The Seattle Department of Transportation Seattle Center City Connector Environmental Evaluation Transportation Technical Report March 2016 in association with: TR SEA MARCH 2016 CH2M HILL John Parker Consulting LTK URS TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT I

2 Cover image from SDOT

3 Table of Contents 1 Introduction Project Description and Design Options No Build Alternative Locally Preferred Alternative Alignment and Stations Design Options Center City Connector Operating Plan Transit and Roadway Operations Construction Methodology Regional Facilities and Travel Methodology Affected Environment Vehicle Miles Traveled and Vehicle Hours Traveled Regional Roadways Environmental Consequences No Build Alternative Locally Preferred Alternative Transit Systems Methodology Affected Environment Existing Transit Service and Facilities Transit Service Levels Environmental Consequences Future Transit Service and Facilities Streetcar Ridership Transit Levels of Service Impacts on Electric Trolley Bus Construction Impacts Segment 1 Pioneer Square Segment 2 Madison Office Core Segment 3 Pike Place Market Segment 4 Westlake Connection Potential Mitigation Arterial and local street operations Methodology Affected Environment Roads along LPA Alignment Roads Along Design Option Alignments North-South Parallel Corridors Operations and Level of Service Vehicle and Person Throughput Travel Time Traffic Safety Property Access and Circulation Freight TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT I

4 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR CONTENTS 6.3 Environmental Consequences Future Roadway System Local Travel Patterns Operations and Intersection Level of Service Vehicle and Person Throughput Travel Time Traffic Safety Property Access and Circulation Freight Construction Impacts Segment 1 (Pioneer Square) Segment 2 (Madison Office Core) Segment 3 (Pike Place Market) Segment 4 (Westlake Connection) Potential Mitigation Traffic Operations Traffic Safety Property Access and Circulation Freight Nonmotorized facilities Methodology Affected Environment Existing and Planned Pedestrian Facilities Existing and Planned Bicycle Facilities Environmental Consequences No Build Alternative LPA Construction Impacts Pedestrians Bicyclists Potential Mitigation Pedestrian Bicyclist Parking Methodology Affected Environment On-Street Parking and Loading Off-Street Parking and Loading Environmental Consequences On-Street Parking and Loading Off-Street Parking and Loading Construction Impacts On-Street Parking Off-Street Parking Potential Mitigation Parking Loading References TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT II

5 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR CONTENTS Appendixes Appendix A: Preliminary Design Drawings of Locally Preferred Alternative Appendix B: Construction Segments and Phasing Appendix C: Methods and Assumptions Technical Memorandum Appendix D: Overhead Contact System Infrastructure Options Report Appendix E: Intersection Level of Service Results Appendix F: Next Generation ITS Center City Center Connector (CCC) Streetcar Vissim Analysis Draft Report Tables Page Table 2-1 Transportation Improvements Assumed in the No Build Alternative Table 2-2 Center City Connector Streetcar Operating Plan Table 4-1 Daily VMT and VHT for Existing Year 2014 in Study Area Table 4-2 No Build Daily Trip Comparison Table and 2035 Travel Impact Comparison Summary Table and 2035 PM Peak Hour Regional Facility Screenline Comparison South of Seneca Street Table 5-1 Existing or Planned Streetcar Operating Plan Table 5-2 Existing Bus Routes and Stops along Proposed Alignment Table 5-3 No Build Alternative Assumed Transit Service Changes Table 5-4 Potential Bus Service Changes with the Project (LPA, including Design Option A) Table 5-5 No Build and LPA Streetcar Daily Weekday Ridership, 2018/ Table 5-6 Peak-Hour Bus and Bus Passenger Travel Time Comparison for LPA (No Build vs. Build), 2018, 5-6 p.m Table 5-7 Aggregate Peak-Hour Bus and Bus Passenger Travel Time Comparison for LPA (No Build vs. Build), 2035, 5-6 p.m Table 5-8 Aggregate Peak Hour Bus Travel Time Comparison for LPA and Design Options (No Build vs. Build), Hours, 2018 and 2035, 5-6 p.m Table 5-9 Streetcar and ETB OCS Conflicts by Intersection Table 6-1 Center City Connector Traffic Study Intersections Table 6-2 Level of Service Definitions for Signalized Intersections Table 6-3 Existing Roadway Facilities Table Existing Vehicle and Person Throughput, PM Peak Hour Table 6-5 Existing PM Peak Hour Auto Travel Times Table 6-6 Existing Intersection Crash Analysis Results along LPA ( ) Table 6-7 Additional Existing Intersection Crash Analysis Results along Pine and Pike Streets ( ) Table 6-8 Existing Left-Turn Access on First Avenue TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT III

6 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR CONTENTS Table 6-9 Existing Driveways along LPA Alignment Table 6-10 Freight and Goods Transportation System Classifications Table 6-11 Existing and Future No Build (2018 and 2035) Screenline Traffic Volume Forecast Comparison, PM Peak Hour Table 6-12 No Build vs. LPA (2018 and 2035) Screenline Traffic Volume Forecast Comparison, PM Peak Hour Table 6-13 Future Vehicle and Person Throughput Comparison Table and 2035 Streetcar Travel Time for East-West Design Option Alignments, PM Peak Hour Table and 2035 Aggregate Auto Travel Time for Pike/Pine Design Option Alignments, PM Peak Hour Table and 2035 Streetcar Travel Time on First Avenue for LPA and Pioneer Square Design Option, PM Peak Hour Table 6-17 Changes to Driveway Turn Restrictions with LPA Table 7-1 Existing and Planned Seattle Bicycle Master Plan Bikeways Intersecting with the Proposed Streetcar (Implementation by 2020) Table 7-2 Existing and Future Pedestrian Volumes Table 8-1 Existing On-Street Parking Inventory by Block and Direction Table 8-2 Off-Street Parking Supply near First Avenue Table 8-3 On-Street Parking Impacts for LPA and Design Options Table 8-4 Existing and Proposed On-Street Parking and Loading, by Type Table 8-5 Proposed On-Street Parking Spaces with the LPA and East- West Design Options Table 8-6 Proposed On-Street Parking Spaces for East-West Design Options B, C, and D Figures Figure 1-1 Project Vicinity in Seattle, Showing Connections with SLU and First Hill Streetcar Systems Figure 2-1 Center City Connector Alignment for LPA Figure 2-2 Center City Connector East-West Design Option Alignments Figure 2-3 Center City Connector Proposed Operating Plan Figure 2-4 Existing First Avenue Cross Section, Looking North Figure 2-5 LPA without and with a Station Cross Section, Looking North Figure 2-6 Proposed Construction Segments Figure 2-7 Construction Phasing Figure 4-1 Study Area for Travel Demand Forecast Modeling Metrics Figure 5-1 Existing Streetcar and Transit Service along Proposed Alignment Figure 5-2 Changes to No Build Alternative Transit Service, Figure 5-3 Changes to No Build Alternative Transit Service, Figure 5-4 Changes to Transit Service with the LPA, Figure 5-5 Changes to Transit Service with the LPA, TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT IV

7 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR CONTENTS Figure 5-6 Future Daily Streetcar Boardings by Station, Figure 5-7 Future Daily Streetcar Boardings by Station, 2035) Figure 5-8 Project Trips, Transfer Patterns by Station, Figure 5-9 Project Trips, Transfer Patterns by Station, Figure 5-10 Existing ETB Revenue Service Routes Figure 5-11 Existing ETB Deadhead Routes Figure 6-1 Center City Connector Traffic Analysis Study Intersections Figure 6-2 Existing Intersection LOS Figure 6-3 Major Truck Routes in Study Area Figure No Build and LPA Intersection LOS, PM Peak Hour Figure No Build and LPA Intersection LOS, PM Peak Hour Figure Intersection LOS for East-West Design Options Figure Intersection LOS for East-West Design Options Figure No Build and LPA Travel Time (by mode) Figure No Build and LPA Travel Time (by mode) Figure 7-1 Existing Pedestrian Facility Condition in Immediate Station Areas Figure 7-2 Existing and Planned Bicycle Facilities Figure 7-3 Station Walksheds Figure 8-1 Existing Parking Facilities Figure 8-2 Off-Street Parking Occupancy, Pike to Columbia Figure 8-3 Off-Street Parking Occupancy, Columbia to Jackson Figure 8-4 Garages Participating in Reduced Rate Parking Programs Figure 8-5 Parking Impacts Westlake to Pike with Design Option A (Included in LPA): Eastbound Stewart/Olive and Westbound Stewart Figure 8-6 Parking Impacts First Avenue, Pike to Columbia (LPA) Figure 8-7 Parking Impacts First Avenue, Columbia to S Jackson (LPA) Figure 8-8 Parking Impacts - Design Option B: Eastbound Stewart/Olive and Westbound Fifth/Pine Figure 8-9 Parking Impacts - Design Option C: Eastbound Pike/Fourth and Westbound Fifth/Pine Figure 8-10 Parking Impacts - Design Option D: Eastbound Pike/Fourth and Westbound Stewart TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT V

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9 Acronyms and Abbreviations AADT Average Annual Daily Traffic AAWDT Average Annual Weekday Traffic ADA Americans with Disabilities Act AWV Alaskan Way Viaduct AWV ACTT Alaskan Way Viaduct Advisory Committee on Tolling and Traffic Committee BAT Business-Access and Transit CBD Central Business District CVLZ commercial vehicle load zone Design Year 2035 DSTT Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel EB eastbound ETB electric trolley bus FGTS Freight Goods Transportation System FTA Federal Transit Administration GIS Geographic Information System GP general-purpose HAL high accident location KCM King County Metro LOS Level of Service LPA Locally Preferred Alternative LPI leading pedestrian interval MEV million entering vehicles min minute(s) mph miles per hour NB northbound OCS overhead catenary system OMF operations and maintenance facility Opening Year 2018 PDO Property Damage Only PLZ passenger load zone TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT VII

10 PnR/KnR PSRC SB SDOT SLU SoDo SR STOPS TPSS TSP V/C VHT VMT WB WLK WSDOT XFR park-and-ride/kiss-and-ride Puget Sound Regional Council southbound Seattle Department of Transportation South Lake Union South of Downtown State Route Simplified Trips-on-Project Software traction-power substation transit signal priority volume-to-capacity ratio vehicle hours traveled vehicle miles traveled westbound walking Washington State Department of Transportation transfer from other transit services TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT VIII

11 1 INTRODUCTION The City of Seattle is proposing the Seattle Streetcar- the Center City Connector, a modern streetcar line in Seattle s Center City linking the existing South Lake Union (SLU) Streetcar and First Hill Streetcar lines (Figure 1-1). The Center City Connector would serve the City of Seattle s three downtown intermodal hubs: Westlake Intermodal Hub, Colman Dock Intermodal Hub, and King Street Intermodal Hub. In addition, the Center City Connector would provide convenient transfers with the Third Avenue Transit Spine at both ends of downtown Seattle, to Link Light Rail via multiple Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel (DSTT) station entries, and to Sounder Commuter Rail at King Street Station (Figure 1-1). The Center City Connector would provide new trackway from the Westlake Intermodal Hub at the junction of Stewart Street and Westlake Street to First Avenue near Pike Place Market, south along First Avenue to connect with the First Hill Streetcar Station at S Jackson Street and Occidental Avenue S in Pioneer Square. Most of the approximately 1.25 miles of new double trackway would operate as a transit-only facility. The project includes two turnback tracks (the northern turnaround for the First Hill Streetcar line would be at Republican Street between Westlake Avenue N and Terry Avenue N, while the southern turnaround for the SLU Line would be on Eighth Avenue S just south of S Jackson Street), five to six new stations (two station design options), and expansion of the Seattle Streetcar fleet with six additional vehicles. The Center City Connector Project also includes the potential expansion of one or both of the existing streetcar operations and maintenance facilities (OMFs) located in (1) SLU at Fairview Avenue N and Thomas Street and (2) in the Chinatown-International District at S Charles Street and Eighth Avenue S. This Transportation Technical Report evaluates existing and future local and regional transportation impacts and potential mitigation associated with the alternatives of the proposed Seattle Center City Connector Project. The future years are 2018, the projected year of opening of the Center City Connector and 2035 which is the project planning horizon. A formal project description is presented in Chapter 2, followed by a brief overview of the study methodology in Chapter 3. Each subsequent chapter describes a different element of the transportation network, including regional facilities and travel (Chapter 4), transit systems (Chapter 5), arterial and local street operations (Chapter 6), nonmotorized facilities (Chapter 7), and parking (Chapter 8). Each of these chapters describes the study methodology, affected environment, operational consequences and construction consequences of the Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA) and associated design options compared to the No Build Alternative. Finally, as warranted, potential mitigation measures are proposed. TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 1-1

12 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 1.0 INTRODUCTION Figure 1-1 Project Vicinity in Seattle, Showing Connections with SLU and First Hill Streetcar Systems TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 1-2

13 2 PROJECT DESCRIPTION AND DESIGN OPTIONS 2.1 No Build Alternative The No Build Alternative assumes the Center City Connector would not be constructed and the SLU and First Hill Streetcar lines would operate as two separate lines with no connection to each other. The SLU line currently runs between the intersections of Fairview Avenue N/Aloha Street to the north and Westlake Avenue/Stewart Street to the south, with streetcars operating at 10-minute headways between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. The First Hill Streetcar line will begin operation in 2015 and will extend between the intersections of Denny Way/Broadway Avenue to the north and S Jackson Street/Occidental Avenue S to the south. By the Center City Connector Project s Opening Year (assumed 2018), both the SLU and First Hill Streetcar lines would be expected to operate at 10-minute headways during the PM peak period under the No Build Alternative. Other major infrastructure improvements assumed to be in place in the No Build Alternative by the Opening Year include the following: Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Project: Trips using the State Route 99 (SR 99) tunnel would be tolled and access in the north and south portals would be reconfigured. Elliott Bay Seawall Replacement Project: The project would construct a replacement seawall along the waterfront between S Washington and Virginia Streets. Waterfront Seattle Program: This program spans the waterfront from Pioneer Square to Belltown. It includes the rebuilt Elliott Bay Seawall (previously described), 8 acres of new and improved public open space, improved connections between center city neighborhoods and Elliott Bay, critical utility infrastructure, and new Alaskan Way and Elliott Way surface streets to serve all modes of travel. Specifically, Alaskan Way would be reconfigured and widened between S Washington Street and Union Street. Some eastwest streets such as S Washington Street, S Main Street, Columbia Street, Seneca Street, and Union Street will have wider sidewalks. The pedestrian bridge on Marion Street between Alaskan Way and Western Avenue will be widened to improve access between Colman Dock and downtown. Seattle Streetcar Broadway Extension: The First Hill Line would be extended a halfmile north on Broadway Avenue between Howell Street and Roy Street. Sound Transit expansion of the Link Light Rail system: University Link would be open with joint use of the DSTT by light rail and buses. Protected bicycle lanes: The initial phase of protected bicycle lanes have recently been installed on Second Avenue and Pike Street. For the future-year analysis, the top priority bike facilities are assumed to be built. Other major infrastructure improvements assumed to be in place in the No Build Alternative by the Design Year (2035) include the following: TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 2-1

14 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 2.0 PROJECT DESCRIPTION AND DESIGN OPTIONS Sound Transit expansion of the Link Light Rail system: Extensions to Lynnwood, Kent/Des Moines, and Overlake would be complete by the Year The DSTT would be converted to exclusive use by light rail with bus service rerouted to surface streets. These projects are also listed in Table 2-1, which identifies the significant future transportation infrastructure improvements near the project vicinity assumed in the No Build Alternatives for 2018 and These improvements were assumed because they are considered reasonable and foreseeable. These projects have typically been through an environmental review, have identified design and construction funding, or are expected to be near-term improvements. Table 2-1 Transportation Improvements Assumed in the No Build Alternative Project Improvement X X First Hill Streetcar Line Mixed-traffic streetcar line connecting Broadway to the north and S. Jackson St/Occidental Ave to the south. X X Sound Transit University Link Extension Light Rail Extension of Central Link Light Rail from Westlake Center to University of Washington by DSTT would still operate with buses and light rail trains jointly. X Sound Transit Link Light Rail System Expansion Extension of Link Light Rail from University of Washington to Northgate by 2021, and to Lynnwood, Overlake, and Kent/Des Moines by DSTT would be converted to exclusive light rail train use, with bus service rerouted to surface streets. X X I-90 High- Occupancy Vehicle High-occupancy vehicle lanes provided for both directions of I-90 between Rainier Avenue and Bellevue Way X X Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Project New tolled-facility tunnel along central waterfront with modified access to downtown from the south. For modeling purposes, the future toll rate for the tunnel would be set such that diversion on downtown surface streets would be consistent with the latest results from SR 99 Traffic Tolling and Financial Analysis Scenario 7. The Battery Street Tunnel is to be closed and filled in when the SR 99 project is complete. X X Waterfront Seattle Program Alaskan Way widened between S Washington and Union Streets. The segment between Washington and Columbia St would include two general-purpose (GP) travel lanes and a curbside Business-Access and Transit (BAT) lane in each direction, as well as bus-only lanes on Columbia St from Alaskan Way to 3rd Ave. Some east-west streets would have wider sidewalks, and the Marion St pedestrian bridge would be widened. X X Seawall Replacement Project Phase 1 of the project would construct a replacement seawall along the waterfront between S Washington and Virginia St. X X Southend Pathway / Columbia St Transit Improvements Columbia St has been identified as the permanent southend transit pathway between Alaskan Way and 2nd Ave. The project would develop bidirectional transit lanes on Columbia St. TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 2-2

15 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 2.0 PROJECT DESCRIPTION AND DESIGN OPTIONS Project Improvement X X 2nd Ave and Pike St Protected Bike Lanes Protected bicycle lanes were recently installed on 2nd Ave between Pike St. and Yesler Way and on Pike St. between 1st Ave and 2nd Ave. This project would extend lanes to Broad St to the north and King St to the south. X Seattle Multimodal Terminal at Colman Dock Project would replace the aging and seismically vulnerable components of Colman Dock and address existing safety concerns related to conflicts between vehicles and pedestrian traffic. X X Transit Bus Operations In year 2018, bus operations would occur in the DSTT and on the surface streets. By year 2035, it is assumed buses would not operate in the DSTT. Bus service assumptions for both years would be coordinated with King County Metro, Sound Transit, and Community Transit. Adjustments to joint bus-rail operations in the DSTT would be based on the need to accommodate shorter Link headways. King County Metro currently (as of Fall 2015) expects bus operations may be discontinued no later than 2019 and possibly sooner. X X 3rd Ave Transit Improvements Planned improvements include bus stop and sidewalk improvements, bicycle facilities, and extending priority treatment approximately 0.75 mile north between Stewart St and Denny Way. X X RapidRide C Line Extension to South Lake Union RapidRide C and D lines are currently interlined and would be split in late 2015 or early RapidRide C Line would be extended to a terminus in South Lake Union. This change would add bus trips to 3rd Ave. 2.2 Locally Preferred Alternative The build alternative, referred to hereafter as the LPA, includes track alignment and stations, operating plan, and roadway and intersection modifications Alignment and Stations The LPA would add an exclusive streetcar track connecting Westlake Station, the south terminus station on the SLU Streetcar line, to the north terminus of the First Hill Streetcar line at S Jackson Street and Occidental Avenue S to Pike Place Market. The alignment would follow First Avenue between Pike Place Market and the Pioneer Square Historic District. The following five streetcar stops would be added along the corridor: Westlake: Center median between Stewart Street and Sixth Avenue, which would replace the stop at McGraw Square. Third/Fourth Avenues: Between Third and Fourth Avenues on Stewart Street. Eastbound streetcars would have a curbside stop on the south side of Stewart Street, while westbound streetcars would have a stop in the triangular-shaped center median TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 2-3

16 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 2.0 PROJECT DESCRIPTION AND DESIGN OPTIONS between Third and Fourth Avenues. Other design options include stops on Pike or Pine Streets (described in Section 2.2.2). Pike: Center median between Pike Street and Pine Street. Madison: Center median between Madison Street and Spring Street. Pioneer Square: The LPA would be a center median stop between Columbia Street and Cherry Street, with a design option of curbside stops between Cherry Street and Yesler Way. Appendix A includes preliminary design drawings of the LPA. This technical report evaluates the LPA and three east-west streetcar alignment design options between First Avenue and the Westlake Station destination that were considered for the project (see Figure 2-1). Design Option A is assumed as the LPA. The design options would change the location of the station at Stewart Street between Third and Fourth Avenues as illustrated on Figure 2-2. The planned 5-minute headways for the LPA would extend from the turnback track at Republican Street (between Westlake Avenue N and Terry Avenue N) at the north end, along First Avenue in downtown Seattle, then east again on S Jackson Street to the turnback tracks at Eighth Avenue S just south of S Jackson Street. The northern turnback has a design option of a turnback track in the median on Westlake Avenue between Sixth Avenue and Virginia Street. The southern turnback track has a design option of a median stop on Eighth Avenue S at S King Street, where SLU line streetcars would drop off and pick up passengers and bypass the stop at S Jackson Street/Seventh Avenue S. The LPA in the southern turnaround would have the SLU streetcars using the S Jackson Street/Seventh Avenue S stop as the first/last SLU Streetcar stop with no station on Eighth Avenue S Design Options Design options were considered for the following components of the LPA: Four different east-west alignment options to connect between the Pike and Westlake streetcar stops Two station options for the Pioneer Square Streetcar Station Two options for the Center City Connector northern turnaround location Two options for the Center City Connector southern turnaround location Each of these elements is further explained below East-West Alignment Design Options Four East-West Design Options were considered for the project. Each would provide an alternative alignment to connect the north-south alignment along First Avenue with the Westlake Intermodal Hub at Olive Way and Westlake Street, as shown on Figure 2-2. Design Option A, highlighted in East-West Design Option A below, is the design option identified to be the LPA. TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 2-4

17 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 2.0 PROJECT DESCRIPTION AND DESIGN OPTIONS Figure 2-1 Center City Connector Alignment for LPA TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 2-5

18 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 2.0 PROJECT DESCRIPTION AND DESIGN OPTIONS Figure 2-2 Center City Connector East-West Design Option Alignments East-West Design Option A Design Option A is the preferred east-west alignment (also known as the LPA). The streetcar path would be along Stewart Street. Northbound streetcars would turn from First Avenue onto Stewart Street in an exclusive contra-flow lane until midblock between First and Second Avenues when the lane would allow mixed traffic so that vehicles from the alley can turn right onto Second Avenue. Eastbound streetcars would continue past Second Avenue in an exclusive lane until the midblock driveway to the Macy s parking garage, where the lane would allow vehicles all the way to curbside streetcar stop at Fourth Avenue. The streetcar track would change to an exclusive contra-flow lane on the south side of Stewart Street between Fourth Avenue and Westlake Avenue. Southbound streetcars would turn from Westlake Avenue onto the center of Stewart Street into a mixed traffic lane for one block. The westbound alignment would change to an exclusive streetcar lane on the south side of Stewart Street from Fifth Avenue to the center median streetcar stop between Third and Fourth Avenues. West of this streetcar stop, buses would be allowed to use the lane to turn south onto Third Avenue. Between Third and First Avenues, the westbound streetcar track would be an exclusive lane on the south side of Stewart Street. Design Option A would have a new center median stop on Westlake Avenue between Stewart Street and Sixth Avenue. The existing stop at McGraw Square would be abandoned. East-West Design Option B Design Option B would follow Stewart Street and Olive Way in the eastbound alignment and follow a different westbound alignment that uses a combination of Fifth Avenue and Pine Street. Northbound streetcars would follow Stewart Street in an exclusive contra-flow lane between First Avenue and a curbside streetcar stop on the nearside of Second Avenue. Beyond the streetcar stop, the eastbound alignment would change to a mixed lane all the way to Fifth Avenue, where the streetcar would turn left into an alignment that goes through McGraw Square and the northbound streetcar stop. Southbound streetcars would travel through the existing TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 2-6

19 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 2.0 PROJECT DESCRIPTION AND DESIGN OPTIONS Westlake Station and turn slightly left onto Fifth Avenue, turn right at Fifth Avenue/Pine Street, and turn left at Pine Street/First Avenue. Design Option B would have one new northbound station on Stewart Street between Second Avenue and Third Avenue and one new southbound station on Pine Street between Third Avenue and Fourth Avenue. East-West Design Option C Design Option C would use a combination of Pine Street, Pike Street, Fourth Avenue, and Fifth Avenue. Northbound streetcars would turn right at the intersection of First Avenue/Pike Street, turn left at Pike Street/Fourth Avenue, and turn right at Fourth Avenue/Olive Way. Southbound streetcars would follow the same alignment as Design Option B, travel through the existing Westlake Station, and turn slightly left onto Fifth Avenue, turn right at Fifth Avenue/Pine Street, and turn left at Pine Street/First Avenue. This design option would have one new northbound station on Pike Street and one new southbound station on Pine Street, both between Third Avenue and Fourth Avenue. East-West Design Option D Design Option D would follow the same eastbound alignment as Design Option C and a similar westbound alignment as Design Option A. Northbound streetcars would turn right at the intersection of First Avenue/Pike Street, turn left at Pike Street/Fourth Avenue, and turn right at Fourth Avenue/Olive Way. Southbound streetcars would travel along Stewart Street westbound in a transit-only curb lane between Westlake Avenue and Second Avenue, sharing the lane with buses and right-turning vehicles (allowed at Third Avenue and Fourth Avenue). Stewart Street westbound would feature a mixed lane between First Avenue and Second Avenue. Design Option D would have one new northbound station on Pike Street between Third and Fourth Avenues and one new southbound station on Stewart Street between Second and Third Avenues Pioneer Square Station Design Options The LPA (shown in Appendix A) includes a center median station between Columbia and Cherry Streets. Both directions of the streetcar would access the station from the exclusive lanes on First Avenue. The southbound left-turn pocket from First Avenue onto Cherry Street would be eliminated to make room for the median station. The nearest upstream southbound left turns on First Avenue would be provided at Spring Street and University Street, or downstream at S Jackson Street. The Pioneer Square Station Design Option would locate the Pioneer Square streetcar between Cherry Street and Yesler Way as curbside stops. Streetcars would access the stops from mixedtraffic lanes. Sidewalks on both sides of this block would be extended so that the mixed lane would only be wide enough for one lane. This would be the only block where the streetcar would travel in mixed traffic on First Avenue. The traffic signals on First Avenue at Cherry Street and Yesler Way would have exclusive signal phases to allow the northbound and southbound streetcars into the mixed lane (stopping GP traffic prior to the exclusive phase). Upon exiting this block, the streetcar would re-enter the exclusive lanes on First Avenue to continue the trip. TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 2-7

20 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 2.0 PROJECT DESCRIPTION AND DESIGN OPTIONS Northern Turnaround Design Options The LPA (shown in Appendix A) would have the First Hill line streetcars turn around on one block of new track constructed on Republican Street between Terry Avenue N and Westlake Avenue N. The turnaround track would be located on the north side of Republican Street and would eliminate the parking spaces on the north side of the road. An exclusive streetcar phase would be required for westbound streetcars to turn left from Republican Street onto southbound Westlake Avenue N. Under this design option, streetcars would operate at 5-minute headways for approximately 0.53 mile north of the Westlake Station, with the last stops between Harrison Street and Thomas Street on Westlake Avenue and Terry Avenue. The Westlake Station Turnback Design Option would locate the northern turnaround at the median on Westlake Avenue between Sixth Avenue and Virginia Street, just north of the Westlake Station. An exclusive phase would be required for streetcars traveling southbound from the turnaround track to avoid conflicts with the southbound streetcars from the SLU Streetcar line. Under this design option, streetcars would operate at 5-minute headways as far north as the Westlake Station Southern Turnaround Design Options For the southern turnaround of the Center City Connector, the LPA would have SLU line streetcars make the last southbound stop at the Jackson Street/Seventh Avenue station and turn south onto Eighth Avenue S to turnaround in the median track. Northbound streetcars would turn left onto westbound Jackson Street and pick up their first passengers at the Jackson Street/Seventh Avenue Station and continue north towards the SLU area. Under this design option, no new streetcar stops would be constructed. The Eighth Avenue S Station Design Option follows the same alignment as the LPA but has a different stop location. Southbound SLU line streetcars would bypass the Jackson Street/Seventh Avenue stop and turn onto Eighth Avenue S to make their final stop at a new median station on Eighth Avenue S near S King Street. The SLU line streetcars would then pick up passengers at the same station and head north on Eighth Avenue and turn left onto westbound Jackson Street (bypassing the Jackson Street/Seventh Avenue stop) Center City Connector Operating Plan The Center City Connector Project would allow the SLU and First Hill Streetcar lines to operate as a system with two independent, overlapping lines, as shown on Figure 2-3. The two lines would provide overlapping service between the northern turnaround on Republican Street and the southern turnaround on Eighth Avenue south of Jackson Street, serving three intermodal hubs at Westlake, Colman Dock, and King Street. This overlapping portion of the line would have 5- minute headways between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. on weekdays and Saturdays, and between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m. on Sundays, which would increase to 10 minutes during off-peak times. Table 2-2 details the planned streetcar service levels. TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 2-8

21 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 2.0 PROJECT DESCRIPTION AND DESIGN OPTIONS Figure 2-3 Center City Connector Proposed Operating Plan TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 2-9

22 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 2.0 PROJECT DESCRIPTION AND DESIGN OPTIONS Table 2-2 Center City Connector Streetcar Operating Plan Service Span Weekday Saturday Sunday/Holiday Service Span 5 1 a.m. 5 1 a.m. 6 a.m. 11 p.m. Daily Hours Headway (Individual Lines a ) Early Morning 15 min (5 6 a.m.) 15 min (5 8 a.m.) 15 min (6 8 a.m.) Day/Early Evening 10 min (6 a.m. 8 p.m.) 10 min (8 a.m. 8 p.m.) 10 min (8 a.m. 8 p.m.) Later Evening 15 min (8 p.m. 1 a.m.) 15 min (8 p.m. 1 a.m.) 15 min (8 11 p.m.) a First Hill: Capitol Hill to Terry Avenue N/Westlake Avenue N and Thomas Street stations in SLU, and SLU: SLU to Seventh Avenue S and S Jackson Street Station Transit and Roadway Operations The Center City Connector would run in exclusive transit lanes for nearly the full length of the project corridor and could employ transit signal priority (TSP) treatments at signalized intersections. TSP treatments typically include a detection system that alerts the traffic signal system to prioritize the streetcar, and other transit movements, through the intersection. TSP can improve transit performance by keeping service on time and reliable but may mean that other traffic movements would be de-emphasized. As the project advances further into design, TSP strategies will continue to be evaluated, including its application at specific intersection locations. It was assumed that TSP would be provided along the streetcar route to understand the associated impacts along the corridor. 1 Currently on First Avenue, there are three northbound and two southbound general-purpose lanes between Virginia Street and Columbia Street and two northbound and southbound generalpurpose lanes between Columbia Street and S King Street. Parking in the curb lane on First Avenue in both directions is restricted in the AM and PM peak periods through most of the study area. Parking is allowed in the curb lane on First Avenue in both directions between Yesler Way and S King Street, except during the AM peak period. During off-peak periods, the curb lane on First Avenue in both directions through most of the study area converts to a parking and loading zone. Figure 2-4 shows the existing configuration of First Avenue south of Madison Street. 1 However, SDOT is currently planning to coordinate signals instead of implementing TSP, which would result in less delay to cross streets and reduced impacts while still maintaining reliable travel time for streetcars. Appendix F, Next Generation ITS Center City Center Connector (CCC) Streetcar VISSIM Analysis Draft Report (DKS Associates, 2015) evaluates streetcar and auto travel times along the LPA, examining coordinated signal timing progression and a reduced number of TSP sites at select locations required to support exclusive transit turning phases. TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 2-10

23 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 2.0 PROJECT DESCRIPTION AND DESIGN OPTIONS Figure 2-4 Existing First Avenue Cross Section, Looking North With the LPA, First Avenue between Stewart Street and Jackson Street would include one northbound and one southbound general-purpose lane, one northbound and one southbound exclusive streetcar lane, and one lane that would have various purposes (including streetcar platforms, landscaped median, dedicated left-turn lanes, or parking spaces) depending on location. Figure 2-5 illustrates two different uses of the additional lane, including a dedicated northbound left-turn lane south of Madison Street and a median streetcar stop platform north of Madison Street. Permanent parking spaces would be provided on the west side of First Avenue at selected locations including the blocks between Pike and Seneca Streets and between Marion and Columbia Streets. First Avenue between Cherry Street and S Jackson Street would maintain the existing landscaped median. Appendix A provides the drawings of the LPA showing the location of streetcar stations, dedicated left-turn lanes, and parking spaces on First Avenue. The appendix includes additional cross-section drawings. In addition to through-lane modifications, there would be modifications to left-turn lanes on First Avenue with the project. TSP and turning modifications with the implementation of the streetcar for intersections along the LPA are shown in Figure 2-6 below and summarized in Appendix A. TSP and turning modifications for intersections in the Pike/Pine area for the design options are also shown and summarized in Appendix A Construction This section provides an overview of construction activities and timing for the LPA. While there are several variables that influence construction timing, the anticipated construction period could range between 12 months and 2 years and involve utility relocations, track work, roadway reconstruction, and testing. Construction would be staged in 4 primary segments along the approximately 1.25-mile route. Duration of construction of any given segment would typically be limited to between 6 and 8 months. Appendix B, Construction Segments and Phasing, provides more detail. TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 2-11

24 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 2.0 PROJECT DESCRIPTION AND DESIGN OPTIONS Figure 2-5 LPA without and with a Station Cross Section, Looking North TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 2-12

25 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 2.0 PROJECT DESCRIPTION AND DESIGN OPTIONS Figure 2-6 TSP and Turning Modifications for Intersections along the LPA TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 2-13

26 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 2.0 PROJECT DESCRIPTION AND DESIGN OPTIONS Generally, one lane of traffic in either direction would be closed along the streetcar alignment during active construction periods, although full road closures may be necessary for short periods. Full road closures, if required, would be limited to evening or weekend hours. On-street parking would be eliminated during lane closures, as would loading zones, except where other options are not available. Pedestrian access would be maintained on both sides of the streets, except for short periods necessary for safety. Business access would be maintained throughout construction in all work zones. At intersections with substantial cross-street traffic, excavations would typically be completed at night or on weekends, and the affected road surface would be covered with steel plates until construction is completed to allow traffic to continue to flow through the intersections on weekdays. The following sections provide details on Center City Connector construction activities, staging and phasing Construction Scope and Activities Construction would include the following major project elements: Utility relocations or protection in-place Track and roadway facilities (including drainage facilities) Passenger facilities Traffic signal modifications Systems: traction power; overhead catenary system (OCS), including Metro electric trolley bus relocations and modifications; train signaling; communications; and fare collection OMF expansion Integrated art program Construction of the Center City Connector Project would involve the following activities: Installation of temporary traffic control measures Removal of existing pavement Relocation, modification, or protection in-place of utilities in conflict with or affected by excavations for street-level trackwork and streetcar platforms Installation of trackwork, complete with preparation of track bed, track slab, rail, fasteners, communication ducts, and infill concrete Adaptation of surface and subsurface drainage systems, if modifications to existing systems are needed Construction of streetcar stops using cast-in-place concrete Construction of traction-power substations (TPSS) with electrical power feeds Installation of traffic signal and streetcar control improvements Installation of OCS poles, wires, support brackets, feeder cables, and other components, or alternative power distribution systems Construction of station stop design finishes, such as canopies, benches, signage, trash receptacles, lighting, and other amenities necessary for a functional streetcar stop Signage and pavement markings TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 2-14

27 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 2.0 PROJECT DESCRIPTION AND DESIGN OPTIONS The equipment used in construction would include graders, bulldozers, concrete trucks, flatbed trucks, dump trucks to haul dirt, and other equipment, as described below. Any spoil materials would be hauled away from the work sites by trucks to approved disposal sites. Staging area(s) for construction would be established in the vicinity of the project and used for storage of equipment and materials. The staging areas would be located on vacant land or within the roadway right-of-way and would be selected to minimize impacts on adjacent uses Construction Staging and Phasing Staging in Segments Construction of the Center City Connector would take place during a defined construction period. As shown on Figure 2-7, construction would be separated into distinct geographic work segments, within which all or most of the track and roadway work would be completed: 1. Pioneer Square: This segment would extend from the First Hill Streetcar Station at Jackson Street and Occidental to First Avenue and Columbia Street. 2. Madison Office Core: This segment would run along First Avenue from Columbia Street to Union Street. 3. Pike Place Market: This segment would extend down First Avenue from Union Street to Stewart Street. 4. Westlake Connection: This segment would extend from First Avenue to the Westlake Station. 5. Other Project Components: Construction would also take place at the SLU OMF 2 and the Chinatown-International District OMF. Track to support the SLU OMF between Harrison Street and Terry Avenue would be developed in concert with the SLU OMF. Within each segment, the work elements are generally grouped into utility relocation and track and platform civil work. Schedule Phasing Construction phasing will determine how long construction would take. Within each segment, a construction work area or zone would occupy two to eight consecutive blocks. The larger the work area or zone, the shorter the construction duration. Similarly, if construction activities continue through holidays and summer periods, the construction duration could also be shorter. Three schedule phasing concepts are under consideration for construction of the Center City Connecter, as described below and shown in Figure 2-8). Concept A (12 Months): This concept would include active work areas of six to eight consecutive blocks. Work in Segments 2 and 4 (Center City and Westlake) would likely have work performed during winter holidays. Work in Segments 1 and 3 (Pioneer Square and Pike Place Market) would be targeted to be completed during the winter/spring 2 The Center City Connector Project also includes the potential expansion of one or both of the existing streetcar OMFs located in (1) SLU at Fairview Avenue N and Thomas Street and (2) in the Chinatown-International District at South Charles Street and Eighth Avenue S. TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 2-15

28 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 2.0 PROJECT DESCRIPTION AND DESIGN OPTIONS Figure 2-7 Proposed Construction Segments TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 2-16

29 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 2.0 PROJECT DESCRIPTION AND DESIGN OPTIONS season to avoid the summer/fall peak tourism season. Concept A would have the shortest duration: 12 months. Concept B (18 Months): This concept would include active work areas of four to five consecutive blocks. Work in Segment 2 (Center City) would be planned to be performed through the holiday periods. Work in Segment 4 (Westlake) would be conducted primarily on weekends. Work in Segments 1 and 3 (Pioneer Square and Pike Place Market) would be completed during the winter/spring season to avoid summer/fall peak tourism seasons. Compared to the other phasing options, Concept B would have an intermediate duration of 18 months. Concept C (24 Months): This concept would include active work areas of two to three consecutive blocks. Work in Segment 4 (Westlake) would be conducted primarily on weekends. Work in Segments 1 and 3 (Pioneer Square and Pike Place Market) would continue through the holidays. Concept C would have the longest duration of the three phasing options, requiring up to 24 months. In Concepts B and C, work performed in Segment 1 (Pioneer Square) could occur in the beginning of the construction schedule, overlapping with Segment 3 (Pike Place Market), or it could be delayed to overlap with Segment 4 (Westlake) construction. This flexibility may be necessary to coordinate with other construction projects in the area. Appendix B provides conceptual construction plans for each segment. Each of the conceptual construction plans in Appendix B provides details on anticipated lane closures, detours, and staging areas during construction in each segment. The contractor would develop a more detailed construction implementation plan before construction, including a more specific construction schedule, traffic management plan, business and community coordination plan, and details on meeting permit requirements. TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 2-17

30 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 2.0 PROJECT DESCRIPTION AND DESIGN OPTIONS Figure 2-8 Construction Phasing TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 2-18

31 3 METHODOLOGY The methodology and assumptions used to analyze the transportation impacts of the Center City Connector Project are presented in detail in the technical memorandum Center City Connector Transportation Analysis Methods and Assumptions (Seattle Department of Transportation [SDOT], 2014), provided in Appendix C of this technical report. The parameters for the analyses are: Defer to applicable agency guidelines and regulations that govern or influence the analysis of local and project-wide impacts associated with the project. Study years, time periods, and alternatives (no build vs. build) analyzed. The project analyzed two future study years (2018 and 2035), as well as year 2014 for the affected environment. The analysis was conducted for the PM peak hour (5:00-6:00 p.m.) as it is considered to be the highest congested time period in downtown Seattle. Data needs and sources, such as traffic volumes, intersection channelization and traffic control, parking supply and utilization, pedestrian and bicycle facilities, accident data, and transit service characteristics. Data for the past 3 years was collected; where not available, counts were performed in fall The study area is shown in Figure 4-1. The study area includes the Downtown Seattle Central Business District (CBD) bounded by Alaskan Way to the west and I-5 to the east. The traffic analysis included up to 65 intersections. Analysis tools used for travel demand forecasting, streetcar ridership forecasting, and traffic operations analysis. At the time of the analysis, the most recent release (spring 2014) of the Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC) model and associated land uses was used for the travel demand forecasts. The Simplified Trips-on-Project Software (STOPS) model, developed by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA), was used to develop the transit ridership forecasts. The study area intersections were analyzed using Synchro software, and streetcar operations were assessed with VISSIM software. The list of background future projects assumed in the No Build Alternative (see Table 2-1). An overview methodology for the transportation elements discussed below (Regional Facilities and Travel; Transit Systems; Arterial and Local Street Operations; Nonmotorized Facilities; and Parking) is described at the beginning of each subsection. TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 3-1

32

33 4 REGIONAL FACILITIES AND TRAVEL The transportation analysis begins with the forecasted changes for the year the proposed project would begin operations (2018), year of project opening and ends in the design year (2035). The regional travel is not sensitive enough to detect any difference in the four east-west alignment design options of the LPA and therefore these are not mentioned below. The construction period was not forecast, because travel demand modeling is not sensitive to short-term changes. Therefore, construction is not analyzed for regional facilities. 4.1 Methodology Regional metrics and screenline data are based on the latest available travel demand forecast models from the PSRC. The underlying land use assumptions were updated to reflect the latest set of PSRC land use forecasts as released under the land use targets forecast in the spring of The travel demand forecasts from the PSRC regional model used to evaluate regional facilities and travel are intended to predict auto demand only and the effects of the project along First Avenue (and parallel streets) based on any diversion that is predicted to occur with the LPA. As part of the travel demand modeling, toll information and diversion estimates published for the SR 99 Alaskan Way Viaduct and Seawall Replacement Project (Alaskan Way Viaduct Advisory Committee on Tolling and Traffic (AWV ACTT Committee, 2014) were provided by the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT), making Center City Connector forecasts consistent with the most recent tolling information. Future ridership forecasts for the streetcar system were conducted independently of auto demand forecasts based on the FTA s STOPS model. Detailed information about both models is provided in Center City Connector Transportation Analysis Methods and Assumptions (SDOT, 2014a). Travel metrics include vehicle miles traveled (VMT) and vehicle hours traveled (VHT) for the project study area. The study area for travel demand forecasting is shown in Figure Affected Environment Definitions VMT: Vehicle Miles Traveled is the measurement of the total miles traveled by all vehicles in a specified area during a specified time. VHT: Vehicle Hours Traveled is the total vehicle hours expended traveling on the roadway network in a specified area during a specified time period Vehicle Miles Traveled and Vehicle Hours Traveled Table 4-1 shows the VMT and VHT as modeled with the PSRC transportation demand model for the study area. Existing VMT and VHT is useful to compare to future conditions and indicate travel growth in the study area, as well as the system wide effect of the project on that growth. TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 4-1

34 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 4.0 REGIONAL FACILITIES AND TRAVEL Figure 4-1 Study Area for Travel Demand Forecast Modeling Metrics TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 4-2

