TRANSIT. WATS Transit Routes. Regular Fixed Route Service

Transcription

1 TRANSIT The Wausau Area Trasit System (WATS) provides public trasportatio services i the Wausau area. WATS is the oly itra-city trasit service available to the geeral public withi the MPA. WATS is owed by the City of Wausau. WATS does provide some service to the Village of Rothschild ad the City of Schofield. The Village of Westo recetly added fixed route trasit service, which started i Jauary Still, trasit service outside the City of Wausau is limited. WATS Trasit Routes WATS Bus i Dowtow Wausau Service icludes te fixed bus routes, as well as a curb-to-curb va paratrasit service for the disabled. Durig the school year, ie express routes are offered. The routes are desiged primarily for secodary school studets gettig to ad from school without the eed to trasfer dowtow. However, all express routes are available to the geeral public. Regular Fixed Route Service Regular fixed route service refers to the regularly scheduled daily trasit routes that operate durig ormal operatig hours ad days. WATS operates eight regularly scheduled fixed bus routes i the City of Wausau, which ru at 30 miute itervals durig the peak periods ad 60 miutes durig off peak periods ad o Saturdays. WATS also operates oe bus route to Rothschild ad Schofield, which operates at 60 miute itervals. The Village of Westo recetly cotracted with WATS to provide service through Westo. This service commeced i Jauary Route descriptios are listed below 1 ad illustrated i Figure Route A This route operates betwee the Dowtow Wausau Trasit Ceter ad North Cetral Health Care Facilities i southeast Wausau via South Grad Aveue. Geerators served by this route iclude North Cetral Health Care Facilities, Mout View Care Ceter, Wausau Muicipal Airport, Joh Marshall Elemetary School, Sturgeo Bluff Apartmets, Riverview Towers East, ad Dowtow Wausau. Roudtrip travel time o this route is 30 miutes, allowig oe bus to operate o this route all day o weekdays ad Saturdays. 1 Wausau Area Trasit System Trasit Developmet Pla, Techical Memoradum #2 WATS service Overview, Urbitra Associates, April Page 4-43

2 Route B This route is operated betwee the Dowtow Wausau Trasit Ceter ad North Cetral Techical College i the orther part of Wausau, via 1 st Aveue North ad 3 rd Aveue North. Geerators iclude North Cetral Techical College, Thomas Jefferso Elemetary School, Grat Elemetary, ad Dowtow Wausau. Roudtrip travel time o this route is 30 miutes, allowig oe bus to operate o this route all day o weekdays ad Saturdays. Route C This route operates betwee the Dowtow Wausau Trasit Ceter ad the City of Schofield ad Village of Rothschild, operatig alog South Grad Aveue ad Busiess Highway 51. Geerators served by this route iclude Rothschild Elemetary School, ShopKo, Schofield Elemetary School, Sturgeo Bluff Apartmets, the Social Services Office i Wausau, Riverview Tower, ad Dowtow Wausau. Roudtrip travel time o this route is 60 miutes, allowig oe bus to operate this route all day o weekdays ad Saturdays. Route D This route operates betwee the Dowtow Wausau Trasit Ceter ad Kaeberg Plaza via 6 th Aveue North ad 10 th Aveue North. Geerators served by this route iclude Kaeberg Plaza, Wausau West High School, Radolph Court Apartmets, Newma High School, Sait Ae School, ad Dowtow Wausau. Roudtrip travel time o this route is 30 miutes allowig oe bus to operate all day o weekdays. O Saturdays this route is iterlied with Route E, providig 60 miute service. Route E This route operates betwee the Dowtow Wausau Trasit Ceter ad Marshfield Cliic via West Bridge Street. Geerators served by this route iclude Marshfield Cliic, Wausau Isurace Compaies, Aspirus- Wausau Hospital, Wausau Isurace Regioal, Newma High School, Sait Ae School, Grat Elemetary School, ad Dowtow Wausau. Roudtrip travel time o this route is 30 miutes allowig oe bus to operate all day o weekdays. O Saturdays this route is iterlied with Route D, providig 60 miute service. Route G This route operates betwee the Dowtow Wausau Trasit Ceter ad ShopKo i West Wausau via West Sherma Street. Geerators served by this route iclude ShopKo, Joh Muir Middle School, Triity Elemetary School, ad Dowtow Wausau. Roudtrip travel time o this route is 30 miutes, allowig oe bus to operate o this route all day o weekdays ad Saturdays. Route H This route operates betwee the Dowtow Wausau Trasit Ceter ad North Wausau via North 6 th Street ad Ceter Street. Geerators served by this route iclude Riverview Elemetary School, Horace Ma Middle School, Frakli Elemetary, Sait Michael s School, ad Dowtow Wausau. Roudtrip travel time o this route is 30 miutes, allowig oe bus to operate o this route all day o weekdays ad Saturdays. Page 4-44

3 BUREK AV STEVENS DR N 10TH AV S 3RD AV N 6TH ST N 3RD ST PIED PIPER LN FRANCES ST Wausau Area Trasit Service (WATS) Bus Routes 51 figure 4-16 EVERGREEN RD ") K TROY ST HENRY ST ASHLAND AV MAPLE HILL RD GOLF CLUB RD 52 W CAMPUS DR E CAMPUS DR SYLVAN ST BUS 51 W RANDOLPH ST E RANDOLPH ST N 6TH ST N 13TH ST W STROWBRIDGE ST N 3RD AV N 1ST AV BROWN ST W WAUSAU AV WESTHILL DR WILDWOOD LN SHERMAN ST ROSECRANS ST S 17TH AV STEWART AV CENTRAL BRIDGE ST N 7TH ST N 5TH ST N 6TH AV S 28TH AV S 32ND AV STEWART AV PINE RIDGE BLVD S 22ND AV WESTWOOD DR ELM ST N 12TH AV N 14TH AV ELM ST S 5TH AV W THOMAS ST RIVER DR S 4TH ST SCOTT ST E THOMAS ST JEFFERSON ST WASHINGTON ST PROSPECT AV ")NN ") N BOPF ST S 11TH AV CHELLIS ST PARK BLVD IMM ST S 3RD AV STURGEON EDDY RD ZIMMERMAN ST LAKE VIEW DR WESTON AV KENT ST FAIRMOUNT ST TOWNLINE RD BUS 51 q URS Corporatio N:\ \Projects\MPO Trasit Routes.mxd Date: 10/9/2005 3:30:03 PM Name: jher Leged Bus Route q A B C D E G H I J K (bega Ja. 2006) 3/4 mile buffer area State Highway Couty Highway Local Street Private Alley Railroad Airport Rivers, Creeks ad Lakes 0 1 Miles Source: WATS I ")KK ") N W MILITARY RD BUS 51 SOUTH LINE RD FLORENCE ST PFLIEGER ST BROWN BLVD WESTON AV SCHMIDT AV GRAND AV ROTHSCHILD E KORT ST ") SS ") JJ ") X

4 BUREK AV STEVENS DR N 10TH AV S 3RD AV N 6TH ST N 3RD ST PIED PIPER LN FRANCES ST WATS Express Bus Routes & Schools 51 figure 4-17 ") K EVERGREEN RD HENRY ST TROY ST ASHLAND AV MAPLE HILL RD WESTHILL DR WILDWOOD LN S 32ND AV S 28TH AV STEWART AV PINE RIDGE BLVD S 22ND AV WESTWOOD DR SHERMAN ST ROSECRANS ST BUS 51 ELM ST S 17TH AV W RANDOLPH ST N 14TH AV W CAMPUS DR W STROWBRIDGE ST W WAUSAU AV N 12TH AV STEWART AV N 6TH AV ELM ST S 5TH AV W THOMAS ST N 3RD AV E CAMPUS DR E RANDOLPH ST N 1ST AV CENTRAL BRIDGE ST RIVER DR N 6TH ST N 7TH ST S 4TH ST N 5TH ST SCOTT ST E THOMAS ST BROWN ST JEFFERSON ST GOLF CLUB RD SYLVAN ST WASHINGTON ST PROSPECT AV N 13TH ST 52 URS Corporatio N:\ \Projects\MPO Express Trasit Routes.mxd Date: 10/26/2005 3:18:58 PM Name: estra ")NN ")KK ") N ") N BOPF ST S 11TH AV CHELLIS ST PARK BLVD IMM ST S 3RD AV W MILITARY RD BUS 51 STURGEON EDDY RD ZIMMERMAN ST LAKE VIEW DR SOUTH LINE RD WESTON AV KENT ST q FLORENCE ST PFLIEGER ST FAIRMOUNT ST BUS 51 BROWN BLVD WESTON AV TOWNLINE RD SCHMIDT AV GRAND AV Leged E KORT ST q ") SS State Highway Couty Highway Local Street Private Alley Railroad Airport Rivers, Creeks ad Lakes Bus Route Number X1 X2 X3 X4 X5 X6 X7 X8 X9 Source: WATS admiistratio ") JJ college elemetary high juior high middle other ") X special educatio techical college 0 1 Miles I

5 Route I This route operates betwee the Dowtow Wausau Trasit Ceter ad the CHC Rehab Cliic via West Stewart Aveue. Geerators served by this route iclude: CHC Rehab Cliic, CHC Hospice House, VNA, Wausau Maor, Westhill Professioal Ceter, Sait Mathew s School, Uiversity of Wiscosi-Maratho Campus, Triity School, ad Dowtow Wausau. Roudtrip travel time o this route is 30 miutes, allowig oe bus to operate o this route all day o weekdays ad Saturdays. Route J This route operates betwee the Dowtow Wausau Trasit Ceter ad southwest Wausau via East Thomas Street. Geerators served by this route iclude G.D. Joes Elemetary School, Our Savior s School, Wausau Social Services, Riverview Tower East, ad Dowtow Wausau. Roudtrip travel time o this route is 30 miutes, allowig oe bus to operate o this route all day o weekdays ad Saturdays. Route K This route was recetly itroduced i Jauary 2006 followig the Westo Village Board December 2005 approval to fud $48,600 of the total aual $81,100 cost of providig the service. Local busiesses agreed to cotribute $32,500 toward the service. The route operates aroud a 7.5-mile loop through Westo begiig at 5:50 a.m. ad edig at 6:20 p.m. Geerators served by this route iclude Westo Regioal Medical Ceter, D.C. Everest High School ad the Target area o Schofield Aveue. The route operates with 30 miute headways, which allows oe bus to operate o this route all day o weekdays ad Saturdays. The bus will coect each hour to a existig WATS bus route at ShopKo i Rothschild, so riders ca travel to dowtow Wausau ad WATS' mai trasfer facility. Passegers ca trasfer betwee routes at WATS' mai trasfer facility, which is located i the dowtow area, oe block from the Wausau Ceter Mall. Express Routes WATS provides ie express route services durig the school year to alleviate crowdig o regular routes. Most of these routes are desiged to get passegers, mostly secodary school studets, to their destiatio by elimiatig the eed to trasfer dowtow. All express routes are ope to the geeral public. These routes oly operate whe school is i sessio ad all but two of these routes provide oe or two trips timed to arrive at Wausau schools before classes ad depart after classes. However, oe express route (X4) provides all day service, ad aother express route (X9) operates durig peak periods. Express routes ad school locatios are show if Figure Express bus stops are siged differetly tha regular routes. The express bus route etwork is preseted o Figure 4-17, with route descriptios provided below: Route X1 This route operates betwee Southeast Wausau ad Wausau East High School via Grad Aveue ad North 7th Street. Schools served by this route iclude the Joh Marshall School, Horace Ma Middle School, ad Page 4-47

