Mobility 2030: Transportation Monitoring Program

Transcription

1 2010 Mobility 2030: Transportation Monitoring Program The Tahoe Metropolitan Planning Organization and Tahoe Regional Planning Agency conduct on-going monitoring to inform transportation policy and programs, with the goal of providing a successful multi-modal transportation system that appeals to users, supports mobility needs and decreases dependency on the private automobile. The Mobility 2030: Transportation Monitoring Program Report brings together the results of performance indicator monitoring since the early 1970s from traffic counts to travel mode choice so that transportation trends can be evaluated and applied to policy-making. Transportation Monitoring Program Status and Trends for the Lake Tahoe Basin Transportation System March 2011

2 Contents INTRODUCTION: Mobility Acronyms... 6 Transportation Vision, Desired Conditions and Indicators Developed through the Pathway Process ( )... 7 Lake Tahoe Population and Economic Summary... 8 Chapter 1 - Mobility/Socio-Economic Performance Indicators Travel Mode to Recreation Sites Travel Mode to Commercial Core Areas Travel Mode into the Tahoe Basin Transit, Bicycle, and Pedestrian Access to Recreation Areas Commercial Core Areas Meeting Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) and Pedestrian and Transit-Oriented Design (PTOD) Standards Overnight Population Served by Transit, Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities Chapter 2 - Environmental Impacts Performance Indicators Traffic Volume Traffic Volume throughout the Basin South and North Shore Traffic Volumes Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) Chapter 3 - Other Data Transit Ridership South Shore Transit Ridership North Shore Transit Ridership Inter-Regional Transit Services Bicycle Trail System and User Data Air Quality Transportation Monitoring Program

3 East Shore Parking Counts Chapter 4 - Indicators for Future Development Conclusion Glossary of Terms References Transportation Monitoring Program

4 INTRODUCTION: Mobility 2030 Mobility 2030 is a vision for the future of transportation in the Lake Tahoe Basin. This vision includes walkable, mixed-use town centers functioning as public gathering places and served by reliable and convenient public transit. It includes streets that encourage biking and walking as much as driving. It is a future that provides residents and visitors with alternative transportation options and supports the region s economy, communities, and environment. The goals, policies, and projects necessary to reach this vision are laid out in the Lake Tahoe Regional Transportation Plan Mobility The Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) is a document produced by the Tahoe Metropolitan Planning Organization (TMPO) and the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) in its role as the Regional Transportation Planning Agency (RTPA) for the State of California. The RTP is updated every four years. A crucial part of any planning effort is monitoring and evaluation of the system. The TRPA and TMPO, in cooperation with other Basin transportation agencies, monitor a number of performance indicators and also maintain data sets on other basic transportation information in the Lake Tahoe Region. The RTP outlines the transportation performance indicators that were identified through the public planning process called Pathway. The performance indicators measure progress toward a Transportation Vision and Desired Conditions. The Vision, Desired Conditions, and Indicators that were developed through Pathway are described in Figure 1. This document reports on those indicators, as well as the other transportation data sets the TRPA and TMPO track over time. Two other sets of indicators that are closely linked to transportation are air and water quality indicators. The transportation system plays a large role in the environmental story told by these indicators. While roads and motor vehicles are not the only contributors to air and water quality degradation, they are major contributors, and improvements to the transportation system can result in improvements in air and water quality. This transportation monitoring report tracks two TRPA air quality indicators: vehicle miles traveled (VMT) and traffic volumes and number of days exceeding the state standards of carbon monoxide, ozone, and particulate matter. As the TMPO and TRPA have developed their regional planning documents, the performance indicators developed through Pathway have in some cases been modified slightly to make them more understandable to the public, or to integrate them with subsequent planning processes, such as Place-Based Planning a planning effort focused on Tahoe Basin communities. Some of the performance indicators, such as traffic counts, have been monitored since Monitoring of other performance indicators, such as travel mode, have only been initiated since 2006 or Transportation Monitoring Program

5 The performance indicators tracked in this report are: Mobility/Socio-Economic Performance Indicators Travel mode to recreation sites Travel mode to commercial core areas Travel mode into the Tahoe Basin Transit, bicycle, and pedestrian access to recreation facilities Commercial core areas meeting Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) and Pedestrian and Transit-Oriented (PTOD) standards Overnight population (resident and visitor) served by transit, bicycle, and pedestrian facilities East Shore Parking Counts Air Quality Trends This monitoring program report provides an overview of all TRPA/TMPO monitoring efforts, and directs readers to in-depth reports on each indicator for more detail. The report gives readers an overall picture of how the transportation system in the Lake Tahoe Basin is being used, and allows planners and interested public to understand transportation trends and evaluate the success of transportation projects and programs. Environmental Performance Indicators Vehicle-miles traveled (VMT) Traffic volumes Some indicators have associated benchmarks (or quantitative targets) while others do not. These benchmarks, which were proposed during the Pathway process, have not been formally adopted by the TRPA or TMPO. The benchmarks are described in each indicator section. Monitoring frequency is also listed for each indicator. This represents the ideal monitoring frequency and frequency for which foreseeable funding exists, but could be affected in the future by limited budget resources. Other Data In addition to the performance indicators listed in the RTP, the TRPA and TMPO collect, maintain and report on other data, based on resource availability, need, and partnership opportunities with other agencies. This includes: Transit ridership Bicycle trail system and user data Transportation Monitoring Program