35 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 4.0 REGIONAL FACILITIES AND TRAVEL Table 4-1 Source: PSRC (2014a). Daily VMT and VHT for Existing Year 2014 in Study Area Time Period VMT VHT Daily 493,000 19, Regional Roadways Two regional north-south roadways, I-5, and SR 99, serve the study area. WSDOT lists I-5 and SR 99 as highways of statewide significance (HSS). I-5 provides interstate travel, while both roadways provide regional travel. SR 519 connects I-90 to the Seattle Multimodal Terminal at Colman Dock at Yesler Way via Atlantic Street and Alaskan Way. Alaskan Way is described in Chapter 6 Arterial and Local Streets I-5 I-5 is a Major Urban Interstate freeway that runs the length of the west coast from the borders of Mexico and Canada. It is an essential roadway for the movement of people and goods in the Puget Sound region. I-5 is a north-south freeway along the eastern edge of the study area. The corridor serves commuter, freight transport, and bus service. I-5 varies between two and six mainline travel lanes in both directions within the study area, with lanes from the collector-distributor for the I-5/I-90 interchange and the reversible express lanes providing additional capacity. I-5 has a minimum of two mainline lanes and one high-occupancy vehicle lane southbound and two mainline lanes northbound through downtown Seattle. The I-5 express lanes are reversible and operate southbound during the morning peak period and northbound during the rest of the day. There are multiple access points to I-5 from downtown surface streets. Access to I-5 northbound includes entrances at Cherry Street, University Street, and Olive Way and exits at James Street, Madison Street, Seneca Street, and Olive Way. Access to I-5 southbound includes entrances at Yale Avenue, Spring Street, and James Street and exits at Stewart Street, Union Street, and Sixth Avenue/Columbia Street SR 99 SR 99 is a north-south state highway that serves important local and regional transportation functions. SR 99 travels through three counties: King, Pierce, and Snohomish. SR 99 serves as a commuting access between residential neighborhoods in Seattle and the downtown area. SR 99 also provides freight access between the Port of Seattle and industrial land use in the SoDo (South of Downtown) neighborhood to the south and points to the north. SR 99 also serves as a complementary route to I-5 through downtown Seattle. SR 99 within the study area is classified as Other Urban Expressway by WSDOT. In a portion of the study area, SR 99 is also known as the Alaskan Way Viaduct because, in this location, it is a grade-separated double-level viaduct with two to four lanes in each direction and no shoulders. Access between SR 99 and First Avenue in the study area is currently provided at Seneca Street (northbound off-ramp) and Columbia Street (southbound on-ramp). Access is also provided between SR 99 and surface streets in the north end of study area at Republican Street and Harrison Street. TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 4-3

36 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 4.0 REGIONAL FACILITIES AND TRAVEL 4.3 Environmental Consequences No Build Alternative Based on forecasts from the PSRC travel demand forecast model, the number of trips in the study area would be expected to grow at an approximate annual rate of 2.3 percent by the year 2018 and 1.3 percent by the year 2035, compared to the existing 2014 condition. As a result, under the No Build Alternative, I-5 and SR 99 would be more congested. Table 4.2 shows the expected increase along these roadways due to projected growth. The volume of traffic expected along regional roads as measured in Vehicle Hours Traveled in 2018 is projected to be 19,900 vehicles. In 2035, this would increase to 27,800. The volume of traffic as measured along a screen line (Screenline 2) for the No Build condition was projected at 6,320 vehicles in In 2035, volume was predicted to increase to 7,250. The volume of traffic along I-5 would increase as well, but by a smaller percentage. Volume-to-capacity (V/C) ratios indicate the capacity of a roadway to accommodate vehicle travel on that roadway. Both SR 99 and I-5 would be near capacity in 2035 in the No Build condition. As a result, general purpose traffic would experience longer trip durations on these facilities Locally Preferred Alternative Travel Demand Forecasts Future year auto demand volumes for the years 2018 and 2035 were based on the latest available travel demand forecast model from the PSRC. The underlying land use assumptions were updated to reflect the latest set of PSRC land-use forecasts as released under the land use targets forecast in the spring of 2014 (PSRC, 2014b). A list of transportation improvements that were included in the No Build Alternatives for 2018 and 2035 is presented above in Table 2-1. The Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Project would include a new tolled tunnel along the central waterfront, and the Seattle Central Waterfront Project will add a widened Alaskan Way surface street with modified access to downtown from the south near Dearborn Street. WSDOT provided the latest results from the SR 99 Traffic Tolling and Financial Analysis (AWV ACTT Committee, 2014) and these were incorporated into the travel demand forecasting results of the Center City Connector Project for consistency when estimating traffic diversion on downtown streets. Table 4-2 shows annual growth rates based on forecast daily trips from the 2014 Existing, 2018 No Build and 2035 No Build conditions. The total amount of trips in the study area would grow at an annual rate of 2.3 percent by the year 2018 and 1.3 percent by the year 2035, compared to the existing 2014 condition. Table 4-2 No Build Daily Trip Comparison Area 2014 Existing 2018 Condition 2035 Condition Vehicles Vehicles Annual Growth Rate (percent) Vehicles Annual Growth Rate (percent) Study Area 5,438,000 5,937, ,931, Source: PSRC (2014a). TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 4-4

37 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 4.0 REGIONAL FACILITIES AND TRAVEL Vehicle Miles Traveled and Vehicle Hours Traveled Center City Connector project impacts on regional travel were assessed in terms of VMT and VHT. Changes in VMT could indicate that people would travel either shorter distances or experience longer durations to get to their destinations. Changes in VHT generally reflect a change in congestion; for example, less congestion could correlate to fewer hours of travel. Table 4-3 compares the VMT and VHT in the study area for both 2018 and 2035 No Build Alternative and LPA. The results show that the VMT and VHT between the No Build Alternative and LPA would be similar (less than 1 percent difference in VMT and no difference in VHT). The project would not be expected to cause a noticeable change in the regional VMT and VHT. It is expected that the project would have minimal effect on the amount of auto trips occurring in the Puget Sound region. The LPA would reduce intra-city auto trips near the streetcar alignment because people would ride the streetcar in lieu of making multiple auto trips (e.g. a person who used to make an auto trip from SLU to Pioneer Square in the No Build Alternative would take the Streetcar instead in the LPA). This is further described in section Streetcar Ridership. However, the overall amount of trips forecasted in the study area for the No Build Alternative and LPA would not be noticeably different. Table and 2035 Travel Impact Comparison Summary Measure No Build LPA % Diff. No Build LPA % Diff. Daily VMT 517, , , , Daily VHT 19,900 19, ,800 27, Source: PSRC (2014a) Regional Roadways No modifications to I-5 in the study area were assumed to occur by year 2018 or 2035 as part of this analysis. The Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Project is expected to be completed by the Opening Year SR 99 would be replaced by a bored tunnel between Dearborn to Harrison Street. The tunnel would include two lanes in each direction and would be a tolled facility. The existing Alaskan Way Viaduct would be removed. Full northbound and southbound access to and from SR 99 would be provided between S Royal Brougham Way and S King Street. The Seattle Central Waterfront Program is anticipated to reconfigure and widen Alaskan Way S. The southbound on-ramp to and northbound off-ramp from SR 99 would feed directly into Definitions V/C: Volume of traffic demand over Capacity of the roadway. Screenlines: Screenlines are imaginary lines drawn across roads to compare traffic volumes crossing into and out of a study area. a reconfigured Alaskan Way S just south of S Dearborn Street. Alaskan Way S between S King Street and Columbia Street would include two GP lanes and one curbside BAT lane in each direction that allows buses to travel through and GP vehicles to turn right. Left-turn lanes would also be provided, as well as two northbound ferry holding lanes between S Main Street and Yesler Way to provide left-turn ingress at the Seattle Multimodal Terminal at Colman Dock. TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 4-5

38 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 4.0 REGIONAL FACILITIES AND TRAVEL Alaskan Way between Columbia Street and Union Street would include two lanes in each direction plus left-turn lanes and on-street parking. A new signalized intersection would be constructed on Alaskan Way S at Dearborn Street that provides access to First Avenue, as well. Table 4-4 shows the change in forecast demand volume and V/C ratio for the regional facilities in the study area (I-5 and SR 99) along a screenline south of Seneca Street during both future years (2018 and 2035). On both SR 99 and I-5, the reduction in the number of lanes on First Avenue in the LPA would have a negligible effect on regional facilities as demand and V/C ratios would be similar (less than 1 percent change) for the No Build Alternative and LPA. The V/C ratios, which measure the ability of the roadway to carry a projected traffic volume, 3 would be nearly the same for the No Build Alternative and LPA on both I-5 and SR 99. This holds for both the year of opening in 2018 and the design year of With the LPA, the number of trips in the region would remain the same but a small number of people within the study area that used to use First Avenue in the No Build Alternative may decide to use other streets in the LPA. Table and 2035 PM Peak Hour Regional Facility Screenline Comparison South of Seneca Street Road No Build LPA No Build LPA Volume V/C Volume V/C Volume V/C Volume V/C SR 99 6, , , , I-5 17, , , , Notes: Volumes are for both northbound and southbound directions combined for the PM peak 1-hour period Regional Roadways During Construction Travel demand modeling is not sensitive to short-term changes that would occur during construction. The construction impacts of the project would only affect the local roads near the construction area; therefore, construction impacts on regional facilities would be negligible. 3 A V/C ratio of 1 means the roadway is at capacity. TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 4-6

39 5 TRANSIT SYSTEMS 5.1 Methodology The proposed Seattle Center City Connector Project would modify bus transit service within the vicinity of the study area. This section reviews projected streetcar ridership and assesses the impact of the Center City Connector on bus transit service and bus passengers. Transit service affected by the Center City Connector Project would include service operated by King County Metro and other regional operators, particularly Sound Transit and Community Transit. The assumptions for the analysis include the following: Time of day: The analysis evaluated conditions from 5 to 6 p.m. during the weekday PM peak period, which is assumed to have the highest passenger load and traffic volumes. Upcoming service cuts and other service changes: Future bus volumes incorporate the September 2014 service reductions as well as preliminary assumptions for additional service resulting from the passage of the Proposition 1 ballot measure. Assumptions were also made about potential changes to bus service in 2018 and 2035 as a result of Sound Transit Link extension openings and other transportation projects, including closure of the Alaskan Way Viaduct. Buses shifting from the DSTT to surface streets: No future changes to DSTT operations are assumed for 2018 conditions. By 2035, it is assumed that remaining routes in the DSTT would be rerouted to surface streets, based on their current routing when the DSTT closes to bus service. 4 No additional bus service on First Avenue was assumed at this time as a result of the planned tunnel closure to buses. This assessment includes assessments of the following potential impacts: Changes to existing transit service Changes to existing passenger boarding patterns Streetcar trips by access mode (e.g., walk, transfer from other transit) Bus vehicle delay Bus passenger delay Electric trolley bus and streetcar integration 4 King County Metro currently (as of Fall 2015) expects tunnel bus operations may be discontinued no later than 2019 and possibly sooner. TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 5-1

40 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 5.0 TRANSIT SYSTEMS 5.2 Affected Environment Existing Transit Service and Facilities Existing Streetcar Service Existing Seattle streetcar service connects the Westlake Intermodal Hub to the SLU area. The SLU Streetcar line operates bi-directionally along Westlake Avenue from McGraw Square to Thomas Street, where it transitions to a two-way couplet. Northbound service on the couplet operates along Terry Street, and southbound service operates along Westlake Avenue. Service continues bi-directionally along Valley Street and Fairview Avenue, where it terminates at Aloha Street in the SLU area. In 2014 the SLU streetcar carried an average of nearly 2,500 weekday daily riders. The SLU Streetcar is maintained and/or repaired at the existing OMF located at Fairview Avenue and Harrison Street. By early 2016, additional Seattle streetcar service is planned to begin. The First Hill Streetcar line would connect downtown Seattle to First Hill and Capitol Hill via S Jackson Street and Broadway. The line would travel along S Jackson Street, 14th Avenue S, Yesler Way, and Broadway, where it would terminate at Denny Way in Capitol Hill. The Denny Way terminus would provide direct connections to the planned Link light rail station in Capitol Hill Other Existing Transit Facilities In addition to the SLU and First Hill streetcar services, a number of bus corridors exist in downtown Seattle. Figure 5-1 illustrates the existing transit corridors and intermodal transportation hubs in downtown Seattle, which include: Westlake Intermodal Hub: Southern terminus of the Seattle Center Monorail and an underground station for Central Link light rail service and local and regional bus service. King Street Station Intermodal Hub: King Street Station is served by Amtrak trains and intercity buses and Sound Transit Sounder commuter rail. The International District- Chinatown Station, located across 4 th Avenue, provides connections to the Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel. Colman Dock Intermodal Hub: Ferry terminal used by Washington State Ferries and the King County Water Taxi for service across Puget Sound, to West Seattle, Vashon and Bainbridge Islands, and Bremerton. Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel (DSTT): Underground transit tunnel serving the existing terminus of Sound Transit Central Link light rail service, King County Metro bus service, and regional express bus service (operated by King County Metro, Sound Transit, and Community Transit). Seattle Center Monorail: Elevated monorail connecting the Westlake Intermodal Hub to Seattle Center along Fifth Avenue. First Avenue: Primarily north-south bi-directional corridor served by King County Metro local bus services. These services are described in Section Third Avenue: North-south bi-directional corridor serving primarily King County Metro local bus and RapidRide services. TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 5-2

41 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 5.0 TRANSIT SYSTEMS Figure 5-1 Major Existing and Planned Transit Service along Proposed Alignment TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 5-3

42 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 5.0 TRANSIT SYSTEMS Second and Fourth Avenues: North-south couplet serving King County Metro express services and regional commuter service (Sound Transit and Community Transit). Regional services also use Fifth Avenue. Stewart Street/Olive Way: East-west corridor connecting many express routes from downtown Seattle to I-5, as well as local services. Pike and Pine Streets: East-west couplet serving many King County Metro local services; directly connects to the Westlake Intermodal Hub and major downtown visitor locations. Other major east-west transit corridors: Pike Street/Union Street (express routes); Seneca Street/Spring Street, Madison Street/Marion Street, Yesler Way, James Street/Jefferson Street, Jackson Street Transit Service Levels The existing SLU Streetcar line operates 7 days a week at 15 minute headways. The First Hill Streetcar line is expected to operate 7 days a week with 10-minute peak headways once it begins operations in fall The daily service levels are shown below in Table 5-1. Table 5-1 Existing or Planned Streetcar Operating Plan Monday Thursday SLU Line Friday Saturday Sunday and Holiday Service Span 6 a.m. 9 p.m. 6 a.m. 11 p.m. 6 a.m. 11 p.m. 10 a.m. 7 p.m. Daily Hours Daily Headway 15 min a 15 min a 15 min 15 min First Hill Line Service Span 5 a.m. 1 a.m. 5 a.m. 1 a.m. 5 a.m. 1 a.m. 10 a.m. 8 p.m. Daily Hours Peak Headway Peak: 10 min b Midday: 12 min Other: 15 min Peak: 10 min b Midday: 12 min Other: 15 min Peak: 12 min Other: 15 min 15 min a SLU employers are currently funding a demonstration program that increases afternoon service levels to 10-minute headways, weekdays between 3 and 6 p.m. b First Hill Streetcar weekday peak hours are AM: 6 9 a.m. and PM: 3 6 p.m. Table 5-2 details the transit routes currently operating along the proposed alignment. Table 5-2 details transit routes that currently operate along First Avenue and Stewart Street. King County Metro routes 12, 16, 66, 113, 121, 122, 123, and 125 operate along segments of First Avenue. In particular: King County Metro Route 99 currently operates between Belltown and Chinatown- International Street District along First Avenue and S Jackson Street. The service TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 5-4

43 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 5.0 TRANSIT SYSTEMS operates during weekday peak periods year-round, approximately every 20 to 30 minutes, and during the midday and on weekends during the summer. King County Metro Route 12 uses First Avenue as a turnaround between Madison and Spring Streets. King County Metro Routes 16 and 66 operate on nine northbound and three southbound blocks of First Avenue. King County Metro Routes 113, 121, 122, 123, and 125 operate on six blocks of First Avenue in the northbound direction. King County Metro Routes 4, 7, 10, 11, 43, 47, and 49. In addition, several electric trolley bus (ETB) routes use First Avenue for deadheading, which means the buses use First Avenue to turn around and sometimes have layover time before continuing in the opposite direction on their route. Existing transit services also operate along parallel and intersecting transit streets near the LPA. Many north-south bus routes either cross Stewart Street on Third Avenue (about 40 routes) or use portions of Stewart Street in the westbound direction along the LPA. This includes about 50 routes that operate southbound on Second Avenue and about 45 routes that operate on Fourth Avenue. The routes that operate along westbound Stewart Street and overlap with the LPA are detailed in Table 5-2 and summarized below: King County Metro Routes 25, 66, 70, 304, and 355 overlap with the LPA between Westlake and Third Avenues, and turn onto southbound Third Avenue. King County Metro Routes 177, 178, and 308 overlap with the LPA between Westlake and Second Avenues, serve a stop west of Fourth Avenue, and turn onto southbound Second Avenue. Community Transit Routes 402, 405, 410, 412, 413, 415, 416, 417, 421, 422, 424, 425, and 435 overlap with the LPA between Westlake and Second Avenues, serve a stop west of Fourth Avenue, and turn onto southbound Second Avenue. Sound Transit Routes 510, 511, 512, 513, and 545 overlap with the LPA between Westlake and Fifth Avenues, and turn onto southbound Fifth Avenue. Sound Transit Routes 590, 592, 594, and 595 overlap with the LPA between Third and Second Avenues and turn from southbound Third Avenue onto westbound Stewart Street and then onto southbound Second Avenue. Table 5-2 Existing Bus Routes and Stops along Proposed Alignment Operator / Route Segment Travelled Stops Daily Trips Segment Traveled Stops Daily Trips 1st Avenue Northbound 1st Avenue Southbound KCM 12 Madison to Marion NA 74 (1 block) KCM 16 Jackson to Seneca (9 blocks) Marion 52 Madison to Cherry Marion 53 (3 blocks) KCM 66 Jackson to Seneca (9 blocks) Marion 37 Madison to Cherry (3 blocks) Marion 38 TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 5-5

44 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 5.0 TRANSIT SYSTEMS Operator / Route Segment Travelled Stops KCM 99 Jackson to Broad (25 blocks) Cherry, Marion, University, Lenora, Cedar Daily Trips Segment Traveled Stops Daily Trips 18 Wall to Jackson (21 blocks) Wall, Lenora, Union, Marion, Yesler KCM 113 Seneca to Virginia (6 blocks) University 4 KCM 121 Seneca to Virginia (6 blocks) University 17 KCM 122 Seneca to Virginia (6 blocks) University 6 KCM 123 Seneca to Virginia (6 blocks) University 4 KCM 125 Seneca to Virginia (6 blocks) University 39 Stewart Street Westbound KCM 25 Westlake-Third 12 KCM 66 Westlake-Third 38 KCM 70 Westlake-Third 60 KCM 177 Westlake-Second Fourth 9 KCM 178 Westlake-Second Fourth 7 KCM 304 Westlake-Third 4 KCM 308 Westlake-Second Fourth 4 KCM 355 Westlake-Third 9 CT 402 Westlake-Second Fourth 14 CT 405 Westlake-Second Fourth 4 CT 410 Westlake-Second Fourth 8 CT 412 Westlake-Second Fourth 10 CT 413 Westlake-Second Fourth 13 CT 415 Westlake-Second Fourth 10 CT 416 Westlake-Second Fourth 5 CT 417 Westlake-Second Fourth 5 CT 421 Westlake-Second Fourth 8 CT 422 Westlake-Second Fourth 2 CT 424 Westlake-Second Fourth 2 CT 425 Westlake-Second Fourth 4 CT 435 Westlake-Second Fourth 6 ST 510 Westlake-Fifth 21 ST 511 Westlake-Fifth 18 ST 512 Westlake-Fifth 53 ST 513 Westlake-Fifth 11 ST 545 Westlake-Fifth 84 ST 590 Third-Second 36 ST 592 Third-Second 16 ST 594 Third-Second 33 ST 595 Third-Second 5 Notes: KCM = King County Metro. ST = Sound Transit. CT = Community Transit. Electric Trolley Bus Routes 4, 7, 10, 11, 43, 47, and 49 may use First Avenue for deadheading (non-revenue service). Some routes that normally use the DSTT operate trips on Stewart Street when the tunnel is closed late at night or at other times, including Routes 71, 72, 73, 74, 101, 102, 106, and 150. Routes 71, 72, 73, 106, and 150 serve a bus stop west of Fourth Avenue when they operate on Stewart Street. Source: King County Metro Schedules; fall 2014 after September service cuts. Community Transit and Sound Transit Schedules. NA = Not applicable 18 TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 5-6

45 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 5.0 TRANSIT SYSTEMS 5.3 Environmental Consequences Future Transit Service and Facilities No Build Alternative A number of transit service changes are planned as a result of several future transit projects in the study area. Streetcar, light rail, bus rapid transit, and other projects will require adjustments to the future transit network in downtown Seattle. These adjustments are expected regardless of proposed Center City Connector streetcar service. Specific to streetcar projects, a half-mile extension of the First Hill line from Denny Way to Roy Street along Broadway is currently in the design and environmental review stage. The extension is expected to open in late In addition, related to bus service using First Avenue, when the Alaskan Way Viaduct and the Columbia and Seneca Street ramps to and from Alaska Way Viaduct are removed, Columbia Street will be the permanent southend transit pathway between Alaskan Way and Third Avenue. 5 Table 5-3 details the changes to No Build Alternative transit service for both 2018 and 2035 conditions. Figure 5-2 and Figure 5-3 illustrate the planned transit service changes under the No Build Alternative for 2018 and 2035 conditions, respectively. Table 5-3 No Build Alternative Assumed Transit Service Changes Service Direction Bus Service Changes Related to Link Light Rail Extensions Joint Bus/Rail Operations King County Metro expects DSTT - bus operations may be discontinued no later than 2019 and possibly sooner. a Link Light Rail University Extension (2016); Routes 71, 72, 73 Northgate Link (2021) Routes 41, 74, 76, 77, 312, 316, 355, 522 East Link (2023): Routes 111, 114, 212, 214, 216, 218, 219, 550, 554 i Lynnwood Link (2023): Metro Routes 301, 303, 304, 308. Community NB/SB NB/SB NB/SB NB/SB DSTT, 6-min peak and 10-min off-peak headways New U-Link network implemented i No change No change No change Exclusive Rail Operations DSTT, 6-min peak and 10- min off-peak headways New U-Link network implemented i No changes to Link headways b New Northgate Link network implemented b New East Link network implemented c New Lynnwood Link network implemented d 5 Currently, buses traveling on the Alaskan Way Viaduct use the Columbia and Seneca Street ramps for access to/from downtown Seattle. The Southend Pathway is a planned east-west transit corridor connecting buses to the Third Avenue transit spine. See TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 5-7

46 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 5.0 TRANSIT SYSTEMS Service Direction Transit Routes 402, 405, 410, 412, 413, 415, 416, 421, 422, 424, 425, 435, 510, 511, 512, 513 Changes Related to Center City Connector Project 12 SB 16, 66 i, j NB/SB 99 NB/SB No change Other Bus Service Changes Proposition 1 Transit Measure f Southend Pathway Routes 113, 121, 122, 123, 125 Existing routing using Madison and Spring St is assumed; potential rerouting is under consideration e New U-Link network implemented Existing routing using Madison and Spring St is assumed; potential rerouting is under consideration e No change Likely shifted to new Alaskan Way surface street or replaced by new service tied to Waterfront Seattle project - Existing Service f Existing Service f NB Rerouted off First Ave to Third Ave via Columbia g Rerouted off First Ave to Third Ave via Columbia g 1 NB = northbound; SB = southbound a Due to decreased Link headways with opening of University extension and Convention Place expansion construction needs. b Sound Transit Northgate Link Light Rail Extension Project. Bus routes assumed to terminate at Northgate Transit Center by c Sound Transit East Link Light Rail Extension Project. Bus routes assumed to terminate at Mercer Island. (Routes 111 and 114 are planned to extend to downtown Bellevue; Routes 210 and 215 were eliminated in fall 2014.) d Sound Transit Lynnwood Link Light Rail Extension Project. Bus routes assumed to terminate at Lynnwood Transit Center by year e Potential route modifications are being considered in SDOT s Madison Bus Rapid Transit Project. The project is currently in the conceptual design stage and implementation year is unknown. Route 12 will need to use First Avenue southbound between Madison and Marion Streets until the Madison BRT project is implemented. f Proposition 1 is a City of Seattle ballot measure approved in November 2014 to fund transit service enhancements. Specific changes had not been finalized as of December Assumptions were developed based on preliminary materials. Service after September 2014 service cuts was assumed, plus additional peak-hour bus service. Changes subsequently announced include split of RapidRide Line C and D and extension of Line C to terminus in South Lake Union (effective March 2016), and other service improvements. g Permanent Southend Pathway alignment post-alaskan Way Viaduct based on Downtown Southend Transit Study (King County Metro, 2012). Implementation time frames of interim and permanent southend pathways are dependent on the schedules of the AWV and Waterfront Seattle projects. Interim pathway required for about 18 months and would use the new Alaskan Way when completed. i Based on information from King County Metro, routes 16, 66, 71, 72, and 73 are likely to be revised in March 2016 with opening of the University Link. j Routes 16 and 66 are now on 1st Avenue because the SDOT seawall project eliminated their layover on Alaskan Way and Metro wanted to serve the Marion Street causeway. In March 2016, there may be other service at the causeway and routes 16 and 66 may be deleted or revised for reasons unrelated to the Center City Connector project. Source: Agency plans and schedules, including information provided by King County Metro on October 23, TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 5-8

47 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 5.0 TRANSIT SYSTEMS Figure 5-2 Changes to No Build Alternative Transit Service, 2018 TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 5-9

48 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 5.0 TRANSIT SYSTEMS Figure 5-3 Changes to No Build Alternative Transit Service, 2035 TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 5-10

49 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 5.0 TRANSIT SYSTEMS Overall, under the No Build Alternative travel times for bus service would degrade slightly in the corridor due to increases in overall auto demand volumes at intersections in the study area. As discussed in Section 6.3.2, Local Travel Patterns, overall auto demand volumes at intersections in the study area would increase by approximately 2.3 percent annually from the 2014 existing condition to the 2018 No Build Alternative and by 1.3 percent annually to the year The No Build Alternative would not provide direct connectivity between the two streetcar systems and the other transit modes because the First Hill and South Lake Union Streetcar lines would continue to operate as separate lines. Therefore, it would not increase efficiency and reliability in the streetcar system. While ridership would increase with projected growth over time in population and employment, the ridership potential from increased travel convenience between the South Lake Union and First Hill Streetcar lines would not be realized LPA The proposed Center City Connector is planned to provide a high level of transit service along exclusive, transit-only lanes within downtown Seattle. Section provides the details of the proposed operations plan. Beyond the planned transit projects already described as part of the No Build Alternative, additional bus transit service changes are expected in conjunction with the Center City Connector Project. Table 5-4 describes the transit service modifications that would occur with the Center City Connector Project. The service adjustments are expected to reduce duplication with proposed streetcar service and minimize conflicts. King County Metro (KCM) Route 99: Service is expected to be eliminated from First Avenue and will likely be returned to the Alaskan Way surface street when the seawall project and the new Alaskan Way are completed (the purpose of Route 99 was to replace the George Benson Streetcar, but it was relocated to First Avenue due to the seawall and the Alaskan Way Viaduct projects). In any case, most of the current Route 99 alignment on First Avenue would be operated by proposed Center City Connector Streetcar service. The unique segment north of Stewart Street along First Avenue is only two blocks from Third Avenue, a major transit corridor providing multiple high-frequency bus services. The current travel time between Chinatown-International District and the Seattle Center is slightly higher than the projected travel time with a combination of Center City Connector streetcar and bus service including transfer time. Route 99 also operates only during the morning and afternoon peak periods year-round, and during the midday and on weekends during the summer, while the streetcar would operate between 17 and 20 hours per day 7 days per week. Therefore, any impact associated with KCM Route 99 elimination would be minimized by future streetcar service. KCM Route 16 and 66: Both services currently operate along First Avenue and S Jackson Street between Seneca Street and Occidental Avenue, where proposed streetcar service would operate. In order to avoid impacts on streetcar operations, service for both bus routes would be rerouted to Third Avenue. A future terminal location is yet to be determined but would be in the vicinity of the existing terminus on S Jackson Street. (Based on King County TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 5-11

50 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 5.0 TRANSIT SYSTEMS Metro s planned route changes with opening of University Link in spring 2016, these routes are now planned to be deleted and replaced by a new Route 62 using alternative routing.) Madison Street Bus Rapid Transit (King County Metro Route 12): The Madison Street Bus Rapid Transit project is currently in the conceptual design phase. The service is expected to replace King County Metro Route 12 in downtown Seattle. The turnaround for the bus rapid transit alignment is still being planned but would be located somewhere in vicinity of the First Avenue/Madison Street intersection, where a streetcar station is proposed to be located. The current Route 12 turnaround makes a southbound left-turn from First Avenue onto Marion Street; with the Center City Connector this turning movement is proposed to be restricted, at least for general-purpose traffic. Bus Layover: Bus service currently does not layover along the proposed streetcar alignment, assuming the LPA alignment, which includes Design Option A. East-West Design Options An existing bus layover located along Pike Street at Third Avenue would be affected by proposed streetcar service if either Design Option C or D is selected; any necessary changes to avoid conflicts between streetcar and bus operations would be determined in coordination with King County Metro. No other changes would be expected to occur due to the design options. Table 5-4 Potential Bus Service Changes with the Project (LPA, including Design Option A) Service Direction a SB 16, 66 NB/SB Potential rerouting of turnaround from First Ave (Madison to Marion) a Re-route off First Ave onto Third Ave to southend turnaround b Potential rerouting of turn-around from First Ave (Madison to Marion) a Reroute off First Ave onto Third Ave to southend turnaround b 99 NB/SB Route eliminated or rerouted c Route eliminated or rerouted c a The proposed Madison Bus Rapid Transit Project is evaluating a variety of end-of-line turnaround options at the west end of the Madison corridor. b Turnaround is yet to be determined but would be within the vicinity of S Jackson Street. c King County Metro has suggested rerouting Route 99 to the new Alaskan Way surface street when the Center City Connector opens. Figure 5-4 and Figure 5-5 illustrate the bus service changes assumed as part of the Center City Connector proposal for 2018 and TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 5-12

51 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 5.0 TRANSIT SYSTEMS Figure 5-4 Changes to Transit Service with the LPA, 2018 TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 5-13

52 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 5.0 TRANSIT SYSTEMS Figure 5-5 Changes to Transit Service with the LPA, 2035 TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 5-14

53 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 5.0 TRANSIT SYSTEMS Streetcar Ridership Based upon the transit service changes described in the previous section, as well as the latest land use information available from PSRC (PSRC, 2014b), streetcar ridership forecasts were prepared for the 2018 and 2035 No Build Alternative and for the LPA streetcar system (SLU and First Hill Streetcars and the Center City Connector). A peer-based model was used to project additional visitor special market trips that are not fully captured in the STOPS model. Transit ridership is influenced by travel times and ease of transfers to streetcar boardings. This section provides an overview of projected ridership for the Seattle streetcar lines without and with the Center City Connector. Finally, the analysis reviews the likely modes of access to streetcar stations. These characteristics apply to the Center City Connector as whole as design options are not different enough to reflect differences in travel time or passenger boardings Systemwide Ridership and Project Trips Weekday daily ridership was projected for the No Build Alternative (SLU and First Hill Streetcar lines) and LPA (SLU, First Hill, and Center City Connector Streetcar lines) for 2018 and 2035 conditions. The ridership was developed using FTA s STOPS ridership model. 6 Table 5-5 details the results of the STOPS model ridership projections. Table 5-5 No Build and LPA Streetcar Daily Weekday Ridership, 2018/2035 No Build Streetcar System Scenario South Lake Union, First Hill a 6,700 8,400 11,200 Build Streetcar System not including Special Markets South Lake Union, First Hill, Center City Connector a 16,600 21,100 29,500 Project Trips c 11,000 14,000 20,100 Build Streetcar System including Special Markets Visitors b 2,800 3,200 5,000 Total with Special Markets 19,400 24,300 34,500 Build Streetcar System, Station Activity not including Special Markets SLU 4,800 6,400 9,600 Center City Connector (new stations only) 6,500 8,000 10,800 First Hill 5,400 6,800 9,300 a Source: FTA, 2015, Simplified Trips-on-Project Software. Version b Source: Seattle Center City Connector Transit Study, Detailed Evaluation Report, Appendix B: Other Rider Markets. c Within or through the Center City Connector segment. 6 As described in Chapter 3, STOPS refers to the Simplified Trips-on-Project Software (STOPS) ridership model developed by the FTA. Detailed information about the model is provided in Appendix C, Methods and Assumptions Technical Memorandum. TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 5-15

54 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 5.0 TRANSIT SYSTEMS Ridership is expected to be strong with the LPA because the project would connect two previous streetcar projects: the South Lake Union Streetcar, which opened in 2007, and the First Hill Streetcar, which is projected to open in late With the LPA, the systemwide streetcar ridership would increase from approximately 8,400 daily boardings in the 2018 No Build condition to approximately 21,100 daily boardings by year Systemwide streetcar ridership would increase from approximately 11,200 in the 2035 No Build condition to approximately 29,500 daily boardings by year Including the visitor special market, there would be approximately 24,300 daily boardings by year 2018 and about 34,500 boardings by The Center City Connector would be expected to generate high ridership at the project stations and increase ridership at existing South Lake Union Streetcar stations and the southern First Hill Streetcar stations. Figure 5-6 and Figure 5-7 illustrate future daily streetcar passenger boardings and project trips (within or through the Center City Connector segment) by streetcar station under 2018 and 2035 conditions. Project Trips: There would be up to 14,000 daily project trips occurring by year 2018 and 20,100 daily project trips occurring by year 2035 within or through the Center City Connector Streetcar segment, not including the visitor special market. The majority of trips on the project are projected to be from riders currently using another transit option. This includes trips on the existing South Lake Union or First Hill Streetcar lines that use the new segment to travel into downtown, even though the trip would have been on a streetcar before the project. Riders may also come from other routes that provide service to/through downtown Seattle where the Center City Connector segment would improve the trip. For example, in the No Build Alternative, a transit trip from the south end of the downtown area to the South Lake Union area would have been possible on Link light rail with a transfer to the South Lake Union Streetcar or with a long walk from the Link Westlake Station. The LPA would allow this trip to be completed without a transfer or a long walk. Station Activity: In the 2018 LPA, the three highest-ridership stops in the streetcar network would be new Center City Connector stops (First/Madison, Third/Fourth/Stewart, and Pioneer Square). Ridership would also be strong at the Westlake and Seventh and Westlake/Terry and Thomas stations. In the 2035 LPA, the same general pattern would be observed, but with substantial increases in ridership at several First Hill Streetcar line stations along Broadway, particularly at E Denny Way (future Link Light Rail stop) and at Marion Street. Passenger Boarding Patterns The STOPS ridership model estimates passenger boarding activity based on access mode, including walking (WLK), transferring from other transit services (XFR), and park-and-ride/kissand-ride use (PnR/KnR). Figure 5-8 and Figure 5-9 illustrate the transfer patterns by streetcar station for 2018 and 2035 conditions with the LPA. Projections show that over 60 percent of trips using Center City Connector stations (between the S Jackson Street/Fifth Avenue stop and the Westlake Intermodal Hub) would access the streetcar by walking in both 2018 and 2035 conditions, while about 40 percent would be projected to transfer from other transit services. The highest number of transfers is projected to occur at the Third/Fourth Avenue and Stewart Street stop. Other major transfer points (more than 400 daily transfers) between the streetcar and other transit services are expected to be the Pioneer Square, Occidental Mall (S Jackson Street and TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 5-16

55 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 5.0 TRANSIT SYSTEMS Figure 5-6 Future Daily Streetcar Boardings by Station, 2018 Figure 5-7 Future Daily Streetcar Boardings by Station, 2035) Source: STOPS Ridership Model for Center City Connector Project, Rounded to nearest 10. Source: STOPS Ridership Model for Center City Connector Project, Rounded to nearest 10. TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 5-17

56 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 5.0 TRANSIT SYSTEMS Figure 5-8 Project Trips, Transfer Patterns by Station, 2018 Figure 5-9 Project Trips, Transfer Patterns by Station, 2035 Fairview & Campus Drive Westlake/Terry & Mercer Westlake/Terry & Thomas Westlake & Denny 3rd/4th & Stewart* 14th & Washington Yesler & Broadway Broadway & Terrace Broadway & Marion Broadway & Pike-Pine Broadway & Denny Broadway & Harrison Broadway & Roy * New Station Lake Union Park Westlake & 7th Westlake Hub 1st & Pike* 1st & Madison* Pioneer Square* Occidental Mall 5th & Jackson 7th & Jackson 12th & Jackson WLK 2018 XFR 2018 PnR/KnR ,030 1,070 1,180 1,910 2,010 1,650 1,810 2,500 SOUTH LAKE UNION CENTER CITY CONNECTOR PROJECT FIRST HILL 0 1,000 2,000 3,000 4,000 5,000 6,000 7,000 Daily Trips Fairview & Campus Drive Westlake/Terry & Mercer Westlake/Terry & Thomas Westlake & Denny 3rd/4th & Stewart* 14th & Washington Yesler & Broadway Broadway & Terrace Broadway & Marion Broadway & Pike-Pine Broadway & Denny Broadway & Harrison Broadway & Roy * New Station Lake Union Park Westlake & 7th Westlake Hub 1st & Pike* 1st & Madison* Pioneer Square* Occidental Mall 5th & Jackson 7th & Jackson 12th & Jackson WLK 2035 XFR 2035 PnR/KnR 650 1, ,290 1,000 1,530 1,830 2,230 2,020 2,710 2,640 3,080 2,860 SOUTH LAKE UNION CENTER CITY CONNECTOR PROJECT FIRST HILL 0 1,000 2,000 3,000 4,000 5,000 6,000 7,000 Daily Trips Source: STOPS Ridership Model for Center City Connector Project (2015). Note: Not including visitor special market. TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 5-18

57 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 5.0 TRANSIT SYSTEMS Occidental Avenue), First Avenue/Madison Street, Westlake Hub, and Jackson Street/Fifth Avenue stops because these locations have substantial local and regional bus, rail, and/or ferry activity. By 2035, Broadway and Denny Way (located near the Capitol Hill Link station) would be a major transfer point. Park-and-ride (PnR) /kiss-and-ride (KnR) boarding activity would be minimal because there are no park-and-rides in the Seattle Center City area; due to the densely urbanized nature of the Center City Connector corridor, the project would not include additional parking facilities Transit Levels of Service Bus and Bus Passenger Delay Bus and bus passenger delay metrics were evaluated for the PM peak hour (5 to 6 p.m.) in 2018 and 2035 conditions; this time period represents the most congested conditions on a typical day. Aggregate travel times were calculated by multiplying PM peak-hour bus volumes for blocks along the alignment and intersecting transit streets by the estimated transit delay based on the VISSIM traffic modeling (reported in Section 6.3). Bus passenger delay was based on average daily passenger load data from year 2013 conditions for each route. The analysis assumes bus service changes included in Table 5-3 (No Build Alternative) and Table 5-4 (LPA) but does not assume other changes to existing bus volumes or to passenger volumes per trip. 7 To assess the impact of the streetcar on bus service operating along and crossing the streetcar alignment, changes to bus travel times were evaluated for the LPA (including Design Option A) and for East-West Design Options B, C, and D. Bus Operations along LPA and Design Option Alignments This section evaluates impacts on bus operations along the alignment for the LPA and each of the east-west design option alignments. In the No Build conditions, none of the service changes described in Table 5-3 under Changes Related to Center City Connector Project would be implemented. In the Build conditions, delay is primarily related to routes utilizing or crossing portions of the east-west design options. Table 5-6 and Table 5-7 illustrate the change in aggregate bus and bus passenger travel time for 2018 and 2035 conditions, respectively, between the No Build Alternative and build alternatives. 8 Buses traveling along the LPA alignment primarily use Stewart Street and Olive Way. Overall westbound delay along Stewart Street (between Westlake and Second Avenues) would decrease by an aggregate of about 11 percent in the 2018 year of opening and increase by approximately 8 percent in the 2035 design year, compared to the No Build Alternative. This represents a reduction of about 5 seconds per vehicle in 2018 and an increase of about 20 seconds per vehicle in In particular, as shown in Table 5-8, westbound bus delay would increase between Third 7 This analysis assumed that transit signal priority [TSP] would be implemented at many intersections along the alignment; however, SDOT is currently planning to coordinate signals instead of implementing TSP, which would likely result in lower delay to cross-streets and reduced impacts. 8 This analysis assumes the Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel is still open to some bus transit, but all buses are surface running in TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 5-19

58 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 5.0 TRANSIT SYSTEMS and Second Avenues, by about 17 seconds per vehicle in both 2018 and In 2035 westbound delay along Stewart would also increase slightly between Westlake and Fifth Avenues (about 1 second per vehicle) and between Fifth and Fourth Avenues (about 4 seconds per vehicle). Impacts on bus operations were evaluated on transit streets that cross the LPA and east-west design option alignments. The streets included are Second Avenue southbound, Third Avenue northbound and southbound, Fourth Avenue northbound, and Fifth Avenue southbound, between Pike and Stewart Streets, and Columbia Street from Second to Western Avenues. The analysis focuses on the streets intersecting the LPA to the north of Columbia Street. For buses crossing the LPA in the north end (Stewart Street), there would be an overall increase in bus delay with the project in both the 2018 Year of Opening and 2035 Design Year of approximately 5 percent and 7 percent, respectively (not including a small reduction at Columbia Street). 9 The streetcar would not have an adverse impact on bus travel along most streets intersecting the streetcar alignment. However, the greatest impact would be at Second Avenue increase of about 40 and 52 seconds per vehicle in 2018 and 2035, respectively. Minimal impacts would be expected for streets intersecting the southern end of the alignment (S Jackson Street) because the LPA would not change traffic cycle lengths or signal priority along S Jackson Street, except for streetcar headways increasing to 5 minutes between First and Eighth Avenues. Similarly, Madison and Marion Streets are expected to have minimal impact to transit and are not included in this analysis. Table 5-6 (2018) and Table 5-7 (2035) summarize the analysis results. Table 5-8 provides an overall comparison between the LPA and the three east-west design option alignments for 2018 and 2035 conditions. All alternatives would reduce bus travel times along the alignment; this is primarily because buses that travel along the streetcar alignment could take advantage of transit-only lanes and signal priority provided with the project. For cross-streets, compared to the 2018 No Build Alternative, the 2018 LPA would result in an overall approximately 4 percent increase in aggregate bus travel time. The increase would be comparable or slightly less for Design Options B, C, and D. With 2035 conditions, there would be an approximately 6 percent aggregate increase in bus travel time for the LPA compared to the No Build Alternative, with a comparable or slightly higher impact for Design Options B, C, and D In 2035, it is assumed that Link extensions would reduce regional bus volumes in downtown Seattle, due to routes that are truncated outside of downtown, including some bus routes that currently travel in the DSTT. However, bus volumes are still assumed to increase due to buses displaced from the DSTT onto surface streets when the Link extensions open. 10 Current analysis of the LPA has been updated to reflect changes in design (30 percent design) and/or assumptions subsequent to initial comparative analysis of all design options. TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 5-20

59 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 5.0 TRANSIT SYSTEMS Table 5-4 Peak-Hour Bus and Bus Passenger Travel Time Comparison for LPA (No Build vs. Build), 2018, 5-6 p.m. 2018, PM Peak Hour Along Alignment d Bus Volumes a Bus Travel Time per Vehicle b Aggregate Bus Travel Time c Pass. Volumes f Aggregate Bus Pass. Travel Time Veh. per hour Seconds Hours Pass. per hour Hours No Build No Build Build Chg % Chg. No Build Build Chg. % Chg. No Build No Build Build Chg % Chg Southbound/Westbound % % WB Stewart - Westlake to 2nd % % % WB Stewart - Westlake to 5th % % 1, % WB Stewart - 5th Ave to 4th % % 1, % WB Stewart - 4th Ave to 3rd % % 1, % WB Stewart - 3rd Ave to 2nd % % % SB 1st - Madison to Marion % % % Northbound/Eastbound % % EB Stewart/Olive 3rd to 5th % % % EB Stewart/Olive - 3rd to 4th % % % EB Olive - 4th to 5th % % 1, % NB 1st - Stewart to Pine % % % Crossing Alignment e 2nd & Stewart - SB % % 36,042 1,047 1, % 3rd & Stewart - SB % % 7, % 3rd & Stewart - NB % % 23,815 1,084 1, % 4th & Stewart - NB % % 46,292 1,358 1, % 5th & Stewart - SB % % 6, % Columbia & 1st - WB % % 1, % Totals % - 4,025 4, % TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 5-21

