1 PROJECT DESCRIPTION PROBLEM STATEMENT PROJECT PURPOSE AND NEED Study Purpose Study Need... 4

Transcription

1 January 2014

2 Table of Contents 1 PROJECT DESCRIPTION PROBLEM STATEMENT PROJECT PURPOSE AND NEED Study Purpose Study Need GOALS AND OBJECTIVES Short-term (ST) Goals ST Goal 1: Improve Existing Service and Operations ST Goal 2: Enhance passenger amenities ST Goal 3: Enhance technology Long-term (LT) Goals LT Goal 1: Improve mobility within the MMTD LT Goal 2: Preserve and enhance quality of life LT Goal 3: Invest in infrastructure that supports economic sustainability and viability LT Goal 4: Ensure a cooperative, communicative, and coordinated process Relationship to Other Plans and Initiatives List of Figures Figure 1.1: 2007 Levels of Congestion...6 Figure 1.2: 2035 Levels of Congestion...7 Figure 1.3: 2035 Individual Delay...8 FINAL i December 2013

3 1 PROJECT DESCRIPTION The City of Tallahassee is a medium-sized city with roughly 100 square miles of area and approximately 187,000 residents. Tallahassee s major growth and development began in the post-world War II era and has continued through the following decades. Because of strictly enforced environmental regulations and vast conservation easements to the north, and the development patterns prevalent during this growth period, the city does not have a distinct urban/suburban characteristic of many cities. Tallahassee is also home to three major institutions of higher education. These institutions include two research universities, Florida State University (FSU) and Florida Agriculture and Mechanical University (FAMU), and Tallahassee Community College (TCC), which is the local community college that primarily serves Leon, Gadsden, and Wakulla Counties. The City s focus on the integration of land use and development with transportation to increase overall mobility resulted in the designation of the Multimodal Transportation District (MMTD). This designation is a tool developed through a joint effort by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) and local jurisdictions to focus on multimodal mobility. This study is focused within the Multimodal Transportation District, hereafter the District, which is an 18- square-mile section of Tallahassee encompassing the greater downtown area and the campuses of FSU, FAMU, and TCC, as well as a regional shopping mall. As the name implies, transportation improvements in the District are concentrated on active modes of transportation (bike, pedestrian, transit) including 80% of all traffic mitigation funds generated in the District. Since the District was designated in 2009, the City of Tallahassee has installed more than 10 miles of sidewalk and dozens of transit shelters as well as adding bike lanes, multi-use paths, sharrows and other bicycle facilities. Additionally, new development in the District adheres to a community code that emphasizes higher densities and buildings located at the street with parking either structured or located in the rear. With so much effort already directed to active transportation and the intensification of land use in the densest area of Tallahassee, the District is the ideal study area for enhanced transit options (Bus Rapid Transit, Light Rail, Streetcar, or other modes). Transit has also been recently improved with 26 radial routes decentralized to 12 crosstown routes in July, Within the District, two parallel highway facilities, US 90 (Tennessee Street locally) and SR 20 (Pensacola Street/Apalachee Parkway), run east and west between TCC on the western edge of the District and Magnolia Drive on the eastern boundary where there is a large public hospital and a major regional shop mall. The area between TCC and Magnolia Drive includes the downtown, FSU, high density student housing corridors, and the denser older neighborhoods immediately surrounding the downtown. East-west travel within the District along US 90, SR 20 and a few other parallel facilities is the dominant direction of travel and the focus for the first segment of fixed-guideway analysis. StarMetro has long observed that the presence of a large student population, with different travel times than commuters and other users, does not mirror the travel peaks experienced by other cities, as the transit system is used more steadily throughout the day. With TCC on the western end of the District, FSU eastward near the FINAL 1 December 2013