6 Acronyms AADT Annual Average Daily Traffic BMP Best Management Practice Caltrans California Department of Transportation CMP Corridor Management Plan CO Carbon monoxide EIP Environmental Improvement Program FHWA Federal Highway Administration TMPO Tahoe Metropolitan Planning Organization TOD Transit-Oriented Development (or Design) TRPA Tahoe Regional Planning Agency USFS United States Forest Service VHD Vehicle Hours of Delay VMT Vehicle-Miles Traveled VOCs Volatile Organic Compounds GIS Geographic Information Systems NDOT Nevada Department of Transportation PM Particulate matter PTOD Pedestrian and Transit-Oriented Design RTP Regional Transportation Plan RTPA Regional Transportation Planning Agency TCORP Tahoe Coalition of Recreation Providers TIIMS Tahoe Integrated Information Management System Transportation Monitoring Program

7 Transportation Vision, Desired Conditions and Indicators Developed through the Pathway Process ( ) Transportation Vision An innovative multimodal transportation system is in place that gives priority to viable alternatives to the private automobile, appeals to users and serves mobility needs, while improving the environmental and socio-economic health of the Basin. Desired Conditions Mobility/Socio-Economic Vitality Environmental Impacts A multimodal transportation system that promotes viable alternatives for mobility needs, encourages alternative mode use, and decreases dependency on the private automobile. Mobility/Socio-Economic Indicator Proposed Indicators The transportation system is integrated with environmental goals. Transportation Environmental Impact Indicator An index that includes usage and access indicators such as: Usage Access 1. Percentage of Travel to 1. A Measure or Measures of Recreation Sites via Non-Auto Transit, Bicycle, and Modes Pedestrian Access to 2. Percentage of Travel to Recreation Facilities. Commercial Core Areas via 2. Number of Commercial Core Non-Auto Modes. Areas Meeting Transit- 3. Non-Auto Mode Share within Oriented Design (TOD) and into the Basin. Standards. 3. A Measure or Measures of Overnight Population (Resident and Visitor) Served Transportation Monitoring Program 2010 by Transit, Bicycle, and 7 Pedestrian Facilities. The Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) indicator and standard will be replaced by a Vehicle Impact indicator and standard. This will be either: an indicator directly relating vehicle impacts to water quality goals, based on targets identified by the TMDL; OR a traffic volume or vehicle-miles traveled indicator, with a standard based on technically feasible but challenging reductions. Other Environmental Indicators for Transportation will be housed in other environmental resource areas. Specific attention will be given to the integration with Water Quality, Air Quality, Wildlife, Vegetation, Noise, Scenic, and SEZ. Figure 1

8 Lake Tahoe Demographics Summary Transportation trends may be influenced by many demographic factors, including external influences such as school enrollment hotel-motel occupancies, employment opportunities, or changes in the nation s economy, which can affect visitation to the Basin. Local population levels, school enrollment, gaming revenues and hotel-motel occupancies are important factors that give an indication of local changes that could impact the transportation system. TMPO modeling estimates indicate that the Tahoe Region s yearround population has decreased by approximately 7,700 persons since the 2000 Census Survey (Figure 2). School enrollment records indicate that primary school enrollment has declined by 3,236 students since (Figure 3). As shown in Figure 4 and 5 on the following page, gaming revenues and the number of gaming employees have decreased as California Indian Gaming has matured into viable competition. Figure 2 Source: U.S. Bureau of the Census; TRPA Transportation Model Also indicated in Figure 6 and 7 on page 10 are the recent decreases in overnight visitation. Transportation Monitoring Program Figure 3 Source: Lake Tahoe Unified School District; Tahoe-Truckee Unified School District

9 Figure 4 Figure 5 Source: Gaming Revenue Report, Nevada State Gaming Control Board; Bureau of Labor Statistics Consumer Price Index Inflation Calculator: Figures are shown in 2008 dollars. Transportation Monitoring Program

10 Source: City of South Lake Tahoe, Nevada Commission on Tourism Figure 7 Source: Nevada Gaming Abstracts Transportation Monitoring Program