60 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 5.0 TRANSIT SYSTEMS Table 5-5 Aggregate Peak-Hour Bus and Bus Passenger Travel Time Comparison for LPA (No Build vs. Build), 2035, 5-6 p.m. 2035, PM Peak Hour Along Alignment d Bus Volumes a Bus Travel Time per Vehicle b Aggregate Bus Travel Time c Veh. per hour Seconds Hours Pass. Volumes f Pass. per hour Aggregate Bus Pass. Travel Time No Build No Build Build Chg % Chg. No Build Build Chg. % Chg. No Build No Build Build Chg % Chg Hours Southbound/Westbound % % WB Stewart - Westlake to 2nd % % % WB Stewart - Westlake to 5th % % 1, % WB Stewart - 5th Ave to 4th % % 1, % WB Stewart - 4th Ave to 3rd % % 1, % WB Stewart - 3rd Ave to 2nd % % % SB 1st - Madison to Marion % % % Northbound/Eastbound % % EB Stewart/Olive 3rd to 5th % % % EB Stewart/Olive - 3rd to 4th % % % EB Olive - 4th to 5th % % % NB 1st - Stewart to Pine % % % Crossing Alignment e 2nd & Stewart - SB % % 24,174 1,376 1, % 3rd & Stewart - SB % % 7, % 3rd & Stewart - NB % % 23,815 1,129 1, % 4th & Stewart - NB % % 34,644 1, % 5th & Stewart - SB % % 4, % Columbia & 1st - WB % % 1, % Totals % - 4,000 4, % TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 5-22

61 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 5.0 TRANSIT SYSTEMS Notes for Tables 5-6 and 5-7: NB = Northbound; EB = Eastbound; SB = Southbound; WB = Westbound a Fall 2014 bus volumes for King County Metro, Sound Transit, and Community Transit, after September 2014 service cuts, with preliminary assumptions for additional peak-hour service due to Proposition 1 (as of December 2014). b Travel times from VISSIM analysis. c On First Avenue, routes assumed to be eliminated or rerouted from 1st Avenue with the LPA (16, 66, 99, 113, 121, 123, and 125) are also excluded from the aggregate travel time calculations for the No Build Alternative. In 2035, buses currently using the transit tunnel that are not assumed to be truncated or eliminated (see Table 5-3) are assumed to use the surface streets these routes currently when the transit tunnel is closed. These remaining routes are assumed to be 101,102,106,150, and 255. Routes 41, 71, 72, 73, 74, 76, 77, 216, 218, 219, 316, and 550 are assumed to be truncated or eliminated. d Along alignment includes Jackson from First Avenue to Occidental Avenue, First Avenue from Jackson Street to Stewart Street, Stewart Street from First Avenue to Westlake Avenue, e Across alignment includes Stewart Street/Olive Way along Second, Third, Fourth, and Fifth Avenues, between approximately Pike Street - Virginia Street and Columbia Street between Second Avenue and Western Avenue. Volumes represent the maximum number of buses per hour along each cross-street segment. f Based on average passenger loads on each route running along or across the alignment. Table 5-6 Aggregate Peak Hour Bus Travel Time Comparison for LPA and Design Options (No Build vs. Build), Hours, 2018 and 2035, 5-6 p.m. Along Alignment 2018 Aggregate Bus Travel Time, Hours 2035 Aggregate Bus Travel Time, Hours No Build Build Change % Change No Build Build Change % Change Design Option A % % Design Option B % % Design Option C % % Design Option D % % Across Alignment Design Option A % % Design Option B % % Design Option C % % Design Option D % % Notes: Bus travel times along the alignment include blocks used by the streetcar in each design option: Jackson from First Avenue to Occidental Avenue, First Avenue from Jackson Street to Stewart Street, Stewart Street from Second Avenue to Westlake Avenue, Fourth Avenue from Pike Street to Stewart Street, Fifth Avenue from Olive Way to Pine Street, Pine Street from Third Avenue to Fifth Avenue, and/or Pike Street from Second Avenue to Fourth Avenue. Analysis of the LPA has been updated to reflect changes in design (30 percent design) and/or assumptions subsequent to initial comparative analysis of all design options. TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 5-23

62 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 5.0 TRANSIT SYSTEMS Impacts on Electric Trolley Bus Trolley buses operate revenue service along two portions of First Avenue, as shown on Figure The portion between Madison and Marion is used by Route 12, while the portion between Pine and Stewart Street is used by Routes 4 and 49. Routes 7, 36, and 70 travel along Stewart Street. Trolley Wire Conflicts Table 5-9 lists 11 intersections along the proposed streetcar alignment where there would be a conflict with existing electric trolley bus (ETB) or legacy trolley wire. These locations would require special crossing hardware and/or shifting of the ETB wires to allow movement of both the streetcar and ETB systems through the intersection. Minimizing the number of conflicts would reduce the project s capital costs and maintenance costs. The analysis provided is based on the assumption of a fully wired Center City Connector streetcar (i.e., northbound and southbound directions being wired with OCS. Wireless operation segments that could reduce the requirements for wire shifts and crossings may be evaluated in future project design phases, which could reduce the requirements for wire shifts and crossings. In any event, the LPA would not affect the ability for ETB routes (including 4, 7, 10, 11, 43, 47, and 49) to deadhead on First Avenue. In addition, there are locations along the alignment where shifting the ETB OCS would be required to maintain clearance with streetcar OCS, and existing ETB crossings would require shifting or replacement to accommodate new streetcar crossing hardware. Table 5-9 summarizes the conflicts at each intersection assuming a fully wired streetcar alignment and that the existing ETB infrastructure remains. Each intersection was assigned a complexity rating based on the quantity of streetcar/etb crossings, ETB shifts required, and whether there are existing ETB crossings at the intersection. A high rating is less desirable. Many of the potential conflicts listed in Table 5-9 could be avoided if portions of the streetcar service operated off-wire. By optimizing the wireless portions of the LPA, the number of conflicts would be reduced. Less hardware or wire shifting would be required, and capital costs for the LPA and maintenance costs for both the ETB system and the Center City Connector would be reduced. A range of conceptual off-wire scenarios were evaluated by the City of Seattle in the Overhead Contact System Infrastructure Options Report attached in Appendix D (SDOT, 2015a). One likely wireless concept would provide off-wire operations along First Avenue, Stewart Street, and Olive Way, with the exception of a northbound segment between Madison Street and Pike Street stations, reducing the conflict points to two (First Avenue and Pike Street, and First Avenue and Union Street). Another variation of this wireless concept would operate on-wire in the northbound direction between Pioneer Square and the Second Avenue and Stewart Street stations and would result in nine conflicts (assuming removal of the unused wires at First Avenue and Cherry Street). TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 5-24

63 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 5.0 TRANSIT SYSTEMS Figure 5-10 Existing ETB Revenue Service Routes 36 LEGEND ETB NORMAL Source: ETB Utilization Technical Memorandum (2015b) TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 5-25

64 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 5.0 TRANSIT SYSTEMS Table 5-9 Streetcar and ETB OCS Conflicts by Intersection No. Intersection NB Crossings SB Crossings ETB Shift Required Existing ETB/ETB Crossings Complexity Rating 1 Westlake and Stewart 1 0 Yes No 2 2 3rd and Stewart 3 3 Yes Yes 8 3 2nd and Stewart 1 0 Yes No 2 4 1st and Stewart 2 3 Yes Yes 7 5 1st and Pine 1 1 Yes Yes 4 6 1st and Pike 1 1 Yes Yes 4 7 1st and Union a 1 1 Yes Yes 4 8 1st and Madison 1 1 Yes Yes 4 9 1st and Marion 1 1 Yes Yes st and Cherry b 1 1 Yes Yes st and Main 1 1 Yes No 3 Total 27 Source: SDOT (2015a). a ETB OCS maintained for emergency use. b ETB OCS not in use. Trolley Bus Deadhead Operations The proposed Center City Connector streetcar alignment along First Avenue is also a deadheading corridor for ETB vehicles, meaning that several routes use the trolley wire along First Avenue to return to the bus base or the start of a route, but do not pick up passengers. Routes currently using First Avenue ETB wire for deadheading include King County Metro Routes 7, 10, 11, 43, 47, and 49, as shown on Figure A technical memorandum on OCS infrastructure is included as an Appendix D. This memorandum, developed in coordination with Metro, documents which wire and turns will be preserved to maintain Metro s ability to use First Avenue for trolley bus operations. TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 5-26

65 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 5.0 TRANSIT SYSTEMS Figure 5-11 Existing ETB Deadhead Routes 10, 43, 49 2, 10, 12, 43, 49 LEGEND ETB DEAD HEAD Source: OCS Infrastructure Options Report, Concept 10A (SDOT, 2015a). TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 5-27

66 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 5.0 TRANSIT SYSTEMS 5.4 Construction Impacts Construction of the streetcar along First Avenue, Stewart Street, and Olive Way would be completed in four separate segments, as described in Section Transit impacts along the corridor could include weekday and weekend stop closures, which would require signage and in some instances temporary transit stop locations. The longest distance between existing stops is between Marion Street and Union Street (about 0.3 mile); closure of either of these stops could require identification of a temporary stop location. Temporary construction haul routes for the Center City Connector would likely be along Westlake Avenue and Stewart Street for the north segments and Yesler Street and First Avenue S for the southern segments. Short-term and weekend detours could be required for routes operating in the corridor (see Table 5-2) and for routes that use portions of the corridor for deadheading; First Avenue is currently the only north-south corridor used for ETB deadheading. Southbound closures on First Avenue and intersection closures that prevent through-traffic would require coordination with King County Metro to identify alternative deadhead routes. Construction impacts in the four construction segments are described below in more detail Segment 1 Pioneer Square Construction Segment 1 includes S Jackson Street and First Avenue from the planned terminus station of the First Hill Streetcar line and Columbia Street (see Section 2.2.5). King County Metro Routes 16, 66, and 99 would be affected by this stage of construction. Routes 16 and 66 run through the entire Segment 1 northbound area with stops at Jackson Street and Occidental Avenue and at First Avenue and Yesler Way. Route 99 runs through the entire segment northbound and southbound, with northbound stops at Jackson Street and Occidental Avenue and at First Avenue and Yesler Way, and a southbound stop at First Avenue and Yesler Way. In addition to these routes, several ETB routes use this segment of First Avenue for southbound deadhead trips, including Routes 4, 7, 10, 43, 47, and Southbound traffic would be maintained along First Avenue, with northbound traffic closed and detoured to Alaskan Way between S King Street and Marion Street from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. The southbound traffic would run on the side of the street opposite of where road construction activities are occurring where a median would separate traffic from construction. Outside of construction hours, one northbound lane would be operational in this area. Buses would be able to use the general travel detour along Alaskan Way or an alternate route identified in coordination with King County Metro. Alternate ETB deadhead routes would also need to be identified in coordination with King County Metro. At this point in design, three work zones along First Avenue have been identified within Segment 1:Zone A: S Jackson Street to S Washington Street Zone B: S Washington Street to Yesler Way Zone C: Yesler Way to Columbia Street 11 Service on Route 47 was discontinued in fall 2014, but weekday service is expected to resume in June 2015 TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 5-28

67 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 5.0 TRANSIT SYSTEMS Zones A and B During construction hours, northbound buses (16, 66, and 99) would need to operate on a detour route to avoid the closure of First Avenue between Jackson Street and Yesler Way. Depending on the detour route, a temporary bus stop may need to be identified in the vicinity of Jackson Street and Occidental Avenue. The Yesler Way stop is north of the proposed closure, between Yesler Way and Cherry Street. Route 99 does not operate on weekends and would not be affected by weekend intersection closures at Main Street, Washington Street, Yesler Way, Cherry Street, and Columbia Street. The weekend closure of the First Avenue and Yesler Way intersection would affect access to the Yesler Way stop for northbound Routes 16 and 66. Assuming the northbound Zone A and B concept detour using Alaskan Way to Marion Street, the next closest northbound stop would be located three blocks north at First Avenue and Marion Street, about 0.4 mile from Jackson Street. This may be acceptable, but a temporary intermediate stop could be considered. Option 1 would also affect northbound Route 16 and 66 stops on First Avenue in this zone: at First Avenue and Jackson Street (Route 66 only) and at First Avenue and Yesler Way (Routes 16 and 66) Zone B/C During construction hours, northbound First Avenue would be closed between Main Street and Columbia Street, affecting the northbound stop between Yesler Way and Cherry Street for Routes 16, 66, and 99. The next stop to the north is at First Avenue north of Marion Street and could be served by the northbound Zone B and C concept detour. The weekend closures of the Cherry Street, James Street, and Washington Street intersections in this zone would affect northbound and southbound Routes 16 and 66. However, it does not appear that these proposed closures would have stop impacts on Routes 16 and 66. The southbound Route 16 stop is located on First Avenue south of Columbia Street, and it does not appear that it would be affected by the weekend closure of the Cherry Street intersection Zone C During construction hours, northbound First Avenue would be closed between Yesler Way and Columbia Street, affecting the northbound Route 16, 66, and 99 stop between Yesler Way and Cherry Street. The next stop to the north is at First Avenue north of Marion Street and could be served by the northbound Zone C concept detour. The weekend closures of the Columbia Street and Cherry Street intersections in this zone would have impacts on northbound and southbound Routes 16 and 66, including access to the southbound Route 16/66 stop north of Columbia Street and the northbound stop south of Cherry Street. TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 5-29

68 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 5.0 TRANSIT SYSTEMS Segment 2 Madison Office Core Segment 2 includes First Avenue between Columbia Street and Union Street. Weekday lane closures would be expected northbound and southbound, reducing traffic in each direction to one lane. Intersection closures are also possible. Within construction Zone D, it would be expected that Metro bus zones could be closed or relocated during construction. This could impact the northbound and southbound stops for Routes 16, 66, and 99 at Marion Street. The nearest northbound stop is three blocks south on First Avenue between Yesler Way and Cherry Street. A closure to the Marion Street stop would leave a gap between stops of seven blocks, likely requiring an intermediate temporary stop. Southbound, the nearest stop is three blocks south at First Avenue and Yesler Way. Route 12 uses First Avenue as a turnaround between Madison Street and Marion Street and could also be affected by construction Segment 3 Pike Place Market Segment 3 includes First Avenue between Union Street and Stewart Street. In order to minimize the need for weekend closures at the intersection of Pike Street and First Avenue, the City may consider closing Pike Street to vehicle traffic between First Avenue and Second Avenue for a 3-week period, which would not affect any routes in service but could affect deadhead ETB vehicles on Routes 10, 43, and 47, which do use this segment. Route 49 uses a layover route when traveling westbound on Pine Street; the route turns right onto First Avenue and then right again onto Stewart Street, so closures on First Avenue between Pine Street and Stewart Street could require alternative layover routing Segment 4 Westlake Connection Segment 4 includes Stewart Street between First Avenue and McGraw Square (between Fifth Avenue and Sixth Avenue) and Olive Way between Third Avenue and Fifth Avenue and would cover the construction period of the any design option selected. Construction in this segment would be expected to take place primarily on weekends, which would reduce impacts on transit service because many of the routes that operate on Stewart Street and Olive Way are weekday commuter routes or bus routes. Along Stewart Street, construction would affect King County Metro Routes 25, 66, 70 (ETB route), 177, and 178 that operate along the LPA, along with Sound Transit and Community Transit routes (see Table 5-2 which identifies routes that serve the bus stop located west of Fourth Avenue). Routes that operate along Stewart when the DSTT is closed would also be affected during night construction times. Routes that cross Stewart Street (at First, Second, Third, Fourth, and/or Fifth Avenues) would also be affected by intersection closures. Design Options C and D would impact King County Metro busses and layover areas on Pike Street west of Third Avenue, which is used by Routes 10, 43, 47, and 49. Construction activities around McGraw Square, including the proposed turnback track north of the station, could also affect the existing SLU Streetcar service. Trains could use an existing crossover track north of McGraw Square as a turnback, with Westlake Avenue and Seventh Avenue serving as the temporary terminal stop. Construction impacts on the existing crossover track (if any) would require further analysis. TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 5-30

69 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 5.0 TRANSIT SYSTEMS 5.5 Potential Mitigation Advanced planning with affected transit agencies on changes to bus service and stop locations during the construction and operation phases of the project will help alleviate passenger confusion. Planning will include advanced notices to passengers, signs at bus stops, and signs along sidewalks that redirect passengers to the correct stops. The services and facilities that will be affected specifically involve the following: To mitigate conflicts with bus operations: - Continue coordinating plan review with King County Metro, Sound Transit, and Community Transit through final design through circulation of plans at the 60 percent and 90 percent design milestones and comment resolution. - Design streetcar/etb interface electrical systems consistent with the existing South Lake Union and First Hill Streetcar segments. - Consult and coordinate with King County Metro to facilitate rerouting Routes 16 and 66 to Third Avenue. - Develop a joint use stop on First Avenue between Madison and Spring streets to serve Route 12. This would be completed as part of the Madison Street Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project. Prior to implementation of the BRT project, Route 12 would be accommodated through design of the Center City Connector. Alternatively, SDOT is examining the option of early implementation of the joint use stop. - Use coordinated signal timing developed as part of SDOT s The Next Generation ITS project to provide reliable north-south travel times along First Avenue and limit special streetcar signal phases to those that are required for a streetcar-only movement. - Coordinate in advance with King County Metro, Sound Transit, and Community Transit to plan bus service changes and stop locations to help alleviate passenger confusion. - Eliminate the inefficiencies of permissive left-turn movements along the First Avenue alignment, and provide protected left-turn signal phases in locations where left turns are not restricted To mitigate conflicts with ETB OCS systems and the Center City Connector: - Maximizing use of battery drive to operate the streetcars through the Stewart and First Avenue segments. - Amend the existing inter-local agreement with King County that provides funding for the inspection and maintenance of joint use streetcar/etb OCS system crossing hardware to incorporate the Center City Connector. - Provide special crossing hardware and/or shift the ETB wires to allow movement of both the streetcar and ETB systems through the intersection. - Shift or replace existing ETB crossings, as required, to accommodate new streetcar crossing hardware. TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 5-31

70 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 5.0 TRANSIT SYSTEMS To avoid conflicts between streetcar construction and bus operations: - Coordinate in advance with King County Metro, Sound Transit, and Community Transit to plan bus service changes and stop locations during the construction of the project to help alleviate passenger confusion. - Provide advanced notice to passengers, signs at bus stops, and signs along sidewalks that redirect passengers to the correct stops to help alleviate passenger confusion. To minimize construction impacts to ETBs, SDOT will: - Install infrastructure at strategic locations (to be developed with King County Metro ) that will allow King County Metro to use battery power when deadheading buses are following a detour route around the construction zone. - Along Stewart/Olive Way, SDOT will limit construction primarily to weekends to limit the need for de-energization outside standard King County Metro deenergization windows. SDOT will consult with the King County Metro Construction Coordination Office to determine the best times for de-energizing wires. - Apply the best practices for temporary de-energizations, bus re-routes and temporary bus stop closures/relocations that the City and King County Metro s Construction Coordination office have applied and refined through construction of the City s downtown paving program and First Hill Streetcar project. Design Options C and D would require coordination with King County Metro regarding potential bus/streetcar use of existing transit-only lane on Pike Street as well as layover on Pike Street west of Third Avenue, which is used by Routes 10, 43, 47, and 49. To avoid conflicts between streetcar construction and transit, the City will: Coordinate in advance with King County Metro, Community Transit, and Sound Transit to plan bus service changes and stop locations during the construction of the project to help alleviate passenger confusion. Provide advanced notice to passengers, signs at bus stops, and signs along sidewalks that redirect passengers to the correct stops. Coordinate through the Regional Transit Coordination for Downtown Seattle Charter to manage the overlap of cumulative projects to prevent conflicts in transit detours and relocated stops during construction. TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 5-32

71 6 ARTERIAL AND LOCAL STREET OPERATIONS This section describes existing conditions (2014) and evaluates future (2018 and 2035) arterial and local street operations within the study area under the No Build Alternative and LPA. 6.1 Methodology The transportation study area lies within the City of Seattle. Figure 6-1 shows the study area and proposed study intersections for the NEPA analysis. The study area includes up to 65 intersections, as seen in Table 6-1. The study area includes intersections along the streetcar route of the LPA (shown in green) and along three East- West design options considered for the project (shown in brown). The remaining intersections in the study area (shown in blue) were chosen to analyze potential traffic diversion on corridors parallel to First Avenue. These corridors include Alaskan Way, Second Avenue, Fourth Avenue, and Fifth Avenue. Third Avenue was not considered as a potential diversion corridor due to the restriction of general purpose auto traffic. The intersection of Westlake Avenue N and Republican Street was included as the proposed Center City Connector northern turnaround would add an exclusive streetcar phase to this signalized intersection. Otherwise intersections along Westlake Avenue between Republican Street and Sixth Avenue were not analyzed as the streetcar currently operates on this corridor and there would be no change to the signal operations or roadway configuration. Definitions AM and PM Peak Period: 3 or 4 hour period that experiences the highest amount of traffic within a study area. For the Center City Connector study area, this is generally between 6 and 9 a.m. and between 3 and 6 p.m. AM and PM Peak Hour: Highest single hour within the peak period. For the CCC study area, the AM peak hour is between 7 and 8 a.m. and the PM peak hour is between 5 and 6 p.m. The PM peak hour (5:00 to 6:00 p.m.) is considered to be the highest congestion time period in downtown Seattle and therefore was selected for all analysis years. Existing intersection turnmovement counts collected in September of 2014 were used for the existing conditions analysis. Future-year intersection turn movement volumes were estimated using a combination of future volume growth projections from the forecast model and post-processing adjustments based on existing counts, in accordance with standard methods from National Cooperative Highway Research Program 255. Screenline volume data from the travel demand model was compared between the different study years (2014, 2018 and 2035) and alternatives (Existing, No Build and LPA) at three east-west screenlines also shown in Figure 6-1. The screenlines within the study area run east-west between I-5 and Elliott Bay and include all local surface streets between them (regional roadways such as SR 99 and I-5 are analyzed earlier in Chapter 4 and not included in the analysis of arterial and local streets). The screenlines measure changes in northbound and southbound demand volume without and with the project and are as follows: TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 6-1

72 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 6.0 ARTERIAL AND LOCAL STREET OPERATIONS Figure 6-1 Center City Connector Traffic Analysis Study Intersections TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 6-2

73 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 6.0 ARTERIAL AND LOCAL STREET OPERATIONS Table 6-1 Center City Connector Traffic Study Intersections ID # Intersection ID# Intersection Intersections Associated with Locally Preferred Alternative 1 Westlake Ave/6th Ave 17 1st Ave/Columbia St 2 Westlake Ave/Stewart St 18 1st Ave/Cherry St 3 5th Ave/Stewart St 19 1st Ave/Yesler Way 4 5th Ave/Olive Way 20 1st Ave S/S Washington St 5 4th Ave/Stewart St 21 1st Ave S/S Main St 6 3rd Ave/Stewart St 22 1st Ave S/S Jackson St 7 2nd Ave/Stewart St 23 2nd Ave S/S Jackson St 8 1st Ave/Stewart St 24 2nd Ave Extension S/S Jackson St 9 1st Ave/Pine St 25 4th Ave S/S Jackson St 10 1st Ave/Pike St 26 5th Ave S/S Jackson St 11 1st Ave/Union St 27 6th Ave S/S Jackson St 12 1st Ave/University St 28 Maynard Ave S/S Jackson St 13 1st Ave/Seneca St 29 7th Ave S/S Jackson St 14 1st Ave/Spring St 30 8th Ave S/S Jackson St 15 1st Ave/Madison St 31 Westlake Ave/Republican St 16 1st Ave/Marion St Intersections Associated with East West Design Options (B,C,D) 32 2nd Ave/Pine St 36 2nd Ave/Pike St 33 3rd Ave/Pine St 37 3rd Ave/Pike St 34 4th Ave/Pine St 38 4th Ave/Pike St 35 5th Ave/Pine St 39 5th Ave/Pike St Intersections Associated with Potential Diversion 40 1st Ave/Lenora St 53 4th Ave/Madison St 41 1st Ave/Virginia St 54 5th Ave/Madison St 42 2nd Ave/University St 55 2nd Ave/Columbia St 43 4th Ave/University St 56 4th Ave/Columbia St 44 5th Ave/University St 57 5th Ave/Columbia St 45 2nd Ave/Seneca St 58 5th Ave/Cherry St 46 4th Ave/Seneca St 59 Alaskan Way/Yesler Way 47 5th Ave/Seneca St 60 2nd Ave/James St 48 2nd Ave/Spring St 61 4th Ave/James St 49 4th Ave/Spring St 62 5th Ave/James St 50 5th Ave/Spring St 63 Alaskan Way/S King St 51 Alaskan Way/Madison St 64 1st Ave S/S King St 52 2nd Ave/Madison St 65 1st Ave S/Railroad Way 66 Alaskan Way/Marion St TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 6-3

74 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 6.0 ARTERIAL AND LOCAL STREET OPERATIONS #1 - South of Pine Street #2 South of Seneca Street #3 South of S. Main Street East-West screenlines were used to analyze the effect of traffic diversion in the study area with the change in general purpose lane capacity on First Avenue caused by the project. These same screenlines were also used to compare vehicle and person throughput only across First Avenue. A combination of traffic analysis software packages (Synchro and VISSIM) was used to generate traffic operations measures. Synchro was used to analyze intersection Level of Service (LOS) and average vehicle delay for all study intersections, while VISSIM was used to provide streetcar and auto travel time and vehicle throughput data along the proposed streetcar alignment. LOS is a qualitative measurement of traffic flow at an intersection based on control delay. Control delay is the component of delay that results from the type of control at an intersection, and is measured by comparison with an uncontrolled condition. LOS is reported as letter grades A (low delay per vehicle, favorable traffic progression) through F (extremely high delay per vehicle, could involve long queues), and is shown below in Table 6-2. Table 6-2 LOS Level of Service Definitions for Signalized Intersections Average Control Delay (seconds per vehicle) Traffic Flow Characteristics A < 10 Virtually free flow; completely unimpeded. B > 10 and < 20 Stable flow with slight delays; less freedom to maneuver. C > 20 and < 35 Stable flow with delays; less freedom to maneuver. D > 35 and < 55 High density but stable flow. E > 55 and < 80 Operating conditions at or near capacity; unstable flow. F > 80 Forced flow; breakdown conditions. The existing conditions analysis reported in Section 6.2 Affected Environment was completed with signal timings observed in the field the same time as traffic volume counts were conducted. Future year analyses were conducted with the assumption that traffic signal timings and coordination patterns would be optimized. Further information about the input parameters for the Synchro and VISSIM traffic operations analysis tools can be found in Appendix C. Travel time along the proposed streetcar alignment was measured from VISSIM for both auto and streetcar modes of travel. Travel time was measured along First Avenue between Jackson Street and Stewart Street, Stewart Street between First Avenue and Fifth Avenue, and Jackson Street between First Avenue and Fifth Avenue. Travel time for autos was used to compare the difference between the No Build and Build conditions. Travel time for the streetcar was used to measure the performance of the streetcar and to provide a relative difference to auto travel time. The Existing VISSIM model was calibrated to existing volumes and travel times observed in the field. TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 6-4

75 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 6.0 ARTERIAL AND LOCAL STREET OPERATIONS Vehicle and person throughput were measured at the same three screenlines across First Avenue that were used to compare demand volume (shown in Figure 6-1). Person throughput is calculated by measuring the vehicle throughput and estimating the average vehicle occupancy of each mode along the road being measured. Vehicle throughput is measured directly from the VISSIM models, while average vehicle occupancy comes from the travel demand forecast models and transit ridership data. In the No Build Alternative, auto and bus modes run along First Avenue, while in the Build Alternative auto and streetcar modes run along First Avenue. 6.2 Affected Environment Existing roadways affected by the project are described in this section and identified in Table 6-3 below. All arterials within the study area have an existing posted speed limit of 30 mph. Table 6-3 Existing Roadway Facilities Roadway Seattle Arterial Classification Seattle Transit Classification Dir. # of Lanes AAWDT 1st Avenue Minor Arterial Principal Transit NB/SB ,400 Stewart Street Minor/Principal Arterial Principal Transit WB 2-4 9,800 Olive Way Principal Arterial Principal Transit EB 1-3 6,300 Jackson Street Principal Arterial Minor/Major Transit EB/WB ,700 Pine Street Pike Street Alaskan Way S Minor/Principal Arterial Minor/Principal Arterial Principal Transit /Transit Way WB 2-3 8,000 Major Transit EB ,200 Principal Arterial Minor Transit NB/SB ,400 2nd Avenue Principal Arterial Major Transit SB ,200 3rd Avenue Minor Arterial Transit Way NB/SB 4 7,600 4th Avenue Principal Arterial Principal Transit NB ,300 5th Avenue Minor Arterial Major Transit SB 3 8,100 Notes: AAWDT = Average Annual Weekday Traffic (based on 2013 volumes from SDOT) Roads along LPA Alignment First Avenue is a north-south two-way minor arterial that connects the SoDo neighborhood in the south to the Lower Queen Anne neighborhood to the north. First Avenue is also considered a Principal Transit Street based on the Seattle Transit Master Plan. First Avenue is two lanes in each direction between S King Street and Columbia Street. The northbound direction has three lanes between Columbia Street and Virginia Street. Most blocks on First Avenue between S King Street and Virginia Street feature on-street peak-period restricted parking. Parking on First Avenue is generally restricted during both AM and PM peak periods with the exception of the TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 6-5

76 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 6.0 ARTERIAL AND LOCAL STREET OPERATIONS segment between Yesler Way and S King Street, which is allowed during the PM peak period. Left turn lanes are provided at Columbia Street, Cherry Street, and at Jackson Street. Bus stops are located in both directions at Yesler Way, Marion Street, University Street, and Pike Street. There are no bicycle facilities on First Avenue within the study area. Stewart Street is a one-way westbound principal arterial between Second Avenue and Denny Way, with the segment between First and Second Avenues considered a minor arterial. Stewart Street contains four lanes between Denny Way and Fifth Avenue, three lanes between Second Avenue and Fifth Avenue, and two lanes between First Avenue and Second Avenue. Stewart Street is considered a Principal Transit Street and includes a BAT lane on the right side curb lane between Denny Way and Third Avenue, and provides access between I-5 and downtown for regional bus routes. A bus stop is located on the far side of Fourth Avenue. Stewart Street also includes sharrows for shared bicycle/auto use between Denny Way and Second Avenue. All-day on-street parking is allowed on Stewart Street between First and Third Avenues, while peak period restricted on-street parking is allowed between Fourth and Fifth Avenues. Jackson Street is a two-way east-west principal arterial between Alaskan Way to the west and Boren Avenue to the east. Jackson Street generally contains 2 lanes in each direction, except for the segment between Alaskan Way S and Second Avenue S, which contains one lane in each direction. Jackson Street is considered a Minor Transit Street between First Avenue and Fifth Avenue and a Major Transit Street between Fifth Avenue and Boren Avenue. Bus stops are located intermittently in both directions between Second Avenue and Twelfth Avenue. Jackson Street includes sharrows on the outer lanes for shared bicycle/auto use between Second Avenue Extension and Boren Avenue. There are two-stage left-turn boxes for bicycles located at all intersections Jackson Street along the streetcar tracks. The First Hill Streetcar Line was recently completed which installed streetcar tracks along the inside lanes of Jackson Street in both directions between Occidental Avenue and Boren Avenue, however, streetcars are not yet operating on the line. Streetcar stations have been installed along Jackson Street at Occidental Avenue, Fifth Avenue, Eighth Avenue, and Twelfth Avenue. On street parking is allowed on Jackson Street between Alaskan Way and First Avenue and between Sixth Avenue and Twelfth Avenue. Westlake Avenue is a two-way, north-south principal arterial between Stewart Street to the south and Ninth Avenue N to the north and generally contains two lanes in each direction within that segment. Westlake Avenue is classified as a Major Transit Street from Stewart Street to Virginia Street and a Minor Transit Street from Virginia Street to Valley Street. The SLU Streetcar Line runs in both directions on the outer lanes in mixed traffic between Stewart Street and Thomas Street, with the southbound direction running from Valley Street to Thomas Street. King County Metro Route 40 runs northbound on Westlake Avenue from Blanchard Street to Ninth Avenue N with stops at Denny, Harrison, and Valley Street. Streetcar stops are located every three to four blocks along Westlake Avenue. On street parking is allowed on most blocks of Westlake Avenue Roads Along Design Option Alignments Pine Street is a one-way westbound principal arterial between Second Avenue and Boren Avenue, with the segment between First and Second Avenues classified as a minor arterial. Pine Street contains two travel lanes between First and Fifth Avenues, with 3 lanes east of Fifth TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 6-6

77 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 6.0 ARTERIAL AND LOCAL STREET OPERATIONS Avenue. Pine Street is classified as a Transit Way between Third and Eighth Avenues and a Principal Transit Street between First and Third Avenues. Pine Street contains bus stops at Fifth Avenue, Third Avenue, and Second Avenue, including a left-side transit island between Third and Fourth Avenues. Pine Street is a signed bicycle route between First Avenue and I-5, although there are no sharrows between First and Fifth Avenues. On-street parking is only available on Pine Street between First and Third Avenues. Pike Street is a one-way eastbound principal arterial between Second and Boren Avenues, with the block between First and Second Avenues classified as a minor arterial. Pike Street includes one lane between First and Second Avenue, with three lanes between Second and Sixth Avenues. Pike Street is classified as a Major Transit Street between First and I-5 and includes a right-side bus-only lane between Second and Seventh Avenues. Bus stops are located on Pike Street at Fourth and Sixth Avenues. On-street parking is allowed on Pike Street between Fourth and Sixth Avenues. Pike Street is a signed bicycle route between First Avenue and I-5 and also includes a protected bicycle lane between First and Second Avenues North-South Parallel Corridors Alaskan Way, also known as SR 519 between Yesler Way and Atlantic Street, is a two-way principal arterial that provides access to the Central Waterfront, Seattle Multimodal Terminal at Colman Dock (Colman Dock), and Port of Seattle. Alaskan Way has been temporarily realigned underneath the Alaskan Way Viaduct between Spring Street and south of S King Street while the SR 99 Tunnel and Elliott Bay Seawall are being constructed. Alaskan Way currently terminates to the south at a T-intersection with First Avenue S and connects to Broad Street at its northern terminus. Temporary access to Colman Dock during construction of the SR 99 Tunnel has been provided with ingress at Yesler Way and egress at Marion Street and Yesler Way. Second Avenue is a one-way southbound principal arterial between Denny Way to the north and its southern terminus with Fourth Avenue S. Second Avenue contains a peak-period right-side BAT lane between Stewart Street and S Jackson Street. Second and Fourth Avenues serve as a north-south one-way couplet for many regional bus routes that serve the Seattle CBD. Second Avenue contains two-way protected bicycle lanes on the east side of the road between Pike Street and Yesler Way. Third Avenue is a two-way north-south minor arterial between Denny Way and Yesler Way. Third Avenue is restricted to buses only during the a.m. and PM peak periods between Stewart Street and Yesler Way. During the peak period bus-only restriction, GP vehicles are only allowed to use Third Avenue for one block to turn right. Fourth Avenue is a one-way northbound principal arterial between Denny Way to the north and S Jackson St to the south. South of S Jackson Street, Fourth Avenue S is a two-way principal arterial that provides access between the SoDo neighborhood to the south and the CBD. Fourth Avenue includes a BAT lane on the right-side curb lane between S Jackson Street and Pike Street. Fifth Avenue is a one-way southbound minor arterial between Denny Way and S Jackson Street, with a two-way segment between S Jackson Street and S Dearborn Street. There is a contraflow northbound bus-only lane on Fifth Avenue between Terrace Street and Cherry Street that allows TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 6-7

78 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 6.0 ARTERIAL AND LOCAL STREET OPERATIONS buses to access the I-5 Express Lanes entrance at Fifth/Cherry Street. Fifth Avenue does not contain any bicycle facilities within the study area Operations and Level of Service Existing 2014 PM peak hour intersection results are shown on Figure 6-2 and are also identified in Appendix E. Only one intersection along the proposed streetcar alignment is currently operating at LOS F, which is First Avenue/Columbia Street. The west leg of this intersection provides access to SR 99 southbound (Alaskan Way Viaduct), and right-turn-on-red movements are restricted for southbound right-turns, which help contribute to the high vehicle delay. The intersection of First Avenue/Spring Street operated at LOS C due to a temporary construction zone that reduced southbound First Avenue to just one through lane at this intersection. Otherwise this intersection typically operates better than LOS C. All other intersections along the proposed alignment operate at LOS C or better, as shown in Appendix E. All intersections along adjacent corridors within the study area are operating at LOS C or better, with the exception of Second Avenue/Pike Street which is operating at LOS E. The highest delay at this intersection is from the southbound left-turn movement, which was recently protected when the Second Avenue protected bicycle lanes were implemented between Pike Street and Yesler Way Vehicle and Person Throughput Vehicle and person throughput were measured at three screenlines across First Avenue for auto/truck and bus modes of travel (the location of these screenlines is shown in Figure 6-1). The results of this analysis are shown in Table 6-4. Although screenline #1 has the highest auto volume, there are slightly more people crossing screenline #2 on First Avenue due to the combination of auto/truck and bus passengers. Table Existing Vehicle and Person Throughput, PM Peak Hour Screenline on 1st Avenue Mode Vehicles/Hour Persons/Hour Screenline #1 (Between Pine and Pike Streets) Screenline #2 (Between Seneca and Spring Streets) Screenline #3 (Between S Main and S Jackson Streets) Auto/Truck 1,410 1,860 Bus Total 1,420 1,960 Auto/Truck 1,290 1,700 Bus Total 1,300 2,000 Auto/Truck 990 1,300 Bus Total 1,000 1,620 Notes: Location of screenlines are shown on Figure 6-1. Throughput volumes at screenlines include the total of both directions on First Avenue and are measured for an hour in the PM peak. Values are rounded to the nearest 10. TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 6-8

79 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 6.0 ARTERIAL AND LOCAL STREET OPERATIONS Figure 6-2 Existing Intersection LOS TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 6-9

80 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 6.0 ARTERIAL AND LOCAL STREET OPERATIONS Travel Time Travel time results for Existing (2014) Conditions from the VISSIM model were calibrated based on travel time measurements from the field. The VISSIM model is considered to be calibrated and reflect existing conditions as the travel time output from the model was within FHWA s guidelines for simulation models. Travel time results for autos from the 2014 Existing VISSIM model are presented in Table 6-5. The southbound direction of First Avenue experiences congestion during the PM peak hour, with autos experiencing travel times of 9.6 minutes (or 5.4 mph average speed) between Stewart Street and Jackson Street. Congestion on southbound First Avenue is caused by a combination of a temporary construction zone at Seneca Street (which closed one southbound through lane) and high demand turning right at Columbia Street to access SR 99 Southbound (Alaskan Way Viaduct). Travel times on First Avenue southbound would likely be lower when the construction zone is removed. Table 6-5 Existing PM Peak Hour Auto Travel Times Street Segment Dir. VISSIM Travel Time (min.) 1st Ave Stewart to Jackson NB 4.9 SB 9.6 Stewart St Westlake to 1st WB 3.3 Jackson St 1st to 10th Traffic Safety EB 3.7 WB Intersections along LPA Alignment Collision data records were obtained from SDOT for a 5-year period between November 2009 and October 2014 for the intersections along the streetcar alignment. In the City of Seattle, an intersection is classified as a high accident location (HAL) if it has 10 or more accidents per year for a signalized intersection or 5 or more accidents per year for an unsignalized intersection. Intersections identified as HALs are targeted for future safety improvements. Crash frequencies and rates per million entering vehicles (MEV) were calculated for all of the study intersections along the streetcar alignment. The results of the analysis are presented in Table 6-6. The intersection of First Avenue/Marion Street had the highest number of crashes with 36 crashes over the 5 year period. However, none of the signalized study intersections along the alignment have more than 10 crashes per year. And the one unsignalized intersection at 10th Avenue S/S Jackson St does not exceed 5 crashes per year. Therefore, none of the intersections along the alignment are designated as HALs. TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 6-10

81 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 6.0 ARTERIAL AND LOCAL STREET OPERATIONS Table 6-6 Existing Intersection Crash Analysis Results along LPA ( ) Intersection AADT Total Crash Frequency Fatal Injury PDO Total Crash Rate (MEV) Westlake Ave/Republican St 13, Westlake Ave/6th Ave 12, Westlake Ave/Stewart St 15, th Ave/Stewart St 16, th Ave/Olive Way 13, th Ave/Stewart St 24, rd Ave/Stewart St 9, nd Ave/Stewart St 15, st Ave/Stewart St 18, st Ave/Pine St 18, st Ave/Pike St 18, st Ave/Union St 20, st Ave/University St 20, st Ave/Seneca St 22, st Ave/Spring St 19, st Ave/Madison St 19, st Ave/Marion St 17, st Ave/Columbia St 24, st Ave/Cherry St 14, st Ave/Yesler Way 19, st Ave S/S Washington St 12, st Ave S/S Main St 12, st Ave S/S Jackson St 14, nd Ave S/S Jackson St 11, nd Ave Extension S/S Jackson St 19, th Ave S/S Jackson St 19, th Ave S/S Jackson St 15, th Ave S/S Jackson St 14, Maynard Ave S/S Jackson St 11, th Ave S/S Jackson St 12, th Ave S/S Jackson St 13, th Ave S/S Jackson St 13, Notes: AADT = Average Annual Daily Traffic; PDO = Property Damage Only; MEV = Million entering vehicles TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 6-11

82 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 6.0 ARTERIAL AND LOCAL STREET OPERATIONS Intersections along East-West Design Option Alignments Option A. Option A contains the same study intersections along the alignment as the LPA. No HALs are present for this alternative. The results can be seen in Table 6-6. Option B. Option B would add four additional study intersections to the alignment from the LPA, all along Pine Street. The analysis results for these intersections are in Table 6-7. None of these signalized intersections h more than 10 crashes per year, thus are not designated as HALs. Option C. Option C would add seven additional study intersections to the alignment from the LPA. Four of these intersections are those that would be added by Option B along Pine Street, while the other three intersections along Pike Street. Results are shown in Table 6-7. None of these signalized intersections have more than 10 crashes per year, thus are not designated as HALs. Option D. Option D would add four additional study intersections to the alignment from the LPA. These intersections include the three additional intersections for Option C in addition to Pine Street/Fourth Avenue, the results for which can be found in Table 6-7. As stated previously, none of these signalized intersections have more than 10 crashes per year, thus are not designated as HALs. Table 6-7 Additional Existing Intersection Crash Analysis Results along Pine and Pike Streets ( ) Intersection AADT Total Crash Frequency Fatal Injury PDO Total Crash Rate (MEV) Pine St/2nd Ave 16, Pine St/3rd Ave 6, Pine St/4th Ave 20, Pine St/5th Ave 14, Pike St/2nd Ave 16, Pike St/3rd Ave 8, Pike St/4th Ave 24, Notes: AADT = Average Annual Daily Traffic; PDO = Property Damage Only; MEV = Million entering vehicles Property Access and Circulation The existing property access and local circulation conditions include a description of the driveways along First Avenue and Stewart Street/Olive Way near the proposed streetcar stations and along the streetcar alignment. The focus of the property access and location circulation analysis is on areas that would be most directly affected by the project, such as by a change in driveway operation (right turns only), street modifications, and connections. TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 6-12

83 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 6.0 ARTERIAL AND LOCAL STREET OPERATIONS LPA Alignment First Avenue is a north-south two-way roadway. Locations on First Avenue where left-turns are allowed onto cross streets and whether they are accommodated by a shared or exclusive lane are described below in Table 6-8. There are seven driveways along First Avenue, five along Stewart Street, and one along Olive Way along the LPA. Table 6-9 lists the location of these driveways, the type of land use served by the driveway, and whether turn restrictions are present. Table 6-8 Existing Left-Turn Access on First Avenue Northbound Southbound Cross Street Left Turn Allowed? Shared or Exclusive Lane? Left Turn Allowed? Shared or Exclusive Lane? Stewart Allowed Shared NA Pine Allowed Shared NA Pike Allowed Shared Not Allowed Union Allowed Shared Not Allowed University NA Allowed Shared Seneca NA Not Allowed Spring NA Allowed Shared Madison Allowed Shared NA Marion NA Allowed Shared Columbia Allowed Exclusive Not Allowed Cherry NA Allowed Exclusive Yesler Not Allowed Not Allowed Washington Not Allowed Not Allowed Main Not Allowed Not Allowed Jackson Allowed Exclusive Allowed Exclusive Notes: NA = not applicable because one-way street network does not allow for left-turn movement; Allowed = left-turn movement is possible and allowed; Not Allowed = left-turn movement is possible but restricted; Shared = left-turn movement is accommodated from shared left-through lane; Exclusive = left-turn movement is accommodated from exclusive left-turn lane; TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 6-13