4 downtown area and housing used by both between them, buses in the District are well used going eastbound and westbound at all times of the day. This Alternatives Analysis (AA) study will analyze current and future mobility needs in the District and identify and evaluate alternative short-term (3-5 years) and long-term (10-20 years) premium transit solutions to meet those mobility needs. 2 PROBLEM STATEMENT A critical early step in the AA process is developing a clear understanding of the short-term and long-term mobility problems which alternative transit solutions will address. Current travel patterns within the District occur mainly east to west on two parallel highway facilities, Tennessee Street (US 90) and Pensacola Street/ Apalachee Parkway (SR 20). Tennessee Street is a 4-lane median divided roadway connecting the eastern and western ends of the District. The center segment of US 90 is a 6-lane roadway with a two-way left-turn lane through much of the area adjacent to FSU. Right-of-way is severely limited for roadway capacity improvements. In some areas, lane widths have been narrowed from the standard 12 foot lane to 9 feet to accommodate the number of lanes needed to serve existing traffic volumes. Pensacola Street, a major state maintained east/west corridor within the study area, is a 4-lane median divided roadway on the western limits of the District continuing east to its terminus at the western edge of the FSU campus. The east/west corridor becomes Stadium Drive, a local street, as it turns south to connect with Gaines Street. Gaines has recently come under local jurisdiction when the City of Tallahassee completed a road diet, where the 4-lane roadway was reconfigured as a 2-lane roadway with additional accommodations for bicycles, wide sidewalks, and on-street parking. This narrowed typical section encourages bicycle and pedestrian travel and removes the mobility focus from the auto only travel mode. The Gaines Street revitalization area has experienced a flurry of activity post-reconstruction. College Station is a mix-use development along Gaines Street on the eastern edge of the FSU Campus. Retail storefronts with on-street parking are accompanied by residential lofts. Apalachee Parkway (US 90) is also a major east/west corridor within the study area. This 4-lane divided roadway continues east from the downtown, providing connectivity to the regional shopping mall on the eastern limits of the District. Apalachee Parkway has a suburban design with a 45 mph posted speed and vegetated median for stormwater conveyance. Service roads are provided through some sections of Apalachee Parkway, allowing ease of access to businesses and shopping. These roadways provide east/west connectivity between TCC on the western limits of the District to a large public hospital and the regional shopping mall with over one million square-feet of retail space, situated on the eastern limits of the District. The regions highest densities, from a land use perspective, occur within the District due to the high density student housing and a high concentration of State jobs within the downtown area. FINAL 2 December 2013

5 In the District, traffic demands are predicted to exceed available capacity in the year 2035, resulting in heavy congestion, long delays, and reduced mobility. The Capital Region Transportation Planning Agency (CRTPA), the local metropolitan planning organization, is concentrating on multi-modal improvements through sidewalk gap identification/remediation and bicycle network improvements. Due to the limited right of way available for roadway capacity improvements, especially within the District, multi-modal improvements have been the focus for the previous long range transportation plan updates. Based on travel characteristics within the District, current densities, and the significant redevelopment patterns underway, the draft problem statement is summarized as follows: 1. Existing peak period roadway capacity is inadequate in many corridors within the District to handle the anticipated transportation demands and there are no programmed projects for increasing roadway capacities. 2. A more substantial multimodal transportation network is needed to provide viable options for users and to achieve the densities in community land use visions, support economic development, and respond to the urbanization of population characteristics within the District. 3. The increasing demand and need for effective transit options requires greater coordination among the agencies and departments to provide an integrated transit plan for the entire District. 3 PROJECT PURPOSE AND NEED This AA study is being completed to meet the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) requirements. Following the implementation of MAP-21, FTA no longer requires a formal Alternatives Analysis (AA) as a milestone in its New Starts program. FTA, however, encourages agencies to perform sufficient technical analyses, of which many tasks are also typically included in AA work scopes, to determine the feasibility of a request for entry into FTA s Project Development phase. 3.1 Study Purpose The Purpose of the StarMetro MMTD Alternatives Analysis Project is to: increase transit ridership to, from, and between existing and emerging activity areas within the Tallahassee MMTD area, including the downtown core, the FSU and FAMU Universities, TCC, and the destinations on the eastern limits of the District; directly connect residential areas with major employment centers; help stimulate new development in the MMTD that is in support of local and regional land use goals, objectives and plans; and maximize regional support of and investment in the transportation system; These study elements will be accomplished while being environmentally sensitive and garnering broad public support. FINAL 3 December 2013