6 Wausau East School. This route provides additioal capacity to routes A, C, ad H as well as providig a direct coectio betwee the southeast ad ortheast areas of Wausau. The PM trip does serve the Wausau Trasit Ceter. Route X2 This route operates betwee Southeast Wausau ad Wausau East High School via North 10th Street. Schools served by this route iclude the Joh Marshall School, Horace Ma Middle School, ad Wausau East High School. This route provides additioal capacity to routes A, C, ad H as well as providig a direct coectio betwee the southeast ad ortheast areas of Wausau. This route does ot serve the Wausau Trasit Ceter. Route X3 This route operates betwee Northeast Wausau ad Wausau East High School. Schools served by this route iclude the Riverview School, Horace Ma Middle School, ad Wausau East High School. This route provides additioal capacity to route H ad provides coectios to areas of Wausau that are ot served by route H. This route does ot serve the Wausau Trasit Ceter. Route X4 This route operates betwee the Wausau Trasit Ceter i Dowtow Wausau ad East High School. This route provides 30 miute service all day, with midday service paid for by the Board of Educatio. Oe bus is ecessary to ru this route all day. This route meets every pulse at the Wausau Trasit Ceter. While this route does operate all day service, it does ot operate o Saturdays ad summer moths. This route provides service to the Frakli School, Sait Michael s School, ad Wausau East High School. Route X5 This route operates betwee Southwest Wausau ad Joh Muir Middle School. This route provides service to G.D. Joes School, Joh Muir Middle School, Newma Middle School, Newma High School, Wausau West High School, ad Sait Ae School. This very idirect route provides additioal capacity to routes D, E, G, I, ad J ad provides coectios betwee the areas of Wausau that are west of the Wiscosi River. This route does ot serve the Wausau Trasit Ceter. Route X6 This route operates betwee Northwest Wausau ad Joh Muir Middle School. This route provides service to Wausau West High School, Newma High School, ad Joh Muir Middle School. This route provides additioal capacity to routes B ad D while providig a direct coectio through Northwest Wausau. This route does ot serve the Wausau Trasit Ceter. Route X7 This route operates betwee the Wausau Trasit Ceter ad Horace Ma Middle School via North 6th Street. Schools served by this route iclude Sait Michael, Frakli School, ad Horace Ma Middle School. This route provides additioal capacity to route H, providig a more direct route to Horace Ma Middle School from the Wausau Trasit Ceter. Route X8 This route provides service betwee North 7th Street ad Frakli Street ad Hawthor Hills School via North 7th Street, Prospect Page 4-48

7 Street, ad North 10th Street. The oly school served by this route is Hawthor Hills School. This route does ot augmet ay other route rather it provides service to a school that is ot alog ay other WATS route. Route X9 This route follows the routig of the former route F betwee the Wausau Trasit Ceter ad Terrace Heights Apartmets. Service is provided oly durig peak periods whe school is ope. This route operates to the Wausau Trasit Ceter, meetig every peak period pulse. Geerators served by this route iclude Terrace Heights Apartmets ad Dowtow Wausau. Service is provided usig oe bus. Wausau MPA Trasit Service Coverage Of the approximately 83,600 people ad 32,700 households livig withi the Wausau MPA, about 52,400 people ad 21,200 households reside withi ¾ mile of at least oe of WATS regular service fixed bus routes (see Table 4-15). About 41,200 people ad 17,000 households live withi a ¼ mile of a regular service bus route, which accouts for about 49 percet ad 62 percet of MPA residets ad households, respectively. Table 4-15: Wausau MPA Populatio ad Households Served by Trasit 1/4 mile of Trasit 3/4 mile of Trasit MPA Total Value Percet Value Percet Value Percet Total Populatio 41,198 49% 52,442 63% 83, % Total Households 16,973 62% 21,195 65% 32, % Source: 2000 Cesus & URS Corp. Figures calculated from cesus blocks with ceter withi ¼ mile ad ¾ mile of WATS regular fixed bus routes (excludig express routes). Residetial Trasit Markets Populatio desity is a importat factor i beig able to provide cost-effective trasit service. A review of populatio desities ad trasit route locatios suggest there are some sigificat residetial areas withi the MPA ot beig served with trasit. Residetial areas i the Villages of Rothschild, Kroewetter ad the Tow of Rib Moutai have sigificat umbers of households without access to public trasit. However, these areas ted to have desities i the rage of oe to three households per acre. Most of the areas curretly served by trasit have three to six households per acre with some areas withi the six to ie households per acre rage. Give the low residetial desities, it is less likely that regular fixed route trasit services could serve these areas cost-effectively. However, other trasit service optios may prove more viable, such as dial-a-ride services or flex-route services. Flex-routes are a hybrid service that icorporates a traditioal trasit bus service (with a defied route, schedule, ad bus stops) ad a "route Page 4-49

8 deviatio" cocept that allows the bus to serve areas beyod the defied route. This "route deviatio" allows the service to reach more people ad destiatios. Major Trip Geerators Similar to residetial areas, the cocetratio or desity of employmet is importat for providig effective trasit service. Major trip geerators are sigle destiatios, such as busiesses, schools, govermet offices that attract a sigificat umber of trips or traffic. Major trip geerators are ofte measured i terms of the umber of employees associated with the activity. The type of employmet is importat for uderstadig the umber of trips attracted to the busiess or activity ceter. Retail busiesses ted to attract substatially more total trips per employee tha service or maufacturig busiesses as a result of customer trips. Whe retail busiesses cluster together, they ted to draw larger umbers of customers tha similar busiesses separated from each other. Retail Ceters ted to draw customers from a larger geographic area, the larger the retail cocetratio becomes. I the Wausau area, 58 percet of the MPA s total employmet is withi ¼ mile of fixed route trasit service with 68 percet withi ¾ mile of a fixed route service. The percetage of retail employmet withi ¼ mile ad ¾ mile of a trasit route is about 70 percet ad 75 percet, respectively. About 1,800 retail jobs are located alog Rib Moutai Drive i Rib Moutai ad withi the Cedar Creek Retail area i Rothschild; both areas are ot accessible by trasit. I 2004, there were about 2,100 jobs withi ¼ mile of the recetly implemeted Route K i Westo. About 450 of those jobs were i the retail sector. The umber of jobs alog this route will likely icrease substatially with the completio of the ew St. Clare s Hospital at STH 39/CTH X Iterchage i Westo. Figure 4-18 illustrates the locatios of employers withi the Wausau MPA with respect to fixed bus routes. The map idicates differet rages of employees per locatio. Retail employmet locatios are idicated separately i order to idetify cocetratios of retail activity. The provisio of trasit service to growig destiatio areas may attract more commuters ad shoppers to trasit. At a miimum, it would provide greater employmet ad shoppig optios for existig trasit customers. Several growig employmet ad retail areas are ot curretly served by trasit, icludig: Wal-Mart ad the Rib Moutai Drive retail corridor West Wausau Idustrial Park Westo commercial ad idustrial areas Cedar Creek retail area Page 4-50

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10 Service Operatio ad Cost WATS provides service betwee 6:00 a.m. ad 6:30 p.m. Moday through Friday ad from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. o Saturday. However, Saturday service is ot available durig the summer moths. There is o service o Sudays ad holidays. The fare structure is listed i Table 4-16 below. Sice the begiig of 2003, a adult fare has cost $1.00 or $26 for the mothly pass. School aged childre ca ride for $0.75 ad seiors are charged $0.50. Fares remai costat for both peak ad off-peak time periods. Table 4-16: Fare Structure Cash Toke Ticket Mothly Pass Adult (post H.S.) $ for $6.00 NA $26 Seior/Disabled $0.50 NA NA $13 Studet (age 5-H.S.) $0.75 NA 10 for $4.50 $13 Childre uder Age 5 Free whe accompaied by a adult Paratrasit (WATS+) $2.00 NA NA NA Note: Rates effective Jauary 1, 2003 Source: Wausau Area Trasit Service I 2003, the average fleet age for WATS regular route buses was 6.7 years. Demad Respose WATS+ vehicles had a average fleet age of 10.4 years. I 2003, about 623,000 vehicle reveue miles were drive durig the 42,000 hours of service provided (see Table 4-17). Twety-six of the 32 vehicles available are eeded for peak service. Twety vehicles are required for fixed route bus service ad six are required for WATS+ demad respose service. Te buses are required for base period or off-peak service. Page 4-52

11 Table 4-17: Trasit Service Summary Aual Vehicle Reveue Miles 630, , , , , , , ,334 Aual Vehicle Reveue Hours 44,179 43,283 42,964 44,177 44,085 42,699 42,710 42,010 Vehicles Operated i Maximum Service Vehicles Available for Maximum Service Base Period Requiremet Source: 2003 Natioal Trasit Database, US Departmet of Trasportatio. Public Trasit Use I 2003, WATS provided approximately 725,000 uliked 2 trips for the year o their fixed route service. The demad-respose service (paratrasit) provided a additioal 18,000 trips for a total of about 743,000 uliked trasit trips i Paratrasit trips have cosistetly accouted for betwee two ad three percet of all trasit trips ad passeger miles, while bus ridership geerally accouts for the remaiig 97 to 98 percet of ridership (see Table 4-18). Table 4-18: WATS Trasit Service Cosumptio Aual Passeger Miles Aual Uliked Trips Average Weekday Uliked Trips 3,016,003 3,039,866 3,132,500 2,834,294 2,769,990 2,688,102 2,535,203 2,351,251 1% 3% -10% -2% -3% -6% -7% 957, , , , , , , ,249 1% 0% -10% -2% -3% -6% -5% 3,589 3,636 3,627 3,255 3,213 3,127 2,944 2,809 1% 0% -10% -1% -3% -6% -5% Average Saturday 1,038 1,006 1, Uliked Trips -3% 0% -1% -12% -9% -4% -6% Source: 2003 Natioal Trasit Database, US Departmet of Trasportatio. Note: Figures ot adjusted for iflatio. 2 A passeger boardig a vehicle is couted as oe uliked trip eve though he/she may be o the same jourey from origi to destiatio. A uliked Trasit Passeger Trip is a trip o oe trasit vehicle regardless of the type of fare paid or trasfer preseted. A perso ridig oly oe vehicle from origi to destiatio takes oe uliked passeger trip; a perso who trasfers to a secod vehicle takes two uliked passeger trips; a perso who trasfers to a third vehicle take three uliked passeger trips. The umber of uliked trasit passeger trips is about two to four times higher tha the umber of people ridig trasit; most people take two trips per day, those who trasfer take four or six. Page 4-53