84 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 6.0 ARTERIAL AND LOCAL STREET OPERATIONS Table 6-9 Existing Driveways along LPA Alignment Main Street 1st Avenue Stewart Street Block Side of Street Provides Access To? Turn Restriction Pike to Union East Side Parking None Seneca to Spring East Side Parking None Marion to Columbia East Side Parking None Columbia to Cherry West Side Parking None East Side Parking None Cherry to Yesler Way West Side Parking All Lefts Restricted Main to Jackson West Side Parking All Lefts Restricted 1st to 2nd 2nd to 3rd North Side Parking and Alleyway None South Side Alleyway None North Side Alleyway None South Side Parking and Alleyway None 4th to 5th North Side Parking and Alleyway None Olive Way 4th to 5th South Side Parking None East-West Design Option Alignments Pine Street is a one-way westbound street that Options B and C run along between First and Fifth Avenues. Driveways to parking garages and alleyways are present along Pine Street at the following locations: east of First Avenue on both sides (no turn restrictions) east of Second Avenue on both sides (no turn restrictions) east of Fourth Avenue on the south side (no turn restrictions) Pike Street is a one-way eastbound street that Options C and D run along between First and Fourth Avenues. Garage driveways and alleyways are present along Pike Street at the following locations: east of First Avenue on both sides (no turn restrictions) east of Second Avenue on both sides (no turn restrictions) east of Third Avenue on both sides (no turn restrictions) Fourth Avenue is a one-way northbound street that Options C and D run along between Pike Street and Olive Way. There are no garage driveways or alleyways on Fourth Avenue between Pike Street and Olive Way. Fifth Avenue is a one-way southbound street that Options B and C run along between Olive Way and Pine Street. There are no garage driveways or alleyways on Fifth Avenue between Olive Way and Pine Street. There are currently no southbound right-turns allowed from Fifth Avenue onto Pine Street. TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 6-14

85 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 6.0 ARTERIAL AND LOCAL STREET OPERATIONS Freight Truck mobility within the Puget Sound Region is largely supported by a system of designated freight routes that consist of freeways and arterial streets connecting major freight destinations. To prioritize truck routes, WSDOT adopted the Freight Goods Transportation System (FGTS), which classifies roadways according to the amount of annual tonnage transportation (T1-T5). The classifications range from roadways that carry more than 20,000 tons in 60 days to those that carry more than 10,000,000 tons annually (shown in Table 6-10). Jurisdictions determine their designated truck route system on arterial streets according to the FGTS classifications. Figure 6-3 shows Major Truck Routes as designated by SDOT. Table 6-10 FGTS Classification Freight and Goods Transportation System Classifications Annual Gross Tonnage T-1 Over 10,000,000 T-2 4,000,000 to 10,000,000 T-3 300,000 to 4,000,000 T-4 100,000 to 300,000 T-5 Over 20,000 in 60 days Source: Washington State Legislative Transportation Committee (1995) I-5 and SR 99 are both classified as T-1 roadways within the study area, while Alaskan Way S (SR 519) is classified as a T-2 roadway. South of the study area, First Avenue S between S King Street and SR 519 is classified as a T-3 roadway, while S Jackson Street between Fifth Avenue and Boren Avenue is classified as a T-4 roadway. SR 99 and Alaskan Way S provide access to the Port of Seattle, which is a major regional freight operation. Other roadways in the study area carry truck traffic; however, they are not designated as freight routes. Most truck traffic along First Avenue provide local deliveries to nearby businesses. Many of the commercial loading zones are restricted during peak hours, so deliveries are typically made during non-peak hours. During the PM peak hour, trucks account for approximately 1 to 2 percent of vehicles along the proposed streetcar route. TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 6-15

86 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 6.0 ARTERIAL AND LOCAL STREET OPERATIONS Figure 6-3 Major Truck Routes in Study Area TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 6-16

87 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 6.0 ARTERIAL AND LOCAL STREET OPERATIONS 6.3 Environmental Consequences Future Roadway System This section describes physical changes to the roadway system as a result of planned improvements in the No Build Alternative or the LPA No Build Alternative A complete list of transportation improvements assumed in the No Build alternative are presented in Table 2-1 and described in Appendix C. The projects below are described again because they would create the most noticeable difference at study intersections between the Existing and No Build Alternative. The Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Project would construct a new bored tunnel to replace the existing Alaskan Way Viaduct. The Seattle Central Waterfront Program would also widen and realign the surface street segment of Alaskan Way between S Royal Brougham Way and Union Street. Changes to Alaskan Way are described previously in Section 4.3.3, Regional Roadways. Second Avenue would have protected bicycle lanes extending between Denny Way to the north and S Jackson Street to the south. The construction of streetcar tracks and stations for the First Hill Streetcar Line was completed shortly before the 2014 Existing Conditions were analyzed, however, streetcars were not yet in operation. Streetcars are anticipated to be in operation by the end of Streetcars would be running on 10 minute headways during the AM and PM peak periods between the intersection of S Jackson Street/Occidental Avenue and Broadway Avenue/Denny Way. All local streets within the downtown CBD would have posted speed limits of 25 mph (reduced from 30 mph in existing conditions) as part of SDOT s Vision Zero plan (City of Seattle, 2015) Locally Preferred Alternative Preliminary design drawings of the LPA are presented in Appendix A. Changes to First Avenue, Stewart Street, and S Jackson Street are described in Section 2.2. In the LPA, streetcars would run in exclusive transit lanes for nearly the full length of the project corridor and would employ TSP treatments at most signalized corridor intersections. First Avenue would be reduced to one general purpose lane in each direction between S Jackson Street and Stewart Street. Left turns from First Avenue onto cross streets would be restricted with the LPA at several intersections, as shown below in Table Design Options Alignments for the different east-west alignment design options in the Pike/Pine area are presented in Figure 2-2. Changes to traffic signal phasing and TSP treatments for intersections along the east-west design option alignments are presented in Appendix A. In addition, the design options for the Pioneer Square Station and the northern and southern turnaround design options are presented in Appendix A. TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 6-17

88 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 6.0 ARTERIAL AND LOCAL STREET OPERATIONS Local Travel Patterns Overall traffic volume within the project study area is predicted to grow by approximately 2.3 percent annually up to year 2018 compared to 2014 Existing Conditions, as shown in Table 4-2. Up to year 2035, traffic volumes would be expected to grow at a slight less rate (about 1.3 percent annually). Screenline volume data from the travel demand model was compared between the different study years (2014, 2018 and 2035) and conditions (Existing, No Build and LPA) at three east-west screenlines shown in Figure 6-1. Table 6-11 presents a traffic volume comparison between 2014 Existing, 2018 No Build, and 2035 No Build across the three transportation screenlines. Table 6-11 Existing and Future No Build (2018 and 2035) Screenline Traffic Volume Forecast Comparison, PM Peak Hour Screen Line Roads 2014 Existing Volume Forecast Volume 2018 No Build 2035 No Build % Diff from Existing Forecast Volume % Diff from Existing Arterials west of 1st 1,920 3, , #1 - South of Pine Street #2 - South of Seneca Street #3 - South of S Main Street SR 99 Tunnel 7,020 6, , st Ave 1,390 1, , Arterials east of 1st 4,710 4, , I-5 19,090 18, , All Roads Combined 34,130 34, , Arterials west of 1st 2,080 3, , SR 99 Tunnel 7,450 6, , st Ave 1,750 1, , Arterials east of 1st 4,860 4, , I-5 18,120 17, , All Roads Combined 34,260 33, , Arterials west of 1st 700 3, , SR 99 Tunnel 7,450 6, , st Ave 1,030 1, , Arterials east of 1st 4,790 4, , I-5 21,770 21, , All Roads Combined 35,740 37, , Note: Screenline volumes include the total of both directions and are for one hour in the PM peak. Arterials west of First Avenue include Alaskan Way and Western Avenue. Arterials east of First Avenue include Second Avenue, Fourth Avenue, Fifth Avenue, and Sixth Avenue. TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 6-18

89 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 6.0 ARTERIAL AND LOCAL STREET OPERATIONS Overall, there would be little to no growth in north-south demand volume predicted between 2014 Existing and 2018 No Build at the northern and central screenlines (# 1 and 2). The southern screenline would see the highest predicted growth between 2014 Existing and 2018 No Build (5.9 percent total growth or 1.5 percent annually). Arterials west of I-5 would see the highest growth of the north-south roads, with the rebuilt Alaskan Way surface street contributing to this growth. However, by the year 2035, demand on north-south roads at all three screenlines would increase to between 9.4 and 17.1 percent over 2014 Existing (or between 0.4 percent and 0.8 percent annual growth). The screenline data can also be used to analyze the effect of potential traffic diversion with the changing roadway conditions along First Avenue with the project. First Avenue within the study area under the No Build Alternative contains between one and three general purpose lanes in each direction, depending on parking restrictions. With the LPA, First Avenue would contain just one lane in each direction between Stewart Street and S Jackson Street. Table 6-12 presents demand volumes along the three screenlines in the years 2018 and 2035 for both the No Build and LPA alternatives. Vehicle traffic on First Avenue would be predicted to drop up to 50 percent with the project in both 2018 and Screenlines #1 and #2 would show similar volume drops on First Avenue, since they would experience the same reduction in general purpose lane capacity. Screenline #3 would experience a much smaller drop in traffic volume with the project as compared to the other two screenlines because the number of lanes on First Avenue during the peak period is the same in this segment between No Build and Build. This is because on street parking is allowed on First Avenue between Yesler Way and S Jackson Street in the No Build Alternative. At screenlines #1 and #2, demand volumes on arterials west of I-5 would see increases of up to 6 percent, while arterials east of First Avenue would see increases between 3 and 6 percent compared with the No Build Alternative. Demand volumes at screenline #3 would be similar between the No Build and LPA alternatives because the capacity on First Avenue is not changing at this screenline. The expansion of the OMFs are not anticipated to generate any net new peak hour trips. Trips to and from the OMFs by maintenance workers would generally occur outside the peak hours. TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 6-19

90 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 6.0 ARTERIAL AND LOCAL STREET OPERATIONS Table 6-12 No Build vs. LPA (2018 and 2035) Screenline Traffic Volume Forecast Comparison, PM Peak Hour Screen Line Roads Arterials west of 1st No Build LPA % Diff No Build LPA % Diff 3,360 3, ,890 4, SR 99 Tunnel 6,320 6, ,250 7, #1 outh of Pine Street 1st Ave 1, ,070 1, Arterials east of 1st 4,470 4, ,220 9, I-5 18,600 18, ,180 19, All Roads Combined Arterials west of 1 st 34,160 33, ,340 36, ,210 3, ,710 3, SR 99 Tunnel 6,320 6, ,250 7, #2 South of Seneca Street 1st Ave 1, ,070 1, Arterials east of 1st 4,960 5, ,280 9, I-5 17,620 17, ,190 18, All Roads Combined Arterials west of 1 st 33,900 33, ,790 36, ,790 3, ,530 4, SR 99 Tunnel 6,320 6, ,250 7, #3 South of S Main Street 1st Ave 1,160 1, ,260 1, Arterials east of 1st 4,920 4, ,840 10, I-5 21,650 21, ,510 22, All Roads Combined 37,840 37, ,860 41, Notes: Volumes are for both northbound and southbound directions combined and are for one hour in the PM Peak. Arterials west of 1st Avenue include Alaskan Way and Western Avenue. Arterials east of 1st Avenue include Second Avenue, Fourth Avenue, Fifth Avenue, and Sixth Avenue. TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 6-20

91 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 6.0 ARTERIAL AND LOCAL STREET OPERATIONS Operations and Intersection Level of Service No Build Alternative Operational analysis of 2018 Year-of-Opening and 2035 Design Year PM peak hour No Build conditions were performed for each intersection along the streetcar alignment in addition to intersections on adjacent streets. Intersections operating at LOS E are considered to be at or near capacity, while intersections operating at LOS F are over capacity and undesirable. In 2018 No Build, all intersections along the LPA alignment would operate at LOS C or better. The removal of the Alaskan Way Viaduct removes the southbound on-ramp at First Avenue/Columbia Street, which reduces overall traffic volume at this intersection. As a result, the intersection of First Avenue/Columbia Street would improve from LOS F in 2014 existing conditions to LOS A in 2018 No Build. At Second Avenue/Pike Street, operations would improve from LOS E to LOS C because of decreased demand on southbound Second Avenue. All intersections along adjacent streets would operate at LOS D or better in 2018 No Build. In 2035 No Build, all intersections along the streetcar s alignment operate at LOS D or better with the exception of Westlake Avenue N/Republican Street where the northern turnaround would be located. This intersection would operate at LOS F due to increased traffic. Also, all adjacent intersections would operate at LOS D or better, with the exception of Alaskan Way/King Street, which would operate at LOS F. Intersection LOS results that compare No Build and LPA are shown graphically in Figures 6-4 and 6-5 for future years 2018 and 2035, respectively. Intersection LOS results are also presented in tabular format in Appendix E. During sports events, an additional 13,000 to 15,000 vehicles can enter downtown Seattle, often during the PM peak period. 12 Event organizers for both Century Link Field and Safeco Field implement Transportation Management Plans (TMPs) that encourage the use of transit for game attendance. During these peak events, SDOT works with special event representatives to promote use of the streetcar, other transit, and remote parking facilities to access special event venues. No change is expected under the No Build Alternative LPA Compared to the No Build Alternative, the LPA in 2018 and 2035 would increase the average intersection delay in the study area between 17 percent and 25 percent (or an additional 2 to 5 seconds per vehicle at each intersection), respectively. No intersections would operate at LOS E or F in the 2018 Year of Opening. Two intersections would degrade to LOS E in the LPA in the 2035 Horizon Year (First Avenue/S Jackson Street and Second Avenue/Spring Street) and one would continue to operate at LOS F but experience additional delay with the LPA (Westlake Avenue N/Republican Street). 12 Adapted from the 2012, Seattle Arena, Multimodal Transportation Access and Parking Study. Typical weekday game start times are between 7 and 7:30 pm. and can reach attendance of up to 50,000 fans. Of those 50,000, approximately 80 percent travel by automobile. Assuming 300 vehicles per 1,000 attendees, an additional 13,000 to 15,000 vehicles can enter the City. In addition, most attendees come downtown 2 hours before game time many during the PM peak period. TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 6-21

92 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 6.0 ARTERIAL AND LOCAL STREET OPERATIONS Figure No Build and LPA Intersection LOS, PM Peak Hour TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 6-22

93 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 6.0 ARTERIAL AND LOCAL STREET OPERATIONS Figure No Build and LPA Intersection LOS, PM Peak Hour TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 6-23

94 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 6.0 ARTERIAL AND LOCAL STREET OPERATIONS Along the streetcar alignment, average intersection delay in the 2018 Year-of-Opening would increase by 26 percent (from 13 to 17 seconds per vehicle) in the LPA compared to the No Build Alternative while intersection LOS would be similar, despite the reduction to one travel lane in each direction along First Avenue. This is because vehicle traffic along First Avenue would be expected to decline as a result of decreased capacity, therefore the LOS would generally remain similar. Adjacent corridors along Second, Fourth, and Fifth Avenues would experience a slight increase in volumes and corresponding intersection delay (from 16 to 18 seconds per vehicle on average) but no intersection is expected to operate worse than LOS D. In the 2035 LPA, all intersections along the streetcar alignment would operate at LOS D or better with the exception of First Avenue/S Jackson Street (LOS E) and Westlake Avenue N/ Republican Street (LOS F). First Avenue/S Jackson Street would degrade from LOS B in the No Build to LOS E in the LPA due to the addition of a protected southbound left-turn phase and an exclusive streetcar phase that would take available green time from auto movements. Westlake Avenue N/Republican Street would already operate at LOS F in the No Build Alternative but see an increase in delay in the LPA due to the addition of an exclusive streetcar phase. Average delay at intersections along the alignment in 2035 would increase by 40 percent (from 18 to 26 seconds per vehicle) in the LPA compared to the No Build Alternative. All intersections on adjacent streets to the alignment would operate at LOS D or better in the 2035 LPA with the exception of Second Avenue/Spring Street and Alaskan Way/King Street. Second Avenue/Spring Street would operate at LOS E due to an increase in traffic due to the restriction of southbound left-turns at First Avenue/Cherry Street with the LPA. The Alaskan Way/King Street intersection operates at LOS F in both 2035 No Build and 2035 LPA, although delay decreases by a few seconds in the LPA due to traffic shifting to movements with lower delay. Average delay at intersections on adjacent streets would increase by 13 percent (from 19 to 21 seconds per vehicle). The Center City Connector Streetcar would provide another alternative to driving to large events in the stadium area of south Seattle. The streetcar would provide additional person-carrying capacity on First Avenue (see section 6.3.4), even though the roadway would have two fewer general purpose travel lanes. Operation of the Center City Connector would potentially reduce game traffic by providing another transit option to fans traveling through the downtown corridor. SDOT works with special event representatives to promote use of the streetcar, other transit, and remote parking facilities to access special event venues. During events, operations of the streetcar may be adapted through the use of turnback tracks to provide more service and avoid congested areas and to prevent delays on service to other areas of Seattle Design Option Analysis East-West Design Options Operational analysis was also performed at intersections within the east-west design option alignments. With Option A, also known as the LPA, all intersections in the Pike/Pine study area would operate at LOS C or better in 2018 and LOS D or better in In Option B, all intersections would operate at LOS D or better in 2018 and 2035 with the exception of First Avenue/Pine Street, which would operate at LOS E in The intersection TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 6-24

95 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 6.0 ARTERIAL AND LOCAL STREET OPERATIONS of First Avenue/Pine Street would operate worse than Option A because an exclusive streetcar signal phase is required for the westbound streetcar to make a left turn in addition to TSP for the northbound streetcar movement. This exclusive phase would allow the streetcar to transition from the north curb lane of Pine Street to the exclusive median lane on First Avenue. In Option C, all intersections would operate at LOS D or better in 2018 and In Option D, all intersections would operate at LOS C or better in 2018 and Option D would have slightly lower delay at First Avenue/Pine Street compared to Option A, because TSP would only be activated for the southbound streetcar (compared to both northbound and southbound directions in Option A). The intersection of Fourth Avenue/Pike Street would operate at LOS C due to the exclusive eastbound streetcar phase. Intersection LOS for East-West design options are shown graphically in Figures 6-6 and 6-7 for years 2018 and 2035, respectively. Intersection LOS results are also provided in tabular format in Appendix E. Pioneer Square Station Design Option An operational analysis was also performed at study intersections with the Pioneer Square Station Design Option, which was previously described in section 2.2. Intersection results that compare the LPA and Pioneer Square Design Option are presented in Appendix E. Overall, intersection results along the LPA alignment would be similar between the LPA and this design option in the 2018 Opening Year with a few exceptions. The intersections of First Avenue/Yesler Way and First Avenue/Cherry Street would degrade in LOS with the design option, due to the exclusive phase required to allow streetcars to enter the mixed-lane segment separate from autos. First Avenue/Yesler Way would degrade from LOS C with the LPA to LOS D with the design option, while First Avenue/Cherry Street would be LOS B or better with both the LPA and design option. The intersection of First Avenue/Spring Street would have less delay with the design option, due to less southbound left-turn volume (the southbound left-turn movement at First Avenue/Cherry Street would be allowed in the design option but not in the LPA). The intersection results for 2035 Horizon Year would also be similar between the LPA and design option at most intersections in the study area with a few exceptions. First Avenue/Yesler Way would degrade from LOS D with the LPA to LOS E with the design option. First Avenue/Cherry Street would experience LOS B or better in both 2018 and 2035 for both the LPA and the design option. The First Avenue/Spring Street intersection would improve from LOS D with the LPA to LOS C with the design option. TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 6-25

96 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 6.0 ARTERIAL AND LOCAL STREET OPERATIONS Figure Intersection LOS for East-West Design Options TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 6-26

97 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 6.0 ARTERIAL AND LOCAL STREET OPERATIONS Figure Intersection LOS for East-West Design Options TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 6-27

98 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 6.0 ARTERIAL AND LOCAL STREET OPERATIONS Northern Turnaround Design Option The LPA would have the northern turnaround at the intersection of Westlake Avenue N/Republican Street, which operates at LOS F in the No Build alternative. The intersection would require an exclusive streetcar phase which would add additional delay at the intersection. The Northern Turnaround Design Option would include turnback tracks in the center median of Westlake Avenue between Sixth Avenue and Virginia Street. The intersection of Westlake Avenue/Sixth Avenue would require an exclusive phase for streetcars exiting the turnback track to travel southbound into the Westlake Station stop. The Westlake Avenue/Sixth Avenue intersection LOS would operate at LOS A in both the LPA and Northern Turnaround Design Option. With the Northern Turnaround Design Option, the intersection of Westlake Avenue N/Republican Street would operate with the same delay as the No Build alternative. There would not be any noticeable difference in intersection delays along Westlake with the change in streetcar headways, since there would be no changes in road configuration or signal timing as the streetcar currently operates along this corridor. Southern Turnaround Design Option The LPA and Southern Turnaround Design Option would have no noticeable difference in intersection operations at S Jackson Street/Eighth Avenue S. Streetcar headways would be the same in both the LPA and the design option. Streetcars would dwell at the S Jackson Street/7 th Avenue S station and potentially block auto traffic during this dwell time, although no noticeable difference was observed in the auto travel time from the VISSIM model Vehicle and Person Throughput Vehicle and person throughput were measured at three screenlines across First Avenue (shown previously in Figure 6-1) to compare the No Build Alternative and LPA. All types of vehicles that would travel along First Avenue (auto/trucks, bus, and streetcar) were considered. Vehicle and person throughput comparisons for the years 2018 and 2035 are presented below in Table In 2018, vehicle throughput on First Avenue would decrease with the LPA between 4 percent and 52 percent, depending on the screenline. This is attributed to there being fewer travel lanes on First Avenue for auto traffic with the project. However, the person throughput at two of the three screenlines would increase between 13 percent and 23 percent with the LPA, with the average of the three screenlines increasing by 9 percent. This is because the forecast streetcar ridership in the LPA would exceed person throughput in the auto travel lane under the No Build Alternative. Moving more people in less vehicles indicates that people would be able to move more efficiently along First Avenue with the project. The screenline between Seneca and Spring Streets would see a slight decrease in person throughput in the LPA of 5 percent because this location would experience a higher drop in auto volume compared to the other two screenlines. Vehicle throughput in the year 2035 would decrease between 1 and 53 percent with the LPA, depending on the screenline. However, the person throughput would increase at all three screenlines, ranging between 12 and 42 percent more in the LPA than the No Build Alternative. There would be no differences in vehicle and person throughput anticipated for the Pike/Pine Design Option alignments because auto vehicle capacity is the same between the options. There TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 6-28

99 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 6.0 ARTERIAL AND LOCAL STREET OPERATIONS Table 6-13 Future Vehicle and Person Throughput Comparison No Build LPA No Build LPA Screenline on First Avenue Mode Vehicles Persons Vehicles Persons % Diff in Persons Vehicles Persons Vehicles Persons % Diff in Persons Auto/Truck 1,470 1, ,190-39% 1,750 2, ,270-45% Between Pine and Pike Streets Bus n/a n/a Streetcar ,260 n/a ,100 n/a Total 1,480 2, , % 1,760 2, , % Between Seneca and Spring Streets Auto/Truck 1,630 2, ,010-53% 1,890 2, ,140-54% Bus n/a n/a Streetcar ,370 n/a ,170 n/a Total 1,640 2, ,380-5% 1,900 2, , % Between Main and Jackson Streets Auto/Truck 1,130 1,500 1,080 1,430-4% 1,190 1,580 1,170 1,540-3% Bus n/a n/a Streetcar n/a ,150 n/a Total 1,140 1,890 1,100 2, % 1,200 2,090 1,190 2, % Average of All Screenlines Total 1,420 2, ,320 +9% 1,620 2,480 1,020 3, % Notes: Location of screenlines is shown in Figure 6-1. Throughput volumes at screenlines include the total of both directions on First Avenue. It is assumed that no bus routes will run along First Avenue in the Build Alternative and no streetcars will run along First Avenue in the No Build Alternative. TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 6-29

100 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 6.0 ARTERIAL AND LOCAL STREET OPERATIONS would be a slight decrease in auto vehicle capacity on First Avenue at Yesler Way with the Pioneer Square Station Design Option as there would only be one mixed auto/streetcar lane in each direction (compared to separate auto and streetcar lanes in each direction in the LPA). However, vehicle and person throughput would be similar. The other design options would not change the vehicle or person throughput from the LPA Travel Time LPA Auto and streetcar travel time results are presented in Figures 6-8 and 6-9 for the years 2018 and 2035, respectively. Streetcar Travel Times The average (both directions) streetcar travel time in year 2018 between the intersections of First Avenue/S Jackson Street and Fifth Avenue/Stewart Street would be 8.1 minutes. The length of this trip is approximately 1.1 miles, which would equate to an average streetcar speed of 8.4 mph. This speed includes station dwell time and delays at intersections. The streetcar travel time would be the same in 2035 Build at 8.1 minutes. The streetcar travel time includes dwell time at four streetcar stops: Pioneer Square, Madison, Pike Place, and Third/Fourth Avenue on Stewart Street. Streetcar travel times described in this section are meant to provide a relative comparison between streetcar and auto travel. Auto Travel Times Auto travel times between 2014 Existing and 2018 No Build are similar in the northbound direction but lower in the southbound direction. The anomaly in southbound travel time reported in the existing condition was due to short-term construction work along First Avenue at the Spring Street intersection (which included a temporary southbound lane closure) while collecting data. The existing travel time is therefore longer than typical conditions. In addition, southbound traffic volumes would be lower on First Avenue for the 2018 No Build condition with the removal of the Alaskan Way Viaduct southbound on-ramp at Columbia Street. In the 2035 No Build condition, auto travel times would be similar to Existing 2014 and 2018 No Build in the northbound direction. However, the southbound direction would increase from 6.3 minutes in 2018 to 7.6 minutes in 2035; mainly due to congestion on Stewart Street. Auto travel times along First Avenue would be slightly lower in the Build condition than in the No Build condition for the 2018 Opening Year, due to volumes using other streets and potentially implementing TSP along the alignment. TSP would increase green time along the alignment when a streetcar is present. Travel time in 2035 Build would be the same to slightly higher than the 2035 No Build due to traffic volume growth. Travel time for both autos and streetcar along S Jackson Street and along Westlake Avenue would be generally the same between No Build and Build in both 2018 and 2035 as no changes to signal operations or roadway configuration would be proposed with the project. TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 6-30

101 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 6.0 ARTERIAL AND LOCAL STREET OPERATIONS Figure No Build and LPA Travel Time (by mode) TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 6-31

102 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 6.0 ARTERIAL AND LOCAL STREET OPERATIONS Figure No Build and LPA Travel Time (by mode) TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 6-32

103 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 6.0 ARTERIAL AND LOCAL STREET OPERATIONS Design Options The following discussion presents travel time results for the design options to the LPA along First Avenue and Stewart Street, including the East-West Design Options in the Pike/Pine area and the Pioneer Square Station Design Option. The turnaround design options at the northern and southern ends are not included in this section as there would not be any difference in travel times within the Center City Connector alignment limits on First Avenue and Stewart Street. East-West Design Options Streetcar travel times were measured between the intersections of First Avenue/Union Street and Westlake Avenue/Stewart Street, and include station dwell times at Pike Place, Westlake, and an intermediate stop near Third Avenue. Auto travel times are the combined total of all road segments and directions within the area bounded by Stewart Street, Pike Street, First Avenue, and Fifth Avenue. Travel times for the east-west design options for streetcar and auto modes are presented in Tables 6-14 and Table and 2035 Streetcar Travel Time for East-West Design Option Alignments, PM Peak Hour Design Option North bound South bound Average of Both Directions North bound South bound Average of Both Directions Option A Option B Option C Option D Note: Path is between the intersections of First Avenue/Union Street and Westlake Avenue/Stewart Street. Travel time is in minutes and includes dwell time at Pike Place Station, Westlake Stations, and intermediate station between Third and Fourth Avenue. Option A is also known as the LPA. Table and 2035 Aggregate Auto Travel Time for Pike/Pine Design Option Alignments, PM Peak Hour Auto Travel Time (minutes) Design Option Option A Option B Option C Option D Travel time is in minutes for auto mode of travel and includes the total of all road segments and directions within the Pike/Pine study area bounded by Stewart Street, Pike Street, First Avenue, and Fifth Avenue. TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 6-33

104 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 6.0 ARTERIAL AND LOCAL STREET OPERATIONS Option A has the lowest overall streetcar travel time and lowest auto travel time of the design options, except for auto travel time in 2035 (which is caused by increased delay at the intersection of Second Avenue/Stewart Street). Option A contains the fewest exclusive streetcar signal phases and the most blocks of exclusive lanes for streetcar travel among the design options. Option B would have the same northbound path and travel time as Option A, but a different southbound travel time path and slightly longer travel time (by approximately 0.5 minutes). The southbound path would run along Fifth Avenue and Pine Street in mostly mixed traffic lanes and would require one more exclusive streetcar phase to complete the path compared to Option A. Option B has the lowest aggregate auto travel time of the four options. Option C would have the longest overall travel time of any design option. The southbound path and travel time are the same as Option B, while the northbound path runs along Pike Street and Fourth Avenue. The northbound travel time path for Option C would be approximately 1.5 minutes longer than Options A and B. Option C would require three more exclusive streetcar phases than Options A and B and would experience congestion on Fourth Avenue while traveling in mixed traffic. Option C would have higher auto travel time than both Options B, and similar to Option D. This is caused by the higher number of exclusive streetcar phases that may disrupt auto signal timing. Option D would have the same northbound path as Option C and the same southbound path as Option A. The northbound travel time would be slightly less than Option C because the streetcar experiences less delay at the intersection of Fourth Avenue/Pine Street. The southbound travel time would be similar but slightly higher than Option A. Option D would have similar auto travel time to Option C. Pioneer Square Station Design Options The Pioneer Square Station Design Option would have a mixed-lane operation along First Avenue between Cherry Street and Yesler Way, as well as allowing the southbound left turn at First Avenue/Cherry Street. These design changes would result in different travel time performance for auto and streetcar modes in this area of First Avenue. Table 6-16 shows the difference in travel time results along First Avenue between Madison Street and S Jackson Street. Travel time between the two design options would not be different beyond this area. Travel time for the streetcar would be between 0.3 and 0.8 minute longer with the Pioneer Square Station Design Option compared to the LPA. Auto travel time would be the same to 0.3 minute longer with the Pioneer Square Station Design Option, compared to the LPA. TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 6-34

105 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 6.0 ARTERIAL AND LOCAL STREET OPERATIONS Table and 2035 Streetcar Travel Time on First Avenue for LPA and Pioneer Square Design Option, PM Peak Hour Streetcar Auto LPA Pioneer Square Station Design Option LPA Pioneer Square Station Design Option Direction on First Avenue Travel Time (min) Speed (mph) Travel Time (min) Speed (mph) Travel Time (min) Speed (mph) Travel Time (min) Speed (mph) 2018 Year of Opening Northbound Southbound Horizon Year Northbound Southbound Note: Path is between the intersections of First Avenue/Madison Street and First Avenue/Jackson Street, which is approximately 0.40 mile. Travel time is in minutes and includes dwell time at Pioneer Square Station Traffic Safety Auto Safety LPA Alignment Since the streetcar would travel in an exclusive lane for the majority of the LPA alignment, the safety impacts would be minimal. For the segment of the alignment on First Avenue, the streetcar will be able to travel parallel to the northbound and southbound through traffic. Signing and pavement treatments are proposed along the streetcar alignment to visually indicate the streetcar to the public. Left-turning movements along First Avenue would be modified to locations that have the ability to provide a dedicated left-turn pocket and the signal phase for these movements would be protected to minimize any conflict with the streetcar. Section describes locations on First Avenue where left-turns would be allowed and/or restricted with the project. Along the alignment where the streetcar would turn, such as the intersections of First Avenue/Jackson Street and First Avenue/Stewart Street, the streetcar would travel through the intersection in an exclusive signal phase minimizing the conflict to other modes. Along some segments of Stewart Street the streetcar would travel in the same lane as general traffic, but it is expected to operate in a similar fashion to autos and travel at similar speeds There are five driveways with left and right-turn access along First Avenue in the No Build Alternative that would have left-turns restricted with the project. One of these driveways would be restricted by station locations (Madison/Spring) and left-turns would not be possible. For the other four locations, left-turns would be restricted and the driveways would be signed as right-inright-out only. Restricting left-turns would eliminate potential conflicts between vehicles and the streetcar as vehicles turn across the tracks. TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 6-35

106 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 6.0 ARTERIAL AND LOCAL STREET OPERATIONS The Northern Turnaround would require an exclusive signal phase at Westlake Avenue and Republican Street to allow the streetcar to make a westbound left-turn from the north curb along Republican Street to the west curb lane on Westlake Avenue. Because of this streetcar turn, right-turns-on-red should be restricted for the westbound approach on Republican Street during the exclusive streetcar phase. The LPA is expected to be designed to meet City of Seattle standards and is not expected to create any safety impacts. The LPA is generally separated from auto traffic and when there are conflicts with autos the traffic signals would have protected signal phases for the streetcar or auto to protect them. Traffic volumes, with the project, are also expected to be lower on First Avenue further minimizing conflicts. Design Options East-West Alignment Design Options Option A Option A is the same as the LPA and is described in the previous section. Option B With Option B, streetcars along the southbound alignment may impede vehicle traffic on Fifth Avenue at Pine Street if the streetcar arrives on green and must wait for the exclusive streetcar signal phase. It is possible that this occurrence may cause more vehicles to change lanes from behind the streetcar in order to pass the waiting vehicle. This may create additional conflicts at this location. Similarly, at the intersection of Pine Street/First Avenue, the westbound streetcar would turn left from the right travel lane on Pine Street onto First Avenue via an exclusive transit signal phase. While waiting for this phase, however, the streetcar would block the westbound through and right-turning movements. Since vehicles would not be able to go around the streetcar, this would be counter to driver expectations if the traffic signal for the westbound approach was green. Option C Option C would have the same southbound impacts as Option B, at Fifth Avenue and Pine Street and at First Avenue and Pine Street. In the northbound direction at the intersection of First Avenue/Pike Street, the wide turn path of the streetcar would encroach into the north curb lane and protected bicycle lane for a short segment before reaching the south curb lane. Therefore, the protected bicycle lane would need to terminate midblock on Pike Street between First and Second Avenues under this design option. Northbound on Fourth Avenue, the streetcar may impede vehicle traffic at Pine Street while waiting for the curb-side transit-only lane to stop to allow the streetcar to cross into that lane. This may cause more vehicles to change lanes from behind the streetcar in order to pass the waiting vehicle, which may create additional conflicts at this location. In order for the streetcar to turn right onto Olive Way, vehicle traffic on the two right turn lanes at this intersection would be stopped to allow the streetcar to safely navigate the turn. The turn would be signalized for vehicles and should not affect crashes, but it would differ from driver expectations. TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 6-36

107 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 6.0 ARTERIAL AND LOCAL STREET OPERATIONS Option D Option D would not have any additional safety impacts from the LPA in the southbound direction. In the northbound direction, Option D would have the same impacts as Option C at First Avenue and Pike Street, Fourth Avenue and Pine Street, and Fourth Avenue and Olive Way. Pioneer Square Station Design Option The Pioneer Square Station Design Option would not have additional safety impacts on vehicles compared to the LPA. The design option would include exclusive streetcar phases at Cherry St and Yesler Way on First Avenue to allow the streetcar to transition between the exclusive and mixed sections. Northern Turnaround Design Option The Northern Turnaround Design Option would not present any additional safety impacts on vehicles compared to the LPA. Southern Turnaround Design Option The Southern Turnaround Design Option would not present any additional safety impacts on vehicles compared to the LPA. The removal of one block of parking for this design option would reduce vehicle conflict points Nonmotorized Safety LPA Alignment Pedestrian activity would increase with the project at crosswalks near proposed stations, as described in Section Sidewalks are provided along the alignment and at the stations with no sidewalk gaps along Stewart Street, First Avenue, or S Jackson Street. Crosswalks are also provided at signalized intersections along the alignment and pedestrians would be protected from the streetcar phase, eliminating conflicts. All crosswalks accessing the streetcar station median platforms would be at signalized intersections with signal phases provided for pedestrians. In addition, with median station platforms, pedestrian safety would likely improve as the stations provide a refuge area and two-stage crossing of the street. Therefore while the pedestrian activity around the proposed stations would likely increase with the project, this project is not expected to adversely affect safety with the signalized crosswalks. The SLU streetcar line currently terminates in McGraw Square just south of the intersection of Westlake Avenue/Stewart Street. The LPA alignment would turn from Westlake Avenue onto Stewart Street and avoid entering McGraw Square, thereby reducing pedestrian conflicts in this area. No bicycle lanes or bicycle routes are provided along the alignment, but protected bike lanes are provided along Second Avenue and Pike Street. Due to the open groove adjacent to the rails that allows space for the streetcar wheels, bicycles would not be signed or directed to travel within the alignment tracks. For those riders that do not use the Second Avenue bike lanes and choose to ride along First Avenue, bicyclists would likely travel in the curb lane and not adjacent to the TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 6-37

108 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 6.0 ARTERIAL AND LOCAL STREET OPERATIONS streetcar tracks. For locations where bicycles cross the tracks at an angle (i.e. perpendicular), bicycle wheels would not likely get stuck into the streetcar track groove. However, if the angle the bicyclist crosses the track is not perpendicular it does expose the bicyclists to their wheel getting into the track. The intersections of Second Avenue/S Jackson Street and Second Avenue/Stewart Street are two locations where bicyclists travelling in the Second Avenue bike lanes would cross perpendicular to the streetcar tracks. Design Options For all of the east-west alignment design options, the planned cycle tracks would cross the streetcar tracks perpendicularly (or near perpendicularly), posing no additional safety concerns. For Options C and D, to avoid conflicts with the right-turning streetcar onto Pike Street, the cycle track on Pike Street would need to terminate midblock between First and Second Avenues. The Pioneer Square Station Design Option would have no additional safety impacts on nonmotorized trips within the station area compared to the LPA. The side platforms would cause some pedestrians to completely cross the street, but this is similar to the No Build conditions at Yesler Way. The Northern Turnaround Design Option would have no additional safety impacts for nonmotorized trips around Westlake Avenue and Sixth Avenue. For the Southern Turnaround Design Option, the changing of station location from Jackson Street to Eighth Avenue S would move some pedestrian traffic away from the existing station to Eighth Avenue S. Marked and/or signalized crosswalks along Eighth Avenue would minimize safety impacts Property Access and Circulation LPA Alignment Figure 2-6 (shown previously in section 2.2.4) shows the locations of proposed turning restrictions at intersections along the LPA. Table 6-17 below presents the location of driveways along the LPA alignment and the turn restrictions that would occur with the No Build and Build condition. Along First Avenue there are eight garage and parking lot driveways along the streetcar alignment with two of them having left-turn restrictions. With the project, the inner lanes of First Avenue would be restricted to only allow streetcars while the outer lanes would remain open to general-purpose traffic. Due to the restriction of general-purpose traffic from the inner lanes, all driveways would provide right-in/right-out access only and left turns would be eliminated. Two of the driveways, one south of S Main Street and the other south of Cherry Street, would remain the same between the No Build Alternative and LPA because a center median already restricts these driveways to right-in/right-out movements. Access to the six remaining driveways would require signage and striping to modify access to right-in/right-out movements to avoid left turns across the exclusive streetcar lane. TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 6-38

109 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 6.0 ARTERIAL AND LOCAL STREET OPERATIONS Table 6-17 Main Street Changes to Driveway Turn Restrictions with LPA Block Side of Street No. of Driveways and Type Driveway Turn Restrictions with LPA (compared to No Build Alternative) Pine to Pike East 1 - Parking All Lefts Eliminated Pike to Union East 1 - Parking All Lefts Eliminated Seneca to Spring East 1 - Parking All Lefts Eliminated 1st Avenue Marion to Columbia East 1 - Parking All Lefts Eliminated West 1 - Parking All Lefts Eliminated Columbia to Cherry East 1 - Parking All Lefts Eliminated Stewart Street Cherry to Yesler Way West 1 - Parking None a Main to Jackson West 1 - Parking None 1st to 2nd 2nd to 3rd 4th to 5th North South 1 Parking 1 - Alleyway 1 - Alleyway Outbound Lefts Restricted Inbound Lefts/ Outbound Rights Restricted North 1 - Alleyway Outbound Lefts Restricted South North 1 Parking 1 - Alleyway 1 Parking 1 - Alleyway Parking Garage: Outbound Lefts Restricted; Alleyway: None None a There would be no change because these blocks contain a median which already prevents left turns. There are eight driveways along the LPA alignment on Stewart Street. All provide access to oneway streets in the No Build Alternative, with the exception of the parking garage on the south side of Stewart Street between Second and Third Avenues that provides access to westbound Stewart Street and eastbound Olive Way. Some left-turn restrictions would be required with the LPA at driveways between First and Third Avenue where the eastbound contraflow streetcar lane would create a potential mixed lane and allow for new movements that were not possible in the No Build Alternative (see Appendix A). For example, the southside driveway between First and Second Avenue with left-in/left-out access in the No Build Alternative would need to have right-out restricted access to maintain the exclusive streetcar lane. The parking garage driveway on the south side of Stewart Street between Second and Third Avenues would allow left turns in from the westbound streetcar lane, making this half-block segment a mixed lane so that full access to the parking garage can be maintained. Beyond the property access modifications, general circulation changes proposed with the LPA would be left turn restrictions along First Avenue. Table 6-18 presents locations along First Avenue where left-turn movements are allowed or restricted and if the left turn is accommodated from a shared or exclusive lane in both the No Build Alternative and LPA. TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 6-39

110 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 6.0 ARTERIAL AND LOCAL STREET OPERATIONS Table 6-18 Left Turn Access Comparison on First Avenue with No Build and LPA Northbound Left Treatment Southbound Left Treatment No Build LPA No Build LPA Cross Street Left Turn Allowed? Shared or Exclusive Lane? Volume (2018/ 2035) Left Turn Allowed? Shared or Exclusive Lane? Volume (2018/ 2035) Left Turn Allowed? Shared or Exclusive Lane? Volume (2018/ 2035) Left Turn Allowed? Shared or Exclusive Lane? Volume (2018/ 2035) Stewart Allowed Shared 10/10 Eliminated NA NA Pine Allowed Shared 15/15 Eliminated NA NA Pike Allowed Shared 50/50 Allowed Exclusive 40/25 Not Allowed Not Allowed Union Allowed Shared 10/10 Eliminated Not Allowed Not Allowed University NA NA Allowed Shared 80/60 Allowed Exclusive 120/130 Seneca NA NA Not Allowed Not Allowed Spring NA NA Allowed Shared 65/70 Allowed Exclusive 165/180 Madison Allowed Shared 35/35 Allowed Exclusive 80/90 NA NA Marion NA NA Allowed Shared 25/25 Eliminated Columbia Allowed Exclusive 75/55 Eliminated Not Allowed Not Allowed Cherry NA NA Allowed Exclusive 150/185 Eliminated Yesler Not Allowed Not Allowed Not Allowed Not Allowed Washington Not Allowed Not Allowed Not Allowed Not Allowed Main Not Allowed Not Allowed Not Allowed Not Allowed Jackson Allowed Exclusive 40/45 Allowed Exclusive 40/45 Allowed Exclusive 115/130 Allowed Exclusive 110/130 King Allowed Exclusive 135/185 Allowed Exclusive 155/285 Not Allowed Not Allowed Dearborn Allowed Exclusive 245/285 Allowed Exclusive 250/280 NA NA Notes: NA = not applicable; the left-turn movement is not possible because of the one-way street network; Allowed = left-turn movement is possible and allowed; Not Allowed = left-turn movement is possible but restricted in the No Build Alternative and LPA; Eliminated = left-turn movement is eliminated because of the LPA; Shared = left-turn movement is accommodated from shared left-through lane; Exclusive = left-turn movement is accommodated from exclusive left-turn lane; TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 6-40