6 3.2 Study Need The Need for this project arises from: Existing roadways are nearing capacity. Existing roadways within the District are currently experiencing congestion in the peak hours. Mainly, Tennessee Street, Pensacola Street, and Apalachee Parkway (US 90 and SR 20) within the downtown area show high levels of congestion. Individual delay for automobiles is approaching an unacceptable level of service. North/south corridors are approaching levels of congestion in many corridors. Figure 1.1 shows levels of congestion in the base year, The majority of the roadways within the District are currently congested or approaching congestion during the peak hour. Due to the limited availability of right of way to accommodate future capacity improvements, those roadways approaching congestion are concerning as an acceptable level of service will not be sustainable. Population and employment growth is expected to continue and will adversely impact mobility. According to the Tallahassee-Leon County Planning Department, the population of Leon County is projected to grow from 278,377 in 2013 to 341,500 by The City of Tallahassee is expected to grow from 183,727 to 237,700 which is a 30% increase over the next 30 years. Much of the population growth is expected to occur within the District where densities and land use have been intensified through the adoption of the MMTD. Restricted right-of-way on existing corridors. Existing roadway footprints encompass much of the existing right-of-way throughout the US 90 corridor. The roadway typical section has been narrowed through much of the District to accommodate six lanes of traffic. Additional capacity improvements to this major east/west corridor will not be feasible without substantial right-of-way acquisition and disruption to the community. Significant disruption to the adjacent communities would also occur along the other roadways with the District. The projected future traffic congestion in the downtown and throughout the District. Congestion and circulation issues are projected to worsen with further population and employment growth and continued economic development in the central Tallahassee area. The CRTPA Regional Mobility Plan cites levels of congestion and delay approaching unacceptable levels prior to the 2035 planning horizon year. Figure 1.2 shows projected 2035 levels of congestion within the City of Tallahassee. Figure 1.3 displays the 2035 individual delay that would likely be experience for the auto only mode. Performance limitations of current transit system. Improvements to the transit route system through NOVA2010 have resulted in higher operating speeds and less out-of-direction travel. Elimination of the radial route system has provided opportunities to increase service and adjust individual route operations without compromising route efficiency on adjacent routes. These simple adjustments were more difficult on the old spoke and wheel system. However, without additional investments in the transit system, on-time performance will continue to degrade as roadways become more congested. To increase ridership in the District and overcome these challenges, the system requires enhancements and more passenger carrying capacity. FINAL 4 December 2013

7 Redevelopment efforts within the District. Many corridors and markets within the District have potential for new development but lack amenities, including reliable transit service, which would support and stimulate new development. Planning and economic development policy within the City of Tallahassee has identified this District as a key focal point for revitalization. The City s Comprehensive Plan identified the District for infill development and density intensification as an economic development tool. Mobility goals of the District are to work with the community to revitalize the pedestrian, bicycle and transit oriented commercial areas in the City of Tallahassee while strengthening and diversifying Tallahassee s economy. Other mobility goals are to maximize capital investment by aligning infrastructure development with economic opportunity. Increase mobility for all modes of travel. The evaluation of how each alternative will enhance Tallahassee s comprehensive transportation system, including existing and planned pedestrian and bicycle networks, will provide insight into the reduction in auto-dependency and the increase in mobility for all modes of travel. FINAL 5 December 2013

8 Figure 1.1: 2007 Levels of Congestion FINAL 6 December 2013

9 Figure 1.2: 2035 Levels of Congestion FINAL 7 December 2013

10 Figure 1.3: 2035 Individual Delay FINAL 8 December 2013

11 4 GOALS AND OBJECTIVES The HDR Capital Transit Team will work with StarMetro and Project Stakeholders to identify the project goals and objectives and finalize the problem statement that will guide the remainder of the study. The problem statement will relate mobility needs in the corridor to development patterns and the larger vision for the District. Ongoing District efforts regarding recent growth management law changes will be considered. The overall goal of the Alternatives Analysis is to improve the east-west movement in this area by evaluating enhanced transit options such as bus rapid transit (BRT), streetcar, and light rail to increase capacity, improve economic development opportunities, and to increase overall transit usage. Short-term goals include improving existing service and operations while enhancing passenger amenities and technology. StarMetro s long range vision within the Tallahassee-Leon County Comprehensive Plan addresses modal split targets for trips within the District and traveling into and out of the District. For trips originating and ending within the District, the goal is 40% be accomplished via transit, 30% by bike or on foot, and 30% via automobile. The Comprehensive Plan outlines goals for the District as follows: All employees and dwelling units should be within ¼ mile of a transit stop 80% of transit routes should operate with a 20 minute headway or lower 80% of employees and dwelling units should be served by transit routes that operate at least 16 hours a day 40% of transit stops should include benches, signage, lights, and covered or enclosed waiting areas 80% of employees and dwelling units should be within 1 mile of a transit Superstop In translating the District s existing and future needs into draft goals and objectives coordinated with the District goals in the Comprehensive Plan, the following have been developed to reflect the intent of the plans for the Alternatives Analysis: 4.1 Short-term (ST) Goals ST Goal 1: Improve Existing Service and Operations Objectives: Provide a travel option that: Increases transit ridership Expands transit markets served Effectively interfaces with current StarMetro route structure Improves schedule reliability throughout the day Enhances pedestrian and bicycle access Enhances safety for pedestrians and transit users ST Goal 2: Enhance passenger amenities Objectives: Provide a travel option that: Provides comfortable amenities to passengers both on the bus and at each stop. Provides seating areas at stops with shade/shelter where needed. FINAL 9 December 2013