12 I 2003, about 2,800 trips were made o a typical weekday ad a average of 730 trips made o Saturdays. About 800 fewer trips were made o a average weekday i 2003 tha were made i 1996, 1997 ad Saturday trips also experieced a reductio i trips betwee 1998 ad Of the approximately 2,350,000 total passeger miles i 2003, fixed route service accouted for 2,284,000 passeger miles ad demad respose accouted for 66,800 passeger miles saw the largest decrease i both passeger miles ad trips with a te percet decrease from the previous year. This decrease was likely to do to the fare icrease iitiated that year. Eve though ridership decreased, fare reveues icreased by 11 percet i Aother fare icrease occurred betwee 2002 ad 2003 from $0.90 to $1.00 with ridership decreasig i both 2002 ad 2003 by six percet ad seve percet, respectively. However, accordig to WATS, ridership stabilized i 2004 icreasig two percet from 2003 levels. Rider Profile As part the 2006 WATS Five Year Trasit Developmet Pla (TDP), a opiio survey was coducted of WATS riders. The survey foud that WATS riders ted to be disproportioately female ad had sigificatly lower icome levels whe compared to the City of Wausau s overall populatio. Most riders walk to access their bus or to complete their trip to their fial destiatio. About 40 percet of WATS riders trasfer from or to aother bus to complete their trip. While school ad work are the domiat trip purposes durig weekdays, WATS riders frequetly use the system for a variety of trip purposes o Saturday. May of the riders have bee usig the bus service for five years or more, although a large group of ew riders have bee ridig for less tha oe year. WATS Fiacial Summary The followig is a summary of WATS fiacial data betwee 1996 ad The summary addresses operatig expeses, operatig reveues ad capital expeditures ad reveues. The fiacial data comes from the US Departmet of Trasportatio s Natioal Trasit Database ad is ot adjusted for iflatio. Operatig Expeses Table 4-19 provides a summary of WATS operatig expeses from 1996 through WATS total operatig expeses i 2003 was $2.7 millio. Labor costs, icludig salaries, wages ad employee beefits accouted for $1.8 millio or 68 percet of total operatig costs. Labor costs cosistetly accouted for aroud 70 percet of operatig expeses betwee 1996 ad Operatig expeses icreased about five percet per year o average betwee 1996 ad Page 4-54

13 Table 4-19: Operatig Expese Summary Salary, Wages ad Beefits $1,316,946 $1,388,687 $1,466,716 $1,598,581 $1,625,860 $1,675,038 $1,747,908 $1,855,601 Materials ad Supplies $170,982 $179,640 $171,407 $204,372 $257,395 $308,347 $298,712 $361,665 Purchased Trasportatio $173,514 $198,487 $212,354 $228,620 $250,499 $257,203 $268,260 $237,502 Other Operatig Expeses $219,880 $212,246 $223,585 $244,138 $233,563 $236,292 $241,516 $267,883 Total Operatig Expeses $1,881,322 $1,979,060 $2,074,062 $2,275,711 $2,367,317 $2,476,880 $2,556,396 $2,722,651 Percet Aual Chage 5% 5% 10% 4% 5% 3% 7% Source: 2003 Natioal Trasit Database, US Departmet of Trasportatio. Note: Figures ot adjusted for iflatio. Figure 4-19: 1996 Source of Operatig Expese Fudig State 43% Local 24% Federal 13% Fares 19% Other 1% Figure 4-20: 2003 Source of Operatig Expese Fudig Federal 31% State 34% Local 21% Fares 13% Other 1% Page 4-55

14 Operatig Reveues Operatig fuds come from several sources. Figure 4-19 ad Figure 4-20 idicate the sources ad percetages of fudig used to cover the total operatig costs described above for 1996 ad I 1996, fare box reveues covered 19 percet of all operatig costs. I 2003, fares covered 13 percet of total operatig costs. The pie charts also illustrate the greater proportio of operatig expeses beig fuded by federal assistace. I 1996, Federal fudig oly accouted for 13 percet of total operatig reveues. By 2003, that percetage icreased to 31 percet. The State s percetage of reveue made up 43 percet i 1996 ad 34 percet i Most of the federal fuds are from the 5307 program, while most of the state fuds are from the program Local fuds accouted for 24 percet of reveues i 1996 ad 21 percet of reveues Other fuds, which refer to reveues geerated from advertisig ad/or purchased trasit services, made up oly oe percet of total fudig i both 1996 ad Table 4-20 lists the dollar amouts from WATS reveue sources ad the aual percetage icrease/decrease betwee 1996 ad Federal assistace icreased sigificatly betwee 1996 ad 1998, with a 20 percet icrease i 1997 ad a 42 percet icrease i Federal dollars also saw substatial icreases each year betwee i 2000 ad 2003, which is likely the result of TEA- 21 fudig icreases. Table 4-20: Sources of Operatig Fuds Expeded Fare Reveues Local Fuds State Fuds Federal Assistace Other Reveues $352,555 $356,712 $342,697 $382,046 $368,937 $372,044 $357,958 $364,986 1% -4% 11% -3% 1% -4% 2% $443,745 $454,041 $414,436 $482,986 $572,845 $524,569 $527,002 $562,440 2% -9% 17% 19% -8% 0% 7% $821,699 $852,298 $878,488 $936,142 $923,493 $950,677 $899,096 $904,187 4% 3% 7% -1% 3% -5% 1% $242,370 $290,901 $411,945 $454,898 $472,274 $601,333 $741,310 $856,304 20% 42% 10% 4% 27% 23% 16% $20,953 $25,108 $26,496 $19,639 $29,768 $28,257 $31,030 $34,735 20% 6% -26% 52% -5% 10% 12% Total $1,881,322 $1,979,060 $2,074,062 $2,275,711 $2,367,317 $2,476,880 $2,556,396 $2,722,652 5% 5% 10% 4% 5% 3% 7% Source: 2003 Natioal Trasit Database, US Departmet of Trasportatio. Note: Figures ot adjusted for iflatio. State fudig has remaied relatively stable betwee 1996 ad However, WATS received slightly less fudig from the State i 2002 ad 2003 tha i 1999, 2000 ad These fudig decreases are more sigificat if adjusted for iflatio. Local reveues have fluctuated with substatial icreases i 1999 Page 4-56

15 ad 2000 ad with otable decreases i 1998 ad As oted earlier, the percet icrease i fare reveue was due to higher fare prices iitiated that year. Excludig the 1999 fare icrease, fare box collectios have show slight declies. Capital Expeditures ad Reveues Capital expediture fudig has varied greatly from year to year depedig upo specific capital eeds, fudig availability, ad project priorities. Table 4-21 lists the amout of aual fudig by source for capital ivestmets betwee 1996 ad Federal dollars, mostly from the 5309 program, accouted for the largest fudig source for capital expeses. Local fudig accouted for 20 percet, the local match required for federal trasit dollars. Table 4-21: Sources of Capital Fuds Expeded Local Fuds $66,112 $123,130 $473,707 $14,418 $12,794 $2,648 $13,437 $6,668 State Fuds $0 $20,642 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 $0 Federal Assistace $237,702 $512,041 $1,994,828 $57,671 $51,176 $10,592 $53,750 $26,671 Total $303,814 $655,813 $2,468,535 $72,089 $63,970 $13,240 $67,187 $33,339 Source: 2003 Natioal Trasit Database, US Departmet of Trasportatio. Note: Figures ot adjusted for iflatio. System Measures of Effectiveess Typical measures of effectiveess used by trasit systems are desiged to measure service efficiecy, cost effectiveess ad service effectiveess. The followig tables iclude measures calculated by the US Departmet of Trasportatio s Natioal Trasit Database from 1996 to Service Efficiecy The operatig expese per vehicle reveue mile ad operatig expese per vehicle reveue hour are used as measures of service efficiecy. The figures i Table 4-22 represet the average cost to WATS to provide oe mile ad oe hour of bus service (i.e. fixed route) ad demad respose service (i.e. paratrasit). The operatig expese per reveue mile for bus service was $4.37 i 2003 ad $4.34 for demad respose service. I 1996, operatig expese per vehicle reveue mile for bus ad demad respose was $3.08 ad $2.26, respectively. Icreases i these costs averaged about five percet aually over this time period. Operatig expese per reveue hour was $64.10 i 2003, ad $71.44 for demad respose service. Betwee 1996 ad 2003, the operatig expese per reveue hour for demad respose service icreased faster tha the operatig expese per reveue hour for bus service. The operatig expese per vehicle reveue hour for demad respose service surpassed that of bus service i The differece betwee the hourly costs for providig each service was eve greater i Page 4-57

16 Table 4-22: Service Efficiecy Measures Operatig Expese per Vehicle Reveue Mile Bus $3.08 $3.20 $3.33 $3.63 $3.80 $3.99 $4.04 $4.37 Demad Respose $2.26 $2.35 $2.93 $2.83 $2.86 $3.31 $3.93 $4.34 Operatig Expese per Bus $44.31 $47.40 $49.10 $52.72 $55.23 $58.47 $59.37 $64.10 Vehicle Reveue Hour Demad Respose $30.78 $34.69 $42.10 $42.73 $43.50 $54.29 $63.71 $71.44 Source: 2003 Natioal Trasit Database, US Departmet of Trasportatio. Note: Figures ot adjusted for iflatio. Cost Effectiveess Measures Operatig expese per passeger mile ad operatig expese per uliked passeger trip are trasit cost effectiveess measures, ad are displayed i Table These measures are calculated by takig the system s total operatig costs ad dividig it by the total umber of passeger miles served or the total umber of passeger trips provided for the year. I other words, it cost $1.06 o average to take oe passeger a distace of oe mile o a bus i Similarly, it cost $3.35 o average to provide oe ride o the bus i Cost per vehicle passeger mile ad per passeger trip icreased a average of ie percet per year betwee 1996 ad Table 4-23: Cost Effectiveess Measures Operatig Expese per Passeger Mile Operatig Expese per Uliked Passeger Trip Bus Demad Respose $0.58 $0.60 $0.61 $0.74 $0.79 $0.85 $0.92 $1.06 $2.26 $2.35 $2.93 $2.83 $2.86 $3.32 $3.93 $4.34 $1.82 $1.88 $1.97 $2.41 $2.56 $2.76 $2.97 $3.35 Bus Demad $10.16 $10.45 $10.45 $10.56 $10.45 $11.94 $14.59 $16.08 Respose Source: 2003 Natioal Trasit Database, US Departmet of Trasportatio. Note: Figures are ot adjusted for iflatio. The operatig expese per passeger trip i 2003 was $3.35 for fixed route service ad $16.08 for demad-respose service. The cost per passeger mile for paratrasit service is four times that of bus service. Paratrasit accouts for 11 percet of total operatig expeses ad about 2.5 percet of passeger trips. Service Effectiveess Measures Uliked passeger trips per vehicle reveue mile ad uliked passeger trips per vehicle reveue hour idicate how much riders are usig the available trasit service. The beefit of usig these measures, ulike total or average ridership, is that they accout for, or cotrol for, the amout of trasit service provided i a give year. I 2003, buses served a average of 1.3 trips per mile of service ad trips per hour of service. I compariso, demad respose service, o average, provided 0.27 trips per mile ad 4.44 trips per hour of service (see Table 4-24). Page 4-58