111 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 6.0 ARTERIAL AND LOCAL STREET OPERATIONS There are six left-turn movements at intersections that are allowed in the No Build Alternative that would be restricted in the LPA, with four of those locations in the northbound direction. Most of those locations have low forecasted demand volumes (less than 50 vehicles per hour) compared to other turn movements, with the exception of First Avenue/Cherry Street. Therefore, the circulation impacts of the left-turn restrictions with the project would be expected to be minimal because protected left-turn pockets are still provided at eight locations along First Avenue between Stewart and Dearborn streets. In addition, the street grid in urban downtown Seattle provides drivers several alternate paths to reach destinations. There are no proposed changes to left-turn intersection movements on Stewart Street, Olive Way, or S Jackson Street with the LPA Design Options East-West Design Options There would not be any changes to garage driveways or alleyways with any of the proposed Pike/Pine Design Option alignments compared to the LPA. Proposed streetcar stations on either Pine Street or Pike Street between Third Avenue and Fourth Avenue would be located so as not to encroach on any garage driveway or alleyway access. Options B and C would allow for the southbound streetcar to make a right-turn from Fifth Avenue onto Pine Street. This movement would remain restricted for autos in all alternatives. Pioneer Square Station Design Options The Pioneer Square Station Design Option would move the streetcar station one block south to the block between Cherry Street and Yesler Way, which would maintain the southbound left-turn at First Avenue/Cherry Street. This would change the total number of left turns restricted with the project to five (one less than the LPA). There would be no difference to property access between the LPA and the design option. Northern Turnaround Design Option No changes to property/driveway access or intersection turn movements would occur with this design option compared to the LPA. Southern Turnaround Design Option No changes to property/driveway access or intersection turn movements would occur with this design option compared to the LPA Freight The LPA is not expected to change the truck route designations on the street network. Some of the streets parallel to First Avenue would experience some slight increases in traffic volumes (including Alaskan Way/SR 519) with the diversion expected from First Avenue with the project. Traffic volumes on Alaskan Way would be expected to increase up to 6 percent with the LPA at screenlines south of Seneca Street and south of Pine Street (as shown earlier in Table 6- TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 6-41

112 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 6.0 ARTERIAL AND LOCAL STREET OPERATIONS 12), but would not expect a change in the screenline south of S Main Street because First Avenue would not see any change in capacity in this area. Even so intersection operations are expected to be similar between No Build and the LPA as described in Section There are no designated major truck streets on any of the streets associated with the east-west design option alignments. 6.4 Construction Impacts Construction impacts by the project are described in this section. Construction of the streetcar along First Avenue, Stewart Street, and Olive Way is assumed to be completed in four separate work segments. The proposed construction segments and schedule are shown in Figures 2-6 and 2-7, respectively. In addition, Appendix B includes more detailed information on the conceptual construction segments and phasing. There are three different concepts for the overall construction schedule as described earlier in Section Anticipated lengths of closure for each segment described below were based on the overall schedule Concept B for comparison purposes between segments. However, the length could vary depending on a different overall schedule concept utilized by the contractor Segment 1 (Pioneer Square) Streetcar construction in Segment 1 (Pioneer Square) would occur along First Avenue between S Jackson Street and Columbia Street. The segment could be divided into three separate work zones along First Avenue: Zone A: S Jackson Street to S Washington Street Zone B: S Washington Street to Yesler Way Zone C: Yesler Way to Columbia Street The longest segment of continuous closure would be three blocks. Weekday northbound lane closures would occur between 11:00 am and 7:00 pm. When the work zone is not active, one lane in each direction would be maintained through the work area. During construction of Segment 1, southbound traffic on First Avenue would be maintained while the northbound direction would be closed and traffic detoured. The southbound traffic would run on the side of the street opposite of where road construction activities are occurring where a median would separate traffic from construction. S Washington and S Main Streets would remain open during construction. Cross streets at intersections would remain open during weekdays. The proposed detour route for northbound traffic currently on First Avenue is Alaskan Way via either Railroad Way S or S King Street returning to First Avenue at Marion Street. Northbound vehicles destined for Cherry Street eastbound and the I-5 northbound express lane on-ramp could access from Yesler Way and an eastbound left turn at First Avenue. Depending on the conditions, drivers may choose other detour routes to avoid the construction area. These routes include the Alaskan Way Viaduct (from which vehicles could use either the Seneca offramp or Western off-ramp to return onto city streets) or Fourth Avenue. An analysis of the PM peak hour traffic conditions during construction was conducted to assess the impacts of drivers using the Alaskan Way detour route. Synchro software was used assuming demand volumes for year For this analysis it was assumed that the Seawall Replacement Project would be completed and would restore Alaskan Way to its original four- to five-lane configuration between S Washington Street and Union Street (including a northbound ferry TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 6-42

113 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 6.0 ARTERIAL AND LOCAL STREET OPERATIONS ingress lane at Yesler Way) by mid Because the Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Program would still be in progress and the Viaduct would still be open, the segment of Alaskan Way south of S Washington Street was assumed to remain in its current configuration underneath the Viaduct (one lane each direction), connecting with First Avenue just south of S King Street. To conservatively assess the construction condition, all northbound trips on First Avenue through Pioneer Square were assumed to use the detour route. Intersections along the detour route would see increased delays, with average intersection delays expected to increase by approximately 55 percent (from about 11 to 17 seconds per vehicle) during the Segment 1 construction. This would result in mostly LOS C or better operations along Alaskan Way, although Alaskan Way/Main Street would operate at LOS D. The intersections of First Avenue/Railroad Way and First Avenue/Marion Street where trips are changing off of and onto First Avenue to access the detour would also see a slight increase in delay but would operate no worse than LOS C during the detour. Construction in Segment 1 is anticipated to take approximately 6 to 7 months. Close coordination of nearby construction projects such as the Seawall Replacement Project, Washington State Ferries Seattle Terminal at Colman Dock project, Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Project, and Seattle Central Waterfront Program will be required during the construction of the Center City Connector Project. The schedule of Segment 1 could be moved to the earlier or later stages of the overall Center City Connector construction period to avoid overlapping with these nearby construction projects. Congestion along First Avenue and other local streets during construction of the Center City Connector would make it more difficult to accommodate peak demands caused by large events at the stadiums. This may be particularly true of construction in the Pioneer Square segment. SDOT continues to emphasize alternatives to automobile access to event; however, before the Center City Connector is operational, impacts on vehicle traffic are expected during events Segment 2 (Madison Office Core) Streetcar construction along Segment 2 (Madison Office Core) would occur on First Avenue between Columbia Street and Union Street. The segment could be divided into three separate work zones of two-block road segments along First Avenue: Zone D: Columbia Street to Madison Street Zone E: Madison to Seneca Street Zone F: Seneca Street to Union Street The longest segment of continuous closure would be four blocks at a time when two work zones are active simultaneously. One lane would remain open in each direction during construction, therefore no detour is proposed in Segment 2. Cross streets at intersections would remain open during weekdays. Construction impacts along Segment 2 would generally be expected to be similar to the 2018 LPA, which also assumes a two-lane cross section of First Avenue. In the 2018 LPA, all intersections along Segment 2 operate at LOS C or better. Construction in Segment 2 is anticipated to take approximately 6 months. TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 6-43

114 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 6.0 ARTERIAL AND LOCAL STREET OPERATIONS Segment 3 (Pike Place Market) Streetcar construction along Segment 3 (Pike Place Market) would occur along First Avenue between Union Street and Stewart Street and on Stewart Street between First and Second Avenues. This segment could be divided into three separate work zones along First Avenue and Stewart Street: Zone G: First Avenue between Union Street and Pine Street Zone H: First Avenue between Pine Street and Stewart Street Zone I: Stewart Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue The longest segment of continuous closure would be three blocks while active construction simultaneously occurs in Zones H and I. One lane would remain open in each direction during construction, therefore no detour is proposed in Segment. Cross streets at intersections would remain open during weekdays. Construction impacts along Segment 3 would generally be similar to the 2018 LPA, which also assumes a two-lane cross section of First Avenue. All intersections along Segment 3 operate at LOS C or better in the 2018 LPA. Construction in Segment 3 is anticipated to take approximately 5 to 6 months Segment 4 (Westlake Connection) Streetcar construction in Segment 4 (Westlake Connection) would occur along Stewart Street between Second Avenue and Westlake Avenue, or if any other design option were selected, the construction would Construction in Segment 4 would only occur during nights and weekends, so there would not be any impact to weekday peak hour traffic conditions. It is anticipated that multiple weekends would be required to complete work in Segment 4. Construction in Segment 4 could take place at various times over the 18 months of construction for the other three segments. 6.5 Potential Mitigation Traffic Operations All intersections within the study area would operate at LOS E or better in the build alternatives in both future years 2018 and 2035, with the exception of Westlake Avenue N and Republican Street, and Alaskan Way and S King Street. The Alaskan Way and S King Street intersection would be LOS F in both No Build Alternative and LPA and delay would be slightly lower with the LPA, so no mitigation would be required. The Westlake Avenue N and Republican Street intersection would operate at LOS F in both No Build Alternative and LPA, but the project would increase the average delay for this intersection with the exclusive signal phase for the westbound streetcars. SDOT is developing potential improvements to this intersection that would change traffic patterns, which could improve intersection operations. While vehicle throughput along First Avenue would decrease, person throughput would increase with the LPA. Moving more people in fewer vehicles indicates that people would be able to move more efficiently along First Avenue with the project. Auto travel time along the LPA TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 6-44

115 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 6.0 ARTERIAL AND LOCAL STREET OPERATIONS alignment would not be worse in the LPA when compared to the No Build Alternative in both 2018 and All intersections in the Pike/Pine study area under the east-west design options would operate at LOS E or better; and therefore would not require mitigation. Therefore, no mitigation would be required beyond the project design to improve intersection and, in general, traffic operations with the LPA or the east-west design options. Under typical traffic days, no mitigation during construction is necessary beyond BMPs and an SDOT-approved/coordinated Traffic Control Plan; however, during large events, SDOT will implement the following measures during construction, especially during construction in Pioneer Square: Coordinate with the City s Special Events Committee and Seattle Police Department traffic control to provide enhanced public awareness of congestion and alternative modes for accessing events in addition to posting travelers advisories on the SDOT Blog and website ( On the Move ) and include special events on the City Traveler s Map. Provide signing and wayfinding to help travelers access key destinations. Provide flaggers and/or uniformed police officers at key intersections when needed to facilitate the movements of freight and general purpose traffic and expedite emergency vehicles. Coordinate traffic management through the SDOT HUB program Traffic Safety The LPA and the east-west design options would generally be separated from general traffic. Only at intersections would there be vehicles crossing the streetcar tracks, creating conflicts, but the traffic signals would have protected signal phases for the streetcar or auto to separate and protect these movements. The LPA and/or the east-west design options would be designed to meet City of Seattle standards Property Access and Circulation The LPA would restrict left-turn access at five parking garage driveways and six left-turn movements at intersections along First Avenue. The LPA would restrict left-turn access at five parking garage driveways and five left-turn movements at intersections along First Avenue. Several driveways would be modified to maintain safe access to the property, as follows: The first driveway south of Pike Street on the east side of First Avenue will be modified to right-in/right-out access with the proposed streetcar station located in the median at Pike Street. Access to the four remaining driveways will require signage and striping to modify access to right-in/right-out movements to avoid left turns across the exclusive streetcar lane. TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 6-45

116 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 6.0 ARTERIAL AND LOCAL STREET OPERATIONS Freight The LPA would not be expected to change the truck route designations on the street network. Intersection operations would be expected to operate similarly between the No Build Alternative and LPA and the east-west design options. Therefore, no mitigation would be required for freight. TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 6-46

117 7 NONMOTORIZED FACILITIES 7.1 Methodology This section assesses the impact of the Center City Connector on access and connectivity for non-motorized modes (pedestrian and bicyclist) using the following non-motorized evaluation methodology: Pedestrian. The pedestrian analysis methodology included generating 5- to 10-minute walksheds around proposed station locations. These walksheds served as the basis for analysis of pedestrian facilities including American s with Disabilities Act (ADA) accessibility. The analysis considered topography and steep grades that characterize the study area and utilized current and projected pedestrian count data. Bicyclist. Existing and planned bicycle facilities in the study area were reviewed for potential conflicts with the proposed streetcar. All locations where existing or future bikeways would cross the streetcar tracks or be parallel to them were evaluated for bicyclist safety. Alternative solutions were developed for consideration where safety issues were identified. Additional detail on the evaluation methodology is provided in Appendix C. 7.2 Affected Environment Existing and Planned Pedestrian Facilities Sidewalk Gaps, Conditions, and Widths The proposed streetcar project is located in Downtown Seattle one of the densest areas of the city. The sidewalk network is complete, however numerous driveway access points along block faces present conflicts for pedestrians navigating the area. The typical sidewalk width along First Avenue is 12 feet to 20 feet, which adequately accommodates the heavier pedestrian volumes that are characteristic of downtown. Sidewalk walking surfaces are concrete or brick. Sidewalk cracks exist adjacent to the proposed streetcar line on Stewart Street between First and Second Avenue and Olive Way between Fourth and Fifth Avenues. This condition could impede people using mobility devices. Sidewalk conditions were evaluated based on a City of Seattle sidewalk survey that was conducted in Most downtown Seattle sidewalks are wide enough to accommodate demand. This survey assigned a rating of good, fair, and poor to individual block faces. A sidewalk s rating was affected by the condition of the surface and surface material, as well as the sidewalk width. Figure 7-1 highlights the sidewalk condition for the streets providing immediate TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 7-1

118 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 7.0 NONMOTORIZED FACILITIES pedestrian access to the streetcar and illustrates street segments with challenging grades of 9 percent or more. The poor ratings on Olive and Stewart can be attributed to severely degraded pavement conditions. It is acknowledged that sidewalk conditions may have degraded due to normal aging after the 2007 inventory, but this is the most readily available information for use Curb Ramp Status Curb ramps are present in the study area and are often accompanied by visual-tactile strips to aid navigation into the street for the visually impaired. Curb ramps do not comply with ADA standards in Pioneer Square. Non-compliant curb ramps will be brought up to compliance along sidewalks adjacent to the alignment. SDOT s Sidewalk Accessibility Program funds the installation of 200 to 300 curb ramps each year, based on citizen requests and priority locations. The City published a Curb Ramp Installation Policies and Transition Plan in 2005 (SDOT, 2005) and revisited the transition plan as part of the Seattle Pedestrian Master Plan in 2009 (SDOT, 2009). SDOT is working to upgrade curb ramps to comply with the latest ADA standards. In June 2015, SDOT began an assessment of the 21,000 existing curb ramps to help determine priorities for improvement and to update the Seattle Curb Ramp Implementation Plan over the next year (SDOT, 2015c) Topographic Constraints and Wayfinding The trip east from the waterfront into Downtown Seattle presents some challenges for pedestrians, as illustrated in Figure 7-1. There are numerous street blocks where grades of 9 percent or more are a topographic constraint. The dense street network gives pedestrians a range of routing options to reach streetcar stations, but wayfinding is limited, and some pedestrians are tourists who may not be familiar with the area and unclear of the best route. Steep grades are difficult to navigate for pedestrians with mobility challenges. TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 7-2

119 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 7.0 NONMOTORIZED FACILITIES Figure 7-1 Existing Pedestrian Facility Condition in Immediate Station Areas TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 7-3

120 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 7.0 NONMOTORIZED FACILITIES Signalized Crossings There are no mid-block crossings along the proposed streetcar alignment. With the exception of a few mid-block crossings in the pedestrian walkshed (e.g., Fifth Avenue between Pike and Union Streets), pedestrians are routed to cross streets at signalized intersections. Signalized intersections use standard pedestrian walking man signal heads that run on a fixed signal timing schedule. The lack of signal timing optimization in Downtown can lead to longer wait times for pedestrians, although signal cycles are relatively short and the pedestrian phases are not skipped. Frequent stops/starts and increased wait times at intersections can lead to increased incidence of jaywalking and reduced compliance with pedestrian signal devices. There are pedestrian scramble phase crossings, permitting pedestrians to cross in all directions simultaneously, located on First Avenue at Pike Street, Cherry Street, and University Street. This phasing strategy helps effectively manage locations with high pedestrian volumes. Marked crosswalks at all signalized intersections use high-visibility continental-style markings. The condition of these crosswalks is good-to-adequate at most intersections, with the majority of wear being present at intersections that experience heavy right-turn movements. Most marked crossings in Downtown use continental style markings and are at signalized intersections with fixed signal timing Landscaping and Furnishing Zone The wide landscaping buffers and prominent street trees on multi-lane streets in Downtown reduce motor vehicle traffic speeds by visually narrowing the street. They also provide a physical buffer between moving traffic and the sidewalk that increases pedestrian safety and comfort. Café seating areas help to liven the street and create a more welcoming, active streetscape. TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 7-4

121 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 7.0 NONMOTORIZED FACILITIES Existing Pedestrian Access Considerations and Volumes The density of popular destinations in the Downtown core generates high pedestrian traffic volumes. The busiest intersections for pedestrian activity within the study area include the Fifth, Fourth, Third, Second, and First Avenue intersections with Pike and Pine Streets and First Avenue and Marion Street. Intersections with lower pedestrian demand are nearly all associated along S Jackson Street, east of Fifth Avenue S Existing and Planned Bicycle Facilities The existing bikeway network has been expanding recently in Downtown Seattle. Existing and planned bike routes that would connect with the proposed streetcar line are listed in Table 7-1. Figure 7-2 provides a map of existing and planned bicycle facilities, as specified in the City of Seattle Bicycle Master Plan and subsequent Implementation Plan (SDOT, 2014b,c). There are two classes of bike facility that are relevant to the study area. These facilities are defined in the Seattle Bicycle Master Plan as: Protected Bike Lanes. These bikeways are physically separated from motor vehicle traffic via a physical barrier, grade-separation, or a buffered parking lane. In-street Minor Separation.- These facility types are appropriate when the prevailing motor vehicle travel speeds and volumes are too high for a shared lane, and when traffic calming techniques are not available or appropriate. The following facilities are considered in-street, minor separation: o Bicycle Lane o Buffered Bicycle Lane o Contraflow Bicycle Lane o Uphill Climbing Lane The recently constructed Second Avenue protected bike lane between Pike Street and Yesler Way gives bicyclists of all ages and abilities a more convenient, safe, and comfortable facility to ride to downtown destinations. Other bike facilities in Downtown Seattle are mainly suitable for commuter bicyclists that are more accustomed to sharing the roadway with motor vehicles. The majority of on-street bikeways in the study area are shared lane markings, or sharrows, that do not provide separation from motor vehicle traffic. Shared lane markings are typically found on low-speed/low-traffic neighborhood greenways where they alert motorists to expect the presence of bicyclists on the roadway. With this type of bikeway, bicyclists and motorists share the lane, but there is insufficient room to ride side by side within the lane. Sharrows are placed on the roadway four feet from the curb or the parking lane as a visual cue for where bicyclists should operate Topography Steep grades are a challenge for bicyclists and Downtown Seattle has many streets with grades of 9 percent or more. In general, north/south travel on the numbered avenues present fewer grade challenges. Bicycle travel east from the waterfront is strenuous with riders experiencing TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 7-5

122 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 7.0 NONMOTORIZED FACILITIES extended sections of 9 percent or greater grades on all streets in the study area that are south of Union Street. The streets with the most gradual east/west grades are Pike Street, Union Street, and Pine Street. Table 7-1 Existing and Planned Seattle Bicycle Master Plan Bikeways Intersecting with the Proposed Streetcar (Implementation by 2020) St Name Existing Facilities Facility Type Pike St (from 1st to 2nd Ave) Protected bike lane (connecting to 2 nd Ave) - 2nd Ave Protected bike lane - 4th Ave In-street minor separation - 6th Ave In-street minor separation - 7th Ave In-street minor separation - Cherry St In-street minor separation - Howell St/Olive Way In-street minor separation - Seneca St In-street minor separation - Spring St In-street minor separation - Stewart St In-street minor separation Virginia St In-street minor separation - Western Ave In-street minor separation - Planned Facilities 4th Ave Protected bike lane 2017 Alaskan Way Protected bike lane 2019 Spring St Protected bike lane 2019 Projected Completion Year Pike St Protected bike lane Unidentified (study 2015) Yesler Way In-street minor separation Unidentified (study 2015) TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 7-6

123 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 7.0 NONMOTORIZED FACILITIES Figure 7-2 Existing and Planned Bicycle Facilities TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 7-7

124 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 7.0 NONMOTORIZED FACILITIES Pavement Quality The pavement is generally smooth with minimal utility service infrastructure, such as manhole covers and water access panels, which can create an obstacle for bicyclists (especially in the rain). Pavement markings are sufficiently flush with the pavement surface and do not create an additional hazard, as can happen when layers of paint build up over time Bike Parking (shortand long-term) There is an abundance of short-term bicycle parking in Downtown Seattle. In general, shortterm bicycle parking is considered appropriate for parking durations of two hours or less. Many bicyclists feel uncomfortable leaving their bicycle parked on the street even locked securely with a u-lock for an extended length of time. Long-term storage lockers are a common solution for bike commuters that do not have access to a secure bike room in their building. Long-term bike parking facilities maintained by King County Metro or Sound Transit are available for an annual lease throughout the region. 13 There are no long-term bike lockers available in proximity to the proposed streetcar alignment. Short-term bike parking racks give bicyclists a secure place to lock up their bicycles while frequenting shops, eateries, and other destinations Existing Bicyclist Volumes An onboard survey of existing SLU streetcar and King County Metro Route 99 riders in June 2013 showed that a very limited number of riders (.002 percent) access the streetcar by bike and 2 percent of Route 99 riders access the bus by bike Bike Share Integration The recent addition of the Pronto Bike Share service in Seattle offers a new way for people to move around the city, as well as access transit. Bike share services help facilitate first/last mile The new bike share system in Seattle Pronto gives users new ways to integrate bicycling and transit TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 7-8

125 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 7.0 NONMOTORIZED FACILITIES connections between transit and destinations. Bike share integration reduces the need for onboard or at-station bike storage solutions. 7.3 Environmental Consequences No Build Alternative The pedestrian conditions under the future No Build Alternative would be similar if not slightly improved compared to the existing pedestrian environment. The on-street bikeways planned for future implementation in downtown Seattle would improve bicycle travel and safety of bicyclists consistent with the City s Complete Streets policy. The on-street bikeways planned for implementation in Downtown over the next 5 years would improve access to the streetcar and other key destinations for riders of all ages and abilities. In addition, the new Second Avenue protected bike lane facility would provide access by bicycle to the new streetcar line LPA The Seattle Center City Connector project builds on the City s Complete Streets policy by effectively accommodating multimodal travel on the corridor. Bicycle and pedestrian facilities will be integrated with the streetcar to accommodate the expected increases in people walking and bicycling through the corridor and accessing the stations. This section describes how the pedestrian and bicycling environment would be impacted under the LPA Pedestrian Conditions Under the LPA, pedestrian conditions would be similar or improved to the No Build Alternative, but with increased pedestrian volumes at and near the stations. The Center City Connector Project will upgrade sidewalks along the alignment to meet ADA standards. Figure 7-3 provides a map of the 5 to 10 minute walksheds for each of the LPA s proposed stations. Pedestrian travel patterns may also change in response to streetcar station locations. Barring challenging grades, people would travel in the most direct path between the streetcar platform and their intended destination Pedestrian Facilities The streetcar station designs would utilize universal design practices to provide fully accessible pedestrian access at the stations (see Figure 7-3). The Center City Connector project would update sidewalks near station entrances to meet or exceed existing Seattle Right-of-Way Improvement Manual standards (SDOT, 2012). This would enhance the existing pedestrian environment and improve the overall look and feel of the street for all roadway users. The existing SLU streetcar is accessed predominantly by people arriving by foot (about 53 percent), with a smaller percentage making the connection from bus (about 15 percent). By 2035, most intersections identified in Table 7-2 could see approximately 10 percent increase in pedestrian demand under 2018 No Build conditions and up to 30 percent under 2035 No Build conditions. Under the LPA for the years 2018 and 2035, several high-volume intersections would TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 7-9

126 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 7.0 NONMOTORIZED FACILITIES experience additional 11 to 15 percent increases in pedestrian volume relative to No Build conditions, as shown in Table 7-2, most notably at Third/Fourth Avenues and Stewart Street, First Avenue and Madison/Spring Streets, Sixth Avenue S and S Jackson Streets, and Occidental Avenue S and S Jackson Street. These increases in pedestrian volumes are based upon the proposed station locations and forecasted transit ridership. Given generally adequate sidewalk widths, the primary capacity concern with the LPA is pedestrian queueing at intersections/crosswalks adjacent to stations. Capacity and convenience improvements on sidewalks and crossings will enhance pedestrian access to transit. Even with increases in pedestrian activity, given generally adequate sidewalk widths, the frequency of streetcar passing, and the design of station platforms separate from the sidewalks, pedestrian queueing at intersections/crosswalks is not expected to result in pedestrian overflow; however, the safety design of station platforms may encourage jaywalking activities, which would result in safety concerns. ADA Conditions The project would be designed using universal access principles and in compliance with ADA such that any reconstructed intersections would include access ramps and visual tactile strips. As such, no adverse effect on ADA conditions is expected. Wayfinding A consistent and highly-visible preferred walking route network with appropriate signage is currently part of the LPA alternative, and would identify stations and their access routes. This would improve navigation between the streetcar and core destinations, such as Pike Place Market and the Public Library. The existing network of wayfinding signage in Downtown would be modified to identify routes to the streetcar. 14 Ferry and Streetcar Access The Ferry terminal access (overhead walkway) between the Ferry terminal and First Avenue along Marion Street provides a pedestrian connection to the potential streetcar. It is likely that the streetcar would be a popular method for accessing the Ferry, therefore the LPA alternative would see increased pedestrian volumes at Madison station, which would be the nearest link to the Ferry terminal and the pedestrian overhead accessway on Marion Street TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 7-10

127 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 7.0 NONMOTORIZED FACILITIES Table 7-2 Existing and Future Pedestrian Volumes N/S Street E/W Street Existing Volume (PM Peak Hour) 2018 No Build 2018 Build 2035 No Build 2035 Build # # Change from Existing # Change from No Build # Change from Existing # Change from 2035 No Build Westlake Ave Stewart St % 840 4% % 1,010 4% 5th Ave Stewart St 1,480 1,600 7% 1,650 3% 1,920 29% 1,970 3% 5th Ave Olive Way 1,880 2,030 8% 2,130 5% 2,430 29% 2,570 6% 4th Ave Stewart St 1,390 1,500 8% 1,730 15% 1,790 29% 2,020 13% 3rd Ave Stewart St 1,380 1,490 8% 1,680 13% 1,780 29% 2,010 13% 2nd Ave Stewart St 1,320 1,420 8% 1,420 0% 1,710 30% 1,710 0% 1st Ave Pine St 2,080 2,250 8% 2,360 5% 2,690 29% 2,830 5% 1st Ave Pike St 2,330 2,520 8% 2,620 4% 3,010 29% 3,150 5% 1st Ave Spring St 1,390 1,500 8% 1,660 11% 1,800 29% 1,990 11% 1st Ave Madison St 1,210 1,310 8% 1,460 11% 1,570 30% 1,750 11% 1st Ave Marion St 1,960 2,110 8% 2,110 0% 2,530 29% 2,530 0% 1st Ave Columbia St ,310 7% 1,360 4% 1,570 29% 1,660 6% 1st Ave Cherry St % 1,030 6% 1,170 30% 1,230 5% 1st Ave Yesler Way 1,190 1,280 8% 1,280 0% 1,540 29% 1,540 0% 1st Ave S Jackson St % 640 8% % % 5th Ave S S Jackson St 1,030 1,110 8% 1,170 5% 1,330 29% 1,390 5% 6th Ave S S Jackson St % % % % Occidental Ave S S Jackson St % % % % Note: No Build Alternative and LPA-projected increases are relative to existing PM peak hour volumes. Source: Intersection turn movement counts, rounded to nearest 10, September Counts were conducted for two hours between 4:00 and 6:00 p.m., with the highest single hour chosen as the system peak. TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 7-11

128 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 7.0 NONMOTORIZED FACILITIES Figure 7-3 Station Walksheds TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 7-12

129 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 7.0 NONMOTORIZED FACILITIES Bicycle Conditions The LPA would not affect bicycle access along First Avenue; there is no existing bicycle facility along First Avenue and the alignment would not conflict with existing and proposed on-street bikeways on streets parallel to or intersecting First Avenue. The only existing on-street bikeways along the LPA alignment are shared lane markings on Stewart Street between Sixth and First Avenues and a small section of Olive Way between Fourth and Fifth Avenues. Shared lane markings do not provide separation from motor vehicle traffic. The elimination of these routes as designated bikeways would not have a major impact on bicyclist access because there is a comparable parallel route one block north of Stewart Street, on Virginia Street. Bicyclists traveling in the east-west direction can use Virginia Street to access north-south bikeways such as Western Avenue, Second Avenue, and Fourth Avenue. In addition, the proposed Pike Street protected bikeway east of Second Avenue would provide an additional east-west bicycle connection. Bicycle crossings would be required to be perpendicular to the trackway to avoid conflicts. These considerations are identified in Section 7.5. The short length of the streetcar system, even with the LPA, and the lack of long-term bike parking in downtown Seattle are likely to limit demand for transfers between bicycles and the streetcar at the new stations. The well-connected future bikeway network is the most likely means by which bicyclists would access destinations in downtown Seattle. However, short-term bicycle parking would be provided at or near planned streetcar stations to facilitate transfers to the streetcar. The streetcar is expected to generate demand for bike share at the stations along the LPA, and bike share stations should be located within a block or less of streetcar stations along perpendicular or adjacent bicycle routes. No additional impacts would result from station design options or turnaround tracks. Design Options The potential impacts to bicycle access vary depending on the different east-west design option. Under Design Options A and B, bicycle access to the streetcar is optimized without many adverse impacts to existing and future bicycle facilities in the study area. Design Options C and D would impact the existing protected bike lane on Pike Street between First and Second Avenue, as well as the planned extension of this facility east of Second Avenue. When a bike facility is located on the same street as the streetcar, the streetcar alignment must be located off of the bikeway (e.g., Broadway Avenue). Riding in the same lane as the streetcar or on the same facility exposes bicyclists to a similar hazard as a track crossing. Since the proposed streetcar would run in an exclusive transit lane, bicycles would not be allowed in it. This configuration creates greater competition between modes for limited street right-of-way. If Design Options C or D are chosen, the existing protected bike lane on Pike Street would require a redesign between First and Second Avenues to ensure safe operations for both bicyclists and the streetcar. Potential mitigations to existing and proposed bikeways under Design Options C and D are described in Section Access Considerations with Proposed Station Locations There are no special roadway access considerations for bicyclists required under the LPA. The streetcar station locations are served by existing parallel bike routes with in-street minor separation. The current Seattle Bicycle Master Plan also includes proposed protected bike lanes TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 7-13

130 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 7.0 NONMOTORIZED FACILITIES on Pike and Pine Streets that will provide comfortable bicycle access for people of all ages and abilities. These proposed facilities are prioritized for study and/or implementation within the next five years (see Table 7-1). Wayfinding and Warning Signage As the Seattle Bicycle Master Plan is implemented Downtown there would be a number of parallel bike routes that provide access to destinations without conflicting with streetcar operations. Streetcar facilities warrant bicycle-specific warning signage, that demonstrates the risk of riding along the tracks, and wayfinding signage to encourage bicycling on designated bike routes that do not share an alignment with the streetcar. Bicycle Parking Due to the short length of the streetcar extension and the existing and proposed bicycle facilities appealing to riders of all ages and abilities, it is unlikely that large numbers of bicyclists would access the streetcar along the Center City Connector segment as part of a larger commute trip. For bicyclists that would use the streetcar on a leg of their trip, short-term bike parking is assumed to largely suffice. It is assumed that short-term bicycle parking racks will be located at/near all planned streetcar stations using established City criteria and guidance. 15 Bike Share Pronto Bike Share users using streetcar as the middle leg of their trip will expect Bike Share access at the stations. The stations are expected to create a latent demand for Bike Share stations. Bike share stations should be located within a block or less to streetcar stations at nearby locations on perpendicular routes, reducing future demand for personal bike storage solutions at stations, and facilitating streetcar use for people whose origins or destinations are outside the 5- to 10-minute walkshed. 7.4 Construction Impacts Pedestrian and bicyclist circulation can be adversely affected by full and partial street closures during construction. The impacts of construction of the streetcar would be addressed through adherence to current best practices for accommodating bicyclists and pedestrians in a construction zone Pedestrians Pedestrian access would be maintained during construction. Where feasible, the project would provide a continuous path that may need to be accommodated with a temporary barrier-protected path. Efforts would be made to maintain pedestrian access at all times on both sides of the road in the construction area. However, if a protected sidewalk cannot be provided, crosswalks at each 15 TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 7-14

131 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 7.0 NONMOTORIZED FACILITIES intersection in advance of the construction site can be used to connect pedestrians to the sidewalk on the opposite side. When pedestrian access is restricted to one side of the roadway, advance notice of sidewalk or crosswalk closures with applicable warning signage would be provided Bicyclists Bicycles would likely be restricted in the active construction zones; however, along First Avenue, bicyclists would likely be unaffected because there are no bike facilities on this street. Northbound and southbound bicyclists would use the on-street bikeway on Western Avenue. Construction on Stewart Street and Olive Way would affect bicycle access. Westbound bicyclists would be detoured at Eighth Avenue where they could connect to the bikeway on Bell Street (four blocks north) to continue west. Eastbound bicyclists would use the bikeway on Virginia Street and reconnect with Stewart Street at Seventh Avenue. 7.5 Potential Mitigation The growth in pedestrian and bicycle activity in the area caused by the LPA and other design alternatives will tax the existing infrastructure. This increased activity can be accommodated by including design elements in the project itself. This section describes suggested project elements that can be included to reduce the effect of the project on safety and access, as well as mitigation strategies Pedestrian Although there would be no impacts with the LPA, the streetcar would increase pedestrian activity in the area. It would improve intersections that would have increased pedestrian volume (see Table 7-2) with wider sidewalks, meeting the requirements of the Seattle Right-of-Way Improvements Manual, Section 4.11 (SDOT, 2012). To ensure pedestrian safety at crosswalks near stations, SDOT will: Locate crosswalks accessing the streetcar station median platforms at signalized intersections with signal phases provided for pedestrians. Add curb extensions and pedestrian signal improvements, such as leading pedestrian interval Bicyclist The potential streetcar mobility and safety impacts can be reduced as part of the project design and construction phases or mitigated with the strategies described below. To avoid conflicts between streetcars and bicycles, SDOT will: Ensure that existing and future bicycle lane facilities cross the streetcar tracks at a 90 degree angle (i.e., at Fifth, Fourth, and Second Avenues on Stewart Street). Direct bicyclists from Stewart Street and Olive Way via the existing bikeway at Seventh Avenue to the proposed Pike Street protected bike lane between Broadway and First Avenue, via the existing bikeway at Seventh Avenue. Update bike wayfinding signage. TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 7-15

132 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 7.0 NONMOTORIZED FACILITIES To avoid conflicts during construction, the following mitigation measures will be implemented: Divert bicyclists from Stewart Street and Olive Way bikeways one block north to Eighth Avenue, connect with the Bell Street bikeway, and place detour signage in advance of the existing bikeway and along all decision points on the detour route. Place warning and detour signage in advance of the existing bikeway and along all decision points on the detour route. No change is needed for eastbound travel, because bicyclists would have multiple access points to eastbound Virginia Street, including Second Avenue, Fourth Avenue, and Western Avenue East-West Design Option Alignments The impacts of Design Options C or D can be reduced through: 1. Redesign of the Pike Street protected bike lane between First and Second Avenue to avoid the streetcar track, or 2. Relocation of the Pike Street protected bike lane to a parallel street. If Design Option C or D is selected and a shared streetcar and bicycle corridor is preferred, the design would need to maintain a safe and comfortable environment for all users. Although the impact of conflicts between rails and bikes cannot be completely mitigated, an integrated design that closely considers the following will reduce the impact: Bicyclist crossings of tracks at intersections Station platforms that intrude on the bikeway The two-way protected bike lane on Broadway provides the level of design that is required to safely accommodate bicyclists on a streetcar corridor. Bicyclists sharing the lane with the streetcar and safely navigating the flangeway (aka flange gap) when riding in the streetcar lane or even just riding adjacent to the tracks Right-running tracks that cross the bikeway Bicyclists slipping on, or getting stuck in rail tracks when making turns across the tracks at an angle TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 7-16

133 8 PARKING 8.1 Methodology The proposed Center City Connector Streetcar Project would impact on-street parking and loading along the streetcar alignment. This section assesses the parking and loading conditions with the project. The assessment uses the City of Seattle s on-street parking inventory and the conceptual design for the streetcar alignment to estimate the change in availability of all-day and peak-restricted parking stalls and commercial and passenger vehicle loading zones. Subsequent design phases for the Center City Connector could refine the conceptual design and change the specific location and nature of parking impacts. The City of Seattle determines where and how to allow and restrict parking. In cases when parking stalls or loading zones would be added or removed, SDOT policy prioritizes curb space based on use, with the greatest priority for transit followed by loading zones, short-term customer parking, and parking for shared vehicles. 16 It is assumed that final decisions about parking and loading would be made consistent with SDOT policy and would accommodate the requirements of adjacent land uses to the extent possible. No difference is anticipated in parking impacts between the proposed 2018 Opening Year (assumed) and the 2035 Design Year. Additional detail on the evaluation methodology is provided in Appendix C, Methods and Assumptions Technical Memorandum. 8.2 Affected Environment The supply of parking and loading in the study area is comprised of on-street stalls and off-street garages and surface lots. Figure 8-1shows the parking analysis study area in relation to the streetcar alignment. It identifies block faces where there is existing on-street parking, off-street parking locations (surface lots and garages), and alley ways TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 8-1

134 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 8.0 PARKING Figure 8-1 Existing Parking Facilities TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 8-2

135 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 8.0 PARKING On-Street Parking and Loading Table 8-1 provides the existing on-street parking along each street used by the proposed streetcar alignment or one of the east-west design options within the following four categories: All-day parking. Parking stalls available for all-day use, including during peak periods. 17 Peak-restricted parking. Parking stalls available only outside of peak periods, which are generally 6 to 9 a.m. and 3 to 6 p.m. along First Avenue. During peak periods this curb space is used for general-purpose vehicle travel. Commercial vehicle load zone (CVLZ). Curb space designated for use by commercial vehicles. 18 Passenger load zone (PLZ). Curb space designated for use by passenger vehicles or taxis, often signed as a 3-minute passenger loading zone. These classifications are primarily based on SDOT s GIS-based inventory of curb space utilization, supplemented by verification in the field. There are a total of 22 all-day parking spaces along the corridor (20 on the S/W side and 2 on the N/E side), 148 peak-restricted parking spaces (58 S/W and 90 N/E), 29 commercial loading zones (16 S/W and 13 N/E), and 14 passenger loading zones (9 S/W and 5 N/E). On First Avenue, peak-restricted parking is generally provided on both sides of the street. On the eastwest alignment blocks there is very little parking and few blocks with parking on both sides of the street. Average peak on-street parking occupancy along First Avenue is about 95 percent, representing about 11 available parking stalls during the three highest-occupancy hours between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m. Including blocks in close proximity to First Avenue, on-street parking occupancy is about 93 percent. 19 Additionally, at the proposed northern turnaround on Republican Street between Westlake and Terry Avenues, there are 15 total parking spaces (six on the south side with four all-day spaces and two reserved for food trucks during lunchtime, and nine on the north side with six all-day spaces, one commercial loading space and two all-day spaces that are reserved for food trucks during lunchtime). A station design option for the southern end of the alignment on Eighth Avenue, between Jackson Street and King Street, includes one all-day parking space and a bus zone (for Route 99) on the west side of the street. 17 Short-term paid parking on First Avenue is limited to sessions of two hours or less. 18 The commercial vehicle load zone category includes general loading zones. 19 Along First Avenue between Jackson & Stewart Streets and an approximately one block distance east and west of First Avenue, including the western block faces of Second Avenue and the eastern block faces of Western Avenue and east-west blocks between Second and Western Avenues or Alaskan Way and Occidental Avenue. TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 8-3

136 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 8.0 PARKING Table 8-1 Existing On-Street Parking Inventory by Block and Direction South Side/West Side North Side/East Side Segment All Day Parking Peakrestricted Parking Commercial Loading Passenger Loading Avg. Peak Occupancy* All Day Parking Peakrestricted Parking Commercial Loading Passenger Loading Avg. Peak Occupancy* LPA Blocks (Design Option A) Stewart between 5th & Westlake Stewart between 4th & 5th Stewart between 3rd & 4th Olive between 3rd & 4th Stewart between 2nd & 3rd % Stewart between 1st & 2nd % % 1st between Stewart & Pine % 1st Between Pine & Pike % 1st between Pike & Union % % 1st between Union & University % 1st between University & Seneca % % 1st between Seneca & Spring % 1st between Spring & Madison % % 1st between Madison & Marion st between Marion & Columbia % % 1st between Columbia & Cherry % % 1st between Cherry & Yesler % st between Yesler & Washington % % 1st between Washington & Main % % 1st between Main & Jackson % % East-West Design Option Blocks Olive between 4th & 5th th between Pike & Pine TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 8-4

137 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 8.0 PARKING South Side/West Side North Side/East Side Segment All Day Parking Peakrestricted Parking Commercial Loading Passenger Loading Avg. Peak Occupancy* All Day Parking Peakrestricted Parking Commercial Loading Passenger Loading Avg. Peak Occupancy* 4th between Pine & Olive th between Olive & Pine Pike between 1st & 2nd Pike between 2nd & 3rd Pike between 3rd & 4th Pine between 1st & 2nd % Pine between 2nd & 3rd % Pine between 3rd & 4th Pine between 4th & 5th Other Design Options or Turnarounds Republican between Terry & Westlake th Avenue S. between Jackson & King Total (LPA Only) Total (with all East-West Options) LPA with East-West Design Option A, Republican Turnaround, and 8th Ave S Station Option Overall Total Notes: *Average of highest three hours between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m. Based on SDOT occupancy data, fall 2014 (SDOT, 2014d). Some blocks were not included in SDOT surveys of parking occupancy. Occupancy may exceed 100% if more vehicles were counted utilizing a block than official number of spaces. Restricted parking for special vehicles: Postal Service vehicles. TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 8-5

138 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 8.0 PARKING Parking stalls inset into the sidewalk zone are available for all-day parking. Commercial vehicle load zones on Pine Street east of First Avenue. Much of the existing parking along First Avenue is peakrestricted used as a vehicle travel lane between 6-9 am and 3-6 pm. Passenger load zones (PLZs) serve hotels and other uses. This zone is inset into the sidewalk and is available all-day; some PLZs are peak-restricted Off-Street Parking and Loading The locations of existing off-street parking lots and garages in the study area were shown previously in Figure 8-1. Off-street parking supply may be used for long-term parking (e.g., daily) or short-term parking purposes. Off-street parking garages provide short- and longer-term parking along the proposed alignment. Commercial vehicles also utilize alleys and/or loading docks located parallel to First Avenue. TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 8-6

139 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 8.0 PARKING As illustrated in Figure 8-2 and Figure 8-3 off-street parking lots and garages along the proposed streetcar route are only about 50 to 75 percent occupied and have capacity to help mitigate onstreet parking impacts. Table 8-2 lists the off-street parking supply in the study area. Of the over 8,500 off-street parking stalls in lots and garages in proximity to First Avenue, an average of over 3,500 stalls are available in the morning and nearly 3,000 in the afternoon. 20 Table 8-2 Segment Columbia to Jackson Pike to Columbia Grand Total Source: PSRC (2013). Off-Street Parking Supply near First Avenue AM Spaces PM Spaces AM Vacant PM Vacant AM Utilization PM Utilization 1,119 1, % 77% 3,951 4,262 2,661 2,350 49% 54% 5,070 5,582 3,510 2,998 61% 65% Commute Seattle currently pursues various strategies to improve access to cost-competitive parking, including as part of Alaskan Way Viaduct mitigation: Low-rate parking garages are located in Pioneer Square, the Waterfront, and the Retail Core. Figure 8-4 highlights garages with parking rates of $3 per hour and flat rate parking on evenings and weekends. DowtownSeattleParking.com is a website optimized for mobile devices displaying lowrate garage locations, parking space availability, and directions, intended to reduce time drivers spend looking for parking. Increasing awareness of the website and mobile application through marketing and promotion could help inform drivers of the many parking options in the area where on-street parking has been reduced. However, mitigation provided by the AWV Replacement Project is related to AWV construction impacts and may cease before the Center City Connector opens. 20 Along First Avenue between Jackson and Stewart Streets and an approximately one block distance east and west of First Avenue (between Second and Western Avenues or Alaskan Way and Occidental Avenue). TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 8-7

