PAWG Meeting 1 & Field Tour DRAFT

Transcription

1 PAWG Meeting 1 & Field Tour Wednesday, March 29, AM to 11:30 AM FDOT Urban Office Lake George Conference Room Meeting Notes In Attendance: Doug Robinson, LYNX Myles O Keefe, LYNX Lorna Hall, LYNX Tristian Brown, LYNX Jodie Bell, LYNX Alissa Torres, Orange County Frank Consoli, Seminole County Bill Wharton, Seminole County Libertad Acosta Anderson, FDOT D5 Joe Bitar, FDOT D5 Jo Santiago, FDOT D5 Elizabeth Whitton, MetroPlan Orlando Alex Quintero, MetroPlan Orlando Fred Milch, ECFRPC Will Hawthorne, CFX Brad Friel, GOAA (Joined the group at OIA) Welcome & Introductions Claudia Korobkoff, City of Orlando Billy Hattaway City of Orlando Kelly Brock, City of Casselberry Emily Hanna, City of Casselberry Brett Blackadar, Altamonte Springs Mary Raulerson, Kittelson & Associates Jane Lim-Yap, Kittelson & Associates Jorge Barrios, Kittelson & Associates Brett Boncore, Kittelson & Associates Meredyth Sanders, Kittelson & Associates David Miller, Foursquare ITP Jose Bustamante, STV Peggy Oros, The Valerin Group David Hoppes, Dix + Hite Kristen Hoehnemann, Dix + Hite Myles O Keefe welcomed and thanked the group for attending. Myles then asked each meeting attendee to introduce themselves. Following introductions, the Study Team presented a PowerPoint overview of the project, existing conditions along the SR 436 corridor and logistics for the day s field tour.

2 Overview Presentation Study Overview Mary Raulerson presented an overview of the corridor, the study goals, and the structure of the Partner Agency Working Group (PAWG) and its role as the liaison between the Study Team and the Partner Agencies. Mary also shared the status of the Study. The team conducted in-person stakeholder interviews and are continuing to collect data and information to establish existing conditions of the Corridor. Some of the common themes that can be drawn from the stakeholder interviews and existing conditions review are: The corridor is made up of diverse uses and has a different role through different communities it serves. Pedestrian and bicycling safety and comfort along the corridor is a challenge. Multiple jurisdictions and agencies have identified SR 436 as a focus area for development and redevelopment. Schedule Mary provided an overview of the 18-month Study schedule, which will go through the end of June The Study is in its first phase ( What are the issues, opportunities and objectives? ), which will wrap up at the end of May In the late summer period, the Study Team will work with the PAWG to develop alternatives (type of transit service, mode, and alignment). After that, the Study Team will work with the PAWG to determine what alternatives will be advanced. Lastly, the Study also includes an understanding of how we can get the preferred alternative implemented. Existing Conditions The Study Team provided a summary of existing conditions along the Corridor. Jane explained that the existing conditions analysis sets the stage for identifying study issues, opportunities, and corresponding Study goals and objectives that will guide development of alternatives. Jane shared some highlights of the data collected so far. She noted that the Team is continuing to collect additional existing conditions information, and these will be presented at a later PAWG meeting. Demographics Jane shared key demographics along the SR 436 Corridor (one-mile on either side of the corridor) and how they compare with the Orlando Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). The corridor could be described as made up of medium-density residential neighborhoods with some concentrations of poverty. Generally, the corridor has similar characteristics as the MSA, with key differences: Fewer number of young people (there are significantly more working age adults) Fewer people of color 2