17 Bus service trips per mile ad trips per hour remaied relatively costat from 1996 through I 1999, both measures dropped sigificatly, which was likely the result of the fare rate icrease that year. Bus service effectiveess measures cotiued to declie through 2003, albeit at a slower rate. Demad respose service effectiveess measures saw icreases betwee 1996 ad Uliked passeger trips per mile jumped from 0.22 i 1997 to 0.28 i 1998, ad has remaied relatively costat sice. Uliked passeger trips per vehicle mile saw a otable icrease from 1996 to 1997 ad aother sigificat icrease betwee 1997 ad Demad respose services reached a passeger trips per vehicle reveue hour peak i 2001 with 4.55 trips per hour. Table 4-24: Service Effectiveess Measures Uliked Passeger Trips per Vehicle Reveue Mile Uliked Passeger Trips per Vehicle Reveue Hour Bus Demad Respose Bus Demad Respose % -1% -11% -1% -3% -6% -4% % 27% -4% 0% 4% -4% 0% % -1% -12% -1% -2% -6% -4% % 21% 0% 3% 9% -4% 2% Source: 2003 Natioal Trasit Database, US Departmet of Trasportatio. While these measures of effectiveess are useful for comparig multi-year treds, they do ot provide a referece for how WATS compares with similar trasit systems. Table 4-25 provides peer system comparisos of system efficiecies. These Wiscosi trasit systems were chose, i part, because data was readily available from the Natioal Trasit Database. Of the trasit systems icluded i Table 4-25, Wausau s service area populatio is sigificatly smaller. For each of the measures of effectiveess, WATS umbers are geerally i the mid rage amog the other four systems ad compare favorably give the greater populatio size of the peer commuities. Page 4-59

18 Table 4-25: Peer Trasit System Compariso of Fixed Route Service Service Area Service Efficiecy Cost Effectiveess Service Effectiveess Operatig Operatig Expese Operatig Operatig Expese Uliked Passeger Uliked Passeger Expese per per Expese per Trips per Trips per Populatio Square Miles Vehicle Reveue Mile Vehicle Reveue Hour per Passeger Mile Uliked Passeger Trip Vehicle Reveue Mile Vehicle Reveue Hour Wausau 45, Oshkosh 64, La Crosse 65, Keosha 91, Racie 112, Source: 2003 Natioal Trasit Database, US Departmet of Trasportatio. Trasit Plaig Recet trasit plaig activities iclude: the 2005 WATS Trasit Developmet Pla (TDP), the Trasit System Maagemet Performace Audit for the Wausau Area Trasit System adopted i 2001, the WATS Trasit Developmet Pla (TDP) adopted i 1999, ad the Log Rage Trasportatio Pla Wausau Metropolita Area adopted i 1996 ad re-affirmed i The followig is a summary of those plas. WATS Trasit Developmet Pla (TDP) (2005) The TDP was prepared by Abrams-Cherwoy & Associates with Urbitra Associates. It is updated every five years ad provides a five-year capital improvemet program ad service recommedatio pla. The 2005 TDP is aticipated to be adopted i Jue Draft versios of the pla were refereced for the developmet of this pla. The 2005 TDP provides iformatio o the service area s socioecoomic characteristics, existig services assessmet, a peer group aalysis, service stadards assessmet, ad iput sought from drivers, commuity stakeholders ad the geeral public. The TDP s recommeded service pla describes a set of operatig recommedatios phased i over the five year period of the TDP ad will subsequetly be supported by a capital program, fiacial pla, ad acillary recommedatios i support of the service recommedatios, all of which comprise the five-year Trasit Developmet Program. The service pla forms the core of the program describig route ad service recommedatios. If this pla is implemeted as described i the TDP recommedatios, at the ed of the five-year program, WATS will truly be a regioal system with: Service to Cedar Creek ad Rib Moutai, i additio to services already provided i Wausau, Rothschild, Schofield, ad Westo 30 miute weekday daytime headways Page 4-60

19 Year-roud Saturday service with 45 miute Saturday headways 45 miute eveig headways six days a week A U-Pass program A ew system idetity program Trasit System Maagemet Performace Audit Wausau Area Trasit System (2001) WisDOT is required by statute to coduct a maagemet performace review of all urba trasit systems receivig State aid. Performace reviews are coducted at least oce every five years. Abrams-Cherwoy & Associates produced the last audit i The report focused o three major areas: a peer group aalysis to determie overall system effectiveess ad operatig effectiveess, a review of policy ad decisio-makig processes of the system ad impact o system operatig effectiveess ad efficiecy, ad a detailed audit of each fuctioal area of the system. The audit s peer aalysis determied that WATS geerally raks i the middle of the atioal peer group for the amout of service it provides, operatig costs ad reveues, ad ridership. WATS was the smallest amog the systems icluded i the atioal peer group, suggestig a strog performace. Similarly, WATS performace raked i the middle of selected Wiscosi systems, which also teded to have larger populatio service areas. WATS fuctios as a departmet of the City of Wausau. WATS s process for policy ad decisio-makig ivolves the trasit director reportig to a special Trasit Committee established by the City Coucil of Wausau. The Trasit Committee cosists of five mayoral appoitees from Wausau (3 coucil members ad 2 citizes) ad oe represetative each from Rothschild ad Schofield. The maagemet performace review compoet of the trasit audit focused o the followig eight fuctioal areas: maagemet ad orgaizatio, iteral eviromet, service plaig, vehicle maiteace, trasportatio, accoutig ad fiace, marketig, ad persoel ad labor relatios. Recommedatios from the 2001 trasit audit are summarized below ad are followed by a status report o each recommedatio (i italics): WATS should create a missio statemet ad a series of measurable goals ad objectives for the system ad each employee as part of their performace evaluatio. WATS s missio statemet was created i the late 1980's, with goals ad objectives last updated durig the developmet of the 1992 Trasportatio Developmet Pla. WATS should moitor ridership ad reveue o a route-by-route basis. Comprehesive o/off couts should be coducted as well as public hearigs held to allow commuity ivolvemet, prior to sigificat service chages. WATS does moitor ridership ad reveue o a route-by-route basis ad is curretly workig to improve the software applicatio used for this purpose. A 100% actual passeger cout is coducted daily. WATS does have a Page 4-61

20 writte policy for the solicitatio of public iput, which has bee approved by the Federal Trasit Admiistratio. Iput is solicited for all proposed service reductios ad fare icreases. WATS should work to idetify ew market opportuities ad strategies for log-term growth. Areas for growth were idetified i the last two Trasportatio Developmet Plas. However, policy decisios ad a lack of fudig have limited growth opportuities. WATS, with the City, should fid ways to fill maiteace departmet vacacies withi the cotext of the City s hirig freeze. The vacacies have ot bee filled. WATS had six maiteace positios whe this recommedatio was made ad ow has four. Vehicle maiteace ad facility cleaig cotiues to be a problem give the lack of persoel. Maiteace staff should be icreased to 4.5 full-time equivalet bus mechaics. WATS curretly has three full-time bus mechaics. The fourth positio was elimiated. Road supervisio should be icreased to cotiually esure quality trasit service system wide. Esurig quality service cotiues to be a goal. Video cameras were istalled o all busses as a step toward this goal. The City should coduct idepedet audits of WATS cash maagemet to esure cotiued moey hadlig procedure security. I early 2004, a idepedet auditig firm audited cash hadlig procedures. Expad existig marketig iitiatives. Marketig has ot bee expaded due to budget costraits. Establish aual goals ad targets for the marketig ad iformatio pla. Aual goals ad targets for marketig ad iformatio pla have ot bee accomplished due to budgetig costraits. Explore optios for providig public service aoucemets ad issue press releases to local media for low cost advertisig i additio to paid campaigs. WATS does issue press releases wheever possible. Most advertisig is via radio with most statios matchig paid advertisig with public service advertisig at o charge. Page 4-62

21 Log Rage Trasportatio Pla Wausau Metropolita Area (1996) The 1996 LRTP trasit recommedatios cosisted primarily of providig ew service i the form of four routes to serve employmet ad activity areas i Rothschild, Kroewetter, Rib Moutai, ad possibly east Westo, ad the developmet of a ew trasfer Ceter i the Westo/Schofield area. May of these recommedatios have ot come to fruitio, although the areas idetified for ew service have cotiued to develop as major destiatios. Oe key success has bee the implemetatio of a ew Westo route which bega i Jauary 2006 ad serves some of Westo s employmet ad activity areas. However, the desig ad auto-orietatio of developmet i these areas make providig effective trasit service a challege. Paratrasit Services (WATS+) WATS cotracts with Badger Care-A-Vas for the provisio of a curb-to-curb va service for persos who, because of a disability, are uable to use WATS fixed route bus service. WATS+ paratrasit users must be certified by WATS. WATS+ service was desiged to meet the service stadards established by the Americas with Disabilities Act (ADA) of Reservatios must be made at least oe day prior to the requested trip. The service area icludes ay area, which is withi 3/4 mile of a regular bus route i Wausau, Rothschild, Schofield, ad Westo. Approximately 65 percet of households ad 63 percet of people live withi the ¾ mile buffer zoe of existig fixed route trasit service. Figure 4-16 idetifies the ¾ mile buffer zoe aroud WATS regular bus routes represetig WATS+ service area. WATS+ service hours correspod to regular WATS Bus service hours, which is Moday through Friday from 6:00 AM to 6:30 PM ad Saturday 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM. Fare price is curretly $2.00 per ride. Paratrasit Plaig Maratho Couty Program Evaluatio Team (P.E.T.) Trasportatio Services Recommedatios (2002) The P.E.T. Trasportatio Services Recommedatios were completed i September The Maratho Couty Huma Services Committee directed the P.E.T. to study the specialized trasportatio issues facig Maratho Couty Departmets. Curretly, specialized trasportatio services are provided by a variety of departmets ad orgaizatios, may of which provide overlappig services. The P.E.T. recommeded creatig a ew Trasportatio Departmet i which curret services would be provided uder a sigle trasportatio provider. To date, this recommedatio is still beig evaluated. Maratho Couty Paratrasit Study (2001) The study, prepared by Urbitra Associates, Ic. with Abrams-Cherwoy & Associates, reviewed paratrasit Page 4-63