12 4.1.3 ST Goal 3: Enhance technology Objectives: Provide a travel option that: Utilizes signal priority for transit vehicles Explores new technologies for wi-fi on board buses and smartphone applications for real-time bus arrival notifications 4.2 Long-term (LT) Goals LT Goal 1: Improve mobility within the MMTD Objectives: Provide a travel option that: Responds to the District travel demand patterns Provides additional travel capacity to mitigate areas of existing and projected congestion Offers a competitive commute time to a trip made via automobile, improving overall traveler productivity Seamlessly connects with other areas of the City and region Improves reliability throughout the day, leading to improved mobility Maximizes service to existing and planned corridor population and employment concentrations Serves ridership that depends on transit Enhances pedestrian and bicycle access Provides transportation alternatives to the automobile Increases overall transit use Provides connectivity and accessibility within and between modal networks Enhances safety for pedestrians and transit users LT Goal 2: Preserve and enhance quality of life Objective: Provide a transit option that: Supports individual community development and redevelopment opportunities Accommodates future growth in locations consistent with local plans Is sensitively designed with respect to existing neighborhoods and property values Enhances access to community facilities Enhances the image and use of transit service in the District by improving the rider experience Preserves and enhances environmental, cultural and historic resources Incorporates costs and benefits measures that reflect environmental and public health considerations, such as reduced greenhouse gases LT Goal 3: Invest in infrastructure that supports economic sustainability and viability Objective: Provide a transit option that: Improves economic competitiveness through reliable and timely access to employment centers, educational opportunities, services and other basic needs by workers, as well as expanded business access to markets Increases pedestrian, bicycle, transit and shared transportation modes within and among urban areas, including emphasizing options and mobility for the elderly, handicapped, and school-aged people. Increases multimodal transportation choice and capacity to provide access options, reduce trip lengths and frequencies and reduce transportation costs FINAL 10 December 2013

13 Supports development of compact growth, urban infill and redevelopment of existing commercial, office, residential, and other transportation-dependent land uses. Maximizes transportation continuity between transportation uses and modes. Expands and enhances transportation mode alternatives and services for work commuters, focusing on access to activity centers throughout region LT Goal 4: Ensure a cooperative, communicative, and coordinated process Objective: Provide a transit option that: Aligns with existing plans and stakeholder views within the District. Is prepared with a stakeholder list of public and private sector regional mobility partners, including local governments, state agencies with offices in the region, local business owners, the Universities, and interested members of the public. Aligns with federal and state policies and funding strategies. 5 RELATIONSHIP TO OTHER PLANS AND INITIATIVES The HDR Capital Transit Team will ensure that the technical efforts build on previous and ongoing studies so that the project is cost effective and consistent with the framework provided by these previous efforts. These plans and studies include, but are not limited to: Dedicated Transitway Study: Shaping Community with Transit (2008) nova2010 Transit Development Plan (2011) Regional Mobility Plan (2010) Regional Transit Study (2010) MMTD Plan (2009) MMTD Code (February 2011) Multimodal District Master Transportation Plan (ongoing) Mahan Drive (US 90) Corridor Study (2004) West Tennessee Street Corridor Study (2010) Tennessee Street Pedestrian Safety Study Tallahassee-Leon County Comprehensive Plan (revised December 2010) CRTPA Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP) FDOT Work Program CRTPA CIPs South Monroe Sector Plan Southern Strategy Plan Potential changes or updates to the MMTD Code, TDP, RMP, Tallahassee-Leon County Comprehensive Plan, FDOT Work Program, and CRTPA Unified Planning Work Program will be documented as well. FINAL 11 December 2013