140 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 8.0 PARKING Figure 8-2 Off-Street Parking Occupancy, Pike to Columbia TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 8-8

141 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 8.0 PARKING Figure 8-3 Off-Street Parking Occupancy, Columbia to Jackson TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 8-9

142 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 8.0 PARKING Figure 8-4 Garages Participating in Reduced Rate Parking Programs Note: Subsidies provided by the AWV Replacement Project to mitigate AWV construction impacts may cease before the Center City Connector opens. 8.3 Environmental Consequences The proposed streetcar track alignment would be in an exclusive transitway for much of the alignment. The First Avenue portion of the alignment would displace existing parking and loading, which is mostly restricted in the AM and PM peak. This is necessary to maintain at least one general-purpose lane in each direction. Some existing parking on First Avenue is available all-day, e.g., because it is inset into the existing sidewalk zone (see on-street parking photo examples above). It is assumed that this parking can be maintained. In some First Avenue blocks, part of the right-of-way would be used for station platforms or protected left-turn lanes. Outside of these blocks, some new all-day parking or loading could be created within the right-of-way as part of the track and roadway configuration On-Street Parking and Loading There would be no change in parking or loading zones with the No Build Alternative. On-street parking impacts also vary based on the east-west design options. Table 8-3 summarizes the total impacts and Table 8-4 provides a breakdown by category (all-day and peak-restricted parking and commercial vehicle and passenger loading). Note: The updated parking impact analysis based on 30 percent design only applies to the LPA, including East-West Design Option A. The LPA, including Design Option A and the Republican turnaround, has a total of 227 existing parking and loading stalls of various types. With the LPA, 36 stalls would TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 8-10

143 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 8.0 PARKING remain. The largest change (representing 154 of the 191 stalls reduced) is the elimination of peak-restricted parking along First Avenue as well as portions of Stewart Street. The Republican Northern Turnaround would result in removal of parking on the north side of the block and the loss of eight all-day spaces, including two food truck spaces, and one commercial loading space. If the Eighth Avenue S Station Option is built, it would result in the additional removal of one all-day space and one passenger loading zone on the west side of the block, and loss of the Metro bus zone for Route 99 (would likely be rerouted to serve Alaskan Way as described in Chapter 5). Design Options B, C, and D would reduce capacity by fewer stalls, in part because existing parking and loading on Pike and Pine Streets is primarily inset into the sidewalk zone. On Fourth and Fifth Avenues, the potential streetcar alignment would not run in the curb lane. Design Option B would impact 180 stalls, Design Option C would impact 155 stalls, and Design Option D would impact 165 stalls. Parking occupancy along the Option B, C, and D alignments is also 95 percent or higher. Currently, on-street parking is available on adjacent or near-by blocks. Average parking occupancy in the highest three-hours is nearly 95 percent. Average peak parking occupancy on streets in close proximity to First Avenue 21 is close to 95 percent during the three hours with the highest occupancy between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m. This indicates that most street parking is occupied for parts of the day. However, average all-day occupancy on these blocks is about 70 percent overall between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m. In addition, on average 1,600 off-street stalls are available in the morning and over 1,300 in the afternoon. 22 Table 8-3 On-Street Parking Impacts for LPA and Design Options Alternative and Design Options Existing and No Build Parking Proposed Parking Total Change LPA (includes Design Option A and Republican Turnaround) LPA with Design Option B LPA with Design Option C LPA with Design Option D Between Jackson & Stewart Streets an approximately one block distance east and west of 1 st Avenue, including the western block faces of 2 nd Avenue and the eastern block faces of Western Avenue and east-west blocks between 2 nd and Western Avenues or Alaskan Way and Occidental Avenue. 22 Along 1 st Avenue between Jackson & Stewart Streets and an approximately one block distance east and west of 1 st Avenue (between 2 nd and Western Avenues or Alaskan Way and Occidental Avenue). TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 8-11

144 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 8.0 PARKING Table 8-4 Alternative and Design Options LPA (includes Design Option A and Republican Turnaround) LPA with Design Option B LPA with Design Option C LPA with Design Option D Existing and Proposed On-Street Parking and Loading, by Type All-day Parking Peak-restricted Parking Commercial Vehicle Loading Passenger Loading Total Existing Proposed Existing Proposed Existing Proposed Existing Proposed Existing Proposed The maps on the following pages illustrate the impact on parking spaces along the proposed streetcar alignment for the LPA and the east-west design options. The LPA alignment, (which includes Design Option A) is shown in Figures 8-5, 8-6, and 8-7. Impacts for Design Options B, C, and D are shown in Figures 8-8, 8-9, and 8-10, respectively. The maps illustrate the type of parking currently available and percent parking occupancy by block and side of the street, including for nearby blocks. Table 8-5 summarizes the parking that would be available after implementation of the proposed streetcar along with the change from existing, by street segment and side of the street. As noted above, the specific assumptions for each block were based on the conceptual streetcar design. In some blocks (typically those without stations or turn-lanes), the right-of-way design would provide all-day parking. It is anticipated that the subsequent design phases could adjust the specific location, amount, and designation of this parking, incorporating SDOT policies for prioritizing space based on use Off-Street Parking and Loading Some existing off-street parking may be lost to future redevelopment (which would occur in both the No Build Alternative and LPA). Figure 8-3 identifies current, known redevelopment projects that will impact off-street parking in the study area (highlighted in purple). There would be no changes to the off-street parking capacity with the project. TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 8-12

145 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 8.0 PARKING Figure 8-5 Parking Impacts Westlake to Pike with Design Option A (Included in LPA): Eastbound Stewart/Olive and Westbound Stewart TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 8-13

146 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 8.0 PARKING Figure 8-6 Parking Impacts First Avenue, Pike to Columbia (LPA) TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 8-14

147 Figure 8-7 Parking Impacts First Avenue, Columbia to S Jackson (LPA) TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 8-15

148 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 8.0 PARKING Figure 8-8 Parking Impacts - Design Option B: Eastbound Stewart/Olive and Westbound Fifth/Pine TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 8-16

149 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 8.0 PARKING Figure 8-9 Parking Impacts - Design Option C: Eastbound Pike/Fourth and Westbound Fifth/Pine TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 8-17

150 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 8.0 PARKING Figure 8-10 Parking Impacts - Design Option D: Eastbound Pike/Fourth and Westbound Stewart TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 8-18

151 Table 8-5 Proposed On-Street Parking Spaces with the LPA and East-West Design Options Parking with Proposed Streetcar Change from Existing Segment Side All Day Peak Restricted Loading Peak Loading All Day Commercial Passenger restricted Commercial Passenger Stewart Street 1st to 2nd SE NW nd to 3rd SE NW rd to 4th SE NW th to 5th SE NW th to Westlake SE NW Olive Way 3rd to 4th SE NW st Avenue Stewart to Pine SW NE Pine to Pike SW NE Pike to Union SW NE Union to University SW NE University to Seneca SW NE Seneca to Spring SW NE TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 8-19

152 Parking with Proposed Streetcar Change from Existing Segment Side All Day Peak Restricted Loading Peak Loading All Day Commercial Passenger restricted Commercial Passenger Spring to Madison SW NE Madison to Marion SW NE Marion to Columbia SW NE Columbia to Cherry SW NE Cherry to Yesler SW NE Yesler to Washington SW NE Washington to Main SW NE Main to Jackson SW NE Republican Street (Turnaround (Included in Option A total only) Terry to Westlake Total (A) including Republican N S Total (B) Total (C) Total (D) * Analysis updated for 30 percent design for Design Option A only. Assumed all-day passenger loading with curb pull-out. Special vehicle parking: Postal Service vehicles only. TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 8-20

153 Table 8-6 Proposed On-Street Parking Spaces for East-West Design Options B, C, and D Parking with Proposed Streetcar Change from Existing Segment Side All Day Peak Restricted Loading Loading Peak All Day restricted Commercial Passenger Commercial Passenger Applies to Design Options*: Stewart Street B, D 1st to 2nd SE B NW nd to 3rd SE B NW D 3rd to 4th SE NW D 4th to 5th SE NW D 5th to Westlake SE NW D Olive Way B, C, D 3rd to 4th SE B NW B 1st Avenue B, C, D Stewart to Pine SW D NE B Pine to Pike SW B, C, D NE B Pike to Union SW B, C, D NE B, C, D Union to University SW B, C, D NE B, C, D University to Seneca SW B, C, D NE B, C, D SW B, C, D TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 8-21

154 Parking with Proposed Streetcar Change from Existing Segment Side All Day Peak Restricted Loading Loading Peak All Day restricted Commercial Passenger Commercial Passenger Applies to Design Options*: Seneca to Spring NE B, C, D Spring to Madison SW B, C, D NE B, C, D Madison to Marion SW B, C, D NE B, C, D Marion to Columbia SW B, C, D NE B, C, D Columbia to Cherry SW B, C, D NE B, C, D Cherry to Yesler SW B, C, D NE B, C, D Yesler to Washington SW B, C, D NE B, C, D Washington to Main SW B, C, D NE B, C, D Main to Jackson SW B, C, D NE B, C, D Total (B) B Total (C) C Total (D) D * Analysis of Design Options B, C, and D reflects the LPA and Design Options prior to 30 percent design for Design Option A only. Assumed all-day passenger loading with curb pull-out. Special vehicle parking: Postal Service vehicles only. TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 8-22

155 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 8.0 PARKING 8.4 Construction Impacts On-Street Parking Construction of the streetcar project would impact on-street parking and loading zones along the alignment within each active construction segment. Parking would be maintained on crossstreets. Existing on-street parking on other nearby streets supplemented by off-street parking in the study area would offset the loss of existing on-street parking along First Avenue and Stewart Street. Temporary loading zone designations could be used on a case-by-case basis to maintain commercial vehicle and passenger loading zones in reasonable proximity to businesses along the corridor, although this would be at the expense of paid parking Off-Street Parking Construction of the streetcar project will impact vehicle travel lanes that provide access to offstreet parking lots and garages along the alignment within each active construction segment. Access to off-street parking entrances and exits will be maintained during construction. 8.5 Potential Mitigation Parking Because off-street parking along the alignment is not fully used, as noted above, off-street garages and surface parking lots are expected to help make up for the loss of on-street parking stalls. The City is currently working on a Center City parking strategy to manage parking throughout the downtown area (see Center City Parking Program 23 ). Streetcar impacts on on-street parking will be mitigated with the following measures: Expand e-park participation and implement additional e-park wayfinding signage in the study area to help drivers navigate to off-street parking garages, including to garages participating in the parking programs sponsored by Commute Seattle (where garages offer low or flat-rate parking options) Loading A variety of strategies can be implemented to mitigate impacts on public service, commercial vehicle, and passenger load zone availability along the corridor. SDOT will mitigate for the reduced availability of commercial vehicle and passenger loadings zones with the following measures: Maintain existing all-day loading zones where possible. 23 See TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 8-23

156 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 8.0 PARKING Provide new all-day, on-street load zones in reasonable proximity to the business and services along the corridor. Provide loading zones on side streets. Use alleys for deliveries or loading zone access. Allow on-street loading access during early morning and late evening hours. During construction, parking would be mitigated with the measures noted above. In addition, temporary loading zone designations could be used on a case-by-case basis to maintain commercial vehicle and passenger loading zones in reasonable proximity to businesses along the alignment, although this would lead to reduction in paid parking spaces. TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 8-24

157 9 REFERENCES Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Program Advisory Committee on Tolling and Traffic Management (AWV ACTT Committee) Advisory recommendations for tolling the SR 99 tunnel. March. City of Seattle Vision Zero: Seattle Plan to End Traffic Deaths and Serious Injuries by Available at February. DKS Associates Next Generation ITS Center City Connector Streetcar Vissim Analysis Draft Report. September. King County Metro Downtown Southend Transit Study. August. Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC) Off-Street Parking Facility Inventory Data. Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC). 2014a. Travel Demand Forecast Model. Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC). 2014b. Land Use Targets Maintenance Release 1 (LUT- MR1). Available at: April. Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT), Curb Ramp Installation Policies and Transition Plan. Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) Seattle Pedestrian Master Plan Issue Paper: ADA Transition Plan. rev.pdf. April 2009 Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) Seattle Right-of-Way Improvement Manual. August. Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT). 2014a. Center City Connector Transportation Analysis Methods and Assumptions. November. Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT). 2014b. City of Seattle Bicycle Master Plan. October. Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT). 2014c. City of Seattle Bicycle Master Plan Subsequent Implementation Plan. Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT). 2014d. On-Street Parking Occupancy Data. October. Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT). 2015a. Seattle Center City Connector Transit Study: Overhead Contact System Infrastructure Options Report. January. Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT). 2015b. ETB Utilization Technical Memorandum. January. Seattle Department of Transportation. 2015c. Blog Post August 21, TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 9-1

158 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR 8.0 PARKING Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) Traffic Flow Data and Maps Available at February. Washington State Legislative Transportation Committee Resolution 516. March. TR SEA MARCH 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT 9-2

159 APPENDIX A Preliminary Design Drawings of Locally Preferred Alternative

160

161 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR APPENDIX A Table A-1 Preferred Build Alternative TSP Treatments and Intersection Modifications Through Street Cross Street Signal Modification Transit Treatment Westlake Ave 6th Ave SB Through (STC) None None Turn Movement Modification Stewart St Westlake Ave SB Right (STC) SB TSP SB RTOR Restrict Stewart St 5th Ave None WB TSP None Olive Way 5th Ave None None None Stewart St 4th Ave None EB and WB TSP None Stewart St 3rd Ave None EB and WB TSP None Stewart St 2nd Ave EB and WB through (STC) 1st Ave Stewart St NB Right (STC) WB Left (STC) EB TSP; WB STC Preemption NB and WB TSP 1st Ave Pine St NB Prot. Left (GP) NB and SB TSP; NB Left alternate lead/lag None NB Left Restrict None 1st Ave Pike St None None NB Left Restrict 1st Ave Union St None NB and SB TSP NB Left Restrict 1st Ave University St SB Prot. Left (GP) SB Left alternate lead/lag None 1st Ave Seneca St None NB and SB TSP None 1st Ave Spring St SB Prot. Left (GP) NB and SB TSP; SB Left alternate lead/lag 1st Ave Madison St NB Prot. Left (GP) NB and SB TSP; NB Left alternate lead/lag None NB Left Allow 1st Ave Marion St None NB and SB TSP SB Left Restrict 1st Ave Columbia St None NB and SB TSP NB Left Restrict 1st Ave Cherry St None SB Left alternate lead/lag None 1st Ave Yesler Way None NB and SB TSP None 1st Ave S Washington St None NB and SB TSP None 1st Ave S. Main St None NB and SB TSP None 1st Ave S Jackson St SB Prot. Left (STC and GP); WB Right (STC) S Jackson St 10th Ave S Install Signal and WB STC Phase SB and WB TSP None NB = northbound; SB = southbound; EB = eastbound; WB = westbound; GP = general purpose; STC = streetcar; TSP = transit signal priority; RTOR = right turn on red; Prot. = protected None None TR SEA JANUARY 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT A-1

162 CENTER CITY CONNECTOR STREETCAR APPENDIX A Table A-2 Signal Phasing and TSP Treatments for Pike/Pine Design Option Alignments Through Street Cross Street Stewart St Westlake Ave No Build Signal Phasing Option A Option B Option C Option D 2-phase 3rd SB STC Phase; NB and SB TSP NB and SB TSP NB and SB TSP 3rd SB STC Phase; NB and SB TSP Stewart St 5th Ave 2-phase WB TSP Same as No Build Same as No Build WB TSP NB TSP Olive Way 5th Ave 2-phase NB TSP 3rd SB STC Phase and Preemption 3rd SB STC Phase and Preemption Stewart St 4th Ave 2-phase EB and WB TSP EB TSP 3rd NB STC Phase and Preemption Stewart St 3rd Ave 2-phase EB and WB TSP EB TSP Same as No Build WB TSP Stewart St 2nd Ave 3-phase 4th WB STC Phase and Preemption; EB TSP 1st Ave Stewart St 2-phase 3rd NB and WB STC Phase; NB and WB TSP 1st Ave Pine St 2-phase 3rd NB Prot. Left (GP); NB and SB TSP 3rd NB STC Phase and Preemption; WB TSP EB TSP Same as No Build 4th WB STC Phase and Preemption 3rd NB STC Phase; NB TSP 3rd NB Prot. Left (GP) and WB STC Preemption Same as No Build 3rd WB ST Phase; WB TSP 3rd NB Prot. Left (GP) and WB STC Preemption 1st Ave Pike St 2-phase Same as No Build Same as No Build 3rd NB Right STC Phase; NB STC Preemption 3rd NB Prot. Left (GP); SB TSP 3rd NB STC Phase; NB STC Preemption Pine St 2nd Ave 2-phase Same as No Build WB TSP WB TSP Same as No Build Pine St 3rd Ave 3-phase Same as No Build WB TSP WB TSP Same as No Build Pine St 4th Ave 2-phase Same as No Build WB TSP 3rd NB STC Phase; WB TSP and NB Preemption; Pine St 5th Ave 2-phase Same as No Build 3rd SB STC Phase; SB Preemption 3rd SB STC Phase; SB Preemption Pike St 2nd Ave 2-phase Same as No Build Same as No Build EB TSP EB TSP Pike St 3rd Ave 2-phase Same as No Build Same as No Build EB TSP EB TSP Pike St 4th Ave 2-phase Same as No Build Same as No Build 3rd EB STC Phase; EB Preemption 3rd NB STC Phase; NB Preemption Same as No Build 3rd EB STC Phase; EB Preemption NB = northbound; SB = southbound; EB = eastbound; WB = westbound; GP = general purpose; STC = streetcar; TSP = transit signal priority; Prot. = protected TR SEA JANUARY 2016 TRANSPORTATION TECHNICAL REPORT A-2

163 ONE WAY OLIVE WAY 7TH AVE ONE WAY STEWART ST ONE WAY ONE WAY ONE WAY ONE WAY ONE WAY ONE WAY 6TH AVE WESTLAKE AVE Center City Connector LPA: Westlake Station South Lake Union Streetcar Proposed Track Existing Platform Feet Data Sources: King County GIS Department, City of Seattle VIRGINIA ST Direction of Travel Station Platform Transit Priority 5TH AVE ONE WAY 4TH AVE

164 Potential Garage Site Potential Surface Site Traction Power Substation (TPSS) Funded Two-Way Protected Bike Lane CCC Alignment Existing Streetcar Planned Protected Bike Lane Transit-Only Lane Direction of Travel Parking Platform Proposed Station Location VE 2ND A WESTE Sidewalk LY POST A RN AV E Auto / Streetcar 12-0 Streetcar / Bus Left Turn 12-0 Westlake Park 45-0 Curb to Curb Auto / Streetcar Auto Stewart Street (East of Third Ave) RT ST STEWA VE 4TH A PIKE ST PINE ST 2ND AVE Center City Connector LPA: Pike St to Westlake Ave 0 Sidewalk E 5TH AV 3RD AV E E 1ST AV L PIKE P 3RD AVE Feet Fe et OLIVE WAY

165 CCC Alignment Proposed Station Location Direction of Travel Transit-Only Lane Parking Funded Two-Way Protected Bike Lane Traction Power Substation (TPSS) PIKE ST THIRD AVE TRANSIT TUNNEL Center City Connector LPA: Pike St to Columbia St ONE WAY Potential Surface Site Waterfront Potential Garage Site Park UNION ST ONE WAY US Post Office ONE WAY Benaroya Hall Seattle Art Museum (SAM) ONE WAY University St. Station 2ND AVE UNIVERSITY ST SENECA ST At stations (typical) ONE WAY Existing Sidewalk Auto Exclusive Streetcar Stop Platform Exclusive Streetcar Auto Existing Sidewalk RD AVE ONE WAY 1ST AVE POST AVE WESTERN AVE RAILROAD WAY S ALASKAN WAY SPRING ST ONE WAY MADISON ST Between stations (typical) 52-0 Curb to Curb MARION ST Colman Dock ONE WAY POST AVE F Feet 11-0 Exclusive Streetcar Exclusive Streetcar Auto Auto Existing Sidewalk Curb to Curb 84-0 COLUMBIA ST 0 Auto ONE WAY Existing Sidewalk ONE WAY THIRD AVE TRANSIT TUNNEL 84-0

166 THIRD AVE TRANSIT TUNNEL COLUMBIA ST 1ST AVE POST AVE WESTERN AVE ALASKAN WAY CCC Alignment Proposed Station Location Direction of Travel Transit-Only Lane Parking Existing Streetcar Funded Two-Way Protected Bike lane Traction Power Substation (TPSS) RAILROAD WAY S Center City Connector LPA: Columbia St to Jackson St CHERRY ST 2ND AVE Potential Surface Site Potential Garage Site YE SL ER WA Y Pioneer Square Pionner Square Station JAMES ST OF YELSER ST AV E TA L KA N Occidental Park Existing Sidewalk Auto Exclusive Streetcar Existing Planter Exclusive Streetcar Auto Existing Sidewalk ~ ~16-0 OC CID 52-0 Curb to Curb S DA VE 4T H AV E S 1S TA VE S 3R ST 2ND EXT AVE S SM AIN DA VE S ST 2N SJ AC KS ON EN AS AL S WA YS 3RD AVE SW AS HI NG TO N First Avenue - South of Yesler 1ST AVENUE - SOUTH ST EN TA L AV E S SK IN GS T SJ AC KS ON Feet 5T 0 HA VE S OC CID King St. Station

167 9TH AVE N WESTLAKE AVE N TERRY AVE N " CCC Alignment Existing Alignment Direction of Travel Platform MERCER ST REPUBLICAN ST Amazon Campus HARRISON ST Feet

168 ONE WAY OLIVE WAY 7TH AVE ONE WAY STEWART ST ONE WAY ONE WAY ONE WAY ONE WAY ONE WAY ONE WAY 6TH AVE WESTLAKE AVE Center City Connector: Westlake Station South Lake Union Streetcar Proposed Track Existing Platform Feet Data Sources: King County GIS Department, City of Seattle VIRGINIA ST Direction of Travel Station Platform Transit Priority 5TH AVE ONE WAY 4TH AVE

169 I-5 FRWY 8TH AVE S Parking removed west side of block New station platform, 10 x 50 feet CANTON ALLEY S Eighth Avenue S Station Option Feet Data Sources: King County GIS Department, City of Seattle S JACKSON ST S KING ST MAYNARD AVE S MAYNARD ALLEY S 7TH AVE S First Hill Street Existing Access Track Direction of Travel Parking to Remain S WELLER ST Station Platform Highway Overpass

170

171 APPENDIX Conceptual Construction Plans

172

173 SEATTLE STREETCAR Center City Connector Construction Phasing Concepts CONSTRUCTION SEGMENTS

174 SEATTLE STREETCAR Center City Connector Construction Schedule Concepts MONTHS CONCEPT A 1 SEGMENT Utilities SEGMENT 3 Utilities SEGMENT SEGMENT 1 Track/Platforms/Civil SEGMENT 2 Utilities 3 Track/OCS/Civil SEGMENT SEGMENT 2 Track/Platforms/OCS/Civil weekends only 4 Utilities SEGMENT weekends only 4 Track/OCS/Civil Shortest overall duration (12 months) Largest work zones (6 to 8 blocks at a time) Work in Segments 2 and 4 continues through holidays Fewer summer impacts CONSTRUCTION SEGMENTS CONCEPT B SEGMENT SEGMENT 1 Utilities SEGMENT Flexible Option: Year 1 or Year 2 3 Utilities SEGMENT 1 Track/Platforms/Civil SEGMENT 2 Utilities 3 Track/OCS/Civil SEGMENT 2 Track/Platforms/OCS/Civil SEGMENT SEGMENT weekends only 4 Utilities SEGMENT weekends only 4 Track/OCS/Civil Flexible Option: Year 1 or Year 2 3 Utilities SEGMENT 3 Track/OCS/Civil Intermediate overall duration (18 months) Medium work zones (4 to 5 blocks at a time) Work in Segment 2 continues through holidays Fewer summer impacts CONCEPT C SEGMENT SEGMENT 1 Utilities SEGMENT Flexible Option: Year 1 or Year 2 3 Utilities SEGMENT 3 Track/OCS/Civil SEGMENT 2 Utilities 1 Track/Platforms/Civil SEGMENT 2 Track/Platforms/OCS/Civil SEGMENT SEGMENT weekends only 4 Utilities SEGMENT weekends only 4 Track/OCS/Civil Flexible Option: Year 1 or Year 2 3 Utilities SEGMENT 3 Track/OCS/Civil Longest overall duration (24 months) Smallest work zones (2 to 3 blocks at a time) Work continues through holidays and summers

175 RAILROAD WAY S 2ND AVE 3RD AVE 1ST AVE POST AVE POST AVE segment SEATTLE STREETCAR Center City Connector 1 Pioneer Square Construction Phasing Concepts MADISON ST UV 99 WESTERN AVE 2 Colman Dock MARION ST ALASKAN WAY COLUMBIA ST PIONEER SQUARE CHERRY ST ALASKAN WAY S 1ST AVE S 1 Occidental Park YESLER WAY S WASHINGTON ST JAMES ST Smith Tower Pioneer Square Station Image from Seattle Municipal Archives S KING ST S MAIN ST OCCIDENTAL MALL OCCIDENTAL AVE S S JACKSON ST 2ND AVE S 2ND EXT AVE S 3RD AVE S First Hill Streetcar 4TH AVE S Feet King Street Intermodal Hub / International District Station SEATTLE STREETCAR Center City Connector SEATTLE STREETCAR Center City Connector 3

176 segment 1 Pioneer Square What to Expect During Construction A B B C C 1ST Pioneer Square YESLER Pioneer Square Station COLUMBIA CHERRY JAMES Traffic Anticipate regular weekday north-bound lane closures. When the work zone is not active, one lane will be maintained through the work area. Cross streets and intersections will remain open with limited closures during select times. JACKSON MAIN Occidental Mall WASHINGTON 2ND First Hill Streetcar TRANSIT TUNNEL Detours Traffic will be detoured onto alternate routes during the work hours. A S Jackson to Washington (Zone A) Utility work is expected to be conducted during the first month of construction. Track work is anticipated to be conducted during the second and third month of construction. Traffic closures current plan will close traffic in the northbound direction and maintain southbound traffic during utility work and early stages of track work. B Washington to Yesler (Zone B) Utility work is expected to be conducted during the second and third month of construction (concurrent with track work in Zone A) Track Work is anticipated to be conducted during the third and fourth months of construction. Traffic closures - current plan will close traffic in the northbound direction and maintain southbound traffic during utility work. Parking Parking will not be permitted within the work zone. Access to parking facilities (lots/garages) will be maintained. Pedestrian Safe passage around the work zone will be maintained at all times. Access to business will be maintained and special signage provided during detours. Bicycle Cycling will not be permitted in the construction zone. Cyclists will be encouraged to use sidestreets and the protected bike lanes on 2 nd Avenue and Alaskan Way. C Yesler to Columbia (Zone C) Utility work is expected to be conducted during the third and fourth months of construction (concurrent with track work in Zone B. Track work is anticipated to be conducted during the fifth and sixth month of construction. Following track work, the new platform (Streetcar stop) will be constructed. Final paving and restoration would be conducted following completion of all track work in Zone C. SEATTLE STREETCAR Center City Connector [Project Name] 4

177 Month 1 Month 2 Month 3 Month 4 Month 5 Month 6 Month 7 Month 8 B C JACKSON Occidental Mall Pioneer Square YESLER WASHINGTON MAIN ZONE C Track Work 1ST 2ND First Hill Streetcar Pioneer Square Station ALL ZONES Finishes TRANSIT TUNNEL COLUMBIA CHERRY JAMES segment 1 Pioneer Square Concept Schedule / Detours Construction Timeline A Start Construction ZONE A Utilities ZONE A Track Work ZONE B Utilities ZONE B Track Work ZONE C Utilities SEATTLE STREETCAR Center City Connector

178 A B C 1ST Pioneer Square YESLER WASHINGTON MAIN 2ND 5 Pioneer Square Station TRANSIT TUNNEL 7TH COLUMBIA CHERRY JAMES segment 1 Pioneer Square Concept Schedule / Detours Concept Detour Zone A Colman Dock MARION Detour/Alternate route for NB traffic (use Railroad Way/Alaskan Way) 99 WESTERN ALASKAN POST YESLER 1ST MAIN Weekend closure NB Detour COLUMBIA C X Pioneer Square B A Occidental Mall JAMES CHERRY WASHINGTON NB Traffic Closed OCCIDENTAL KING Pioneer Square Station A JACKSON 5TH 4TH 6TH 2ND ZONE A WORK PLAN NB closed from 11AM to 7PM SB traffic maintained Weekend intersection closure at Main No curb parking will be permitted During non-working hours,a single lane will be open Rail welding/track staging area (center of roadway - utilize former waterfront streetcar space) X JACKSON Occidental Mall King Street Intermodal Hub / International District Station First Hill Streetcar RAILROAD Feet Variable messaging "1st Ave S Closed at S Jackson - Use Alternate Routes" Center City Connector Alignment and Stops Existing and Planned Streetcar Alignment and Stops LANE SEATTLE STREETCAR Center City Connector SEATTLE STREETCAR Center City Connector [Project Name] 6

179 A B C 1ST Pioneer Square YESLER WASHINGTON MAIN 2ND Pioneer Square Station TRANSIT TUNNEL X 7TH COLUMBIA CHERRY JAMES segment 1 Pioneer Square Concept Schedule / Detours Concept Detour Zone A & B Colman Dock MARION Detour/Alternate route for NB traffic (use Railroad Way/Alaskan Way) 99 WESTERN ALASKAN POST NB Detour YESLER 1ST MAIN Weekend closure COLUMBIA C X X Pioneer Square B A X Occidental Mall JAMES CHERRY WASHINGTON NB Traffic Closed OCCIDENTAL KING A B A JACKSON 5TH 4TH B ZONE B WORK PLAN (UTILITY WORK) NB closed from 11AM to 7PM SB traffic maintained 6TH 2ND GENERAL WORK PLAN No curb parking will be permitted During non-working hours,a single lane will be open Weekend intersection closures at Main, Washington and Yesler ZONE A WORK PLAN (TRACK WORK) Track work from 11AM to 7PM (NB traffic closed) SB traffic will be shifted to NB lanes during SB track work Rail welding/track staging area (center of roadway - utilize former waterfront streetcar space) JACKSON Occidental Mall King Street Intermodal Hub / International District Station First Hill Streetcar 5 RAILROAD Feet Variable messaging "1st Ave S Closed at S Jackson - Use Alternate Routes" Center City Connector Alignment and Stops Existing and Planned Streetcar Alignment and Stops LANE SEATTLE STREETCAR Center City Connector [Project Name] 7

180 A B C 1ST Pioneer Square YESLER WASHINGTON MAIN 2ND Pioneer Square Station TRANSIT TUNNEL COLUMBIA CHERRY JAMES X segment 1 Pioneer Square Concept Schedule / Detours Concept Detour Zone B & C Colman Dock Detoured at Jackson and Marion (may need to utilize Columbian Way for SB efforts) MARION WESTERN NB Detour 99 Weekend closure ALASKAN POST YESLER 1ST MAIN COLUMBIA C X X X Pioneer Square B A Occidental Mall JAMES CHERRY WASHINGTON NB Traffic Closed OCCIDENTAL KING C ZONE C WORK PLAN (UTILITY WORK) NB closed from 11AM to 7PM SB traffic maintained B JACKSON 5TH 4TH 6TH King Street Intermodal Hub / International District Station 7TH 2ND ZONE B WORK PLAN (TRACK WORK) Track work from 11AM to 7PM (NB traffic closed) SB traffic will be shifted to NB lanes during SB track work B C GENERAL WORK PLAN No curb parking will be permitted During non-working hours,a single lane will be open Weekend intersection closures at Washington, Yesler, and Cherry Rail welding/track staging area (center of roadway - utilize former waterfront streetcar space) JACKSON Occidental Mall First Hill Streetcar 5 RAILROAD Feet Variable messaging "1st Ave S Closed at Main St - Use Alternate Routes" Center City Connector Alignment and Stops Existing and Planned Streetcar Alignment and Stops LANE SEATTLE STREETCAR Center City Connector [Project Name] 8

181 A B C 1ST Pioneer Square YESLER WASHINGTON MAIN 2ND 5 Pioneer Square Station TRANSIT TUNNEL 7TH COLUMBIA CHERRY JAMES segment 1 Pioneer Square Concept Schedule / Detours Concept Detour Zone C Colman Dock Detoured at Yesler and Marion (may need to utilize Columbian Way for SB efforts) MARION WESTERN NB Detour 99 Weekend closure ALASKAN POST X YESLER 1ST MAIN COLUMBIA C X Pioneer Square NB Traffic Closed B A Occidental Mall JAMES CHERRY WASHINGTON OCCIDENTAL KING C ZONE C WORK PLAN (TRACK WORK) NB closed from 11AM to 7PM SB traffic maintained. SB traffic will be shifted to NB lanes during SB track work Weekend intersection closure at Cherry and Columbia X No curb parking will be permitted During non-working hours,a single lane will be open JACKSON 5TH 4TH 6TH 2ND Transit Tunnel Rail welding/track staging area (center of roadway - utilize former waterfront streetcar space) JACKSON Occidental Mall King Street Intermodal Hub / International District Station First Hill Streetcar RAILROAD Feet Variable messaging "1st Ave S Closed at Yesler Way - Use Alternate Routes" Center City Connector Alignment and Stops Existing and Planned Streetcar Alignment and Stops LANE SEATTLE STREETCAR Center City Connector

182 Image from Seattle Municipal Archives

183 POST ALY POST AVE POST AVE 3RD AVE 2ND AVE 1ST AVE segment SEATTLE STREETCAR Center City Connector 2 Madison Office Core Construction Phasing Concepts PIKE ST 3 1ST & PIKE UNION ST Seattle Art Museum Benaroya Hall UNIVERSITY ST University Station Image from Flickr user Maggi Osterberg Map UV 99 WESTERN AVE 2 SENECA ST SPRING ST ALASKAN WAY MADISON ST 1ST & MADISION Image from Seatt;e Municipal Archives Colman Dock RAILROAD WAY S MARION ST COLUMBIA ST Feet YESLER WAY 1 PIONEER SQUARE JAMES ST CHERRY ST Pioneer Square Station SEATTLE STREETCAR Center City Connector [Project Name] 11

184 segment 2 Madison Office Core What to Expect During Construction F 2ND University Station UNION UNIVERSITY SENECA Traffic Anticipate regular weekday northbound and southbound lane closures (reduced to one lane each direction). Cross streets/intersections will remain open weekdays but may be reduced to single-lane traffic. Intersection closures during select times. Colman Dock E D WESTERN 1ST 1st & Madison TRANSIT TUNNEL SPRING MADISON MARION Detours Traffic will be detoured onto adjacent streets during periodic weekend closures for intersection construction. COLUMBIA D Columbia to Madison (Zone D) Utility work is expected to be conducted during the first month of work in this segment. Track work is anticipated to be conducted during the second and third months of this segment. Metro s bus zones will be closed or relocated during construction and no parking/loading permitted in the curb lanes. E Madison to Seneca (Zone E) Utility work is expected to be conducted during the second and third month in this segment (concurrent with track work in Zone D). Track work is anticipated to be conducted following completion of Utility Work. Southbound curb lane parking is currently projected to be maintained during utility work. However, southbound curb lane parking will not be available during track work. Parking Parking will not be permitted within the work zone. Access to parking facilities (lots/garages) will be maintained Pedestrian Safe passage around the work zone will be maintained at all times. Access to business will be maintained and special signage provided during detours. Bicycle Cycling will not be permitted in the construction zone. Cyclists will be encouraged to use sidestreets and the protected bike lane on 2 nd Avenue and bike lane on Western. F Seneca to Union (Zone C) Utility work is expected to be conducted during the second and third month of work in this segment (concurrent with track work in Zone D). Track work is anticipated to be conducted following completion of utility work. Southbound curb lane parking is currently projected to be maintained during utility work. However, southbound curb lane parking will not be available during track work. Final paving and restoration would be conducted following completion of track work in Zone C. SEATTLE STREETCAR Center City Connector [Project Name] 12

185 Month 1 Month 2 Month 3 Month 4 Month 5 Month 6 Month 7 Month 8 F E ZONE F Track Work D ALL ZONES Poles/OCS 1ST 2ND WESTERN University Station 1st & Madison ALL ZONES Finishes TRANSIT TUNNEL UNION UNIVERSITY SENECA SPRING MADISON MARION COLUMBIA * Assumes work conducted during the holiday moratorium segment 2 Madison Office Core Concept Schedule / Detours Construction Timeline Targeted Summer/Winter of first construction season* Colman Dock ZONE D Utilities ZONE D Track Work ZONE E Utilities ZONE E Track Work ZONE F Utilities SEATTLE STREETCAR Center City Connector [Project Name] 13

186 Image from Seattle Municipal Archives

187 WESTERN AVE POST ALY 2ND AVE 1ST AVE segment SEATTLE STREETCAR Center City Connector 3 Pike Place Market Construction Phasing Concepts VIRGINIA ST POST ALY 4 2ND & STEWART STEWART ST PIKE PL Image from Flickr user Lee Bennett PINE ST PINE ST Pike Place Market Map PIKE ST 3 1ST & PIKE Image from Seattle Municipal Archives RAILROAD WAY S UNION ST 2 Seattle Art Museum Benaroya Hall UNIVERSITY ST Feet Image from Seattle Municipal Archives SEATTLE STREETCAR Center City Connector [Project Name] 15

188 segment 3 Pike Place Market What to Expect During Construction H G I WESTERN 1ST 2ND 2ND PINE PIKE 1st & Pike 3RD 2nd & Stewart TRANSIT TUNNEL 3RD South Lake Union Streetcar L TO FAIRVIEW & YALE AVES 4TH STEWART OLIVE 4TH Westlake Intermodal Hub Westlake Hub McGraw Square 5TH Traffic Anticipate regular weekday lane closures. One lane will be maintained in each direction. Cross streets/intersections will remain open with limited closures during select times. Detours Traffic will be detoured onto adjacent streets during periodic weekend closures for intersection construction. G Union to Pine (Zone G) Utility work will begin in this segment during the first month. Track work is anticipated to be conducted following completion of utility work and anticipated to take two months to complete. To reduce the need for weekend closure of the intersection of Pike/1 st Avenue, the City is considering closing Pike to vehicle traffic between 1 st and 2 nd Avenue for a three week period. UNION Parking Parking will not be permitted within the work zone. Access to parking facilities (lots/garages) will be maintained. Pedestrian Safe passage around the work zone will be maintained at all times. Access to business will be maintained and special signage provided during detours. H Pike to Stewart (Zone H) Utility work is expected to be conducted concurrently with the track work done in Zone G. Track work is anticipated to take one month, following utility work. Bicycle Cycling will not be permitted in the construction zone. Cyclists will be encouraged to use sidestreets and the protected bike lanes on 2 nd Avenue and Western. I Streets (Zone I) Utility work is anticipated to be done by closing the street to vehicle traffic after utility work is finished in subsequent zones. Track work will be begun after utility work (including the turn from 1 st to Stewart) is completed, and is anticipated to take one month. Anticipated closure of this segment is two months. SEATTLE STREETCAR Center City Connector [Project Name] 16

189 1st & Pike 2nd & Stewart TRANSIT TUNNEL South Lake Union Streetcar L TO FAIRVIEW & YALE AVES Westlake Hub McGraw Square Month 1 Month 2 Month 3 Month 4 Month 5 Month 6 Month 7 Month 8 3RD 2ND 1ST PINE 3RD 2ND PIKE 4TH STEWART OLIVE 4TH UNION Westlake Intermodal Hub ZONE H/I Finishes 5TH segment 3 Pike Place Market Concept Schedule Construction Timeline H G I WESTERN ZONE G Utilities Pike Street (1 st to 2 nd ) Closure ZONE G Track Work Streetcar Stop ZONE H/I Utilities Pike Street (1 st to 2 nd ) Closure ZONE H/I Track Work SEATTLE STREETCAR Center City Connector [Project Name] 17

190 Image from Seattle Municipal Archives

191 segment SEATTLE STREETCAR Center City Connector 4 Westlake Connection Construction Phasing Concepts ELLIOTT AVE 1ST AVE LENORA ST VIRGINIA ST 5TH AVE South Lake Union Streetcar 2ND AVE 3RD AVE 2ND & STEWART 4 4TH AVE WESTLAKE HUB MCGRAW SQUARE STEWART ST 6TH AVE OLIVE WAY ALASKAN WAY RAILROAD WAY S WESTERN AVE PIKE PL PINE ST Map Pike Place Market PINE ST Westlake Intermodal Hub Feet 3 1ST & PIKE PIKE ST Image from Flickr user Lee Bennett SEATTLE STREETCAR Center City Connector [Project Name] 19

192 segment 4 Westlake Connection What to Expect During Construction 2ND J 3RD K 4TH STEWART 5TH L South Lake Union Streetcar Westlake Hub McGraw Square Traffic Anticipate multiple weekend intersection and roadway closures. Detours Traffic will be detoured onto alternate routes during intersection and road closures. 1ST 2nd & Stewart OLIVE J Stewart - 2 nd to 3 rd (Zone J) Westlake Intermodal Hub Utility work will begin in this segment (anticipating one month of night and weekend work. Track work is anticipated to be conducted following completion of utility work and is anticipated to take several weekends to complete. K Stewart/Olive - 3 rd to 5th (Zone K) Utility work is expected to be conducted concurrently with the track work done in Zone J. Track work is anticipated to take 2 months following utility work (to be completed on weekends anticipating 8 weekends). Parking Parking will not be permitted within the work zone. Access to parking facilities (lots/garages) will be maintained. Pedestrian Safe passage around the work zone will be maintained at all times. Access to business will be maintained and special signage provided during detours. Bicycle Cycling will not be permitted in the construction zone. Cyclists will be encouraged to use sidestreets and alternative routes. L Stewart/Westlake - Connection to SLU (Zone L) Connection to the existing SLU Streetcar line is anticipated to be done as one of the last elements of construction. Connection work is anticipated to be accomplished primarily on weekends and will probably require multiple weekends to complete. SEATTLE STREETCAR Center City Connector [Project Name] 20

193 segment 4 Westlake Connection Concept Schedule / Detours Construction Timeline 1ST J 2nd & Stewart K STEWART OLIVE 5TH 4TH 3RD 2ND L Westlake Intermodal Hub South Lake Union Streetcar Westlake Hub McGraw Square Month 1 Month 2 Month 3 Month 4 Month 5 Month 6 Month 7 Month 8 ZONE J Utilities Weekend Work ZONE J Track Work Streetcar Stop ZONE K/L Utilities Weekend Work ZONE K Track Work Weekend Work ZONE L Track Work Finishes/OCS SEATTLE STREETCAR Center City Connector [Project Name] 21

194

195 APPENDIX C Methods and Assumptions Technical Memorandum

196

197 DRAFT TECHNICAL MEMORANDUM Center City Connector Transportation Analysis Methods and Assumptions PREPARED FOR: COPY TO: PREPARED BY: City of Seattle Jodi Ketelsen/CH2M HILL Bill Love/CH2M HILL Craig Grandstrom/CH2M HILL DATE: October 2, 2014 This memorandum outlines the methods and assumptions for transportation analysis that will be integrated into the project s National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) analysis for the Center City Connector (CCC) project in Seattle, Washington. The intent of this memorandum is to document the key assumptions and methodologies that will be used for this transportation analysis. The analysis years, study area limits, travel-demand forecasting and modeling methodologies (including ridership forecasts), and traffic operational parameters as well as nonmotorized, parking and safety elements are discussed in this memo. 1 Analysis Years and Time Periods The transportation analysis will be conducted for three study years: Existing Year (2014) Opening Year (assumed 2018) Design Year (2035) The traffic analysis will be conducted for the PM peak hour as it is considered to be the highest congested time period in downtown Seattle. This is consistent with the traffic analysis conducted during the Alternatives Analysis (AA) phase. 2 Alternatives Analyzed Traffic analysis will be conducted for a No Build Alternative and one build alternative with up to two design alignments for the Opening Year (assumed 2018) and Design Year (2035). A construction analysis will also be conducted. 2.1 No Build Alternative The No Build Alternative assumes the CCC Line would not be constructed and the South Lake Union (SLU) and First Hill Streetcar Lines would be operating as two separate lines with no connection to each other. The SLU Line currently runs between the intersections of Fairview Avenue/Aloha Street to the north and Westlake Avenue/Stewart Street to the south, with streetcars operating at 15-minute headways during the PM peak period. The First Hill Line is currently under construction with service expected to begin in fall When completed, the First Hill Line will extend between the intersections of Denny Way/Broadway Avenue to the north and S. Jackson Street/Occidental Avenue to the south. By the Opening Year (assumed TBG SEA APPENDIX C 1