22 services withi the Wausau area provided primarily by Wausau Area Trasit System Plus (WATS+) This study idetified umerous issues with regard to providig demad resposive services for persos i the Greater Wausau Area ad Maratho Couty. The study also provided a pla for ehacig paratrasit services over a five-year period geared primarily toward cotrollig costs ad icreasig efficiecy ad trip sharig o the WATS+ system. It suggested that the recommedatios proposed would allow WATS to maitai better cotrol of the program ad provide more flexibility i service delivery. It also oted that regioal trasportatio coordiatio i Maratho Couty had may issues to overcome prior to istitutig a ew program, although there was a opportuity for agecies to begi to work together toward the commo goal of improvig trasportatio for persos with disabilities. Trasit Related Public Commets Through the Wausau LRTP public ivolvemet process, several commets were received regardig trasit service, specifically the desire to see icreased eveig service ad more weeked service. Several commets related to expadig service to other areas of the commuity. Rib Moutai ad specifically Wal-Mart ad the Rib Moutai Drive commercial area were metioed. Target, Goodwill, the ew St. Claire s Hospital i Westo ad the Cedar Creek mall area i Rothschild were also amed as locatios where more trasit service was desired. As previously metioed, the Westo locatios have bee receivig trasit service as of Jauary Trasit related safety issues were discussed as aother importat trasit issue. There was particular cocer for safety at the Bus stops alog Bridge Street across from the Pick-N-Save where there is ot a sidewalk for waitig trasit riders. The safety cocer is compouded durig the witer whe sow piles up ear the curb forcig trasit riders to wait i the street. Trasit Issues ad Opportuities: Future developmet patters i geeral ad site developmet specifically will be a major factor i limitig access to trasit riders ad limitig the potetial for reachig ew trasit markets. Kroewetter, Rothschild, ad Schofield, are pursuig efforts to provide public trasit service to their residets. These commuities are cosiderig alterative service providers to WATS. Rothschild ad Schofield curretly have a cotract with WATS through The Village of Westo s decisio to provide trasit service i Westo may ecourage other muicipalities to work with WATS to exted trasit services to their commuities. Page 4-64

23 The Wausau metropolita area does ot have metropolita area wide trasit service. The etire urbaized area should have access to trasit service. While residetial desities i Schofield, Westo, Rothschild ad Rib Moutai are ot ideal for providig trasit service, a lower level service may be feasible i these areas. Several large employmet ad commercial destiatios provide potetial opportuities for ehacig trasit service i serve these commuities. Page 4-65

24 PEDESTRIANS Walkig is ofte overlooked ad udervalued as a trasportatio mode. Yet, i the Wausau MPA, 2.3 percet of commuters reported regularly walkig to work. Walk commutig percetages are eve higher withi the City of Wausau s older eighborhoods ear dowtow. These percetages do ot iclude other pedestria activity, such as walkig trips to school, to shoppig, or for recreatio, may of these pedestrias are childre ad seiors, requirig special cosideratio regardig pedestria eeds. Pedestrias also iclude persos usig wheelchairs, who also require access to pedestria facilities. Everyoe is a pedestria at some poit i his or her trip, whether it is walkig to the parkig lot, a bus stop, or to work from home. The most commo pedestria facilities people thik of are sidewalks. Other facilities iclude pedestria ramps, pedestria islads (i.e. road medias), crosswalks ad pedestria sigals. Where sidewalks are ot available, roads ad/or road shoulders provide the public rightof-way for pedestrias. However, what costitutes a pedestria-friedly or walkable eighborhood or busiess district is much more tha merely havig the aforemetioed facilities i place. A walkable or pedestria-friedly commuity is oe that provides a comfortable ad safe eviromet for pedestrias. Havig sidewalks certaily is oe part of the equatio; however, other ameities such as street trees, pedestria-scale lightig, street furiture ad boulevard space separatig vehicle traffic laes from sidewalks are also importat. Aother importat elemet of walkable commuities is havig somethig to walk to. Destiatios, such as commercial areas, parks, churches, ad schools, eed to be withi walkig distace ad accessible if walkig is goig to be a serious trasportatio alterative. The scale ad iterest of buildigs ca add or detract from the pedestria experiece. Studies have also foud that pedestrias like compay ad seeig other pedestrias icreases oe s comfort level ad sese of safety ad security. Requiremets for pedestria facilities withi the Wausau MPA vary by muicipality. Muicipalities withi the urbaized area geerally do ot require sidewalks i residetial areas. The Village of Rothschild is the exceptio, requirig sidewalks withi ew residetial developmets. The City of Wausau addresses the issue of sidewalks with developers o a case by case basis. However, iterest i creatig walkable eighborhoods ad dowtow areas has bee icreasig. Neighborhoods costructed prior to World War II geerally icluded sidewalks. Post war era eighborhoods teded to be built without sidewalks. Retrofittig areas with sidewalks is ofte cotroversial give cost ad fudig issues (i.e. who should pay). Page 4-66

25 Sidewalk Ivetory The City of Wausau ad the Village of Westo maitai relatively comprehesive GIS sidewalk ivetories, which idicate where sidewalks exist ad whether sidewalks are o oe or both sides of the street (see Figure 4-21 ad Figure 4-22). Wausau s sidewalk ivetory illustrates that the City geerally has sidewalks o both sides of the street throughout most of the commuity s older (i.e. pre-world War II era) eighborhoods. The streets i these areas also ted to adhere to a strict grid patter system, which provides pedestrias more direct routes betwee destiatios i cotrast with curviliear streets ad cul-de-sacs. The City of Wausau also idetifies proposed sidewalks withi the ivetory. These proposed sidewalks are focused primarily alog key arterial roadways that serve destiatios i the outlyig areas of the City, such as the ew high school, the hospital, ad the West Wausau Idustrial Park. The Village of Westo has sidewalks o oe or both sides of several key streets icludig sectios of: Schofield Aveue, Jeliek Aveue, Alderso Street ad Camp Phillips Road. Roughly half of the streets that make up the WATS Route K, servig Westo, have sidewalks. However, sidewalks are lackig alog some key roads, such as Ross Aveue ad much of Westo Aveue. Most residetial areas do ot have sidewalks. Figure 4-21 ad Figure 4-22 icludes the locatios of trasit routes ad schools. As oted previously, most trasit users access the bus system o foot ad therefore rely o pedestria facilities. Iadequate pedestria facilities, ot oly make it more difficult to use the bus, they ca also pose safety hazards to riders. Pedestria Facilities withi the Wausau MPA Dowtow Wausau pedestria mall Newly costructed sidewalk alog existig road School locatios are show i Figure 4-21 to highlight pedestria access to schools. Pedestria facilities ear schools are essetial for providig safe routes to schools for childre, a particularly vulerable populatio. Sidewalk data was either uavailable or ot provided by other muicipalities withi the MPA. Page 4-67

26 Pedestria Safety Pedestria related crash data from Jauary 1994 through 2004 was obtaied from the WisDOT Motor Vehicles Traffic Crash Sectio. Less tha two percet of all reported crashes betwee 1994 ad 2004 ivolved pedestrias. Over the te year period there was, o average, about 20 pedestria related crashes per year. Table 4-26 below summarizes the aual umber of crashes ivolvig pedestrias for each muicipality. The City of Wausau has cosistetly experieced the highest umbers of crashes ivolvig pedestrias. This is ot surprisig give that Wausau is the largest commuity by populatio ad employmet. Furthermore, Wausau s pedestriaorieted dowtow ad older eighborhoods attract more pedestria activity tha ewer auto-orieted commuities. More pedestrias usig the trasportatio system results i a greater potetial for vehicle-pedestria coflicts. The cities of Mosiee ad Schofield ad the villages of Westo ad Rothschild saw about the same total umbers of crashes ivolvig pedestrias over the te year period. However, the Village or Rothschild did ot have a crash ivolvig a pedestria reported durig the three year period ecompassig 2002, 2003, ad I cotrast, the Village of Westo had seve crashes ivolvig pedestrias reported durig the same three year period. Table 4-26: Pedestria Crashes by Muicipality Total C-Mosiee C-Schofield C-Wausau T-Kowlto 1 1 T-Maie 1 1 T-Stetti T-Wausau 1 1 T-Westo V-Rothschild V-Westo Total Source: WisDOT Motor Vehicles Traffic Crash Sectio Note: Oly iclude muicipalities with reported crashes ivolvig pedestrias. About 35 percet of pedestria-ivolved crashes occurred betwee the hours of 3:00 PM ad 6:00 PM. Aother 18 percet of pedestria crashes occurred betwee 12:00 PM ad 2:00 PM. Thursdays ad Modays had the highest umber of pedestria crashes with 39 (20%) ad 38 (19%) of the 198 total crashes ivolvig pedestrias, respectively. Page 4-68