11 Chapter 1 - Mobility/Socio-Economic Performance Indicators Mobility refers to the degree of ease with which people move from place to place. Factors that influence mobility are the quality and types of transportation services available, surrounding land uses, and the cost of different transportation options. Pathway participants identified a Desired Condition for Mobility/Socio- Economic Vitality: A multimodal transportation system that promotes viable alternatives for mobility needs, encourages alternative mode use, and decreases dependency on the private automobile. In order to determine success of this Desired Condition, it is important to look at the availability of multi-modal transportation options to popular locations, as well as the amount of use these different transportation modes receive. Travel mode, transit ridership and bicycle trail user data illustrate the level of use distributed across different modes ( usage indicators), both through raw numbers, as well as on a percentage basis. Access indicators inventory the transit, bicycle and pedestrian routes and supportive land uses available to assist people in using non-auto modes to reach popular destinations. The combination of these usage and access indicators draw a complete picture of the condition of the transportation system as well as how it is being used by residents and visitors. The Travel Mode indicators described in this section show the percentages of people using the different transportation modes available at Lake Tahoe to reach their destinations. Recreation and commercial core areas were chosen as survey locations for these indicators because they represent areas to which the majority of travel is made. Commercial core areas generally cover large areas of land that capture many businesses and employment establishments. This indicator does leave out certain types of trips, such as trips to churches (unless the church is in a commercial area), and trips to friends houses. Since the results of these indicators are presented as a percentage of overall travel, external factors such as low visitation to the Basin should not affect them in the same way that they would affect traffic or transit counts. If the multi-modal transportation system is well-designed, a travel mode indicator will show proportionally high use of non-auto modes such as transit, bicycling, and walking, regardless of the overall number of people in the Basin that year. Since the travel mode monitoring program is relatively new, strong conclusions cannot yet be drawn from the data. However, these travel mode indicators are important because they demonstrate, over time, where there is a shift among residents and visitors out of their cars and into other travel modes. Transportation Monitoring Program

12 Travel Mode to Recreation Sites Percent 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% 100% 80% 60% 40% 20% 0% Figure 8 86% 84% Auto Summer Travel Mode to Recreation Sites Motorcycle 2008 Winter Travel Mode to Recreation Sites 84% 1% 2% 0% 4% 8% 1% 5% 6% 1% 2% Public Transit 2006 Summer Survey 2010 Summer Survey Mode Private Vehicle Walk Transit Bike 8% Walk Other* 2% Figures 8 and 9 illustrate the percentage of people entering selected recreation sites via different travel modes during the summer months and winter months. This indicator gathers survey data by intercepting and surveying residents and visitors as they enter recreation sites around the Basin. Since summer and winter travel mode share could vary substantially, this indicator is measured and reported on separately for both the winter and summer. Benchmark: No quantitative benchmark or goal was developed for this indicator through the Pathway process, although a qualitative goal of an increase in the percentage of non-auto mode travel over time has been stated. Monitoring Frequency: Every four years. These survey reports are available on the Tahoe Integrated Information Management System (TIIMS) website, Figure 9 Transportation Monitoring Program

13 Travel Mode to Commercial Core Areas Commercial core areas have relatively high commercial activity. This indicator measures the percentage of people entering or using commercial core areas via different travel modes. There are 19 commercial core areas measured as part of this indicator. Commercial core areas are defined as the 17 largest TRPA Community Plan areas, plus two other commercial core areas (Sierra Tract and Dollar Hill). Benchmark: No quantitative benchmark or goal was developed for this indicator through the Pathway process, although a qualitative goal of an increase in the percentage of non-auto mode travel over time has been stated. Monitoring Frequency: Every four years. Percent 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Figure 10 72% 74% Summer Travel Mode to Commercial Sites 1% 3% 2% 1% 4% 7% Auto Motorcycle Public Transit 2006 Summer Survey 2010 Summer Survey Mode 19% 14% 1% 2% Bike Walk Other* Results from these surveys completed in 2006 and 2010 are shown in Figure 10 and Figure % 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% 2008 Winter Travel Mode Share to Commercial Core Areas 71% 18% 1% 8% Private Vehicle Walk Bike Transit Figure 11 Transportation Monitoring Program

14 Travel Mode into the Tahoe Basin This indicator shows what travel mode people use to enter the Lake Tahoe Basin. This indicator is important because the choice of travel mode into the Basin is a highly influential factor in what modes people will choose to use to travel around within the Basin once they arrive. If visitors have a private vehicle available to them, they will be more likely to use their private vehicle than they would if they entered the Basin by transit. We have two measurements of Travel Mode into the Basin summertime cordon measurements at entry points (Figure 12), and the TRPA Winter Travel Mode Share Survey 2008 (Figure 13). As shown in Figure, private vehicles were the highly dominant travel mode (97.8%) for people entering the Tahoe Basin in summer Data from a summer 2007 cordon survey was very similar, with private vehicle travel estimated at 97 percent. Winter travel into the Basin was slightly less dominated by car, with 9 percent of travelers reporting using transit or private shuttle to enter the region. Figure 12 Source: Video License Plate Survey, August 20 th The travel mode split for individual entry points may be found in the TRPA Non-Auto Mode Share into the Basin data, available at Benchmark: No quantitative benchmark or goal was developed for this indicator through the Pathway process, although a qualitative goal of an increase in the percentage of non-auto mode travel over time has been stated. Monitoring Frequency: Every two years. Figure 13 Source: Tahoe Regional Planning Agency Winter Travel Mode Share Survey Transportation Monitoring Program

