Project Narrative Albuquerque, NM July 31, 2015
1 Project Identification As the first bus rapid transit (BRT) project in New Mexico, the Albuquerque Rapid Transit (ART) line will run through the heart of the city along Historic Route 66 (Central Avenue). There will be 20 stations along the alignment between Coors Boulevard and Louisiana Boulevard in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The ART will provide 16 hours of service during the weekdays with seven and a half minute headways most of the day. During the weekend, it will provide 15 hours of service with ten minute headways. The ART project is illustrated in Figure 1. Figure 1: Albuquerque Rapid Transit Alignment 2 Setting ABQ RIDE serves the City of Albuquerque, which has an estimated population of 556,495. The population of Albuquerque is expected to increase 66 percent by 2050 and sustainable urbanization plans are vital to successfully guiding the growth of Albuquerque. Support has been pledged from every level of government, the metropolitan planning organization, University of New Mexico, Central New Mexico Community College, Presbyterian Hospital, Innovate ABQ Epicenter, Living Cities foundation and an array of businesses and residents. ART is more than just a critical transportation upgrade for Central Avenue it is a transformative economic development catalyst for the entire city. ART will provide frequent service to Central Avenue, ABQ RIDE s highest ridership corridor. The Central Avenue corridor is one of only nine river crossings in the Albuquerque metropolitan area and ART will efficiently connect people to destinations on the opposite side of the Rio Grande July 31, 2015 1
River. The ART will operate on Central Avenue from Coors Boulevard to Louisiana Boulevard a distance of approximately 8.75 miles. This section will include a two lane center running busway, except: Through the Downtown area where ART vehicles will operate in mixed flow traffic; From San Pasquale to 10th Street in west Downtown where a single, reversible ART lane is proposed; and, From Broadway Boulevard to Interstate 25 and from University Boulevard to Girard Boulevard where a bi directional ART lane is proposed. The major activity centers located along Central Avenue that will be served by ART are: Albuquerque BioPark: The Albuquerque BioPark has several features that are connected by a train, including a zoo, aquarium, botanical gardens, and Tingley Beach. It is the number one tourist destination in the state of New Mexico, attracting 1.2 million annual visitors. Old Town: Old Town is a historic district containing over 150 restaurants, galleries, and stores. There is a central plaza that has regularly scheduled events, and three Figure 2: Bryn Mawr Station Rendering popular museums. It is a major activity center for tourists and locals. Downtown: The project alignment is within four blocks of almost every major building in the Central Business District. It is also proximate to the regional convention center, city and county government complex, and the Alvarado Transportation Center (ATC). The ATC is a transportation hub that includes ABQ RIDE, Greyhound bus service, and the regional commuter rail service, which provides commuter rail service Valencia, Bernalillo, and Santa Fe counties. Downtown has an employment base of approximately 25,000. Innovate ABQ: Innovate ABQ is a seven-acre site that was purchased by University of New Mexico in 2014 for the purpose of developing a hub for research and innovation activities. The project is a public private partnership involving the City of Albuquerque, University of New Mexico, Bernalillo County, and various private entities. It is currently under development and is aimed at attracting researchers in accordance with City of Albuquerque economic development initiatives. Presbyterian Hospital Complex: The health complex includes a 453-bed acute care hospital and physicians offices. The complex employs approximately 4,000 people. University of New Mexico: The UNM central, north, and south campuses have a student, faculty, and staff population of about 39,500 when school is in session. The vast majority of these are located on the UNM central campus, which is bounded on the south by Central Avenue. Central Avenue also provides indirect access to the north and south campuses via other local transit routes that connect to those operating on Central Avenue. July 31, 2015 2
Nob Hill: Nob Hill is a busy local entertainment district, with restaurants, bars, galleries, theaters, and local retail shops. Established neighborhoods surround this main street environment. There are approximately 2,575 jobs in this area. EXPO New Mexico. Expo New Mexico is a 236-acre state-owned facility used for large special events, such as the State Fair. It is also home to the Albuquerque Downs Race Track and Casino and weekly flea market. These facilities generate significant traffic. Enhanced transit service will be provided at the west and east ends of the ART alignment. ART vehicles will operate in mixed flow traffic between the Unser Transit Center and Coors Boulevard and between Louisiana Boulevard and Tramway Boulevard. ART vehicles will also operate on Louisiana Boulevard between Central Avenue and Indian School Road to connect with the Uptown Transit Center. ART vehicles will use existing Rapid Ride stations within the enhanced service areas. 