27 N 48TH AV 48TH AV GROUSE LN SANDPIPER AV S 45TH AV N 44TH AV BOBWHITE RD S 44TH AV N 43RD AV N 41ST AV JADE AV S 39TH AV 38TH AV S 38TH AV N 36TH AV SNOWBIRD AV N 36TH AV N 36TH AV S 36TH AV FALCON AV N 35TH AV FALCON AV N 34TH AV N 33RD AV N 32ND PL UNNAMED N 32ND AV S 32ND AV PARTRIDGE AV N 30TH AV N 29TH AV 28TH AV N 28TH AV S 28TH AV US 51 S 24TH AV S 22ND AV S 22ND AV S 20TH AV 21ST PL S 21ST AV S 20TH AV S 20TH AV S 19TH AV S 18TH AV N 16Th AV N 17TH AV S 16TH AV N N 14TH AV S 14TH AV S 14TH AV S 13TH AV N 12TH AV S 12TH AV S 11TH AV S 11TH AV N 11TH AV S 10TH AV S 9TH AV N 10TH AV S 9TH AV N 9TH AV S 8TH AV S 8TH AV N 7TH AV N 8TH AV N 8TH AV S 7TH AV N 7TH AV N 6TH AV N 7TH AV N 6TH AV WERLE AV S 5TH AV N 5TH AV S 5TH AV N 5TH AV N 4TH AV N 4TH AV S 4TH AV N 4TH AV N 3RD AV N 2ND AV N 2ND AV N 1ST AV CHERRY ST CLEVELAND AV LENARD ST PLUM DR EMTER ST MARSHALL ST N BUREK AV BUREK AV PEARSON ST ZIMMERMAN ST N 1ST ST N 2ND ST N 3RD ST N 4TH ST BECHER DR N 5TH ST N 5TH ST GOWEN ST MATHIE ST N 6TH ST N 7TH ST FLORAL LN PROSPECT AV EMERSON ST EMERSON ST N 8TH ST BATTERY ST KING ST GENRICH ST LASALLE ST N 9TH ST N 9TH ST N 9TH ST N 10TH ST N 10TH ST N 10TH ST N 10TH ST N 10TH ST S 10TH ST N 11TH ST N 11TH ST N 11TH ST N 12TH ST N 12TH ST N 12TH ST N 13TH ST N 12TH ST N 13TH ST S 12TH ST N 13TH ST N 14TH ST N 13TH ST N 14TH ST N 13TH ST S 13TH ST N 15TH ST N 14TH ST 14TH CT COATES LN N 17TH ST S 17TH ST SKYLINE LN N 18TH ST S 20TH ST N 20TH ST S 21ST ST UNNAMED THANKSGIVING RD N 24TH ST EASTER RD N 25th ST S 25TH ST HAWTHORNE LN URS Corporatio N:\ \Projects\wausau_area_sidewalks_map.mxd Date: 10/5/ :15:38 AM Name: jwill City of Wausau Sidewalk Ivetory ARTESIAN WAY S 48TH AV S 48TH AV STETTIN W SHERMAN ST TATE CT TANAGER RIDGE RD STEWART AV STETTIN HUNTINGTON CT RIB RIVER TRL EDGEWOOD BLVD STETTIN DR S 44TH AV BROOKS PL MOCKINGBIRD LN INDIAN SPRINGS DR 1914 STATE HIGHWAY 29 UNNAMED UNNAMED SUNNYHILL LN NORTH MOUNTAIN RD MANDARIN LN INDIAN CT COUNTY ROAD U CENTRAL DR UNNAMED BROADBILL LN CRYSTAL DR STETTIN MAINE S EMERALD DR RIB MOUNTAIN APPLE LN W WAUSAU AV HILLTOP AV POLZER DR WILDWOOD LN MAPLE HILL DR N 28TH AV WEGNER ST NEHRING ST STATE 29 EAST OFF RA SHERMAN RD LOMAR DR GERALDS CT RICHARDS RD LISBETH RD MARIA DR HONEYSUCKLE LN SKYLARK LN SWALLOW AV OWL LN OSPREY DR SUNBIRD LN BLUEJAY LN MADONNA DR CHRISTIAN AV TERRACE CT WESTHILL DR GLENDALE AV SPRINGDALE AV HUBBILL AV SEYMOUR LN BLUEJAY LN ROYALSTON CT S 28th AV SWALLOW LN BLUEJAY LN PLAZA DR RAVEN AV N 27TH AV N 26TH AV 26TH PL 26TH AV 24TH PL OVERLOOK DR BOOT LN WEST RIDGE DR WESTWOOD DR RIDGE VIEW DR US 51 SOUTH ON RAMP 24TH AV HELMKE ST PINE RIDGE BLVD 22ND PL N 20TH AV STATE HIGHWAY 52 WEST ST MERRILL AV 21ST PL MALLARD LN BOVINE LN ARTHUR AV ARLINGTON LN US 51 NORTH ON RAMP S 19TH AV PARDEE ST S 20TH AV GOOSE LN US 51 SOUTH OFF RAMP N 16TH AV US 51 NORTH ON RAMP PORTER ST GARFIELD AV WALNUT ST S 17TH AV TH AV RIB MOUNTAIN DR N 15TH AV BRADY ST MERRILL AV SILVER SPRING ST STEVENS DR N 14TH AV S 16TH AV SHERMAN ST LAKE ST N 13TH AV BISSELL ST NORTON ST S 15TH AV BADGER AV GOLDEN MEADOW ST N 16TH AV S 18TH AV 16TH AV QUAW ST S 14TH AV SHERIDAN RD N 14TH AV KENWOOD DR STEWART AV MADISON ST SUNSET DR 13TH AV TEAL AV BLUEBIRD LN NICOLET ST W CAMPUS DR N 12TH AV N BUS HWY S 13TH AV W BRIDGE ST PINE ST W STROWBRIDGE ST HOLUB ST SPRUCE ST S 13TH AV N 12TH AV S 12TH AV W WAUSAU AV GREENHILL DR WEST ST S 10TH AV CALLON ST S 9TH AV BOPF ST FERNWOOD DR QUAW ST HILLCREST AV BEECHWOOD DR CEDAR ST S 7TH AV 1857 ROSECRANS ST W THOMAS ST CHELLIS ST SPRUCE ST PARDEE ST S 8TH AV S 7TH AV FLIETH ST SUMMIT DR S 6TH AV CRESCENT DR W KNOX ST W UNION AV NORTON ST MAPLE ST 1959 W RANDOLPH ST GARFIELD AV S 6TH AV S 6TH AV S 5TH AV PARK BLVD IMM ST E WAUSAU AV ELM ST PORTER ST S 5TH AV CLAYTON ST W ELDRED ST W KNOX ST S 4TH AV QUAW ST S 3RD AV OAK ST ALEXANDER ST CLARK ST S 2ND AV S 1ST AV COTTAGE ST CHELLIS ST JOYCE ST WYATT ST CAROL DR E CAMPUS DR E BOS CREEK DR W NORTON ST LAKEVIEW AV E RANDOLPH ST E UNION AV CHERRY ST RIVER ST MYRON ST EDWARDS ST ADOLPH ST NOWAK ST CHELLIS ST LILLIE ST BURNS ST N RIVER DR N 1ST ST ADRIAN ST 8670 RIVER DR ST AUSTIN AV 4389 HENRIETTA ST BUGBEE AV W CROCKER ST GEMINI PL DEVOE ST E WAUSAU AV PARK AV LINCOLN AV SHORT ST N 2ND ST GRANT ST FOREST ST S 4TH ST MOBILE AV HUMBOLDT AV CHICAGO AV DIVISION ST E THOMAS ST MEMORIAL PARK RD GRAVES AV LANGSDORF ST PLATO ST EAU CLAIRE BLVD MCCARTHY BLVD ROSS AV KENT ST ETHEL ST TIERNEY RD E UNION AV WESTON AV BROADWAY AV ADAMS ST 2301 KOLTER ST BIRCH ST GILBERT ST NINA AV MCCLELLAN ST SCOTT ST JEFFERSON ST S 7TH ST SEYMOUR ST PARCHER ST AUGUSTA AV FULTON ST BROWN ST E BRIDGE ST STURGEON EDDY RD RUDER ST BERNARD ST FRENZEL ST LEUBNER ST FLEMING ST FAIRMOUNT ST MIDWAY BLVD EWING ST TURNER ST DEKALB ST HAMILTON ST MILLER AV BROADWAY LN FRANKLIN PL RIVERVIEW CT N ST PAUL ST KICKBUSCH ST SINGLE AV SUMNER ST HORSESHOE SPRING RD GRAND AV ARTHUR ST PROSPECT AV E CROCKER ST N 8TH ST ADAMS ST N 9TH ST WINTON ST MCINDOE ST S ST PAUL ST N BELLIS ST GRAY PL TORNEY AV S BELLIS ST MCDONALD ST BIRD ST SPRING ST STEUBEN ST 6433 STARK ST WASHINGTON ST JACKSON ST MCINTOSH ST SINGLE AV SYLVAN ST SUMNER ST PLUMER ST LE MESSURIER ST HENRIETTA ST E ROSS AV NORTH HILL RD HIGHLAND PARK BLVD S BELLIS ST PLEASANT ST GILBERT ST ADAMS ST FOREST ST YOUNG ST S 11TH ST MANSON ST DUNBAR ST MONROE ST E KENT ST BARKER AV KICKBUSCH ST ANKOR ST 13TH DR JUNCTION ST MALAK CIR NORTHWESTERN AV SELL ST HAMILTON ST S 13TH ST S 13TH ST N 14TH ST Both Sides AADT WAUSAU Cout Site FRANKLIN ST Rivers, Creeks ad Lakes Schools All Others Admiistratio College E LEMKE ST Elemetary UNNAMED Middle Juior high High WESTON 3069 Other Special Educatio Techical College Mile N 15TH ST N 15TH ST N 15TH ST EASTHILL DR SWANEE AV E PARK AV Sidewalks N 16TH ST REGAN ST EASTHILL PL MILWAUKEE AV Oe Side Proposed E HAMILTON ST Bus Route STATESMAN DR SILVER LN SUMNER ST MCINTOSH RD HIDDEN TRL MEADOW BROOK WAY TOWNLINE RD SCHLEI LN HAMILTON ST Moutai Bay Trail Railroad streets figure 4-21 Source: City of Wausau, SUNSET AV I N 25TH ST