15 Transit, Bike, and Pedestrian Access to Recreation Areas This is a very basic indicator that uses GIS mapping of existing transit and bicycle routes and compares their proximity to Lake Tahoe recreation areas. The Transit Access to Recreation indicator counts the number of recreation areas that have a transit stop within ¼ mile of the entrance. The Bicycle Access to Recreation Areas counts the number of recreation areas that have a bicycle path, lane, or route within ½ mile of the entrance. By making these indicators simple enough to easily measure, some nuances are lost such as quality of path or frequency of service. However, these indicators are meant to give only a basic understanding of available services and facilities. Input from the Pathway process also indicated that pedestrian access should be evaluated, but due to resource constraints this evaluation has not been completed to date. The section Indicators for Future Development describes the progress made on the pedestrian access indicator so far. Recreation areas considered in this indicator are based off an existing TRPA list of 183 sites. The list includes: all state park and state recreation areas, all public and private campgrounds, all US Forest Service (USFS) beaches and visitor centers, all designated sites maintained by a regional recreation provider, downhill and cross-country ski areas, and public marinas. These indicators are measured through GIS analysis. Benchmarks: The following numeric goals were developed through the Pathway process: -Percentage of Rec Areas Accessible by Transit (including Dial-a-Ride): 75% -Percentage of Rec Areas Accessible by Bicycle (bike path, lane, or route): 90% Percent of Rec Areas within 1/4 Mile of a Transit Stop 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% Transit Access to Recreation Areas 64% All transit (including Dial-a-Ride) 42% Fixed-route transit only Figure 14 All recreation facilities with a transit stop within ¼ mile of a main access point, with transit that operates during all seasons that the recreation area operates. Source: TRPA GIS data. Analysis completed by TMPO staff in 2006 indicates that, 64 percent of recreation areas in the Tahoe Basin are within ¼ mile of a transit stop (including Dial-a-Ride), with 62 percent within ½ mile of some kind of bicycle facility. Figure 15 Any recreation facility with an entrance within ½ mile of a bicycle facility is included. Source: TRPA GIS data. Transportation Monitoring Program

16 Commercial Core Areas Meeting Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) and Pedestrian and Transit-Oriented Design (PTOD) Standards A critical facet of shifting residents and visitors out of their cars is to design land uses in such a way that they are easily accessible by transit, walking, and bicycling. This can be accomplished through mixed-use development with high density residential uses within close proximity to transit, and is most often called Transit-Oriented Development (TOD). The Pathway participants indicated that measuring the number of commercial core areas that meet TOD standards is a useful indicator of success in meeting transportation goals. The TOD criteria listed below are not meant to translate directly into regulations, but rather to serve as a benchmark of mobility. Basic criteria for TOD have been developed using standards and definitions from other areas 1, and modifying them to meet the specific circumstances of Lake Tahoe. They include: Total density (including dwelling units and tourist units (DU)) of at least 1500 DU within 1/4 mile of a transit stop (this is equivalent to 12 DU per acre, assuming all land around transit stop is developable). Served by transit with a frequency of at least 15 minute headways year-round, connecting the TOD with other major destinations in the sub-region (North Shore sub-region and South Shore sub-region). A mix of land uses should be provided. At a minimum, a TOD should consist of residential/lodging and retail/employment uses. Preferably, recreational and public uses would also be provided. A pedestrian path or system of paths, maintained yearround, with lighting, that connects the transit stop to major housing and retail areas. Shelters and bike parking/lockers at major transit stops. Policy to exclude auto uses. Policy related to parking space limits. Benchmark: By 2027, a minimum of five commercial core areas should meet TOD standards. This benchmark was set based on the fact that five commercial core areas currently meet or exceed half of the density required (1500 dwelling units within ¼ mile of a transit stop) to be considered PTOD. Currently, zero commercial core areas meet the TOD standards listed above, but several meet the required density standards. 1 General description of TOD can be found at the Victoria Transport Policy Institute website, Caltrans Mass Transportation webpage, and Transit Cooperative Research Program. See references. Transportation Monitoring Program

17 Figure 16 shows the five areas that are considered target areas for TOD development. It also shows the density needed to meet the TOD standards, and the density needed to be considered a target area. The five target TOD areas are the major transit stop in: Stateline, NV Heavenly Village (South Lake Tahoe) Bijou neighborhood (South Lake Tahoe) Mid-Incline Village Incline Village--Southwood Blvd. The TRPA Regional Plan Update also supports this type of mixeduse, higher density development, but with a greater emphasis on walking. The Regional Plan Update is calling this Pedestrian and Transit-Oriented Development (PTOD). The TRPA Regional Plan Update is examining commercial plan areas to identify focus areas for meeting PTOD goals. Nine areas have initially been identified as potential PTOD target areas based on criteria that are somewhat different than those listed above for TOD. The criteria for identifying target PTOD areas included (but were not limited to): ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENTS: Significant opportunities exist for implementation of Best Management Practices (BMPs) and Environmental Improvement Program (EIP) projects Restoration opportunity and water quality improvements through area-wide planning and design Figure 16 Source: TRPA GIS data ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Underutilized commercial space Priority area for reinvestment COMMUNITY Proximity to existing or potential populations of residents FEASIBLITY Political feasibility Financial feasibility Market feasibility Transportation Monitoring Program

18 The nine commercial plan areas that were initially identified are: Incline Village Commercial Kings Beach Commercial Meyers Community Plan South Stateline Commercial North Stateline Commercial South Y Commercial Ski Run Tahoe City Four of the areas identified for TOD fall into the commercial plan areas identified for PTOD, namely South Stateline, Heavenly Village, Mid-Incline and Incline-Southwood, which are both part of the Incline Village Commercial area. Bijou, which is identified for TOD, was not identified as a target area for PTOD. Over time, as the PTOD indicator is further developed through the Regional Plan, it may be merged with the TOD indicator. Transportation Monitoring Program