3 Travel Patterns The Study Team looked at home and job locations along the corridor to gather some insights on commute patterns along the corridor. Jane noted that 86,900 employees come into the corridor to work, 79,500 residents leave the corridor to go to work, and 12,300 residents both live and work within the corridor. These home-to-work travel patterns indicate the need for system-level approach (beyond the corridor) to addressing transit. Existing and Future Land Use The corridor is comprised of a mix of various uses, with multi-family residential uses representing more than 50% of the 2-mile wide study corridor. The corridor represents the densest residential area outside of downtown within the City of Orlando. Through Orange and Seminole counties, multi-family residential pockets are also observed. A review of local planning documents indicates that long-range planning consistently seeks to increase densities and foster mixed uses along the corridor. Within the Corridor, 13,000 acres of land (out of 61,000) are slated to become mixed-use, and 13 miles (out of the 23) are covered by an overlay district. Infrastructure The Study Team noted a series of infrastructure opportunities and challenges along the Corridor: Potential to connect SR 436 to regional trails Lacks comfortable bicycle and pedestrian facilities along and across the roadway Generous right-of-way (some as wide as city blocks in some locations) There is constrained ROW near SR 408 Portions of the roadway have cross-sections that do not reflect their context Safety In the past 5 years, more than half (23 out of 43) of the fatal crashes on the corridor involved a pedestrian. High crash corridor locations include the intersection of SR 436 and Old Cheney Highway, and the stretch of SR 436 between University Boulevard and Aloma Avenue. There is a prevalence of cyclists riding along sidewalks and pedestrians are observed crossing SR 436 at many mid-block locations. Automobile Traffic Characteristics Jorge Barrios explained that traffic volumes have remained steady along the corridor for the past 15 years. In spite of a population increase of 37% and the Orlando International Airport having experienced 26% growth, AADT (annual average daily traffic) has remained relatively consistent along the corridor since Jorge also noted that access management classifications do not always align with adjoining land uses along the corridor. Jorge explained that traffic slowdowns are limited to certain segments. Based on corridor travel speeds and using FDOT s LOS thresholds, that there are no peak period LOS F conditions on the corridor. Stakeholder interviews revealed that speeding is common along the corridor during off-peak times. The Team noted that segment level of service, not intersection level of service, was used to analyze LOS conditions. 3

4 Transit Service David Miller provided an overview of existing transit service along the Corridor: 11 routes operate on the corridor, with an additional 8 routes intersecting the corridor Nearly 15,000 boardings and alightings occur daily on the corridor (approximately 8% of local bus system-wide totals) For the main corridor routes, Link 436S and 436N, buses arrive every 30 minutes on weekdays and Saturdays, and every 60 minutes on Sundays. There are 167 bus stops (in both directions) on the corridor, approximately every quarter mile The top 6 stops with the highest levels of boardings and alightings are Fern Park SuperStop, OIA SuperStop, Dixie Belle Drive and Gatlin Avenue stop, Curry Ford Road stop, Altamonte Mall stop, and Colonial Drive stop. The highest concentration of bus ridership was reported in the southern portion of the corridor between SR 408 and OIA. David also highlighted key transit stop characteristics, including: 40% of stops are poles on the ground 50% of the stops are not near a signalized intersection Questions/Discussions The project team opened up the discussion for questions prior to the field tour. 1. It is hard to understand/surprising that level of traffic along SR 436 is LOS D or better. Can you explain? The Team noted that generalized segment LOS based on speeds, not intersection LOS, was used to analyze LOS conditions. The team will continue to look at more traffic information, and at the intersection level to better understand the vehicular traffic characteristics. 2. PAWG members were curious to know more about the relationship between pedestrian/bicycle crashes and the time of day that they occurred. For instance, are more fatalities occurring at night? Majority of the crashes occurred at night for the sections FDOT already analyzed (between SR 528 and Aloma Ave.) The team will be looking into more details on crash data to better understand patterns 3. Group members wanted to know why ADA compliance was so low at bus stops along the corridor. Myles explained that LYNX upgrades stops to meet ADA standards whenever they update a stop. However, the "pole in the ground" stops were grandfathered in under ADA regulations and don't require immediate attention. This raised a discussion about the importance of LYNX coordinating with FDOT on Resurfacing, Restoration and Rehabilitation (RRR) projects. 4