28 URBAN ST RICHEY ST LAUT ST ARNOLD ST FERGE ST BIRCH ST HEEREN ST RYAN ST ZINSER ST JONES ST PINE PARK ST PINE ST CENTER ST BERLIK ST KIRK ST DEER ST MARY ST ST MARKS ST VON KANEL ST CLARBERTH ST TAMARACK LN LESTER ST GAVITT ST WESENICK ST ARNOLD ST LOUIS ST SOUTHRIDGE DR VOLKMAN ST LANDON ST PEARL ST BURNS ST S BIRCH LN SYLVAN ST WILLOW ST SIBERIAN DR LABRADOR RD RANDOM ST PAYNE ST OLD COSTA LN S GORDON ST RICHFLEX ST EDWARDS ST RICKYVAL ST RIVER MEADOW DR WILDERNESS LN KOZLOWSKI ST GRAND AV SALZMAN AV Village of Westo Sidewalk Ivetory E KENT ST LAHR AV TIMBER ST KERSTEN RD figure 4-22 PEARL ST MEURET LN HAMPTON AV CECIL ST BRUCE ST NORTHWESTERN AV AIRPORT ST JOAN DR QUENTIN ST QUENTIN ST PAULS AV ISAIAH ST SKELLY ST ALEX ST MORELAND AV MARYLAND AV RADTKE ST RIVER ST WESTERN RD GROSSMAN DR MALLARD CT VERN LN BEVERLY LN E RAYBELLE DR HUBERT ST FULLMER ST ERDMAN ST JACOBY ST WENDY LN FOX RUN LN LOUANN DR PINE RIDGE LN MICHAEL DR CHERYL DR HEWITT AV ROCK RAPIDS DR SANDY LN HEATH ST ALAN LN PINE TER SCHOONOVER RD JAMES LEE ST POWERS ST RED OAK CT PAT ST MUSKY DR CREEL DR QUENTIN ST CHRISTIANSEN AV KRAMER LN WESTON DANA LN DIANE LN DROTT ST JARP ST PLEASANT VIEW DR EAU CLAIRE AV DJ LN JM PL RIVER PINES SKRZYPCHAK LN BABL LN UNNAMED GUSMAN RD URS Corporatio N:\ \Projects\Westo_sidewalks_map.mxd Date: 10/5/ :15:38 AM Name: jwill 1ST ST PARK ST 2ND ST YAWKEY AV PARK DR KELLY AV MILITARY RD E KORT ST COUNTY ROAD XX EVA RD E CHARLES ST W GRAND AV E GRAND AV WOOD ST HOLT ST PARK ST SHORT ST KURTH ST RAINBOW CT GREENWOOD DR MARGIE ST LEE ST LEMKE AV SPRING ST E BRUS 51 AV EDGAR AV RODAEO DR VOLKMAN ST OAK AV MACHMUELLER ST BRUS 51 DEPOT ST PRIEBE AV POST AV DALEY AV HEUSS AV LILI LN HARLYN AV NORMANDY ST FOOTHILL AV WOODWARD AV LAMBERT ST BRIAN DR REED RD CLARK ST S NORMANDY ST MARGARET ST METRO DR NEUPERT AV ELSEGUNDO AV MONTEREY AV LAGUNA AV EVEREST AV HIGHLAND AV PERRY DR LAWNDALE ST MASON ST LAWNDALE ST FRONTAGE RD BLOEDEL AV WALL ST ALTA VERDE ST DOUGLAS DR CEDAR CREEK DR INDUSTRIAL AV CUTOFF RD FOREST ST ALDERSON ST HEMLOCK AV SUMMIT AV RADTKE AV JEFFREY LN BUCKHORN AV PARTNERS LN ELM ST MAPLE ST E NEUPERT AV JOSEPH AV ERIC ST POINTE RD SANDHILL DR FOX ST JELINEK AV PARK RIDGE DR N HORSESHOE DR S HORSESHOE DR HARWOOD AV BUSKA ST BAYBERRY ST COUNTRY CREEK LN NORMA AV GLAD ST WARWICK DR STANDING OAK DR CONCORD AV MOUNT VIEW AV BIRCHWOOD LN STATE HIGHWAY 29 WINDSOR DR WINDEMERE PL STONE GATE DR BIRCH ST LEEDS CT HOWLAND AV CAMP PHILLIPS RD BERNARD AV GORDON ST LAUT AV ASPEN ST MINISTRY PKWY E BERNARD AV STONE RIDGE DR STERNBERG AV ZADRA ST DOUGLAS LN STATE 29 WEST ON RAM KATHLEEN ST WESTON AV ABITZ ST ACRE AV S TIMBER ST CEDAR AV E EVEREST AV STATE 29 EAST ON RAM TRANSPORT WAY NICK AV KENNEDY AV SUNSET ST FELCH DR HOLLY AV WOODLAND DR VON KANEL ST COROZALLA DR LINDA ST SCOTT ST LEE AV E JELINEK AV PINE RD ROSS AV SHIRLEY AV MESKER ST JANICE AV JAMAR ST CHADWICK ST WESTFAIR AV KELLYLAND ST MOYER AV STERNBERG AV HARNEY AV MUNICIPAL ST MORNING VIEW LN TRICIA AV THOMAS AV ROGAN LN SAXON AV STELLA AV CONNIE LN MERIDIAN AV AMIR DR FULLER ST MARY LN HEATHER ST MEMORY LN MEADOW LN KYLE RD KELLY PL TEAGAN LN SHAWNA ST LANG LN DANIELLE DR N APACHE LN APACHE LN RIVER BEND RD LORA LEE LN FEITH AV V. OF WESTON SHOREY AV CHEROKEE ST RANDYLYN ST KMIECIK ST HUNT ST RYAN AMY DR HOLMAN RD WILLARD LN KOSTUCK LN BONNIE LN SKI LN TECHNOLOGY DR JAGLER LN CALLON AV SOLAR AV SCHOFIELD AV COMMERCE DR ENTERPRISE WAY Sidewalks o oe side. Bus RINGLE Route V. OF KRONENWETTER Source: Village REID of Westo SYNERGY CT DECKER ST SCENIC DR VENTURE CIR BREHM ST E NICK AV RIVERVIEW LN JANELLE ST BRIANNA ST CHRISTIE LN CARIBOU LN ROBLE LN PENINSULA LN RINGLE RD MAPLEWOOD DR STATE 29 EAST OFF RA STATE 29 WEST OFF RA ADVENTURE WAY COUNTY ROAD J Sidewalks KELLNER DR RIVER RD SPORTSMAN LN N SHADY LN OASIS DR Moutai Bay Trail. Multi use path. Path areas. EAU CLAIRE DR RINGLE AV S SHADY LN ROBIN LN Sidewalks o both sides. streets Schools Rivers, Creeks ad Lakes All Others Admiistratio College Elemetary Middle Juior high High Other Special Educatio Techical College Mile I TIMBER RIDGE LN

29 Durig the te year period, there were 203 people ijured ad ie fatalities as a result of the 198 crashes ivolvig pedestrias. Table 4-27 lists the earest itersectio of crashes ivolvig pedestrias betwee 1994 ad The table icludes all locatios that had two or more crashes ivolvig a pedestria ear the idetified itersectio. Two itersectios had four crashes ivolvig pedestrias from 1994 through 2004 ad oe itersectio had three crashes ivolvig pedestrias. Fiftee itersectios had two crashes ad 157 locatios had oe crash ivolvig a pedestria over the te year period. The two itersectios with the highest umber of crashes ivolvig pedestrias are withi oe block of each other. Both these itersectios are also about oe block from the WATS Dowtow Trasit Ceter, which raises cocers regardig what is likely a high pedestria area. It is uclear whether the people ivolved i these crashes were trasit users. Table 4-27: Crashes Ivolvig Pedestrias by Locatio to Nearest Itersectio Muicipality O Street at Closest Crossig Street Crashes C-Wausau 6 St at Jefferso St 4 C-Wausau 6 St at Washigto St 4 C-Wausau Stewart Ave at 3 Ave 3 C-Wausau 3 Ave at Rosecras St 2 C-Wausau 3 Ave at West St 2 C-Wausau 3 St at Dekalb St 2 C-Wausau 6 St at Wausau Ave 2 C-Wausau 7 St at Jackso St 2 C-Wausau 7 St at Washigto St 2 C-Wausau Adams St at 9 St 2 C-Wausau Bridge St at 10 Ave 2 C-Schofield Grad Ave at Lakeview Dr 2 V-Westo Machmueller St at Jeliek Ave 2 C-Mosiee Pie St at 9 St 2 C-Wausau Scott St at 3 St 2 C-Wausau Stewart Ave at 7 Ave 2 C-Wausau Thomas St at 6 Ave 2 C-Wausau Wausau Ave at Steves Dr 2 Itersectios with 1 Crash Ivolvig Pedestrias 157 Total Crashes Ivolvig Pedestrias 198 Source: WisDOT Motor Vehicles Traffic Crash Sectio. Pedestria Crash Locatios Figure 4-23 illustrates pedestria ad bicycle related crash locatios throughout the Wausau MPO from Jauary 2000 through Several pedestria crashes have occurred alog US Bus 51/Grad Aveue betwee Towlie Road ad Ross Street. Grad Aveue is a heavily traveled street, with little or o separatio betwee through-traffic laes ad sidewalks. There are also umerous driveway Page 4-71

30 accesses alog this stretch of roadway, which create coflict poits for pedestrias ad vehicles. Several crashes ivolvig pedestrias are idicated i the Dowtow Wausau area, although perhaps ot as may as oe might expect give the high amout of pedestria activity i this area. Stewart Aveue ad Thomas Street show distict clusters of crashes ivolvig pedestrias alog these corridors. Four crashes ivolvig pedestrias occurred withi a four block area betwee 7 th Aveue ad 3 rd Aveue alog both Stewart Aveue ad Thomas Street. Both Stewart Aveue ad Thomas Street should be assessed for pedestria safety desig problems. The MPO should cosider coductig a comprehesive pedestria safety aalysis. The State has gathered a sigificat amout of crash data ivolvig pedestrias. However, much of this data eeds to be cleaed ad geo-refereced i a Geographic Iformatio System (GIS) to better idetify ad map problem areas. Additioal data o the amout of pedestria activity is eeded as well as a more complete ivetory of pedestria facilities to allow for a more complete ad comprehesive pedestria safety aalysis to be coducted. Page 4-72

31 Pedestria ad Bike Crashes: figure 4-23 BERLIN TEXAS HEWITT ") WW 51 MAINE ") W ") K STETTIN ") U 52 WAUSAU ") Z EASTON BUS ") N ") N Wausau Iset ")NN WESTON URS Corporatio N:\ \Projects\MPO_Ped_Bike_Accidets.mxd Date: 8/10/2005 3:58:27 PM Name: jwill MARATHON MOSINEE ") B ") N RIB MOUNTAIN ")KK ") N BUS 51 V. OF KRONENWETTER V. OF WESTON 29 RINGLE 153 Crashes Bicycle-related crash 1 Pedestria-related crash I Miles BERGEN KNOWLTON GUENTHER BEVENT Source: WisDOT ") X BUS 51 ") XX ") SS ") JJ ") X Leged ") J REID

32 ADA Compliace The Americas with Disabilities Act (ADA), eacted o July 26, 1990 gave civil rights protectio to idividuals with disabilities. The ADA is divided ito five sectios or titles ad provides protectio from discrimiatio o the basis of disability i the followig areas: Title I Employmet Title II Public Services Title III Public Accommodatios ad Commercial Facilities Title IV Telecommuicatios Title V Miscellaeous Of the five, Title II ad Title III of the ADA are the two sectios that most affect existig improvemets withi the public right of way. Title II, Subpart A of the ADA, requires that State ad Local Govermets provide people with disabilities access to all programs, services ad activities. Title III prohibits discrimiatio o the basis of disability i public places ad i commercial facilities. Architectural barriers are required to be removed i existig public facilities (e.g. replace curbs ad provide curb ramps). Title III strogly recommeds that public places comply with barrier-removal requiremets accordig to the followig priorities (US DOJ, 1991): 1. Access to a place of public accommodatio from public sidewalks, parkig, or public trasportatio. 2. Access to those areas of a place where goods ad services are made available to the public. 3. Access to ad usability of restroom facilities. 4. Ay other measures ecessary to provide access to the goods, services, facilities, privileges, advatages, or accommodatios of a place of public accommodatios. Complyig with ADA requiremets should be a high priority for all Wausau MPO jurisdictios. Federal regulatios through the US Departmet of Justice have set ADA stadards for accessible desig, which ca be accessed through their website at alog with other ADA-related iformatio. Pedestria Plaig This sectio provides a summary of the pedestria elemets from recet plaig documets Wausau Area Log Rage Trasportatio Pla The 1996 Wausau Area LRTP idetified safety ad coveiece as the two pedestria objectives. The pedestria safety compoet of the pla called for improved physical facilities, Page 4-74