19 Overnight Population Served by Transit, Bicycle and Pedestrian Facilities Like the Transit, Bicycle and Pedestrian Access to Recreation Areas indicator, this indicator is a rough measure of how many people in general are close to transit, bicycle and pedestrian facilities. In 2006, the total number of dwelling units (including tourist units) that are within ¼ mile of a transit stop, or are within ½ mile of a bicycle path, lane or route are calculated. As with the recreation access indicators, many nuances related to good access that may be important to cyclists or transit users are not accounted for, such as frequency of service or quality of path. Pathway participants also indicated that the percentage of overnight population in pedestrian-friendly neighborhoods should be measured, but due to resource constraints this analysis has not yet been completed. See the section Indicators for Future Development. Figure 17 Source: TRPA GIS data. Benchmarks: -Percentage of Overnight Population served by Transit (including Dial-a-Ride): 80% -Percentage of Overnight Population served by Bicycle (path, lane, or route): 95% In 2006, 76 percent of the overnight population in the Tahoe Basin was located within ¼ mile of a transit stop or Dial-a-Ride (Figure 17), while 78 percent of the overnight population was located within ½ mile of some type of bicycle facility (Figure 18). Figure 18 Source: TRPA GIS data. Transportation Monitoring Program

20 Chapter 2 - Environmental Impacts Performance Indicators One of the primary issues associated with transportation is its impact on the environment. The most significant and most commonly cited impacts are on air and water quality; however transportation systems affect other resource areas as well, including wildlife, fish, vegetation, scenic quality, soils, and noise. Pathway participants identified a Desired Condition for Environmental Impacts: The transportation system is integrated with environmental goals. Two indicators that have traditionally been used to track the environmental impact of transportation are the Vehicle-Miles Traveled (VMT) and traffic counts indicators. The VMT threshold was instituted as a way to meet water and air quality goals. Vehicles emit nitrogen oxides (NOx), particulate matter (PM) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) when travelling at normal or high speeds. Moving vehicles grind road salts and sands into fine particles and contribute to pollutant runoff. The traffic counts indicator was originally instituted as an indicator of carbon monoxide (CO) emissions, as idling vehicles emit high levels of CO, which can have adverse environmental and human health effects. While neither VMT nor the traffic counts indicator are perfect measures of environmental impact, there is a large amount of data available for these indicators and they are relatively easy to track. Other indicators that would convey important transportation impacts on the environment are Vehicle Hours of Delay (VHD) and a more nuanced vehicle miles travelled indicator. These are currently under discussion for development. Transportation Monitoring Program

21 Traffic Volume Traffic volume is measured by automatic counters placed in the roadway. Within the Lake Tahoe Basin there are 20 count stations. These stations are owned and managed by the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) and the Nevada Department of Transportation (NDOT), who share the data from the count stations with the TRPA and TMPO. At present, the data from the count stations must be downloaded periodically, however upgrades are underway that will make real-time traffic data available in the Tahoe Basin. The TMPO tracks several kinds of traffic volumes: Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT), Peak Month, and Winter Traffic Volumes at Park Avenue. Winter Traffic Counts at Park Avenue One of the TRPA Air Quality thresholds is traffic volume. This is measured in two ways. The first is by tracking traffic volume at the intersection of Park Avenue and U.S. 50 (in South Lake Tahoe) on the Saturday of Presidents Day Weekend from 4 p.m. to midnight. Because traffic volumes vary significantly from day to day, TRPA also analyzes the traffic volumes recorded at Park Avenue and U.S. 50 from 4 p.m. to midnight for all days during the winter months of November through February, coinciding with historic amounts of CO standards. Figure 19 shows the traffic volumes on the Saturday of Presidents Day Weekend, and Figure 20 shows the data averaged for all days during the winter months. The traffic counter was out of operation from 1998 to 2002 and November and December of 2004, so data for those times are not available. Figure 19 Source: Caltrans; NDOT. Note: traffic counter was out of operation from Benchmark: Reduce traffic volumes on the U.S. 50 Corridor by 7 percent during the winter from the 1981 base year between 4 p.m. and 12 p.m. A 7 percent reduction from the 1981 values is equal to an average traffic volume of 14,000 vehicles per day. Monitoring Frequency: Annually. Transportation Monitoring Program Figure 20 Source: Caltrans; NDOT. Note: data is not included because November/December data was not collected that year.

