Challenge to A Transit Agency: The New Orleans Downtown Transit Center Study Tim Reynolds Cincinnati, Ohio
New Orleans RTA
RTA s Response? Do a study!
Study Purpose Enable safe, comfortable and convenient connections between buses and between buses and streetcars. Provide opportunities for economic growth, community revitalization and joint development.
Project Team
PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT
COMMITTEES Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) Agencies RTA Standing Committees Special Transportation Services Committee Riders Advisory Committee
stakeholders City of New Orleans Councilmember briefings City TAC representative Department of Public Works Downtown Development District
meetings Public Meetings Rider Workshops Surveys At meetings Postcard On-line
surveys
Technical approach
Existing conditions
Streetcar Bus
Passenger amenities
Alternatives analysis
Kickoff / Purpose and need Tier 1: Universe of all potential sites High level assessment Narrow to 3-4 primary sites Satellite/secondary sites Tier 2: Detailed evaluation of 4 primary sites Selection of Locally Preferred Alternative Conceptual renderings Prep for next stage of development
Tier 1 screening Sites 1 2 3 4a 4b 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Basin Street Rampart Duncan Canal- French Street Plaza Claiborne Market TIER 1 SCREENING RATING CRITERIA TOTAL (Max Score = 90) Rampart - Canal Four Corners Canal Street: Rampart - Dauphine Curbside Canal Street: Rampart - Dauphine Neut. Ground Union Passenger Terminal (UPT) Canal at Ferry Terminal Canal Street Lot at LaSalle Galvez at Medical Center 70 72 64 64 66 68 63 58 57 64 47 56 49 Ranking 2 1 5 5 4 3 7 8 9 6 12 10 11 Distance to Canal Street 4 5 5 5 5 3 2 5 4 5 2 4 1 Access to streetcar lines 5 5 5 4 4 3 3 5 4 4 3 4 1 Bus capacity-existing 5 5 5 5 4 5 2 3 5 5 5 5 1 Bus capacity-future 5 4 3 4 4 3 2 1 1 5 1 3 1 Ability to allow layover/recovery time 5 5 3 3 3 5 5 4 5 5 3 3 5 Estimated capital cost 2 2 4 4 3 2 5 3 2 1 5 3 5 Estimated system operational cost Time to implement (for 2018 opening) 5 5 4 4 4 3 2 2 2 3 2 2 1 2 3 4 4 3 2 5 4 2 1 4 3 5 NEPA issues & concerns 1 3 5 5 4 4 5 4 4 3 2 3 5 Impact on traffic, parking, loading zones Impacts to adjacent properties 4 3 2 1 3 5 4 2 3 4 1 3 3 4 4 2 2 4 4 4 4 4 4 3 3 3 Access to jobs 3 4 4 5 5 3 2 2 2 3 2 2 1 Compatibility with economic growth of urban core Opportunity for future economic development Opportunity for iconic design Opportunity to provide amenities 4 4 2 2 4 4 3 3 4 4 2 2 1 2 3 1 1 2 5 4 2 2 5 1 1 3 5 4 3 3 2 5 3 3 2 4 2 4 2 5 4 2 2 2 5 4 2 4 5 1 2 4 Safety & security 4 4 5 5 5 3 3 4 3 2 3 4 2 Site Control 5 5 5 5 5 4 5 5 4 1 5 5 5 Broad - Washington
Primary Site Alternatives 3. Duncan Plaza Map to be inserted 2. Rampart St. 1. Basin St. 4. Canal St. Neutral Ground
Rampart Street
Rampart Street
Edge of Duncan Plaza
Edge of Duncan Plaza
Basin Street
Basin Street
Basin Street
Basin Street New Orleans Downtown Transit Center Alternatives Analysis
Tier 2 screening TIER 2 SCREENING RATING CRITERIA ALTERNATIVE SITES Description Measure Weight Basin Rampart Basin- Duncan Street Street Rampart Plaza Facility Design: Rider Experience 30% 126.3 82.6 74.9 97.1 Passenger Waiting Area Size Square footage available for rider amenities and waiting areas 5 4 1 4 5 Ease of Transferring Walk time between most distant bus bays; include signal timing 6 5 5 1 5 Walk Time to Streetcars Average walk time to nearest Canal streetcar stop 8 4 5 4 1 Convenient Station Layout Ease of pedestrian circulation within the transit center area 11 4 1 1 3 Facility Design: Community Experience 20% 69.366 38 61.083 73 Iconic Design Potential 3 5 3 5 3 Ease of bicycle access (ability to provide bicycle Bicycle Facilities and Access parking and proximity to bicycle lanes) and impact 3 5 3 4 3 to bicycle infrastructure Capacity for On-site Transit Oriented Development Leasable sq. ft. potential on-site (ground-floor) 3 1 0 1 5 Relative Traffic Impact Congestion-Level of Service (LOS); Transit-LOS 5 4 1 3 2 Diminished visibility and access to neighboring Business Visibility and Access business 3 4 3 3 5 (Parking Added added at discontinued bus stops) - Net On-Street Parking Change (Parking removed at station area) 3 1 2 3 5 Location 15% 63.9 63.1 63.5 47.9 Visibility and Activity Evaluation of level of activity and visibility in area surrounding transit center 7 4 4 4 2 Population in Half Mile Buffer Population 3 5 4 4 3 Jobs in Half Mile Buffer Number of jobs 5 4 5 4 5 Implementation 15% 30.0 60.0 23.0 45.0 Ease of Construction Level of complexity to construct facility 8 2 4 2 3 Capital Cost Estimated construction costs 7 2 4 1 3 RTA Service Impacts 20% 78.6 81.9 96.9 80.0 Bus Service Impacts Service hours 10 4 5 5 3 Capacity Number of bus bays 10 4 3 5 5 TOTAL 100% 368.2 325.7 319.4 342.9
Locally preferred alternative..
Recommended approach High level feasibility analysis Re-set the public involvement process TAC Downtown stakeholders Agencies Riders Public
Lessons learned
Don t skimp on public involvement Push back if possible Take the study to the people Better vett ALL alternatives Dive deeper into stakeholder issues Don t assume agency representatives really represent their agency Be flexible
Challenge to A Transit Agency: The New Orleans Downtown Transit Center Study Tim Reynolds Tim Tim Reynolds Reynolds Cincinnati, Ohio reynoldsti@pbworld.com Cincinnati, Ohio reynoldsti@pbworld.com Cincinnati, Ohio