198 Center City Connector Transporation Methods and Assumptions City of Seattle 2018), both the SLU and First Hill Lines are expected to operate at 10-minute headways during the PM peak period in the No Build Alternative. Other major infrastructure improvements assumed to be in place in the No Build Alternative by the Opening Year (assumed 2018) include: Alaskan Way Viaduct and Seawall Replacement Project: Assumes trips using the State Route 99 (SR 99) tunnel will be tolled and reconfigured access in the north and south portals Central Waterfront Project: Reconfiguration and widening of Alaskan Way and transit improvements on Columbia Street. Seattle Streetcar Broadway Extension: The First Hill Line would be extended a halfmile north on Broadway Avenue between Howell Street and Roy Street. Sound Transit expansion of the Link Light Rail system: University Link will be open with joint use of the Downtown Seattle Transit Tunnel (DSTT) by light rail and buses. Protected Bicycle Lanes: The initial phase of protected bicycle lanes have recently been installed on Second Avenue and Pike Street. For the future-year analysis, the top priority bike facilities are assumed to be built. Other major infrastructure improvements assumed to be in place in the No Build Alternative by the Design Year (2035) include: Sound Transit expansion of the Link Light Rail system: Extensions to Lynnwood, Federal Way, and Overlake will be complete by the Year The DSTT will be converted to exclusive use by light rail vehicles with bus service re-routed to surface streets. These projects are also listed in Section 5.1 as well as other improvements to the street, transit, and non-motorized system in the study area. 2.2 Build Alternative The build alternative analyzed is described in this section, including track alignment and stations, operating plan, and roadway and intersection modifications Alignment and Stations The two build alternatives share a common alignment known as the Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA) corridor. The LPA corridor adopted by the City of Seattle for the CCC project is First Avenue between Pike Place Market and the planned terminus of the First Hill Line at S Jackson Street and Occidental Avenue S (shown below in Figure 2-1). The LPA will also include three new streetcar stations on 1 st Avenue (Pioneer Square, Madison, and Pike) located in the median. There are four optional alignments in the northern end that connect Pike Place Market to the Westlake intermodal hub, as described in the next section. TBG SEA APPENDIX C 2

199 Center City Connector Transporation Methods and Assumptions City of Seattle Figure 2-1 Center City Connector Alignments for Build Alternative East-West Design Options There are four optional alignments that connect Pike Place market to the Westlake intermodal hub, as shown in Figure 2-2 below Design Option A: Stewart/Olive Design Option A is the preferred east-west alignment (also known as the LPA). The streetcar path would be along the Stewart Street/Olive Way couplet. Stewart Street would feature an exclusive eastbound streetcar lane between 1 st and 3 rd Avenues, with the Streetcar alignment on Olive Way between 3 rd and 5 th Avenues changing to a mixed-traffic lane. Streetcars would travel along Stewart Street westbound in a transit-only curb lane between Westlake Avenue and 2 rd Avenue, sharing the lane with buses and right-turning vehicles (allowed at 3 rd and 4 th Avenues). Stewart Street westbound would feature a mixed lane between 1 st and 2 nd Avenues. Design Option A will have a new curbside station on Stewart Street between 2nd and 3rd Avenues and a new southbound station on Westlake Avenue at Stewart Street (northbound would use the existing station at Westlake). TBG SEA APPENDIX C 3

200 Center City Connector Transporation Methods and Assumptions City of Seattle Figure 2-2 Center City Connector East-West Alignment Design Options Design Option B: Pine/Stewart Design Option B would follow the same eastbound alignment as Design Option A but follow a different westbound alignment that uses a combination of 5 th Avenue and Pine Street (as shown in Figure 2-2 above). Southbound streetcars would travel through the existing Westlake station and turn slightly left onto 5 th Avenue, turn right at 5 th Avenue/Pine Street, and turn left at Pine Street/1 st Avenue. Design Option B would have one new northbound station on Stewart Street between 2 nd and 3 rd Avenues and one new southbound station on Pine Street between 3 rd and 4 th Avenues Design Option C: Pine/Pike Design Option C would use a combination of Pine Street, Pike Street, 4th Avenue, and 5th Avenue (as shown in Figure 2-2 above). Northbound streetcars would turn right at the intersection of 1 st Avenue/Pike Street, turn left at Pike St/4 th Avenue, and turn right at 4 th Avenue/Olive Way. Southbound streetcars would follow the same alignment as Design Option B and travel through the existing Westlake station and turn slightly left onto 5 th Avenue, turn right at 5 th Avenue/Pine Street, and turn left at Pine Street/1 st Avenue. The Pike Street Pike/Pine Design Option would have one new northbound station on Pike Street and one new southbound station on Pine Street, both between 3 rd and 4 th Avenues Design Option D: Stewart/Pike Design Option D would follow the same eastbound alignment as Design Option C and the same westbound alignment as Design Option A (as shown in Figure 2-2 above). Northbound streetcars would turn right at the intersection of 1 st Avenue/Pike Street, turn left at Pike St/4 th Avenue, and turn right at 4 th Avenue/Olive Way. Southbound streetcars would travel along Stewart Street westbound in a transit-only curb lane between Westlake Avenue and 2 rd Avenue, sharing the lane with buses and right turning vehicles (allowed at 3 rd and 4 th Avenues). Stewart Street westbound would feature a mixed lane between 1 st and 2 nd Avenues. Design Option D would have one new northbound station on Pike Street and one new southbound station on Pine Street, both between 3 rd and 4 th Avenues. TBG SEA APPENDIX C 4

201 Center City Connector Transporation Methods and Assumptions City of Seattle Maintenance Facilities The CCC project would expand the existing streetcar maintenance facility located at the intersection of Harrison Street and Fairview Avenue, including a new track alignment along Harrison Street between Westlake Avenue and the maintenance building. Also under consideration is the expansion of the maintenance facility at the intersection of Eighth Avenue and S. Charles Street, with access via Eighth Avenue between S. Jackson Street and the maintenance yard. The maintenance facilities are not expected to generate streetcar trips during the PM peak hours, and are therefore not included in the traffic operations analysis modeling Center City Connector Operating Plan The CCC project would allow the SLU and First Hill lines to operate as a system with two independent, overlapping lines, as shown in Figure 2-3 below. The two lines would provide overlapping service between Westlake Intermodal Hub and King Street Intermodal Hub, with a stop near the City s third intermodal hub at Colman Dock. This overlapping portion of the line would have 5-minute headways between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. on weekdays and Saturdays, and between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m. on Sundays (and increase to 10 minutes during off-peak times) Transit Signal Priority and Intersection Modifications The CCC project would employ Transit Signal Priority (TSP) treatments and intersection modifications at most signalized intersections along the alignment. TSP treatments would vary depending on location, but would typically involve extending the green phase or shortening the red phase for the streetcar. Typically, TSP can be implemented with varying levels of priority, or tiers, as described below: Tier 1: Green times for non-transit movements are reduced by 15 percent or less. Cycle lengths are maintained, and auto and pedestrian phases are never skipped. Tier 2: Green times for non-transit movements can be reduced up to 30 percent depending on the level of service (LOS) of conflicting movements (less time is allowed to be reduced if the conflicting phase is LOS E or F). Auto and pedestrian phases are not skipped but can be reduced to their minimum clearance times. The optimal green extension is more likely to be provided with this tier. Tier 3: Non-transit movements are reduced to their minimum green times allowable, regardless of the level of congestion on conflicting phases. Cycle lengths can be increased, which can impact coordination for auto traffic. The optimal green extension can be provided with this tier. Tier 4: Non-transit movements and/or pedestrian phases can be re-sequenced or skipped in order to transit to the TSP phase as quickly as possible. Tier 4 is similar to the priority strategy typically used for light-rail service TBG SEA APPENDIX C 5

202 Center City Connector Transporation Methods and Assumptions City of Seattle Figure 2-3 Center City Connector Proposed Operating Plan TBG SEA APPENDIX C 6

203 Center City Connector Transporation Methods and Assumptions City of Seattle The TSP level that would be assumed for the build alternative is Tier 3. At some locations, a streetcar-only phase would be inserted to allow the streetcar to turn or change lanes through an intersection and avoid conflicts from other auto or pedestrian phases. Table 2-1 presents TSP phasing plans for streetcar preemption and left-turn movements. In cases where it is anticipated that the streetcar will block auto traffic waiting for the streetcar phase, a signal preemption phase would be used. In these situations, preemption would allow conflicting pedestrian phases to safely finish their minimum clearance times prior to ending all conflicting phases and starting the streetcar phase. Table 2-1 Through Street Build Alternative TSP Treatments and Intersection Modifications Cross Street Signal Modification TSP/Preemption for Streetcar Stewart St. Westlake Ave. SB Right (STC) NB & SB TSP None Stewart St. 5th Ave. None WB TSP None Olive Way 5th Ave. None EB TSP None Stewart St. 4th Ave. None EB & WB TSP None Stewart St. 3rd Ave. None EB & WB TSP None Stewart St. 2nd Ave. EB & WB Through (STC) EB TSP; WB Preemption None Turn Movement Modification 1st Ave. Stewart St. NB Right (STC) NB & WB Preemption NB Left Restrict 1st Ave. Pine St. NB Left (GP) NB & SB TSP; SB Left alternate lead/lag 1st Ave. Pike St. None None NB Left Restrict 1st Ave. Union St. None NB & SB TSP NB Left Restrict None 1st Ave. University St. SB Left (GP) SB Left alternate lead/lag None 1st Ave. Seneca St. None NB & SB TSP None 1st Ave. Spring St. SB Left (GP) SB Left alternate lead/lag None 1st Ave. Madison St. NB Left (GP) NB Left alternate lead/lag NB Left Allow 1st Ave. Marion St. None NB & SB TSP SB Left Restrict 1st Ave. Columbia St. None NB & SB TSP NB Left Restrict 1st Ave. Cherry St. None SB Left alternate lead/lag None 1st Ave. Yesler Way None NB & SB TSP None 1st Ave. S. Washington St. None NB & SB TSP None 1st Ave. S. Main St. None NB & SB TSP None 1st Ave. S. Jackson St. SB Left (STC & GP); WB Right (STC) SB TSP; WB Preemption NB Left Restrict Notes: NB = northbound; EB = eastbound; SB = southbound; WB = westbound; n/a = not applicable; GP = general purpose traffic; STC = Streetcar; TSP = Transit Signal Priority TBG SEA APPENDIX C 7

204 Center City Connector Transporation Methods and Assumptions City of Seattle The roadways and intersections along the corridor would be modified to accommodate an exclusive transit-running lane. First Avenue between S. Jackson Street and Stewart Street in the build alternative will feature exclusive streetcar lanes in the center of the road with general purpose lanes on the outside. Left-turn pockets with protected signal phases would be provided on First Avenue at key locations (as shown in Table 2-1) to ensure traffic can circulate to adjacent streets where possible. The phase sequence for left turns may change from leading to lagging and vice versa depending on the arrival time of the streetcar. For the Pike/Pine Design Option, similar TSP treatments and intersection modifications would be developed for the intersections bounded by Pike Street, Pine Street, 2 nd Avenue, and 5 th Avenue. 2.3 Construction Condition A construction scenario will also be analyzed as part of the NEPA analysis. Several major transportation projects are expected to be under construction during the same time frame as the CCC project, which is anticipated to be between the years 2016 and The exact year of construction for purposes of the transportation analysis is yet to be determined and the methodology will be described in a separate technical memorandum once further information is provided to the project team. 3 Study Area All of the transportation study area is within the jurisdiction of the City of Seattle. Figure 3-1 shows the study area and proposed study intersections for the NEPA analysis. The study area includes up to 65 intersections, as seen in Table 3-1 below. The study area includes each intersection along the streetcar route of the preferred build alternative (shown in green) along First Avenue, S. Jackson Street, Stewart Street, and Westlake Avenue. For the Pike/Pine Design Option the study area (shown in orange) is bounded by 2 nd Avenue, 5 th Avenue, Pine Street, and Pike Street. The remaining intersections in the study area (shown in blue) were chosen to analyze potential traffic diversion on corridors parallel to First Avenue and Stewart Street (Alaskan Way, Second Avenue, Fourth Avenue, Fifth Avenue). TBG SEA APPENDIX C 8

205 Center City Connector Transporation Methods and Assumptions City of Seattle Figure 3-1 Center City Connector Traffic Analysis Study Intersections TBG SEA APPENDIX C 9

206 Center City Connector Transporation Methods and Assumptions City of Seattle Table 3-1 Center City Connector Traffic Study Intersections ID # Intersection ID# Intersection Intersections Associated with Preferred Build Alternative 1 Westlake Ave/6th Ave 17 1st Ave/Columbia St 2 Westlake Ave/Stewart St 18 1st Ave/Cherry St 3 5th Ave/Stewart St 19 1st Ave/Yesler Way 4 5th Ave/Olive Way 20 1st Ave S/S Washington St 5 4th Ave/Stewart St 21 1st Ave S/S Main St 6 3rd Ave/Stewart St 22 1st Ave S/S Jackson St 7 2nd Ave/Stewart St 23 2nd Ave S/S Jackson St 8 1st Ave/Stewart St 24 2nd Ave Extension S/S Jackson St 9 1st Ave/Pine St 25 4th Ave S/S Jackson St 10 1st Ave/Pike St 26 5th Ave S/S Jackson St 11 1st Ave/Union St 27 6th Ave S/S Jackson St 12 1st Ave/University St 28 Maynard Ave S/S Jackson St 13 1st Ave/Seneca St 29 7th Ave S/S Jackson St 14 1st Ave/Spring St 30 8th Ave S/S Jackson St 15 1st Ave/Madison St 31 10th Ave S/S Jackson St 16 1st Ave/Marion St Intersections Associated with Pike/Pine Design Option 32 2nd Ave/Pine St 36 2nd Ave/Pike St 33 3rd Ave/Pine St 37 3rd Ave/Pike St 34 4th Ave/Pine St 38 4th Ave/Pike St 35 5th Ave/Pine St 39 5th Ave/Pike St Intersections Associated with Potential Diversion 40 1st Ave/Lenora St 53 4th Ave/Madison St 41 1st Ave/Virginia St 54 5th Ave/Madison St 42 2nd Ave/University St 55 2nd Ave/Columbia St 43 4th Ave/University St 56 4th Ave/Columbia St 44 5th Ave/University St 57 5th Ave/Columbia St 45 2nd Ave/Seneca St 58 5th Ave/Cherry St 46 4th Ave/Seneca St 59 Alaskan Way/Yesler Way 47 5th Ave/Seneca St 60 2nd Ave/James St 48 2nd Ave/Spring St 61 4th Ave/James St 49 4th Ave/Spring St 62 5th Ave/James St 50 5th Ave/Spring St 63 Alaskan Way/S King St 51 Alaskan Way/Madison St 64 1st Ave S/S King St 52 2nd Ave/Madison St 65 1st Ave S/Railroad Way TBG SEA APPENDIX C 10

207 Center City Connector Transporation Methods and Assumptions City of Seattle 4 Data Collection A variety of data will be collected and assembled to analyze the transportation-related effects of the project. These data sets will include traffic, engineering, and crash data; signal timing and controller data; transportation plans and studies and planned Improvements; transit data; parking; and non-motorized, which are expanded in the following sections. 4.1 Traffic, Engineering, and Crash Data Existing 2-hour PM peak-hour turning movement counts. If counts within 5 years are not available from Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT), they will be counted as part of this study. Existing Paint Line Sketches that show lane geometry and channelization from SDOT Daily traffic counts as available from SDOT Crash data from SDOT files for last 5 years at study intersections Existing truck routes, truck restrictions, and other freight data from SDOT 4.2 Signal Timing and Controller Data (from SDOT) Existing signalized intersection timing plans Signal controller type, cabinet type, and capacity for added detection/preemption Communication links between signalized intersections Central signal system in use for each signal 4.3 Transportation Plans and Studies and Planned Improvements Recent traffic analysis reports and traffic models completed within the study area Existing and future planned transit services and non-motorized plans from King County Metro and Sound Transit Planned and programmed transportation network improvements within the study area for the forecast year (2035) Relevant state, regional, and local transportation planning documents 4.4 Transit Data Transit route service area, frequency, hours of service, and passenger load (fall 2013) Transit data from STOPS ridership model for No Build, 2018, and Parking Supply and demand inventory of on- and off-street public parking facilities along one side-street adjacent to the proposed alignment. Data sources include SDOT and Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC). TBG SEA APPENDIX C 11

208 Center City Connector Transporation Methods and Assumptions City of Seattle 4.6 Nonmotorized Inventory of existing and planned walk and bicycle facilities surrounding the potential station area. Pedestrian and bicycle volumes at study intersections Data not available from local jurisdictions will be supplemented by field visits. 5 Traffic Volume Forecasting 5.1 Travel-Demand Forecasts Future auto-demand volumes for the Opening Year (assumed 2018) and Design Year (2035) will be based on the latest available travel-demand forecast models from the PSRC and Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) as was used for the SR 99 Alaskan Way Viaduct and Seawall Replacement Project. The underlying land use assumptions will be updated to reflect the latest set of PSRC land-use forecasts as released under the land use targets forecast in the spring of The travel-demand forecast will be conducted to estimate traffic volumes along First Avenue (as well as the parallel streets) based on any diversion that is predicted to occur with the Build Alternative. Future ridership forecasts for the streetcar system will be conducted independently of auto demand forecasts based on the Federal Transit Administration's (FTA) Simplified Trips-on- Project Software (STOPS) model as it is not anticipated that the CCC project will induce or remove a noticeable amount of auto trips within the study area. Coordination with the WSDOT will be necessary to account for anticipated diversion on downtown surface streets resulting from tolls applied to the SR 99 Tunnel under downtown Seattle, which is anticipated to be completed in the Year Existing intersection turn-movement counts will be used for the existing conditions analysis. Future-year intersection turn movement volumes will be estimated using a combination of future volume growth projections from the forecast model and post-processing adjustments based on existing counts, in accordance with standard methods from National Cooperative Highway Research Program 255. Table 5-1 identifies the significant future transportation infrastructure improvements near the project vicinity assumed in the No Build Alternatives for 2018 and These improvements were assumed as they are considered reasonable and foreseeable. The projects have been through an environmental review, have identified design and construction funding or are expected to be near-term improvements by the City. Table 5-1 Transportation Improvements Assumed in the No Build Alternative Project Improvement X X First Hill Streetcar Line Mixed-traffic streetcar line connecting Broadway to the north and S. Jackson St./Occidental Ave. to the south. X X Sound Transit University Link Extension (U Link) Light Rail Extension of Central Link Light Rail from Westlake Center to University of Washington by DSTT would still operate with buses and LRT trains jointly. TBG SEA APPENDIX C 12

209 Center City Connector Transporation Methods and Assumptions City of Seattle Project Improvement X Sound Transit Link Light Rail System Expansion Extension of Link Light Rail from University of Washington to Northgate by 2021, and to Lynnwood, Overlake and Kent/ Des Moines by DSTT would be converted to exclusive light rail train use, with bus service re-routed to surface streets. X X I-90 High-Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) Reconfiguration option R-8A. X X Alaskan Way Viaduct Replacement Project New tolled-facility tunnel along central waterfront with modified access to downtown from the south. For modeling purposes, the future toll rate for the tunnel will be set such that diversion on downtown surface streets will be consistent with the latest results from SR 99 Traffic Tolling and Financial Analysis Scenario 7. X X Seattle Central Waterfront Project Reconfiguration and widening of Alaskan Way. Columbia St. transit improvements are assumed as part of this project. X X 2nd Ave. and Pike St. Protected Bike Lanes Protected bicycle lanes were recently installed on 2nd Ave. between Pike St. and Yesler Way and on Pike St. between First and 2nd Aves. This project would extend lanes to Broad St. to the north and King St. to the south. X X Transit Bus Operations In year 2018, bus operations will occur in the DSTT and on the surface streets. By year 2035, it is assumed buses will not operate in the DSTT. Bus service assumptions for both years will be coordinated with King County Metro, Sound Transit, and Community Transit. X X 3rd Ave. Transit Improvements Planned improvements include bus stop and sidewalk improvements, bicycle facilities, and extending priority treatment approximately 0.75 miles north between Stewart St. and Denny Way 5.2 Ridership Forecasts The FTA STOPS model will be used to forecast transit ridership for the CCC NEPA analysis. The STOPS model is designed to estimate transit project ridership using a streamlined set of procedures that bypass the time-consuming process of developing and applying a regional travel demand forecasting model. STOPS is similar to regional models and includes many of the same computations of transit level of service and market shares found in model sets maintained by metropolitan planning organizations (MPOs). Refer to Appendix A for the project s ridership forecasts methods and assumptions memo. This section provides a summary of the assumptions, inputs, and output data that will be used in the project s environmental document Assumptions and Input Data The list provided in this section describes the assumptions and input data needed to forecast ridership estimates with the STOPS model. This information will either be provided by the City, other agencies, or the project team. Current and Future Population/Employment Projections: Utilizing the most recent land use data released by PSRC. TBG SEA APPENDIX C 13

210 Center City Connector Transporation Methods and Assumptions City of Seattle Transit Networks: Existing transit routes and stop/station locations for both bus and rail from King County Metro (KCM) and Sound Transit. The service cuts effective September 2014 were assumed. Specific planned service improvements resulting from the Proposition 1 transit measure were not finalized as of December 2014, so SDOT provided the project team with assumptions for additional peak-hour bus trips by time period, downtown skip-stop group, and direction. 1 For analytical purposes, the project team assigned these trips to individual routes and times within the ridership model, using trip-level loading data to identify routes and times where over-crowded conditions could warrant additional service. Table 5-3 identifies these assumptions. Daily Boarding information for all rail and streetcar stops from KCM and Sound Transit. Regional transit improvements (both bus and rail) for the No Build and Build (Opening Year [assumed 2018] and 2035). It was assumed that upon opening of the Northgate Link project, identified bus routes would terminate at Northgate Transit Center. It was assumed that upon opening of the East Link project, identified bus routes would terminate at Mercer Island. It was assumed that upon opening of the Lynnwood extension, identified bus routes would terminate at Lynnwood Transit Center. Operating Plan: Detailed operating plan for the project, which include headways by time of day, station locations, and assumptions. Travel Times: General transit travel times from published agency timetables (GTF files) for the existing condition. Travel time changes for any transit route that is modified for the future-year networks. City Center Connector travel times based on either traffic simulations and/or GTF timetables. Auto travel times between the traffic analysis zones (TAZ) that correspond to the zone system and demographic projections (population and employment) provided by PSRC. 1 Proposition 1 is a City of Seattle ballot measure approved in November 2014 to fund transit service enhancements. TBG SEA APPENDIX C 14

211 Center City Connector Transporation Methods and Assumptions City of Seattle Table 5-2 Assumptions for Proposition 1 Peak-Period Service Additions Skip-Stop Pattern Northbound Est. AM trips (NB) Est PM trips (NB) Skip-Stop Pattern Southbound Est AM trips (SB) Est PM trips (SB) Red -- 2 Red 3 0 C C 1 D 1 D 1 15X 1 15X 1 18X 18X Yellow 3 Yellow Blue Blue /28X 28/28X Green 2 5 Green Tunnel -- 1 Tunnel X 1 74X 1 72X 1 Note: Assumptions for analytical purposes only for project ridership model Ridership Forecast Data The ridership forecasts will provide a low-end and high-end range for projected CCC ridership. The low-end of the ridership range was established based on initial STOPS model runs where new CCC stops were calibrated to characteristics of existing SLU Streetcar stops. The high-end of the ridership range was set based on STOPS model runs that did not constrain the CCC to SLU characteristics. In coordination with FTA, the project team felt that the high-end of the ridership range more fully captures visitor and non-work ridership markets that the STOPS model does not explicitly address. The project team will work with KCM and SDOT to estimate a peak factor which would be applied to the daily STOPS model output to provide PM peak-period ridership forecasts. Transit ridership data that will be included in the environmental document include: Trips on Project. Trips that have any portion of their travel on the project segment will be obtained from the STOPS model. This includes trips that have an on or an off within TBG SEA APPENDIX C 15

212 Center City Connector Transporation Methods and Assumptions City of Seattle the project segment as well as those that use the project to travel between other locations on the extension of the streetcar system. Markets on Project. Markets on project differ from trips on project in that it considers travel movements for those trips that use the project as well as trip purpose. Project Trips by Stop. Boardings and alightings at all project stations (and other streetcar segment station) will be output from the STOPS model. District to District Project Trips. STOPS will output a matrix of project trips (by purpose and auto ownership category) between districts Route Level Boardings. STOPS provides an output table that shows overall boardings on every route included in the system. 6 Traffic Operation Analysis Tools and Inputs A combination of traffic analysis software packages (Synchro and VISSIM) will be used to generate traffic operations measures of effectiveness (MOEs) for the CCC NEPA analysis. Synchro will be used to analyze intersection LOS and average vehicle delay for all study intersections, while VISSIM will be used to provide travel time and other data along the proposed streetcar alignment. A brief description of each tool and summary of MOEs is presented in Table 6-1. Table 6-1 Traffic Analysis Tools and MOEs Traffic Analysis Tools Synchro VISSIM Model Attributes Measures of Effectiveness Deterministic macroscopic model Based on lane group movements Vehicle flow through network based on unconstrained demand volume Signal timing optimization tool Estimates effect of trucks, bus blockages, parking maneuvers, pedestrians, and bicycles by adjusting saturation flow Conforms with HCM methodology Intersection LOS Intersection Delay Stochastic microscopic simulation model Individual vehicle car following and lane changing behavior Vehicle flow through network based on capacity constraints and throughput volume Models interaction of cars, trucks, buses, streetcars, pedestrian, bicycles, and parking maneuvers Models transit signal priority and streetcar preemption phases Travel time for auto, bus, and streetcar Vehicle and person throughput Percent of demand served LOS is a qualitative measurement of intersection operation based on control delay. LOS is reported as letter grades A (low delay per vehicle, favorable traffic progression) through F (extremely high delay per vehicle, could involve long queues), and is shown below in Table 6-2. TBG SEA APPENDIX C 16

213 Center City Connector Transporation Methods and Assumptions City of Seattle Table 6-2 Level of Service Definitions for Signalized Intersections LOS Average Control Delay (seconds per vehicle) Traffic Flow Characteristics A < 10 Virtually free flow; completely unimpeded. B > 10 and < 20 Stable flow with slight delays; less freedom to maneuver. C > 20 and < 35 Stable flow with delays; less freedom to maneuver. D > 35 and < 55 High density but stable flow. E > 55 and < 80 Operating conditions at or near capacity; unstable flow. F > 80 Forced flow; breakdown conditions. All intersections in the study area will be modeled using Synchro software, version 8. Synchro can estimate intersection LOS and average vehicle delay based on methods from the Highway Capacity Manual (HCM) Synchro will be used to generate MOEs for all intersections in the study area. The assumptions and parameters used in the Synchro model are shown below in Table 6-3. Values in Table 6-3 were developed based on a combination of discussions with City staff, previous City project experience, and default values recommended from the HCM Table 6-3 Synchro Intersection Parameters/Assumptions Parameter 2014 Existing 2018 Opening Year (Assumed) 2035 Design Year Peak Hour Factor From count and for entire intersection, otherwise assume No Build & Build: Same as Existing No Build & Build: If Existing PHF is greater than 0.95, use Existing; otherwise use Conflicting Pedestrians per Hour Conflicting Bicycles per Hour Area Type Ideal Saturation Flow Rate Lane Width From count, otherwise assume 200 pedestrians per crosswalk leg. From count, otherwise assume 10 cyclists. CBD 1,900 vehicles/hour/lane From SDOT paint line sketches; otherwise assume 11 feet. No Build: Apply growth rate from adjacent street to existing count Build: At intersections near proposed streetcar stations, based on No Build plus growth from projected ridership forecasts. No Build & Build: Apply growth rate from adjacent street to existing count. At intersections near proposed protected bike lanes, assume 50 cyclists on protected bike lanes. No Build: Based on improvement plans from background projects; otherwise same as Existing. Build: Based on streetcar proposed improvement plans Percent Heavy Vehicles From count, otherwise assume 3 percent No Build & Build: Based on future forecasts. No Build & Build: Based on future forecasts and planned changes to bus service Percent Grade From field data No Build & Build: Same as Existing Parking Maneuvers per Hour Assume 8 maneuvers/hour for two-way streets; assume 16 maneuvers/hour for oneway streets No Build: Same as Existing. Build: Based on proposed changes to parking spaces resulting from streetcar alignment. TBG SEA APPENDIX C 17

214 Center City Connector Transporation Methods and Assumptions City of Seattle Parameter 2014 Existing 2018 Opening Year (Assumed) 2035 Design Year Bus Blockages From existing transit routes, stops, and headways from transit agencies. No Build: Same as existing. Build: KC Metro route 99 assumed to be eliminated with project. All other bus service within study area same as No Build. No Build: Assume bus routes that use DSTT will be re-routed to surface streets. Build: KC Metro route 99 assumed to be eliminated with project. All other bus service within study area same as No Build. Intersection signal phasing and coordination Intersection signal timing optimization limits Minimum Green time Yellow and all-red time Right Turn on Red From existing data provided by SDOT, otherwise from field observation. From existing data provided by SDOT (80-second [sec] cycle length) From existing data provided by SDOT From existing data provided by SDOT, otherwise use: (Y) = 3.5 sec and (R) = 1 sec Allow where currently permitted. No Build: Based on planned improvements from background projects, otherwise same as existing. Build: TSP and preemption phases as necessary based on proposed changes from project. No Build: Cycle length same as Existing, but will modify splits to account for changes in volume. Build: 80-sec cycle length (some locations may occasionally break coordination due to streetcar preemption phases) No Build: Same as Existing Build: Through movements based on minimum pedestrian crossing time (7 sec walk, 3.5 feet/sec for FDW clearance). TSP will not reduce pedestrian crossing time below minimum. Left turns = 10 sec. No Build: Same as Existing. Build: For streetcar preemption phases (Y) = 3.0 sec and (R) = 6 sec, otherwise same as Existing. No Build: Same as Existing. Build: If project changes geometry, based on engineering judgment. Otherwise same as Existing. Speed Limit 30 miles per hour (mph) No Build & Build: Same as Existing A VISSIM model will be created for each scenario for the intersections along the proposed streetcar route (highlighted in green in Figure 3-1 above). VISSIM is a microscopic simulation software program that can be used to model many different modes of travel, including cars, trucks, buses, streetcars/lrt vehicles, bicycles, and pedestrians. VISSIM can also accurately model multi-modal impacts such as streetcar operations with TSP and preemption phases, as well as pedestrian/vehicle intersection. VISSIM will be used to generate MOEs for both the No Build and build alternatives along the proposed streetcar alignment such as streetcar and auto travel time, vehicle and person throughput, and percent of demand served. Table 6-4 shows the parameters that will be used in the VISSIM model. A VISSIM model of the existing conditions will be calibrated following the guidelines of the FHWA Traffic Analysis Toolbox, Volume III. The following MOEs will be used to verify the adequacy of the calibration: Link volume throughput (intersection approach) compared with traffic counts Travel times measured for entire corridor segments such as First Avenue, S Jackson Street, and Stewart Street. TBG SEA APPENDIX C 18

215 Center City Connector Transporation Methods and Assumptions City of Seattle Table 6-4 VISSIM Parameters/Assumptions VISSIM Parameters 2014 Existing 2018 Opening Year (Assumed) 2035 Design Year VISSIM Version Time Steps/sec Seeding Time Recording Time # Random Seeds Driver Behavior, Car Following 10 time steps/sec 15 minutes 1 hour 10 Wiedemann 74 default values for car following and lane changing. Note: Parameters that change during calibration will be documented. No Build: Same as Existing calibration. Build: If proposed changes modify geometry, calibration changes may be rolled back to default based on engineering judgment. Otherwise same as Existing. Traffic Composition Truck percent from count, otherwise 3 percent. No Build: Based on future forecasts. Assume both buses and LRTs operate in DSTT. Build: Based on proposed changes to bus service resulting from streetcar, otherwise same as No Build. No Build: Based on future forecasts and planned changes to bus service resulting from conversion of DSTT to exclusive LRT use. Build: Based on proposed changes to bus service resulting from streetcar, otherwise same as No Build. Traffic Modes Car, Truck, Bus, Streetcar, Pedestrian, Bikes Conflicting Pedestrians Per Hour From count, otherwise assume 200 pedestrians/hour/crosswalk No Build: Same as Existing Build: At intersections near proposed streetcar stations, based on Existing plus growth from ridership forecasts. Parking Maneuvers/Hour 1 maneuver per stall per hour No Build: Same as Existing Build: Based on proposed changes to parking spaces resulting from streetcar alignment. Grade From field data No Build & Build: Same as Existing Intersection Turning Speed Auto/Truck/Bus: Right = mph; Left = mph Streetcar: Right/Left = 6-8 mph Transit Assumptions Existing bus routes within VISSIM study area will be modeled. Data from KC Metro will be utilized for headway and dwell time at stop locations, otherwise assume 30 sec dwell time and 10 sec standard deviation. No Build: Same as Existing (no service cuts assumed) Build: KC Metro route 99 assumed to be eliminated with project. All other bus service within study area same as No Build. No Build: Assume existing bus routes that use DSTT will be re-routed to surface streets. Build: KC Metro route 99 will be eliminated and all bus stops on 1st Ave. between S. Jackson St. and Stewart St. removed. All other bus service within study area same as No Build. Signal Controller From existing data provided No Build: same as Existing TBG SEA APPENDIX C 19

216 Center City Connector Transporation Methods and Assumptions City of Seattle VISSIM Parameters 2014 Existing 2018 Opening Year (Assumed) 2035 Design Year Type by SDOT (pre-timed) Build: At intersections along proposed streetcar alignment, actuated-coordinated with TSP where warranted. Streetcar Headway SLU Line = 15 minutes 7 Safety Analysis No Build: SLU & First Hill Lines = 10 minutes Build: SLU & First Hill Lines = 10 minutes Center City Connector Line = 5 minutes A safety analysis will be conducted along the proposed streetcar alignment. Existing intersection crash histories will be documented based on type, severity, and frequency. Historic crash-rate summaries will be based on the most recent 5 years of crash data available from SDOT. For future-year conditions, a qualitative assessment of safety will be discussed describing how the project may affect the existing crash type and frequency. Potential effects of the project on safety will be discussed for all modes within the study area, including auto, transit, freight, bicycle, and pedestrian modes. 8 Property Access, Circulation and Freight A qualitative assessment of the property access, circulation, and freight conditions will be conducted within the study area. The assessment of property access and circulation will document any physical change to the traffic patterns to intersections and roadway segments along the proposed streetcar alignment. The assessment of freight will be based on existing and forecasted freight volumes, and designated freight routes and their connections to points of interest. This includes identification of any at-grade crossings and traffic impacts that would affect freight movements. Existing and planned freight routes will be mapped with the project alternative alignment. 9 Non-Motorized Analysis The non-motorized operations assessment will analyze the impact of the Center City Connector on pedestrian and bicyclist access and connectivity. 9.1 Pedestrian Analysis Methodology The following evaluation measures and/or analysis are planned related to pedestrian operations: Generate 5- to 10-Minute Walksheds: GIS Network Analyst will be used to develop walksheds for planned stops. These walksheds will provide the base for future analysis of pedestrian conditions in the area. Existing Conditions and Americans with Disabilities (ADA) Access Inventory: Compliance with ADA accessibility requirements will be field-reviewed and evaluated at street, intersection, and sidewalk connections within a 5- to 10-minute walkshed of proposed station locations. The condition of sidewalks, curb ramps, pedestrian push button locations, and other applicable features will be documented in a GIS database. TBG SEA APPENDIX C 20

217 Center City Connector Transporation Methods and Assumptions City of Seattle Steep Topography: Challenging grades are a feature of the topography along the alignment. Routes with terrain that can impact pedestrian access especially for the mobility challenged will be documented. Potential strategies to minimize the impact of steep grades will be explored, including alternate route choices and infrastructure. Pedestrian Volumes: Pedestrian count data will be used to determine appropriate facility type and width for sidewalks and paths providing access to transit stations. Per-Station Pedestrian Volumes: Using data from the STOPS ridership model, projected pedestrian volumes for each stop location will be determined. This information will be used to help determine pedestrian access patterns. 9.2 Bicyclist Methodology Bicycle Analysis Evaluation Measures The following evaluation measures and/or analysis are planned related to bicyclist operations: Existing/Planned Bikeway Conditions Inventory: Based on the current Bicycle Master Plan for the City of Seattle, GIS and field analysis will be used to identify all existing and planned bikeways that intersect with the Center City Connector. Conflicts between bicycle and streetcar operations will be documented. Proposed solutions will be developed to maintain safe and comfortable bicycling conditions in the area without decreasing access. Per-Station Bicycle Count Volumes: Using data from the STOPS Ridership model and SLU Streetcar On-Board Survey (2013), bicycle access trips will be inferred. This information will be used to identify bicyclist travel patterns, as well as the demand for short- and long-term bicycle parking at stations. Bicycle Track Crossings: All locations where existing or future bikeways will cross the streetcar tracks, or be parallel to them, will be evaluated for bicyclist safety. Where safety concerns exist alternate solutions will be developed for consideration Bicycle Analysis Assumptions Planned and funded bicycle facilities will be assumed for the assumed 2018 Opening Year. Priority bicycle facilities from the Bicycle Master Plan (to be identified by SDOT) will be assumed for the 2035 Design Year. 10 Parking Analysis 10.1 Parking Analysis Methodology The parking assessment will identify potential changes to parking and loading availability with the implementation of the Center City Connector. Using the on-street parking GIS inventory from the City of Seattle, the parking assessment will determine the number of existing parking and loading spaces in the City s inventory. It will then estimate the parking and loading spaces that would be present along each block face of the planned alignment. The impact will be quantified as the difference between the existing inventory of parking and loading spaces and the estimated number of spaces remaining after implementation of the proposed streetcar. The TBG SEA APPENDIX C 21

218 Center City Connector Transporation Methods and Assumptions City of Seattle assessment will classify spaces by use: all-day or peak-restricted parking and truck loading. Impacts to passenger loading spaces will also be identified. Other types of spaces impacted will also be identified. The City of Seattle s parking utilization data will identify occupancy of these spaces during midday, PM peak, early evening, and weekend time frames. The number of existing off-street parking stalls and their utilization will also be assessed. PSRC and SDOT s parking inventory data will be used to identify publicly- and privately-owned parking garages and lots. These data also include a.m. and p.m. occupancy data. Any anticipated reductions in off-street parking spaces will be documented (as a result of private development, not due to implementation of the streetcar). Figure 10-1 below shows the parking analysis study area. Map(s) will highlight on-street parking and loading impacts and parking utilization Parking Analysis Assumptions The parking assessment will assume the LPA alignment and conceptual design for First Avenue. The analysis will assume the Stewart Street/Olive Way east-west alignment and any additional east-alignments that are selected for inclusion in the environmental process. It is anticipated the final design for the Center City Connector will refine the conceptual design and could change the specific location and nature of parking impacts. In cases when parking stalls or loading zones would be added or removed, SDOT policy prioritizes curb space based on use, with the greatest priority for transit followed by loading zones, short-term customer parking, and parking for shared vehicles. 2 It is assumed that final decisions about parking and loading would be made consistent with SDOT policy and would accommodate the requirements of adjacent land uses to the extent possible. No difference is anticipated between the proposed 2018 Opening Year (assumed) and the 2035 Design Year. 2 TBG SEA APPENDIX C 22

219 Center City Connector Transporation Methods and Assumptions City of Seattle Figure 10-1 Parking Analysis Study Area (Working Map) TBG SEA APPENDIX C 23

220 Center City Connector Transporation Methods and Assumptions City of Seattle 11 Transit Systems Analysis The transit operations assessment will analyze the impact of the CCC on buses operated by King County Metro and other regional transit operators (for example, Sound Transit, Community Transit, and Pierce Transit) Transit Analysis Measures The following analysis and evaluation measures will be documented related to bus operations: Changes to bus routing: Based on the project team discussions and coordination with King County Metro, potential changes to bus service or electric trolley bus (ETB) routing will be identified with the Build condition. These changes could result from service duplication (for example, King County Metro route 99) or a mutual desire to avoid conflicts between ETB and streetcar overhead wire. Bus vehicle delay: Bus volumes will be compiled for blocks along the alignment as well as on intersecting transit streets. Bus volumes and bus delay per block will be used to calculate an aggregate bus delay measure comparing No-Build to Build conditions. Bus delay data (per vehicle) will be obtained from the VISSIM traffic model for blocks along the streetcar alignment as well as intersecting transit streets crossing the alignment (First Avenue and Stewart Street/Olive Way or other east-west alignment alternative). Bus delay will be calculated for a 2018 or 2035 analysis year relative to a No Build Alternative. This measure will be used to identify impacts on bus operations from TSP or pre-emption phases that take away green time for buses. Changes to existing passenger boarding patterns: Data from the STOPS ridership model will be analyzed to identify changes to existing transit boarding patterns as a result of CCC service. Streetcar trips by access mode: Data from the STOPS ridership model will be analyzed to identify significant transit transfer points. Bus operations along streetcar alignments: Buses operating on the proposed alignment and bus stop and bus layover locations will be documented. Conflicts both along the alignment and at stop locations will be identified and mitigation measures will be documented. Electric trolley bus and streetcar integration: Crossovers are specialized hardware that is installed on the overhead contact system (OCS) to allow for ETB and streetcar crossing movements. Planning crossover locations will be documented. Additional detail is provided in reports on potential wireless operations (eliminating the need for some crossovers) and documenting the existing ETB OCS Transit Analysis Assumptions Overall Assumptions The planned assumptions for the analysis are listed below: TBG SEA APPENDIX C 24

221 Center City Connector Transporation Methods and Assumptions City of Seattle Time of day: The analysis will be for 5 to 6 p.m. during the weekday PM peak, which is assumed to have the highest passenger load and traffic impacts. Upcoming service cuts and other service changes: Future bus volumes will incorporate the September 2014 service reductions as well as preliminary assumptions for additional peak-period service resulting from the passage of the Proposition 1 ballot measure. Assumptions were also made about potential changes to bus service in 2018 and 2035 as a result of Sound Transit Link extension openings and other transportation projects, including closure of the Alaskan Way Viaduct. Buses shifting from DSTT to surface streets: No future changes to DSTT operations are assumed for Bus volumes will be compiled for routes that operate in the DSTT currently, but utilize study area roadway segments when the tunnel is closed to buses. For the purposes of this study, it is assumed that all remaining routes in the DSTT will be rerouted to surface streets by year 2035 based on their current routing when the DSTT is closed; upon opening of future Link extensions, selected routes were assumed to terminate at Mercer Island (East Link), Northgate Transit Center (Northgate Link), or Lynnwood Transit Center (Lynnwood Link). No additional service on 1st Avenue is assumed at this time as a result of the future tunnel closure to buses Service Assumptions for 1st Avenue Existing transit routes operating and/or with stops on 1st Avenue are summarized in Table Under current conditions, the primary continuous transit service on 1st Avenue is provided by Route 99, with stops on 1st at Union/University, Marion/Madison, and Cherry/Yesler. Several other routes use short portions of 1st Avenue. This table does not include deadheading along 1st Avenue. Table 11-1 Existing 1st Avenue Transit Service 1st Avenue Northbound 1st Avenue Southbound Route Segment Travelled Stops Daily Trips Segment Travelled Stops Daily Trips 12 Madison to Marion (1 block) N/A Jackson to Seneca (9 blocks) 66 Jackson to Seneca (9 blocks) Marion 52 Madison to Cherry (3 blocks) Marion 37 Madison to Cherry (3 blocks) Marion 53 Marion Jackson to Broad (25 blocks) Cherry, Marion, University, Lenora, Cedar 18 Wall to Jackson (21 blocks) Wall, Lenora, Union, Marion, Yesler Seneca to Virginia (6 blocks) 121 Seneca to Virginia (6 blocks) University 4 University 17 TBG SEA APPENDIX C 25