22 Traffic Volume throughout the Basin The TRPA/TMPO also tracks Annual Average Daily Traffic (AADT) and Peak Month (August) Traffic Volume throughout the Region on state maintained roadways. Figure 21 shows the counts summed across 20 count stations. AADT and Peak Month Traffic Volumes ( ) 600,000 Peak Month (August) AADT 500, ,000 Daily Traffic Volume 300, , , Year Figure 21. Source: Caltrans; NDOT Transportation Monitoring Program

23 South and North Shore Traffic Volumes Traffic at individual count stations can also be tracked. Figure 22 and Figure 23 show traffic counts at South Shore and North Shore count stations, respectively. Figure 24 shows traffic counts for Basin entry points. AADT and Peak Month for South Shore Count Stations ( ) Daily Traffic Volume Figure 22 Source: Caltrans; NDOT Year Peak Month AADT Transportation Monitoring Program

24 AADT and Peak Month for North Shore Count Stations ( ) Daily Traffic Volume Figure 23 Source: Caltrans; NDOT Year Peak Month AADT Transportation Monitoring Program

25 Entry Point AADT & Peak Month ( ) 80,000 70,000 Daily Traffic Volume 60,000 50,000 40,000 30,000 20,000 10,000 0 Figure 24 Source: Caltrans; NDOT Year Peak Month AADT Transportation Monitoring Program

26 Traffic counts have also been collected by the El Dorado County Department of Transportation on those roadways maintained by the county within the Tahoe Region. Based on this information collected over the last seven years, traffic counts have decreased by 20 percent as indicated in Figure 25. EL Dorado County Traffic Counts ( ) Cummulative Count Stations 54,000 52,000 50,000 48,000 46,000 44,000 42,000 40,000 38, Year Figure 25 Source: Caltrans; NDOT Transportation Monitoring Program

27 Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) VMT is a computed value that measures the extent of travel characteristics for a given area. Since 1981, the TRPA has used a series of progressively more sophisticated models to estimate VMT. In 1981, TRPA estimated the VMT was 1,649,000 for a Friday day in August. As the models improve and old software becomes obsolete, it is not possible to update previous VMT estimates to be comparable with more recent estimates. Using their current TransCAD model which includes a detailed street network and tour-based model approach, VMT was estimated at 2,079,849 in 2005 for a Friday in August. The new TransCAD model uses a tourbased modeling approach in order to account for the propensity of many drivers to link their trips. In order to determine compliance with the TRPA water quality and air quality visibility threshold indicator to reduce Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) by 10 percent from the 1981 estimate and to determine compliance on an annual basis, August traffic counts are used to gauge vehicle activity and compliance with the VMT threshold. Based on these annual changes in traffic count volumes TRPA estimates that VMT for 2009 is 1,412,155 indicating a 15 percent decrease from the 1981 VMT estimate threshold standard. (Figure 26) Benchmark: Reduce VMT to 10 percent below 1981 values (or reduce to 1.48 million VMT per day). Monitoring Frequency: Annually VMT Based on Percentage Increase-Decrease on Annual August Traffic Counts VMT Year Figure 26 Source: TRPA Transportation Model VMT Counts Threshold Attainment Transportation Monitoring Program

28 Chapter 3 - Other Data The TRPA/TMPO maintains other data sets that were not identified as performance indicators. These data provide valuable information about transit ridership, bicycle trails, and parking. Transit Ridership Transit ridership is an important indicator of the success of the transit system. While overall numbers can be influenced by external factors such as a low visitation year to the Basin or changes in population, in general transportation planners and transit operators look for increases in ridership as indicators of a well-functioning system. The Lake Tahoe Basin has a variety of services on the North Shore, South Shores, and West Shore. The South Shore services are consolidated under the "BlueGo" System and managed by the Tahoe Transportation District (TTD), while the services on the north and west shores are managed by both Placer County (TART) and the Truckee-North Tahoe Transit Management Association. Figure 27 shows the combined totals of all in-basin transit services. It includes fixed-route services within the Basin but does not include inter-regional services such as the South and North Tahoe Express Airport shuttles. South and North Shore Ridership FY ,400,000 Annual Ridership 1,200,000 1,000, , , , ,000 0 South Shore North Shore FY 2000 FY 2001 FY 2002 FY 2003 FY 2004 FY 2005 FY 2006 FY 2007 FY 2008 FY 2009 Figure 27 Source: South Tahoe Area Transit Authority; Truckee-North Tahoe Transit Management Association. Transportation Monitoring Program

29 South Shore Transit Ridership Figure 28 shows transit ridership in the South Shore of Lake Tahoe. The services shown are now consolidated under the Tahoe Transportation District (TTD), also called BlueGO. South Shore ridership has experienced a downward trend since This corresponds with a decrease in traffic counts over the same period, indicating an overall reduction in visitation and year-round population in the Basin. South Shore Transit Ridership ( ) 1,400,000 1,200,000 1,000,000 Ridership 800, , , , Year Figure 28 Source: South Tahoe Area Transit Authority. Note: Prior to 2003, casino service was managed by individual casinos, and data is not available for those years. Transportation Monitoring Program

30 North Shore Transit Ridership Figure 29 shows North Shore Tahoe Area Regional Transit (TART) transit ridership. As shown, ridership has shown increased over the past four years, with the exception of FY ridership estimates. TART Ridership ( ) 450, , , ,000 Ridership 250, , , ,000 50, Year Figure 29 Services shown: TART, Tahoe Trolley, Winter Night Service, Emerald Bay Shuttle, NorthStar Shuttle. Source: Truckee-North Tahoe Transit Management Association and Placer County. Data is for a July 1 June 30 fiscal year, ending June 30, Summer services are included in the fiscal year in which the summer service ended (i.e. Summer 2006 is in FY 2007). Transportation Monitoring Program