5 Field Tour In order to facilitate group feedback, the Study Team set up a texting service where meeting attendees could respond to prompts and provide feedback via phone. The group texted 436N or 436S to to receive and respond to prompts about corridor conditions. The PAWG was organized into two groups to cover northern and southern sections of the corridor. The northern group travelled from the FDOT Urban Office to the Fern Park SuperStop. The southern group travelled from FDOT Urban Office to the Orlando International Airport. North Group Jo Santiago Doug Robinson Frank Consoli Brett Blackadar Kelly Brock Fred Milch Libertad Acosta-Anderson Alex Quintero Mary Raulerson Peggy Oros David Miller David Hoppes Lorna Hall Jorge Barrios Mary Raulerson Meredyth Sanders Field Tour Observations/Comments South Group Billy Hattaway Will Hawthorne Alissa Torres Claudia Korobkoff Bill Wharton Emily Hanna Elizabeth Whitton Brad Friel Jane Lim-Yap Jose Bustamante Kristen Hoehnemann Tristian Brown Jodie Bell Myles O Keefe Brett Boncore Jane Lim-Yap Joe Bitar The group reconvened after the field tour to share observations and insights into existing conditions along the corridor. The following section summarizes verbal and written (texted) feedback collected during the field tour. Transit Service The southbound bus arrived on-time and the northbound bus arrived early The late bus highlighted the need for transit users to budget buffer time into their LYNX trips The northbound bus was pretty full but not overcrowded People using cash to pay for their ride took much longer than people using a LYNX pass, increasing bus dwell times (Cash fare payment took 15 seconds per person) The southbound bus pulled away from a stop before an elderly passenger could sit down The southbound bus had nice seats and luggage racks Myles clarified that these buses are not designated for LYNX routes serving OIA. They are randomly allocated to LYNX routes 5

6 The bus ride was comfortable: clean, spacious seats, effective air conditioning and good WiFi An absence of severe traffic delays resulted in good bus travel times Assuming that hotels near OIA serve business travelers, SR 436 could provide enhanced service from OIA to SR 50 and then into downtown Orlando SR 436 north of Oxford lacks bus service since buses turn left to access Fern Park SuperStop Clear change in transit service observed once the bus passed into the rural cross section (hard to access bus stops from sidewalk) Passenger desire for the bus system to announce all stop locations (text and audio, English and Spanish) Bus operators seem to have trouble entering and exiting bus bays because of curb/entry angle Northbound and southbound buses observed stopping at almost every stop along the route Passengers noted that the diversion of 436N into Altamonte Mall slows service Passengers noted that the diversion of 436N into the Altamonte Sunrail station is time consuming, and that few SunRail passengers use LYNX Passengers think that the 436S and 436N designation is confusing to passengers. People get on the wrong bus based on the N or S designation It may make more sense to renumber buses without a direction letter (similar to 102/103). Passengers expressed a desire for an SR 436 Express Bus. Potential express bus stops include: Pershing (near Walmart in Orange County), Lake Margaret, Curry Ford, Lake Underhill, SR 50, Baldwin Park St or Hanging Moss (near Walmart Neighborhood Market), Aloma, Fern Park Superstop, Maitland Avenue, Montgomery, SR 434, Lake Brantley (outside of study area), Hunt Club (outside of study area), Thompson (outside of study area) and Apopka (outside of study area) Bus Stops and Amenities Overgrown landscaping and utilities make it hard to see arriving buses when sitting at the northbound stop near FDOT s Urban Office Some shelters are uninviting: round bus shelter seats waste space, no shade, narrow sidewalks and fast moving vehicles Joints in pavement present challenges to people in wheelchairs Newer shelters are more comfortable Stops do not have landings situated at the back doors of buses, making it harder for disembarking passengers to exit from the back Benches observed along the corridor not placed by LYNX. The City of Orlando has been working to remove them. Limited bus stop visibility from side streets Consider solar powered fans at transit stops in Summer SuperStops Severe lack of amenities for passengers and bus operators at Fern Park transfer station (unclean, no shade trees, no bus stop pads) Vacant lot across street from Fern Park transfer station noted as potential site to develop a nicer transfer station 6