3 Current Conditions Current conditions in the corridor include the following: Population and Employment: The area that falls within a half-mile buffer of each of the proposed stations comprises 74,024 residents and 81,157 jobs. Metro-wide, these numbers represent eight percent of the total population and 21 percent of employment. Average residential population density measures 4,518 people per square mile within all station areas and employment density of 4,954 persons per square mile. Transit Ridership: Routes 66, 766, and 777 are the primary routes in the Central Avenue Corridor. Together, these routes carry more than 16,500 trips per weekday, providing the highest ridership on any route within the ABQ Ride system. Forty-two percent of all ABQ RIDE ridership is along the Central Avenue corridor. Transit Travel Time and Reliability: The Figure 3: Central Avenue west of Yucca Boulevard Existing Conditions (top) and Rendering (bottom) efficiency of service is hampered by traffic and delays at intersections. In addition, dwell times are excessive due to on-board fare collection and slow boarding times, especially for mobility impaired riders and riders transporting bicycles. Transit Capacity: Sample data collected to evaluate current peak load factors show 95% for Route 66, 90% for Route 766, and 83% for Route 777. These estimates are based on an assumed vehicle capacity of 1.5 times the number of seats. July 31, 2015 3
Corridor Revitalization: A majority of the Central Avenue Corridor station areas fall within Metropolitan Redevelopment Area Plan boundaries, for which the plans identify and prioritize redevelopment strategies tailored to each specific redevelopment area. There are nine designated redevelopment areas directly adjacent to the Central Avenue corridor. Transit Connections: The station locations provide direct transfer points with ten northsouth routes, including the Unser Transit Center, the Uptown Transit Center, and the ATC. Travel time and along the Central Avenue corridor can significantly affect the reliability of the rest of the ABQ RIDE system. Transit dependent riders: The fiscal year 2014 annual ridership for the Central Avenue corridor was 5,369,317. Based on STOPS modeling for the ART project, approximately 35 percent of ridership along this corridor is transit-dependent. 4 Purpose of the Project The purpose of the proposed project is to improve transit service along Central Avenue, to improve access to major activity and employment centers located within the project area, and to provide a framework for transit-oriented development and redevelopment along the corridor. 5 Merits of the Project The technical analysis of the ART project indicates that ART will address demand for efficient reliable service in a cost effective manner and catalyze redevelopment along the corridor. Short-term benefits include: Faster, more reliable bus service: ABQ Ride has doubled in ridership and slowed service as a result in the last decade. Projections show ART ridership will be double that of the existing Rapid Ride Red Figure 4: Atrisco Station Rendering and Green lines. ART s 18 buses will improve travel time by at least 15 percent and on-time performance by 25 percent due to a dedicated travel lane, traffic signal priority and ADA-compliant bus-level platforms that improve efficiency of exit/entry. Security and cleanliness: Project plans include transit security officers, station lighting, improved and attractive sidewalk lighting, and signalized crossings and left turns/u-turns for the safety of cars and pedestrians. Main Street streetscape: A dedicated ART lane(s) and widened sidewalk results in narrower streets, slower car traffic, and added space for outdoor café seating. New trees/landscaping are planned for 15 ART stations. July 31, 2015 4
Long-term benefits include: Improved quality of life: All of the above supports a pedestrian-friendly environment. Foot traffic encourages social and business relationships, heightens urban energy, fosters creativity and boosts economic transactions because it increases the opportunities for people to connect. Economic prosperity: Increases in investment, development, jobs and gross receipts tax revenue naturally follows jumps in business activity and population. A NAIOP study shows potential for $900 million in new development and 5,000 new jobs as a result of ART. Attracting/keeping millennials: 88% of this generation wants to live in urban settings, and they do not want to rely on cars, according to the Wall Street Journal. Attracting this demographic is crucial for growing our own business-based economy and recruiting outside companies. The ART project is committed to achieving the metrics required to be designated as the first gold standard system in the United States; top level of best practices as determined by the Institution for Transportation and Development. 6 Summary Central Avenue has the ridership, population density, land uses, and activity centers to support a successful BRT system and Albuquerque is ready for such a project. The community and intergovernmental partnerships that have been established around the project are unparalleled. One hundred and fifty (150) letters of support showcases the synergy that has developed around the ART project. ART will meet the demand for transit service by improving transit travel time, capacity, and reliability in the Central Avenue corridor. It will also benefit the entire community by improving safety and Figure 5: Potential Corridor Redevelopment Aerial Rendering encouraging new and revitalized growth for the 280 vacant parcels within a half-mile of the stations. ART will offer a choice for those who want transportation options to work, school, healthcare, and shopping while providing the infrastructure imperative to help shape our future as a competitive city with a sustainable business-based economy. July 31, 2015 5