31 Inter-Regional Transit Services Just as with Non-Auto Mode Share into the Basin, transit ridership into the Basin can be used as an indicator of the likelihood that visitors will continue to use transit once they arrive. There are currently four transit routes that provide service into Tahoe from outside the Tahoe- Truckee area: Amtrak California Thruway (Sacramento to South Lake Tahoe/Stateline) (data from 2002 shown) BlueGO Kingsbury Express (Carson Valley to Stateline. Started January 2008) (new service no data shown) South Tahoe Express (Reno-Tahoe International Airport to Stateline) (data from 2002 shown) North Lake Tahoe Express (Reno-Tahoe International Airport to North Lake Tahoe and Truckee) (began service in 2007) Total ridership for the inter-regional transit services are shown in Figure 30. For proprietary reasons, individual ridership is not shown. Inter-Regional Transit Ridership ( ) 140, , ,000 Ridership 80,000 60,000 40,000 20, Year Figure 30 Source: California State Rail Plan ; Amador Stage Lines; Truckee-North Tahoe Transit Management Association. Transportation Monitoring Program

32 Bicycle Trail System and User Data Data on bicycle trail use and miles of trail is maintained to track progress in creating an effective, complete bicycle trail network that helps residents and visitors access work, shopping, and recreation by bicycle or by foot. As the system is improved and missing links are built, it is expected that use of the network will increase. Bicycle and Pedestrian Infrastructure While the Tahoe Basin has an extensive system of regional bikeways, the system is incomplete in many areas. Additional construction is needed to connect the existing segments and improve them. There are approximately 33 miles of existing Shared Use Paths (Class I), 26 miles of Bike Lanes (Class II), and 16 miles of Bike Routes (Class III) in the Tahoe Basin (TMPO Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan). Figure shows the differences in bicycle route classifications used in the Tahoe Basin. The majority of these facilities are located in the urbanized areas of South Lake Tahoe, Tahoe City, and Incline Village, with a few major facilities located in other portions of Placer County, El Dorado County, and Douglas County. Figure 32 Figure 31 Existing Bicycle Facilities Transportation Monitoring Program

33 Bike Trail Surveys Bike trail user surveys were first conducted Basin-wide in July of 1997 (Tahoe Coalition of Recreation Providers (TCORP) and also in 2007 and 2009 (TCORP/TRPA). As shown in Figure 33 below, recorded bike trail user counts were the highest per hour at the Camp Richardson survey location in all survey years. The survey results also indicate that the majority of bike trail users start their trip from home rather than driving to a trail location. In order to determine the primary purpose behind their trip, the question on the TCORP surveys asked respondents to identify the primary reason for their trip. As shown in Figure 35 Recreation Trip Purposes represent an average 73 percent of the collected surveys with Non-Recreational representing 26 percent. Additional survey information shown in Figure 34 illustrates where their trip orginated. 80% 60% 40% 20% 0% Started from home Trip Origin Drove to trail Bike Trail User Count Figure Trip Purpose Riders/Peds/Hour Camp Richardson Acre Tract Kaspian El Dorado Beach Incline Beach 75% 66% 79% 23% 34% 20% Recreation Non- Recreation July 3, 1997 July 5, 2007 July 2, 2009 Figure 35 Figure 33 Transportation Monitoring Program

34 Air Quality Carbon Monoxide Monitoring Since 1999 carbon monoxide (CO) has been monitored at only one location in the Lake Tahoe Basin: off the south wall of the Harvey s parking garage in Stateline, NV. The Nevada Division of Environmental Protection (NDEP) is responsible for this station and collection and analysis of CO data. Figure 36 and 37 below illustrate the monitored 1-hour and 8-hour carbon monoxide concentrations for the Lake Tahoe Basin in relation to the Federal and States standards. 1 hr Carbon Monoxide Concentration Monitored at Harvey's Hotel site, Stateline NV 8 hr avg Carbon Monoxide Concentration Monitored at Harvey's Hotel Site, Stateline, NV CO Concentration (ppm)_ Year Federal and NV standard (not to exceed more than once per year). CA standard (not to equal or exceed). 1st high value 2nd high value CO Concentration (ppm)_ Year Federal standard TRPA, CA and NV standard 1st high value 2nd high value Figure 36 Figure 37 Transportation Monitoring Program

35 Ozone Monitoring Ozone has been monitored at varied locations in the Lake Tahoe Basin. Results taken from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency s AQS web site indicate that in 2004, ozone was monitored at a site at Lake Forest Road in Tahoe City and at a site at Sandy Way in South Lake Tahoe. Those sites were discontinued after From 2005 through 2009, ozone was monitored at the South Lake Tahoe airport site. Figures 38 and 39 below illustrate the trend in highest value 1-hour ozone and 8-hour concentrations in the Lake Tahoe Basin from 2004 through Lake Tahoe Basin Highest 1 hr Ozone Concentrations Lake Tahoe Basin Highest 8 hr Ozone Concentrations NV std = 0.10 ppm Ozone Conc (ppm)_ CA std = 0.09 ppm TRPA std = 0.08 ppm Ozone Conc (ppm)_ CA std = ppm Effective May Year Year Figure 38 Figure 39 Transportation Monitoring Program