7 Fern Park SuperStop bus shelters located before the location where buses actually stop, so it is inconvenient for customers to wait in the shelters. Passengers were observed waiting on private property across the swale from the Superstop. Fewer transfers observed at Dixie Bell Transfer Station than anticipated The OIA transfer station was crowded Passengers dislike the 436S to 436N transfer at Fern Park it is inconvenient to have to change buses, especially if disabled. The LYNX bus driver for the 436S thinks that keeping 436S and 436N on separate buses helps with scheduling/making up time The timing of the 436N and 436S at Fern Park Superstop can result in just missed it transfers Land Use Businesses/hotels would benefit from improved transit Desire for more open space/park uses along the corridor Bicycle and Pedestrian Environment Corridor felt hostile to pedestrians and cyclists. PAWG members noted a lack of shade, shelter and bike racks along the Corridor. Fairly high number of cyclists observed along the corridor relative to Orlando as a whole Few pedestrians observed walking along the corridor Cyclists observed riding on sidewalks, not observed in bike lanes Driveways to many businesses lack pedestrian accommodations Safe pedestrian crossing opportunities and connectivity between residential/commercial/bus stops could be improved. (ex. More crosswalks) Some locations of high use may necessitate a signalized mid-block crossing Bus passengers note that bus bike racks are full at times Many bikes observes at the OIA bike rack not enough racks to accommodate demand No bike/ped access to Cady Way Crossing Cyclist s perspective: when biking the corridor and crossing at signals the cyclist feels like he/she needs to have permission from motorists to cross Observed pedestrian crossing times seem good, but the elderly and disabled may have trouble crossing in time Shaded, tree-lined portions of the roadway felt more inviting Passengers suggest a dedicated pedestrian signal at SR 436 south of Carmel by the Lake to accommodate pedestrians crossing from (missing) bus stop to Walmart Accessibility Two wheelchairs boarded/alighted from the northbound bus Lack of accessible paths to destinations along corridor and long distances between bus stops and destinations decreases accessibility (wide setbacks, parking lots etc.) For the most part, sidewalks along SR 436 are present and clear for ADA access Landing pads present at some stops to facilitate bus boardings/alightings No room for individuals in wheelchairs under some shelters Need some form of crosswalk markings at larger driveway connections for visually impaired 7

8 Sidewalk offset quite far from the roadway in many areas swales acts as a barrier between bus stops and sidewalks Boarding the bus was easier than alighting from the bus Wheelchair boarding went fairly smoothly - caused about a 2 minute delay. The bus operator announced that the wheelchair was boarding and helped the passenger fasten the wheelchair into the wheelchair well. Traffic and Roadway Conditions SR 436 characterized by large intersections, high speeds During the trip, traffic volumes did not seem to be an issue; lots of bandwidth for cars Lots of vehicles observed moving at high speeds Too many driveways along the corridor Orlando International Airport Many airport employees observed boarding the bus as it approached OIA Visitor and employment growth potential related to doubling of airport gate capacity (South Terminal) and new mixed-use development sites. The South Terminal is schedule to open in 2020 and will add 120 new gates to the current supply of 90 gates, at full buildout. OIA s growth potential presents and opportunity and challenge to LYNX. Opportunities include the future presence of international visitors who will expect a higher level of transit service from the airport to key destinations. Challenges include how LYNX will comfortably accommodate tourists and their luggage at stops, shelters, and on board buses etc. GOAA is placing strong emphasis on planning for cyclists with their Bicycle Master Plan. Master Plan includes measures to allow cyclists to bike to the airport. Four existing bus bays for LYNX buses For visitors, boarding and alighting from buses at OIA can be overwhelming. 800 different companies provide ground transportation options and limited maps and schedules make it difficult for visitors to locate LYNX bus bays OIA currently employs 18,000 people, anticipates 44 million passengers next year OIA will be able to accommodate future Brightline, SunRail and light rail access OIA trips transitioning from primarily leisure O&D to include business trips OIA parking garage full Tuesday-Friday, presenting an opportunity to increase transit service to the airport to support business travelers. Next Steps/Wrap Up The next PAWG meeting is scheduled for May 10, 2017, from 1:30 4:00 PM at LYNX Central Station. The PAWG members were encouraged to visit and share the website: to help distribute the survey: Attachments: PowerPoint Presentation cc: PAWG Members, Meeting Attendees 8