33 traffic cotrol devices, pedestria safety educatio ad attetio give to traffic sigal timig, provisios of pedestria refuge islad, ad well marked pedestria crossigs. The Pedestria compoet called for improved physical facilities, ew subdivisio ad developmet desigs coveiet to pedestrias, special attetio give to providig direct pedestria routes to street ad parkig facilities that miimize walkig distaces betwee streets ad trasit stops to commercial destiatios. Recommeded pedestria improvemets icluded: The River Edge Parkway improvemets. New bridges should be built with adequate pedestria paths. New ad existig urba ad suburba streets should be provided with sidewalks ad shoulders o rural roads. The 1996 LRTP recommeded followig WisDOT s guidelies for istallig sidewalks, which called for sidewalks o both sides of all streets except whe residetial street desities were lower tha oe uit per acre, i which case a sidewalk o oe side of the street was recommeded. New ad existig rural roads should be provided with shoulders. Rivers Edge Master Pla The Rivers Edge Master Pla was prepared by the Rivers Edge Commissio ad adopted by the City of Wausau i The pla idetifies short ad log term strategies for improvig public access to the Wiscosi River, which rus through the heart of Wausau. The pla addresses may maagemet ad use issues related to the river with a focus o cotiuig developmet of a river edge parkway alog the river that liks parks alog the river by improvig pedestria ad bicycle trasportatio facilities ad ehacig recreatioal opportuities. The pla evisios a web of walkways alog the corridor that reaches from City limit to City limit. The pla s proposed ad existig multi-use trails are illustrated i Figure While focusig o the recreatioal aspects of the trails, the pla s proposed trail system also has the potetial to serve as a viable trasportatio corridor for pedestrias ad bicyclists. Wiscosi Pedestria Policy Pla 2020 WisDOT published the Wiscosi Pedestria Policy Pla 2020 i March The pla outlies statewide ad local measures to icrease walkig ad to promote pedestria safety. The pla establishes state goals ad objectives ad idetifies actio steps for WisDOT to take toward achievig these goals ad objectives. The pla does provides some pedestria plaig guidace for MPOs ad recommeds that MPOs set specific pedestria objectives, develop sidewalk ivetories, review existig ordiaces regardig the istallatio ad retrofittig of sidewalks. Other plaig elemets to cosider icluded reviewig cost assessmet practices for fiacig pedestria projects, aalyzig pedestria crashes, reviewig sow removal issues relatig to pedestria travel, ad developig pedestria improvemet recommedatios. Page 4-75

34 Pedestria Issues ad Opportuities Retrofittig sidewalks alog oe or both sides of streets has bee a cotetious issue give that fifty percet of the costs are deferred to the property ower adjacet to the ewly costructed or rebuilt sidewalk. Still, residets geerally support creatig a regioal etwork of bicycle ad pedestria facilities. However, there is less agreemet o how such improvemets should be fuded. All urbaized commuities eed to address the provisio of sidewalks withi ad betwee their commuities i order to developmet a comprehesive ad complete pedestria system. Page 4-76

35 BICYCLE AND MULTI USE TRAILS Bicyclig ca serve both a recreatioal fuctio ad a utilitaria trasportatio fuctio. Bicyclig, as a mode of trasportatio, is likely to be most viable withi more desely developed urba areas, provided safe bicyclig routes are available to desirable destiatios. Bicyclists vary by age, experiece ad kowledge, attitudes toward traffic, physical fitess levels, ad reasos for ridig (e.g. recreatioal trips, commutig, shoppig, or exercise). Because of these differeces, bicycle facilities that are appropriate or desirable for some riders may ot be appropriate or desirable for other riders. A experieced bicyclist may be very comfortable ad prefer to ride i mixed traffic whereas more casual bike riders may prefer to stay o dedicated trails ad local roads. It is importat to uderstad these differeces whe cosiderig what types of facilities should be provided. Bicycle Plaig Wiscosi Bicycle Trasportatio Pla 2020 WisDOT ackowledges the importace of bicyclig as a legitimate trasportatio mode ad clarifies its role i ecouragig bicyclig i the Wiscosi Bicycle Trasportatio Pla This pla presets a blueprit for improvig bicyclig coditios ad ecouragig bicyclig i the state ad calls for the implemetatio of metropolita area bicycle plas prepared by Metropolita Plaig Orgaizatios. Wiscosi Bicycle Plaig Guidace& Wiscosi Bicycle Facility Desig Hadbook WisDOT has published two recet documets relatig to bicycle plaig ad bicycle facility desig. Wiscosi Bicycle Plaig Guidace was published i Jue 2003 ad provides guidelies for metropolita plaig orgaizatios ad commuities i plaig bicycle facilities. The documet is available o the Iteret ( The Wiscosi Bicycle Facility Desig Hadbook was published i Jauary 2004 ad provides a wealth of detailed iformatio for desigig a rage of bike facilities, from o-road bike routes to dedicated trails. Rural Bike Facilities Bicycle & Pedestria Pla for the No-Urbaized Area of Maratho Couty, Wiscosi, (1996) The Bicycle & Pedestria Pla for the No-Urbaized Area of Maratho Couty, Wiscosi, (1996) suggested bike routes alog a etwork of Couty roads throughout Maratho Couty. The pla focused solely o rural areas ad suggested routes that were based o road ad shoulder widths, pavemet coditios, traffic volumes ad coectivity. With the exceptio of the Moutai-Bay Trail, oe of the other suggested routes have bee officially desigated or siged as bike routes. Page 4-77

36 Urba Bike Facilities 1996 Log Rage Trasportatio Pla The 1996 LRTP idetified some existig desigated bike routes ad several proposed bike routes. However, the pla states that arrow street widths preset a major challege to addig bicycle laes to existig streets, thus limitig the implemetatio of a comprehesive ad safe system of bicycle laes throughout the metro-area. The 1996 LRTP recommeded log-term bike improvemets i cojuctio with ew bridge costructio ad road wideig projects. Such improvemets have bee icluded i recet projects or plaed projects. The ew McCleary Bridge is oe example where bike ad pedestria facilities were icluded i the desig of the bridge. Similarly, the plaed west arterial bridge icludes dedicated pathways to accommodate bicyclists ad pedestrias. A ew bike/pedestria bridge is also beig costructed to cross the Wiscosi River coectig Rothschild to the east ad Rib Moutai to west. Bicycle Compatibility Idex (BCI) The BCI is a tool developed for the Federal Highway admiistratio, which is used to aalyze the bicycle-friedliess of a particular segmet of roadway. The BCI is based o traffic volume, speed, width of outside travel laes, presece of bike laes; paved shoulders, lad uses, parkig, etc. (see below). The BCI provides a valuable tool for assessig o-road bike coditios. However, detailed data o parkig, pavemet type, pavemet width, area type, curb-lae width, curb-lae traffic volume, other lae traffic volume, ad traffic speed data are required to calculate the idex. Some of this data is provided i the WISLR database. Page 4-78

37 Bicycle Compatibility Idex Source: Wiscosi Bicycle Plaig Guidace; Wiscosi Departmet of Trasportatio; Jue O-Street Bicycle Facilities O-road bicycle facilities provide some of the most cost-effective alteratives for providig accommodatios for bicyclists. Oe of the difficulties with creatig o-road facilities is fidig eough road width space to provide both safe ad coveiet routes that offer good access to major destiatios. Bicyclists eed access to major arterials which serve key destiatios or they eed coveiet parallel routes where busy arterials caot accommodate safe bicycle facilities. Arterials eed to accommodate bicyclists, for bicyclig to be a viable mode of trasportatio for commutig ad other utilitaria trip purposes. O-street bicycle Page 4-79

38 facilities also serve as importat coectios betwee off-street bicycle facilities. Off-street bicycle facilities are great for recreatioal bicyclig but ofte do ot provide access to destiatios eeded for utilitaria bike trips. Bicycle laes A bicycle lae is a portio of the roadway desigated for exclusive or preferetial use by bicyclists (see Figure 4-24). Desigated bike laes provide the bicyclist with a five foot desigated lae ad a clear delieatio betwee bike areas ad car area. Bicycle laes are always oe-way facilities ad are idetified with pavemet markigs ad sigig. O two-way streets, a oeway bicycle lae should be provided o each side. Bicycle laes are the preferred bicycle facility o higher volume urba ad suburba roadways (i.e., collector ad arterial streets) but are seldom justified o residetial streets. Amog the beefits of bicycle laes are: Figure 4-24: Bike Lae spacig Source: Wiscosi Bicycle Facility Desig Hadbook, Jauary 2004, Wiscosi Departmet of Trasportatio. through itersectios; Icreasig bikeway visibility i the trasportatio system. Defiig a space for bicyclists to ride; Helpig less experieced bicyclists feel more cofidet ad willig to ride o busier streets; Reducig motorist lae chagig whe passig bicyclists; Guidig bicyclists Wide outside laes Where there is isufficiet room to istall bicycle laes o urba ad suburba arterial ad collector streets, creatig wide outside travel laes ca help accommodate both bicycles ad motor vehicles (see Figure 4-25). It is WisDOT s policy to give strog cosideratio to bicycle laes ad wide outside travel laes o all urba cross-sectio projects. Figure 4-25: Wide Outside Laes A useable lae width of at least 14 ft, ot icludig the stadard 2-ft. gutter pa, is eeded for a motor vehicle ad bicycle to operate side by side. As a alterative, a lae width of 15-ft may be used with a 1-ft. gutter pa ad 1-ft. curb head. This optio provides extra effective width for the bicyclist sice it moves the joit lie betwee the gutter pa ad roadway closer to the curb face. I really tight right-of-way situatios, a lae width of 14 ft ot icludig a arrow 1-ft. gutter pa may be acceptable. Source: Wiscosi Bicycle Facility Desig Hadbook, Jauary 2004, Wiscosi Departmet of Trasportatio. Page 4-80