36 Mobile GHG and Particulate Matter On September 23, 2010, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) approved a seven and five percent reduction target in mobile CO 2 emissions in the years 2020 and 2035 for the California portion of the Lake Tahoe Basin. The targets shown on Figure 40 are intended to comply with California Legislation SB-375 and are designed to help coordinate land use and transportation planning through the development of a Sustainable Communities Strategy (SCS). Figure 41 illustrates the highest PM 10 concentrations measured in the Lake Tahoe Basin during the years 2004 through As shown the trend is positive with one exceedance of the California state standard recorded in The Lake Tahoe Basin is in attainment with the Federal and Nevada Standards for the 24-hour PM 10 standard. PM10 Conc (ug/m3) High 24-hr PM 10 Concentration in the Lake Tahoe Basin Year Federal and NV std =150µg/m 3 CA standard = 50 µg/m 3 Figure 40 Figure 41 Transportation Monitoring Program

37 East Shore Parking Counts In 1996, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) designated the major travel route around the east side of Lake Tahoe (from South Stateline to North Stateline) as the East Shore Drive National Scenic Byway. The TRPA, US Forest Service, Nevada Division of State Parks, NDOT, Carson City, Washoe County, and Douglas County came together to form an inter-agency team to create the East Shore Drive Corridor Management Plan (CMP). One of the main purposes of the Corridor Management Plan was to guide management activities in the corridor so as to support the Scenic Byway designation. One major issue related to the scenic quality of this corridor is the balance between providing parking access to popular beaches in this area while preserving the scenic quality of the corridor by limiting roadside parking. Part of the action/implementation section of the CMP included annual parking counts to measure the amount of parking demand for the east shore corridor, and to monitor the effects of any changes in parking policies or other transportation improvements over time. Parking counts are taken annually the first Saturday and following Wednesday of August. Counts are collected hourly beginning 10 a.m. and ending after 5 p.m. The east shore corridor, from Incline Village to the intersection of State Route 28 and US Highway 50, is split into 12 segments and parking lots, each of which receives an individual count of parked cars and motorcycles each hour. The data reported in Figure 42 and 43 shows the maximum number of parked cars reported in any one hour (Max) and the average of all the hourly counts across the day (Average). Complete and detailed counts may be downloaded from the TIIMS server at Figure 42 Figure 43 Transportation Monitoring Program

38 Chapter 4 - Indicators for Future Development Several indicators were identified by the Pathway process as important to measure, but they have not been fully developed or monitored to date. These are described below. sight distance), terrain (including surface texture, grade and weatherability), safe crossings and connections, scenic quality, access for people with disabilities, and lighting. Travel Mode within the Basin Although this indicator is basically captured by the Travel Mode to Recreation and Commercial Sites indicators, it may also be possible to come up with a modeled version of this indicator. The model would use actual vehicle, transit, and bike trail user counts to determine an estimated mode share for a period of time, and would capture all trips, not just those to recreation and commercial areas. In summer of 2006, 24 recreation areas distributed around the Basin were evaluated. Eighty-three percent were considered to have very good or good pedestrian access (Transportation Monitoring in the Tahoe Basin, Tahoe-Baikal Institute/Tahoe Regional Planning Agency, 2006). Vehicle-Hours of Delay (VHD) In combination with vehicle miles traveled, vehicle delay is the other main contributor to air quality degradation. Idling vehicles and stop-and-start traffic emit increased levels of carbon monoxide which is a human health hazard. It can also give an accurate picture of road congestion. This indicator is relatively inexpensive to measure using traffic counts provided by existing automatic counters installed along roadways. Pedestrian Access to Recreational Areas and Overnight Population An on-site evaluation method for pedestrian access to recreation areas is still under development; however an initial method was established and tested in summer The method evaluated pedestrian access to recreation areas based on the following criteria: existence of separated pedestrian walking area, automobile traffic (including speed and frequency of traffic and Transportation Monitoring Program

39 Conclusion On-going monitoring is an important component of transportation planning. A continuous monitoring program allows planners to evaluate the success of transportation projects, and provides valuable direction for future investments. Many of the trends in this report suggest that traffic and the impact of the private automobile are indeed going down, in particular on the South Shore. Projects that may have contributed to this are the Heavenly Village re-development project, and increases in coordination and addition of new transit services. This trend may also reflect changes in the economy. On the North Shore, since the mid-nineties, traffic has decreased about 9 percent while transit ridership has increased at an extremely high rate approximately 75 percent over the last 10 years. This suggests a shift toward use of transit on the North Shore, generated in part by an expansion of services. However, on the South Shore, both transit ridership and traffic counts have shown parallel declines. This suggests that overall visitation and population numbers have been declining, rather than a shift from driving to transit. One area that is indicated for future planning emphasis is travel into the Basin. Data shows that entry point traffic counts are increasing steadily, while the nonauto mode share into the Basin continues to be highly dominated by the private vehicle. Looking forward, new performance indicators such as travel mode, used in combination with traffic and transit ridership counts, will help clarify these transportation trends. These new performance indicators are still in the early evaluation stages but will eventually be able to show trends over the long-term. For more information on the TMPO and TRPA s transportation monitoring programs, visit the TMPO website: (go to Transportation Planning), and the Tahoe Integrated Information Management Systems website: Transportation Monitoring Program