222 Center City Connector Transporation Methods and Assumptions City of Seattle 1st Avenue Northbound 1st Avenue Southbound Route Segment Travelled Stops Daily Trips Segment Travelled Stops Daily Trips 122 Seneca to Virginia (6 blocks) 123 Seneca to Virginia (6 blocks) 125 Seneca to Virginia (6 blocks) University 6 University 4 University 39 Source: King County Metro Schedules. Fall 2014 after September service cuts. Several future changes will be assumed for 2018 and/or 2035, as shown in Table It is assumed that the Center City Connector will be able to provide local circulation along 1st Avenue starting in the opening year of the CCC Project with other future projects, including the Alaskan Way Viaduct (AWV) replacement and the proposed Madison BRT, affecting transit service in the study area. The services changes described in this section and summarized in Table 2 are intended for analytical purposes regarding the traffic modeling in the CCC environmental document and will be coordinated with King County Metro. These assumptions are not intended as specific service proposals. Route 12. The Madison BRT Study will recommend routing; several potential turnaround alignments are under consideration including options using 1st Avenue (southbound, Madison to Marion, or northbound, Madison to Spring) and Western Avenue. Pending further definition from the study, the recommended traffic modeling assumption for 2018 and 2035 is to maintain the current turnaround using 1st Avenue. Routes 113, 121, 122, 123, and 125. These routes all use the Alaska Way Viaduct to approach downtown from the south and use the existing stop at 1st and University (Figure 11-3). It assumed in the 2018 and No Build scenarios that this routing will be modified upon completion of the AWV project to use the Columbia Street Southend Pathway (see Figure No specific changes to deadheading are included in these assumptions. Figure11-1 illustrates the existing 1st Avenue turnaround. If one of the alternative turnaround alignments is selected, such a turnaround could potentially be implemented in advance of full corridor implementation. Route 99. It is assumed that Route 99 service is replaced by the CCC along S. Jackson Street and 1st Avenue. It is assumed that alternative Metro routes along 3rd Avenue serve the same connections as the portion of Route 99 north of Stewart Street. King County Metro has also proposed that Route 99 could be re-routed to the future Alaskan Way surface street. Figure 11-2 provides an existing route 99 map. Routes 16 and 66. Both services currently operate along First Avenue and S Jackson Street between Seneca Street and Occidental Avenue. It is assumed in the 2018 and 2035 Build conditions that these routes are re-routed off of 1st Avenue and that there are no 1st Avenue bus stops for these routes. These routes could use 3rd Avenue and a future terminal location (to be TBG SEA APPENDIX C 26

223 Center City Connector Transporation Methods and Assumptions City of Seattle determined) in the vicinity of the existing terminus on S Jackson Street. Figure 11-2 provides existing route maps for these routes. Table 11-2 Proposed Future Year 1st Avenue Service Assumptions (2018/2035) Route 1st Avenue Northbound Segment Daily Trips Stops Travelled (Existing/2018/2035) Segment Travelled 1st Avenue Southbound Stops Daily Trips (Existing/2018/2035) 12 Madison to Marion (1 block) [Could potentially be rerouted based on Madison BRT project) N/A 74/74/74 16 Re-routed to Southend turnaround 52/0/0 Re-routed to Southend turnaround N/A 0/0/0 66 Re-routed to Southend turnaround Not served 0/0/0 Re-routed to Southend turnaround N/A 0/0/0 99 Deleted Not served 0/0/0 Deleted N/A 0/0/0 113 Re-routed - Columbia Southend pathway 121 Re-routed - Columbia Southend pathway 122 Re-routed - Columbia Southend pathway 123 Re-routed - Columbia Southend pathway 125 Re-routed - Columbia Southend pathway Not served Not served Not served No longer served Not served 4/0/0 17/0/0 6/0/0 4/0/0 39/0/0 Routes 113, 121, 122, 123, and 125. These routes all use the Alaskan Way Viaduct to approach downtown from the south and use the existing stop at 1st and University (Figure 11-3). It assumed in the 2018 and 2035 No Build scenarios that this routing will be modified upon completion of the AWV project to use the Columbia Street Southend Pathway (see Figure 11-4). No specific changes to deadheading are included in these assumptions. TBG SEA APPENDIX C 27

224 Center City Connector Transporation Methods and Assumptions City of Seattle Figure 11-1 Route 12 Map TBG SEA APPENDIX C 28

225 Center City Connector Transporation Methods and Assumptions City of Seattle Figure 11-2 Route 16 and 66 Downtown Seattle and Route 99 Maps Route 16: Route 66: Route 99: Figure 11-3 Route 113, 121, 122, 123, and 125 Downtown Seattle Maps Route 113: Route 121, 122, 123: Route 125: TBG SEA APPENDIX C 29

226 Center City Connector Transporation Methods and Assumptions City of Seattle Figure 11-4 Columbia Street Post-AWV Southend Pathway Source: Metro 12 Documentation A draft and final transportation discipline report will be prepared as well as a transportation section for the environmental document. City of Seattle, FTA, and agreed-upon agency stakeholders will be provided one draft of the transportation analysis to review and comment upon and one final verification draft and documentation prior to publication. TBG SEA APPENDIX C 30

227 ATTACHMENT A Ridership Forecasting Methods and Assumptions Memo

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229 M E M O R A N D U M City Center Connector Transportation Methods and Assumptions Ridership Forecasting PREPARED FOR: CITY OF SEATTLE COPY TO: BILL LOVE, CH2MHILL PREPARED BY: Randy Parker and Jennifer John DATE: September 30, 2014 PROJECT NUMBER: N/A This memorandum describes the planned methods and assumptions for assessing transit ridership associated with the operations of the proposed City Center Connector (CCC), a planned expansion of the Seattle Streetcar System linking the existing First Hill Streetcar with the South Lake Union (SLU) Streetcar. It is addresses the following transportation disciplines: Transit Ridership It is assumed that the following overall study assumptions will be described in the overall Transportation Methods and Assumptions document; therefore, these are not reiterated in the text. Description of alternatives Analysis Years: o Existing Year (2014) o Opening Year (assumed 2018) o Design Year (2035) o Time Periods PM Peak Hour Transit Ridership Forecasting Analysis Tools and Inputs The FTA Simplified Trips on Project Software (STOPS) model will be used to forecast transit ridership for the CCC National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) analysis. The STOPS model is a series of programs designed to estimate transit project ridership using a streamlined set of procedures that bypass the time-consuming process of developing and applying a regional traveldemand forecasting model. STOPS is similar to regional models and includes many of the same computations of transit level of service and market shares found in model sets maintained by MPOs. What makes STOPS much simpler to use than regional models is the following: 1. Estimates of total origin-to-destination travel are derived from census data rather than elaborate trip generation and destination choice procedures. This avoids the need to calibrate these tools to the degree of accuracy required to estimate transit ridership. 2. Representations of transit levels-of-service are derived from timetable information directly from the transit agency, bypassing the need to develop detailed transit networks in the planning TBG SEA ATTACHMENT A TRANSPORTATION METHODS AND ASSUMPTIONS

230 Center City Connector Transporation Methods and Assumptions City of Seattle environment. Timetable information is already available at most agencies and is much more accurate than the representations of travel time and frequencies contained in typical planning networks. 3. The model calibrates itself to represent current conditions. This means that the months, and sometimes years, that are spent developing and documenting effective forecasting tools can be avoided. 4. The STOPS model can be used to develop ridership forecasts for current and future (opening and horizon) years. Although STOPS represents a significant simplification over existing procedures, it still requires careful development of input information that describes existing transit ridership, existing transit schedules, and future transit service scenarios. Key STOPS Data Sources The types and sources of files that are used by STOPS to arrive at transit-ridership forecasts include: General Transit Feed (GTF) files to represent transit service networks in a nationally consistent way. CTPP (Census Transportation Planning Package) 2000 files to describe metro-area worker flows in a nationally consistent way (when year 2010 files are available for distribution, the STOPS model will be updated to use these files). Metro-area demographic forecasts. Metro-area highway impedances. A set of mode choice models that varies by trip purpose (work, home-based other, and nonhome-based). Nationally developed coefficients and constants. Some of the required inputs are available through the U.S. Census Bureau and online GTF data exchanges, which include files for many transit agencies throughout the country. The Seattle area GTF is available through an exchange, including both Sound Transit and King County Metro. The GTF files are only available for existing transit systems as they currently operate, so updated files need to be incorporated to reflect future transit system changes, including the alternatives under consideration for the Seattle CCC Project. Other data inputs required assistance from the regional Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), the Puget Sound Regional Council (PSRC). These include PSRC Traffic Analysis Zone (TAZ) definitions and demographics (for the year 2000 and any existing or horizon years desired) and travel times and distances for the PSRC TAZ system. The horizon year for the Center City Connector NEPA analysis is the projected opening year of the Project, assumed to be 2018, and a horizon year of Assumptions and Input Data Current and Future Population/Employment Projections TBG SEA ATTACHMENT A TRANSPORTATION METHODS AND ASSUMPTIONS

231 Center City Connector Transporation Methods and Assumptions City of Seattle Shapefile with MPO (PSRC) TAZs or zones that includes population and employment for the CTPP Base Year (2000), Existing Year (2014), Opening Year (assumed 2018), and Design Year (2035). The PSRC 938 zone system will be used for this work. Transit Networks Existing transit routes and stop/station locations for both bus and rail. o These will come from GTFS files and GIS shapefiles from King County Metro and Sound Transit. o These will need to include any information on whether the stations for rail are atgrade or not, and whether there is an assumption of a park and ride lot at the station. Daily Boarding information for all rail and streetcar stops o These will need to be obtained from King County Metro and Sound Transit. Regional transit improvements for bus and rail for the No Build and Build (2018 Opening Year [assumed] and 2035) alternatives. Operating Plan Detailed operating plan for the project: o Headways by time of day o Station locations o Station assumptions about grade and park and ride o Alignments o Operating scenarios by segment (for example, Mixed Traffic vs. Exclusive operations). Travel Times General transit travel times from published agency timetables (GTF files) for the existing condition. Travel time changes for any transit route that is modified for the future-year networks. City Center Connector travel times based on either traffic simulations and/or GTF timetables. o These need to be times between each station pair inclusive of dwell. Auto travel times between the TAZ s that correspond to the zone system and demographic projections (population and employment) provided by PSRC. TBG SEA ATTACHMENT A TRANSPORTATION METHODS AND ASSUMPTIONS

232 Center City Connector Transporation Methods and Assumptions City of Seattle Criteria and Measures The STOPS model uses a calibration process based on boardings at fixed guideway stations as well as overall region-wide transit boardings in the area being studied. For stations that are part of a new project, a station type is coded based on how similar the new stations are to others in the area. In the Alternatives Analysis phase of the CCC project, the coding was varied to develop low- and high-end ranges for projected CCC ridership: Low-end (based on SLU Streetcar). The low-end of the ridership range was established based on initial STOPS model runs where new CCC stops were calibrated to characteristics of existing SLU Streetcar stops. The project team recognized that coding CCC stops in this manner would not fully capture potential visitor and nonhome-based trips that are likely to be very different in the CCC corridor. High-end (not constrained to SLU Streetcar). The high-end of the ridership range was set based on STOPS model runs that did not constrain the CCC to SLU characteristics. In coordination with FTA, the project team felt that the high-end of the ridership range more fully captures visitor and non-work ridership markets that the STOPS model does not explicitly address. The intent for the CCC NEPA analysis is to continue to provide a low-end and high-end range for projected CCC ridership. Also, in earlier phases of the project there was an interest in peakperiod transit volumes to address questions concerning peak loading and vehicle requirements. To date, the STOPS model provides daily ridership results only. The project team will work with King County Metro (KCM) and Seattle Department of Transportation to estimate a peak factor that would be applied to the daily STOPS model output to address peak-period issues. Transit ridership measures include: Trips on Project. Trips that have any portion of their travel on the project segment will be obtained from the STOPS model. This includes trips that have an on or an off within the project segment as well as those that use the project to travel between other locations on the extension of the streetcar system. For example, a trip that goes from the First Hill segment of the streetcar to the South Lake Union segment of the streetcar via the Center City segment would be considered a project trip even though it does not use a City Center station for boarding or alighting. Markets on Project. Markets on project differ from trips on project in that it considers travel movements for those trips that use the project as well as trip purpose. Movements within the new project corridor as well as those that use the project for travel to another location will be called out in order to assess the reasonableness of the results. Project Trips by Stop. Boardings and alightings at all project stations (and other streetcar segment station) will be output from the STOPS model. This will allow us to assess demand at each station as well as understand more about travel patterns between stations. District to District Project Trips. STOPS will output a matrix of project trips (by purpose and auto ownership category) between districts that are defined prior to running the model. TBG SEA ATTACHMENT A TRANSPORTATION METHODS AND ASSUMPTIONS

233 Center City Connector Transporation Methods and Assumptions City of Seattle Route Level Boardings. STOPS provides an output table that shows overall boardings on every route included in the system. This allows an assessment of shifting that may be occurring in transit ridership between routes as the project is built. TBG SEA ATTACHMENT A TRANSPORTATION METHODS AND ASSUMPTIONS

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235 APPENDIX D Overhead Contact System Infrastructure Options Report

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241 The proposed Seattle Center City Connector (CCC) alignment runs through downtown Seattle along 1 st Avenue, connecting the First Hill Streetcar and South Lake Union Streetcar segments. Considering the CCC alignment resides in one of the most urban corridors in Seattle, King County Metro s (KCM) electric trolley bus (ETB) system is likely to pose some challenges for the installation of streetcar overhead infrastructure within a multi-modal corridor. Two separate technical memorandums were developed to address the following topics: 1. Current and Future Electric Trolley Bus Overhead Contact System Utilization 2. Ground Contact System Alternative This technical memorandum 1 discusses the potential KCM ETB modifications or reroutes that could be employed, and options for operating wirelessly using the First Hill Streetcar On-board Energy Storage System (OESS). 1 Prepared by LTK

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243 After evaluating the current and future ETB OCS utilization maps, modifications to the ETB OCS could provide a means to minimize ETB and streetcar conflicts through the CCC corridor. ETB wire on 1 st Avenue had a high utilization by revenue and non-revenue routes, so modifications should be primarily focused on routes traveling on Stewart Street and other nonrevenue or de-energized ETB OCS located on various cross streets of 1 st Avenue. Potential modifications to the ETB could include: 1. Route 7, 36, 70 Revising these routes could allow for the removal of ETB wire between Westlake and 1 st Avenue and potentially eliminate up to eight crossing conflicts. This assumes both NB and SB CCC is wired with streetcar OCS. a. Route 7, 36 The modifications for these routes would require a revision of the turnbacks on Stewart for the WB movement back to 3 rd Avenue. Lenora Street could be a potential candidate for the WB movement, but new ETB OCS would be required to accomplish this. b. Route 70 The modification for this route would require a revision to the terminus so that Route 70 could turn back east of Westlake. Currently, Route 70 travels west on Stewart and continues to Pioneer Square. Patrons on the Route 70 could transfer to other bus routes or use Link Light Rail to travel to Pioneer Square. New ETB OCS would be required to accomplish this as well. In coordination meetings, King County Metro staff indicated that changes to routes 7, 36, or 70 to avoid these conflicts would be difficult, and other solutions such as Streetcar OCS/Trolley ETB crossing hardware or wireless streetcar segments would be preferable. 2. Union Street OCS ETB OCS on Union is not used for revenue service but is used and maintained for special event and emergency use. However, these special events are regular occurrences (such as the Seafair parade). Therefore, the viability of removing the conflicting Union Street segments will depend on the feasibility of using the new off-wire capabilities of Metro s trolley bus fleet to accommodate these special events. The removal of the WB Union to SB 1 st OCS will reduce the number of crossings by two. Refer to the ETB Utilization memo st and Cherry OCS ETB OCS on Cherry has a section of de-energized wire that is currently not in use by Metro. In a coordination meeting, KCM indicated that they do not foresee future use of the conflicting Cherry Street ETB infrastructure, and therefore this ETB segment could be removed to eliminate the Streetcar OCS/Trolley ETB conflict in this location. Removing this ETB wire will reduce the number of crossings by one. Refer to the ETB Utilization memo.

244

245 Nine wireless operating scenarios were developed and analyzed for this study, each with varying sections of wireless segments through the CCC alignment and other portions of the Seattle Streetcar Network. Each scenario was evaluated based on criteria that have significant impacts to the CCC Streetcar cost, installation, and operation. The criteria consist of the following items: 1. OESS State of Charge and Life Cycle 2. Traction Power System Reliability 3. Number of Wired-to-Wireless Transitions 4. Number of ETB/Streetcar Crossings 5. Cost of OCS Infrastructure 6. Impacts to Travel Time and Operational Plan 7. Preservation of Historic Areas and Aesthetics The wireless scenarios are reviewed in detail in the sections that follow. A propulsion/oess combined test for the First Hill Streetcar vehicle was performed in Turgi, Switzerland on July of The test analyzed the charging and discharging capabilities for the SAFT s VL30PFe batteries and verified the operating range of the specified State of Charge (SoC) for the system. The state of charge represents the amount of energy remaining in a battery system, similar to a fuel gauge in a gas vehicle. The test consisted of a predefined electrical load cycle modeled after the grades and dwells that might be exhibited by a vehicle operating wirelessly along the First Hill Streetcar (FHS) alignment. The load cycle consisted of the following: 1. The test begins with the OESS at 80% SoC 2. One 20-second dwell with auxiliary loads 3. Eleven downhill cycles, each followed by a 20-second dwell with aux loads 4. One uphill cycle, followed by a 20-second dwell with aux loads

246 Test results showed that the OESS maintained a 63% SoC following the load cycle, a drain of 17% SoC from the initial 80% SoC. The test also revealed that the OESS required approximately nine minutes to recharge the batteries back to an 80% SoC. Battery SoC is a factor in determining a preferred wireless alignment as the battery life cycle is directly related to the load cycle exhibited. A more extensive drain on the battery will reduce the life span of the OESS, ultimately requiring the replacement of the costly battery system. The life span of the OESS batteries is estimated to be five years assuming the vehicles maintain a 50% SoC at any given time. Of course, this is based on factory tests and not actual vehicle tests along the alignment. Drains on the OESS that exceed 50% SoC and an increase in the number of charge cycles applied will likely reduce the life to less than five years. Note that the SoC limits provided in this document are specific to the First Hill Streetcar Inekon vehicles with OESS. Future vehicles with different specifications will require an analysis to verify their suitability for the preferred wireless scenario. As mentioned earlier, Metro has ETB overhead contact wire located both along 1 st Avenue and on several cross-streets between Stewart and S. Jackson Street. As a result, the addition of the CCC streetcar will likely require the use of special crossing hardware to allow both the ETB and streetcar to collect power from their power systems. The crossings also allow the differing collector systems, i.e., collector shoes on the buses and pantographs on the streetcars, to traverse through the intersections. See the figure below for ETB/Streetcar crossing assemblies at 5 th Avenue and S. Jackson Street.

247 While crossings allow the two systems to operate together, the assemblies are very complex and must be customized to operate within the specific intersections for which they are installed. As a result, there is very little economy of scale when it comes to designing, procuring, and installing the crossing assemblies. Installation is also very difficult by nature, especially if there is more than one crossing within an intersection. Each crossing requires its own trapeze to support itself a span wire assembly consisting of four attachment points per crossing. When combined with other infrastructure within an intersection, i.e., traffic signal spans, traffic signal wires, signal heads, signs, ETB-to-ETB crossings, street light service feeds, and other services, intersections can quickly become dense, allowing little flexibility for adjustments. Maintenance can also prove to be costly for each special assembly installed. Crossings require frequent adjustments for smooth operation as changes in temperature, carbon build-up, arcing, and trolleybus de-poling can deform the assemblies over time. OCS is composed of many components and requires support structures to suspend contact wire and other components in the air. Some typical OCS components may include: Copper contact wire Span wire Insulators

248 Steady arms Copper feeder cable Cantilevers Pole attachments Poles Foundations Underground ductbanks for feeders Crossing assemblies Building attachments Also, the location of poles and other support assemblies could result in conflicts with areaways which would require special foundations and/or support treatments to support OCS loads. Special treatments due to areaways will add to the already high cost of the OCS components alone. A benefit of having vehicles capable of operating wirelessly is evident; vehicles do not require the installation of OCS for power. Designating wireless segments along the CCC would minimize the costs typically associated with procurement, installation, and maintenance of OCS. For the purposes of this analysis, the operating scenario assumed was based on the Center City Connector Preferred Operating Scenario: Hub-to-Hub (see Figure 3-2). The map depicts two main lines of operation: the Red Line which operates between South Lake Union and International District, and the Blue Line which operates between First Hill and Westlake. Streetcars will operate at 10-minute headways on each line with 5-minute headways between the Westlake and King Street Intermodal Hubs during peak times. Streetcars will operate at 15-minute/7.5minute headways during non-peak times.

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250 Assuming an exclusive streetcar operation, the CCC Transit Study noted that the CCC s end-to-end runtime would be approximately 7.4 minutes between Occidental and Westlake. Travel times are of particular interest as time on-wire will dictate OESS charge times. Insufficient charge times may impact travel times for the CCC. The travel times associated with the Preferred Scenario is found in the bar chart below: Wireless segments in the CCC combined with the FHS segments will impose additional electrical loads on the vehicle s OESS and ultimately increase the number of recharge cycles and charge times. In referring back to the Vehicle Combined Test Report, the OESS required a recharge time of nine minutes to restore 17% of the OESS s SoC. When comparing this to the 7.4 minute travel time in the figure above, the CCC would necessitate an increase in wired sections, incorporate extended dwell times, or modify the turn back points to allow for the OESS to recharge. Overhead wires in any cityscape introduce an undesirable affect to its aesthetics. Millions of dollars are invested annually to improve underground utility infrastructure within the City. Seattle also has utility conversion programs for neighborhoods to convert overhead utilities to underground installations for improving the natural aesthetics of an area. Considering that the proposed alignment for the CCC will be on 1 st Avenue where there

251 are several historic sites, the addition of overhead wires, poles, and building supports will impact the aesthetics and preservation of historic areas. The following potential wireless segments were analyzed: Segment A CCC, SB from 2 nd /3 rd to Occidental (1.0 miles) Segment B CCC, SB from Westlake to 2 nd /3 rd (0.19 miles) Segment C CCC, NB from Occidental to Pioneer (0.25 miles) Segment D CCC, NB from 2 nd /3 rd to Westlake (0.2 miles) Segment E Broadway Extension, SB from Roy to Denny (0.5 miles) The northbound segment between Pioneer and 2 nd /3 rd was not considered in this analysis due to the considerable uphill grade on 1 st Avenue. Uphill grades will impose the highest loads on the OESS and it is assumed that OCS will be installed for this segment. Note: The effect of Broadway Extension-Segment E was not considered in the evaluation of traction power system reliability, the number of crossings, the cost of OCS, and the preservation of historic areas and aesthetics for Scenarios 7, 8, and 9. This is because the addition of Segment E does not directly impact these factors for the Center City Connector Streetcar. All other factors, including the OESS state of charge, wireless transitions, and impacts to travel times, were evaluated with the inclusion of Segment E in these scenarios. Analysis Scenarios Nine scenarios were analyzed for this study: Scenario 1 CCC with no Wireless Segments Scenario 2 CCC with Wireless Segment A Scenario 3 CCC with Wireless Segments A and B Scenario 4 CCC with Wireless Segments A and C Scenario 5 CCC with Wireless Segments A, B, and C Scenario 6 CCC with Wireless Segments A, B, C, and D Scenario 7 CCC with Wireless Segments A, C, and E Scenario 8 CCC with Wireless Segments A, B, C, and E Scenario 9 CCC with Wireless Segments A, B, C, D, and E

252 OESS State of Charge/Life Cycle: Very Good Load and recharge cycle will not change from the FHS operations. The fully wired CCC will provide adequate recharge time. Number of ETB/Streetcar Crossings: High, Rating: Very Poor CCC is fully wired and will require the maximum number of crossings (27 crossings) for integration with the ETBs. Cost OCS Infrastructure: High, Rating: Very Poor Cost will be the greatest of all the scenarios since the CCC is fully wired. OCS in this scenario requires approximately 2.44 miles of wire (1.22 miles double track), poles and potential foundations through areaways. Impacts to Travel Times and Operating Plan: None, Rating: Very Good No additional charge time needed at stations. Travel times not impacted. Aesthetics and Preservation of Historic Buildings: Very Poor CCC is fully wired going NB and SB. Potential modifications of areaways and attachments to historic buildings are possible.

253 FAIRVIEW/CAMPUS ROY E DENNY 2ND/3RD WESTLAKE B D PIKE A MADISON A A Scenario 1 Wired Wireless Station Existing TPSS Wired Segment Wireless Segment PIONEER C OCCIDENTAL 5TH/6TH

254 OESS State of Charge/Life Cycle: Good Red Line (SLU) vehicles will have a relatively short wireless segment compared to FHS and is predominately downhill and flat grades. The line has sufficient wired segments to allow for a complete recharge. Blue Line (FHS) vehicles will have an extended wireless section upon turning back at Westlake, but the wired NB segment in a wired Segment B provides adequate recharge time. Number of ETB/Streetcar Crossings: Moderate, Rating: Moderate Making Segment A wireless reduces the number of crossings from 27 (Scenario 1) to 17. Cost OCS Infrastructure: Moderate, Rating: Moderate This scenario yields approximately 1.46 miles of OCS. Double poles with cross spans may still be required for joint use application. Impacts to Travel Times and Operating Plan: None, Rating: Very Good No additional charge time required at stations beyond inherent dwells. Travel times are not impacted. Aesthetics and Preservation of Historic Buildings: Poor CCC is fully wired in the NB direction. Potential modifications of areaways and attachments to historic buildings are possible.

255 FAIRVIEW/CAMPUS ROY E DENNY 2ND/3RD WESTLAKE B D PIKE A MADISON A A Scenario 2 Wired Wireless Station Existing TPSS Wired Segment Wireless Segment PIONEER C OCCIDENTAL 5TH/6TH

256 OESS State of Charge/Life Cycle: Good In addition to Segment A, Red Line (SLU) vehicles will have a relatively short uphill wireless segment in Segment B when compared to FHS. However, the line has sufficient wired segments to allow for a complete recharge. Blue Line (FHS) vehicles will have an extended wireless section upon turning back at Westlake. The wired NB segment could provide the majority of the recharge time required for the OESS. Any additional recharge time would be minimal. Number of ETB/Streetcar Crossings: Moderate, Rating: Moderate This scenario yields approximately 13 crossings, which is roughly half the number of crossings required on Scenario 1. Cost OCS Infrastructure: Moderate, Rating: Moderate CCC will require half the contact wire when compared Scenario 1, but double poles with cross spans may still be required for joint-use application throughout the alignment. This scenario yields 1.24 miles of OCS wire. Impacts to Travel Times and Operating Plan: Minimal, Rating: Good Minimal charge times may be needed at stations or terminals. Travel times may not be impacted. Aesthetics and Preservation of Historic Buildings: Poor CCC is fully wired on the NB. Potential modifications of areaways and attachments to historic buildings are possible.

257 FAIRVIEW/CAMPUS ROY E DENNY 2ND/3RD WESTLAKE B D PIKE A MADISON A A Scenario 3 Wired Wireless Station Existing TPSS Wired Segment Wireless Segment PIONEER C OCCIDENTAL 5TH/6TH

258 OESS State of Charge/Life Cycle: Good Red Line (SLU) vehicles will have a relatively short wireless SB segment when compared to FHS. The wireless sections predominately consist of downhill and flat grades. The line has a sufficient length of wired segments to allow for a complete recharge. Blue Line (FHS) vehicles will have an extended wireless section before turning back at Westlake and starting at 2 nd /3 rd Station, but the wired NB segment may provide the majority of the recharge time required for the OESS. Any additional recharge time would be minimal. Number of ETB/Streetcar Crossings: Moderate, Rating: Moderate This scenario yields 16 (out of 27 maximum) crossings. The added wireless section in Section C has little effect on the number of crossings when compared to Scenario 2. There is only one legacy streetcar crossing in the Pioneer area. Cost OCS Infrastructure: Good, Rating: Good The wireless segment in the Pioneer district removes the need for foundations in areaways. This scenario yields 1.23 miles of OCS wire length. Impacts to Travel Times and Operating Plan: Minimal, Rating: Good Minimal charge times may be required to fully charge the OESS. Charge times will have minimal impact to travel times. Aesthetics and Preservation of Historic Buildings: Moderate The wireless segments in the Pioneer Square district significantly reduce impacts to the area.

259 FAIRVIEW/CAMPUS ROY E DENNY 2ND/3RD WESTLAKE B D PIKE A MADISON A A Scenario 4 Wired Wireless Station Existing TPSS Wired Segment Wireless Segment PIONEER C OCCIDENTAL 5TH/6TH

260 OESS State of Charge/Life Cycle: Moderate Red Line (SLU) vehicles will have approximately 1.44 miles of wireless operation; however, the line has sufficient on-wire time along the SLU line to allow for a complete recharge. The Blue Line (FHS) vehicles will have an extended wireless section coming from FHS into Segment C. In addition, vehicles will enter another wireless segment shortly after turning back at Westlake. The short wired segment between Pioneer and Westlake will provide only a partial recharge for the OESS (approximately six minutes). Number of ETB/Streetcar Crossings: Moderate, Rating: Good This scenario yields 12 of the maximum 27 crossings possible on a fully wired CCC. Cost OCS Infrastructure: Good, Rating: Good The wireless segment in the Pioneer district removes the need for foundations in areaways. Wireless Segment B also contributes to the OCS savings in the Westlake area. This scenario yields 1.01 miles of OCS. Impacts to Travel Times and Operating Plan: Moderate, Rating: Moderate Longer dwell times may be required at stations or terminals to recharge the OESS. Alternatively, turn backs could be adjusted to allow for longer on-wire operation. This scenario moderately impacts travel times. Aesthetics and Preservation of Historic Buildings: Moderate The wireless segments in the Pioneer Square district significantly reduce the impacts to the area.

261 FAIRVIEW/CAMPUS ROY E DENNY 2ND/3RD WESTLAKE B D PIKE A MADISON A A Scenario 5 Wired Wireless Station Existing TPSS Wired Segment Wireless Segment PIONEER C OCCIDENTAL 5TH/6TH

262 OESS State of Charge/Life Cycle: Moderate Red Line (SLU) vehicles will operate wirelessly for 1.64 miles; however, the line has sufficient on-wire operation to allow for a complete recharge. The Blue Line (FHS) vehicles will operate an additional 1.64 miles off-wire on top of the 2.5 miles of wireless operation traveling inbound from Denny. The short wired segment between Pioneer Square and Westlake will provide only a partial recharge (approximately five minutes) for the OESS. Number of ETB/Streetcar Crossings: Low, Rating: Very Good This scenario yields 9 of the maximum 27 crossings possible on a fully wired CCC. Cost OCS Infrastructure: Low, Rating: Very Good This scenario yields the lowest length of OCS required for the CCC at 0.77 miles. Impacts to Travel Times and Operating Plan: High, Rating: Poor Extended wireless sections will require even longer dwell times when compared to other scenarios. Alternatively, turn backs could be adjusted to allow for longer on-wire operation. This scenario will have high impacts on travel times. Aesthetics and Preservation of Historic Buildings: Good OCS is removed from the Pioneer Square District and the Westlake area where there is a high density of areaways and historic landmarks. Aesthetics and preservation in this scenario is maximized.

263 FAIRVIEW/CAMPUS ROY E DENNY 2ND/3RD WESTLAKE B D PIKE A MADISON A A Scenario 6 Wired Wireless Station Existing TPSS Wired Segment Wireless Segment PIONEER C OCCIDENTAL 5TH/6TH

264 Note: Refer to page 3-8 for the exclusions related to Segment E that apply to this scenario. OESS State of Charge/Life Cycle: Poor This scenario is similar to Scenarios 3 and 4 in its on-wire operation time; however, the added wireless section in Section E increases the electrical loads imposed on the OESS. A 7.4-minute travel time may not be sufficient to recharge the OESS due to the extended wireless operation in the Broadway Extension. Number of ETB/Streetcar Crossings: Moderate, Rating: Moderate This scenario will have 16 of the maximum 27 crossings possible on a fully wired CCC. Cost OCS Infrastructure: Low Rating: Good This scenario yields a length of 1.23 miles of OCS for the CCC. Impacts to Travel Times and Operating Plan: High, Rating: Poor The extended wireless region along the Broadway Extension will require adjustments to allow longer on-wire operation to allow for the OESS to recharge. This scenario will have high impacts on travel times. Aesthetics and Preservation of Historic Buildings: Moderate The wireless segment in the Pioneer Square district reduces the impact to the area.

265 FAIRVIEW/CAMPUS ROY E DENNY 2ND/3RD WESTLAKE B D PIKE A MADISON A A Scenario 7 Wired Wireless Station Existing TPSS Wired Segment Wireless Segment PIONEER C OCCIDENTAL 5TH/6TH

266 Note: Refer to page 3-8 for the exclusions related to Segment E that apply to this scenario. OESS State of Charge/Life Cycle: Poor This scenario is similar to Scenario 5 in its on-wire operation time; however, the added wireless section in Section E increases the electrical loads imposed on the OESS. A 6.4- minute travel time is less than sufficient to fully recharge the OESS due to the extended wireless operation in the Broadway Extension. Number of ETB/Streetcar Crossings: Low, Rating: Good This scenario will have 12 of the maximum 27 crossings possible on a fully wired CCC. Cost OCS Infrastructure: Low, Rating: Good This scenario yields a length of 1.01 miles of OCS for the CCC. Impacts to Travel Times and Operating Plan: High, Rating: Poor The extended wireless region along Broadway extension will require adjustments to allow longer on-wire operation to allow for the OESS to recharge. Aesthetics and Preservation of Historic Buildings: Moderate The wireless segment in the Pioneer Square district reduces the impact to the area.

267 FAIRVIEW/CAMPUS ROY E DENNY 2ND/3RD WESTLAKE B D PIKE A MADISON A A Scenario 8 Wired Wireless Station Existing TPSS Wired Segment Wireless Segment PIONEER C OCCIDENTAL 5TH/6TH

268 Note: Refer to page 3-8 for the exclusions related to Segment E that apply to this scenario. OESS State of Charge/Life Cycle: Very Poor This scenario is similar to Scenario 6 in its on-wire operation time; however, the added wireless section in Section E increases the electrical loads imposed on the OESS. A 5.4- minute travel time provides insufficient time to recharge the OESS due to the extended wireless operation in the Broadway Extension. Number of ETB/Streetcar Crossings: Low, Rating: Very Good This scenario yields 9 of the maximum 27 crossings possible on a fully wired CCC. Cost OCS Infrastructure: Low, Rating: Very Good This scenario yields a length of 0.77 miles of OCS. Impacts to Travel Times and Operating Plan: Very High, Rating: Very Poor The extended wireless region along Broadway extension will require adjustments to allow longer on-wire operation to allow for the OESS to recharge. This scenario will have high impacts on travel times. Aesthetics and Preservation of Historic Buildings: Good OCS is removed from the Pioneer Square district and the Westlake area where there is a high density of areaways and historic landmarks. Aesthetics and preservation in this scenario is maximized.

269 FAIRVIEW/CAMPUS ROY E DENNY 2ND/3RD WESTLAKE B D PIKE A MADISON A A Scenario 9 Wired Wireless Station Existing TPSS Wired Segment Wireless Segment PIONEER C OCCIDENTAL 5TH/6TH

270 Figure 3-13 provides a summary chart with ratings for each scenario. The ratings are based on the analysis performed in the previous sections. Each scenario is given a Very Good, Good, Moderate, Poor, or Very Poor rating for each criterion, consistent with the analysis and the symbols shown in the Ratings Legend. Figure 3-14 provides a summary list of quantifiable attributes correlating with the evaluation criteria for each scenario. The attributes include CCC on-wire charge time, parallel feeder requirements, wire-transitions, streetcar crossings, and length of wire.

271 1 Includes northbound and southbound on CCC Based on these results, Scenarios 3, 4 and 5 provide the optimal balance of desirable ratings of all the scenarios and hence would be the recommended scenarios to adopt for the CCC. The wireless segments in Scenarios 7 and 8 are similar to Scenarios 4 and 5 but have an added wireless section with the Broadway Extension - Segment E. The implementation of Scenarios 7 and 8 are feasible if adequate charge time could be provided to maintain the SoC above 50%. The evaluation of the OESS is currently limited to test results collected from factory tests. Actual tests in Seattle should be performed and be used to qualify the performance of the OESS. These tests would reveal actual SoC margins available for extended wireless operation

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273 Subsequent to the October 2014 version of this memo, the initial First Hill Streetcar OESS vehicle was operationally tested at the Inekon facility in December Inekon tested the wireless capability of a lightly loaded OESS streetcar over a test track that was approximately 7.0 km (4.35 miles) in length. The length of the test track had minimal grades and the vehicle operated with full auxiliaries and a conservative number of stops to simulate an actual operating scenario. The conclusion of the test revealed that the vehicle s OESS did not have as high of a draw on the batteries as originally anticipated consuming approximately 30% of the OESS s SoC. Due to the promising results of the OESS, an extended wireless operation similar to Scenario 6 would be feasible provided that an on-wire section was inserted between wireless Sections D and B for recharging the battery system. This gave reason to assess additional scenarios, Scenarios 10 and 10A, for the Center City Connector. See Figure 4-1 and Figure 4-2. OESS State of Charge/Life Cycle: Good Scenario 10 is similar to Scenario 6 in terms of wired and wireless segments proposed, i.e., 0.77 miles of OCS, plus wireless Segments A, B, C and D. The difference is found in the northern turn-back for the FH-CCC Line (blue line in Figure 3-2 above) which for Scenario 6 is at Westlake Station. For Scenario 10, the FH-CCC line would extend into South Lake Union with a turn-back at Terry-Harrison-Westlake (Refer to highlighted segment in Figure 4-1). This extension would provide an additional 1.35 miles of on-wire charge time for FH-CCC line vehicles between Segment D traveling northbound, and Segment A travelling southbound on the Center City Connector. Number of ETB/Streetcar Crossings: Low, Rating: Very Good This scenario yields 8 of the maximum 27 crossings possible on a fully wired CCC. This crossing count takes into account the removal of unused ETB wires at 1st and Cherry by Metro. Refer to the ETB Utilization document from December Cost OCS Infrastructure: Low, Rating: Very Good This scenario yields 0.77 miles of OCS between Pioneer Square and 2 nd /3 rd Stations, however, the new turn-back at Terry/Harrison/Westlake would require additional OCS infrastructure if continuous on-wire operation through the turn-back is desired. The streetcar vehicles could briefly operate wirelessly between the Terry & Thomas and

274 Westlake & Thomas Stations (0.14 miles) along the turn-back which would necessitate minimal modifications to the existing OCS in the SLU area. Impacts to Travel Times and Operating Plan: Low Rating: Good Based on the December 2014 tests, it was observed that raising and lowering of the pantograph could be done within a typical dwell time at a station. Impacts to travel times in this regard would be low. Also, with the added section of on-wire operation between Sections B and D, FH-CCC line vehicles will not require extended dwell times at stations for intermediate recharging the OESS. Aesthetics and Preservation of Historic Buildings: Good OCS is removed from the Pioneer Square District and the Westlake area where there is a high density of areaways and historic landmarks. Aesthetics and preservation in this scenario is maximized.

275 FAIRVIEW/CAMPUS ROY TURN BACK ON HARRISON E DENNY 2ND/3RD WESTLAKE B D PIKE A MADISON Scenario 10 Wired Wireless Station Existing TPSS A Wired Segment A Wireless Segment PIONEER C OCCIDENTAL 5TH/6TH

276 OESS State of Charge/Life Cycle: Moderate Scenario 10A is similar to Scenario 10 but with a shortened northbound wired segment extending between Madison and Pike Stations; wireless between Pioneer Square Madison and Pike 2 nd /3 rd Stations. (Refer to highlighted segment in Figure 4-2 between wireless Segments C and D.) The modified segment would provide 0.32 miles of OCS in the CCC as opposed to 0.77 miles in Scenario 10. The additional 0.26 miles of wireless operation between Pioneer Street and Madison Stations and 0.21 miles between Pike and 2 nd /3 rd stations could have an impact to the OESS duty as the additional wireless operation would bring the total FH-CCC line wireless run up to 2.95 miles. Despite this addition, this distance is still less than the 7.0 km distance traveled during the OESS test in Ostrava and could be feasible with adequate recharge time before traveling southbound wirelessly between Westlake and Occidental Stations. Number of ETB/Streetcar Crossings: Low, Rating: Very Good This scenario yields 2 crossings out of the maximum 27 crossings. Cost OCS Infrastructure: Low, Rating: Very Good This scenario yields approximately 0.30 miles of OCS between Madison and Pike Station, however, the new turn-back at Terry/Harrison/Westlake would require additional OCS infrastructure if continuous on-wire operation through the turn-back is desired. The streetcar vehicles could briefly operate wirelessly between the Terry & Thomas and Westlake & Thomas Stations (0.14 miles) along the turn-back which would necessitate minimal modifications to the existing OCS in the SLU area. Impacts to Travel Times and Operating Plan: Low Rating: Good Based on the December tests, it was observed that raising and lowering of the pantograph could be done within a typical dwell time at a station. Impacts to travel times in this regard would be low. Also, with the added section of on-wire operation between Sections B and D, FH-CCC vehicles will not require extended dwell times at stations for intermediate recharging of the OESS. Aesthetics and Preservation of Historic Buildings: Very Good OCS is removed from the Pioneer Square District and the Westlake area where there is a high density of areaways and historic landmarks. In addition, the areaways between Columbia and Madison Street would be avoided. Aesthetics and preservation in this scenario are very good compared to the other scenarios reviewed.

277 FAIRVIEW/CAMPUS ROY TURN BACK ON HARRISON E DENNY 2ND/3RD WESTLAKE B D PIKE A MADISON Scenario 10A Wired Wireless Station Existing TPSS A Wired Segment A Wireless Segment PIONEER C OCCIDENTAL MODIFIED WIRED SEGMENT MADISON TO PIKE 5TH/6TH

278 Figure 4-3 shows a revised rating table comparing the initial assessment of Scenario 6 with the new assessment in Scenario 10 and 10A. * Ratings based on the Preferred Operating Scenario with a FH-CCC line turn-back at Westlake Station ** Ratings based on an alternative FH-CCC line turn-back at Terry/Harrison/Westlake and OESS vehicle test results 1 Cost and Quantity implications for the Terry/Harrison/Westlake turn-back are not included Based on the above ratings, Scenario 10 is a good option for wireless operation for the Center City Connector. Scenario 10A could also be implemented, however, this scenario should be evaluated again after FHS pre-revenue tests in Seattle to verify its feasibility. Note that the feasibility of an extended wireless operation through the Broadway Extension is not known at this time and was not considered in this analysis.

279 Coupling traction power substations (TPSS) with an overhead contact system (OCS) is a proven means for delivering power to electrified rail vehicles. With OCS, a distribution system has the ability to deliver power to vehicles at any point along the alignment where contact wire is installed. The OCS also has an innate secondary feature of interconnecting substations together, providing both a more robust energy supply (lower voltage drop) and a redundancy in the supply of power should a substation be removed from service for any reason. The traction power system for the CCC could operate as an independent system; however, the interconnection of the CCC s OCS to the SLU or FHS OCS should be considered to increase the reliability of the system. Interconnection would require traction power ductbanks along the alignment for terminating parallel feeders. Wireless segments can simplify the OCS design and installation along the CCC corridor by reducing the infrastructure required; however, the on-wire/off-wire transitions can introduce complexities in a streetcar system that are not typical of OCS. When a vehicle travels into a wireless segment, safeguards must be employed to prevent the streetcar from deploying its pantograph. This is because a pantograph can freely extend into the air if it is not in contact with a wire, making it prone to damaging itself and other overhead infrastructure as the vehicle continues its travel. On the First Hill Streetcar project, special features for the vehicle, signal system, and the OCS were designed to prevent inadvertent operation of the vehicle s pantograph at wireless transitions. Transitions were located at passenger stations where an operator would typically retract a vehicle s pantograph prior to proceeding into a wireless section. In the event that the operator does not retract the pantograph, the signal system would refrain from giving a proceed signal for the streetcar. Then, if the operator inadvertently proceeds to move into a wireless section, a length of unenergized wire would prevent the pantograph from freely extending into the air and cause the vehicle to lose traction power. Since the vehicle cannot move under battery power with its pantograph deployed, the vehicle would simply coast to a stop until the pantograph is retracted.

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