Evaluating the Long-Term Sustainability of Shuttle Service in Mount Rainier National Park September 16, 2014

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Project Team

CORE TEAM • Bryan Bowden, MRNP (retired) • Barbara Samora, MRNP • Dianne Croal, NPS PWR • Pat Sacks, NPS DSC • Darryll Johnson, PNWCESU

(retired) • Steve Lawson, RSG • Brett Kiser, RSG OTHER/ADVISORY • Henrietta DeGroot, NPS • Dirk Grotenhuis, RSG • Joe Segale, RSG (former) • Nathan Reigner (UVM)

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Purpose

• Challenge the conventional approach to shuttle service planning in national parks and public lands.

• Demonstrate a resource management-based approach in Mount Rainier National Park.

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Mount Rainer National Park

• Established in 1899 • 235,625 acres • ~1 million visitors annually • Intensive summer visitation (70%) • Paradise (85% visit)

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Transportation & Visitor Use Management Issues

During peak summer periods… • Parking shortages at Paradise • Overflow parking on Paradise Valley Road (+300; NHLD) • Crowding on trails • Alpine meadow impacts due to off-trail hiking

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MRNP General Management Plan (2002)

The park needs a transportation plan: • Design and operate shuttle as the primary focus. • Eliminate all undesignated overflow parking. • Deploy ITS to manage peak demand.

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Conventional Shuttle Service Planning Measure demand…

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Conventional Shuttle Service Planning Analyze demand and estimate ridership…

To Paradise

From Paradise

9:00 AM-10:00 AM - - 10:00 AM-11:00 AM 74 0 11:00 AM-12:00 PM 382 2 12:00 PM-1:00 PM 428 154 1:00 PM-2:00 PM 424 291 2:00 PM-3:00 PM 392 409 3:00 PM-4:00 PM 127 397 4:00 PM-5:00 PM 73 329 5:00 PM-6:00 PM 26 170 6:00 PM-7:00 PM 0 160 7:00 PM-8:00 PM - 56 8:00 PM-9:00 PM - -

Total 1,926 1,967

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Conventional Shuttle Service Planning Develop operating plan and cost estimates…

Operating Plan and Cost

Service Span Mid-June thru Labor Day

Days of Week Sat-Sun

Fleet Size 11

Headways 10-15 mins.

Annual Operating Cost $373,058

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Conventional Shuttle Service Planning Intentional transportation conditions…

Unintentional Park

Conditions

Visitation (Demand)

Transportation Planning and Management

Intentional Transportation

Conditions

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Conventional Shuttle Service Planning Unintentional park conditions…

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Conventional Shuttle Service Planning Unintentional park conditions…

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Conventional Shuttle Service Planning Unintentional park conditions…

People at One Time - Emerald Lake

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

0

22

44

66

88

110

132

154

176

198

220

242

264

286

308

330

352

374

396

418

440

462

484

506

528

550

572

594

Simulation Time

PA

OT

Emerald Lake 15 People

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MRNP Shuttle Service Planning Intentional transportation and park conditions…

Intentional Park

Conditions

Park Management Objectives

Transportation Planning and Management

Intentional Transportation

Conditions

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MRNP Shuttle Service Planning Define and quantify desired park conditions…

Visitor density threshold, ~ 100 ft2/hiker

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MRNP Shuttle Service Planning Determine acceptable visitor use levels…

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MRNP Shuttle Service Planning Estimate ridership and develop plan…

To Paradise

From Paradise

9:00 AM-10:00 AM - - 10:00 AM-11:00 AM 43 0 11:00 AM-12:00 PM 37 1 12:00 PM-1:00 PM 393 2 1:00 PM-2:00 PM 181 182 2:00 PM-3:00 PM 160 216 3:00 PM-4:00 PM 32 194 4:00 PM-5:00 PM 18 134 5:00 PM-6:00 PM 6 67 6:00 PM-7:00 PM 0 53 7:00 PM-8:00 PM - 7 8:00 PM-9:00 PM - -

Total 872 856

Operating Plan and Cost

Service Span Mid-June thru Labor Day

Days of Week Sat-Sun

Fleet Size 5

Headways 10-15 mins.

Annual Operating Cost $212,577

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Key Differentiators

Conventional Approach Demand-driven; customer service in a traditional sense Intensive/expensive service In conflict with resource management objectives

MRNP Approach Shuttle service as a visitor use management tool Less expensive service According to resource management objectives

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Not so Fast - Displacement Daily Paradise Visitation, Summer 2011

~12,000 visitors (June thru Labor Day); ~900 on peak days

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Visitor Use Management Hypothetical Redistribution of Paradise Visitor Use

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Conventional Shuttle Service Planning Redistributing visitor use on the Half Dome Cables…

www.rsginc.com

Contacts

www.rsginc.com

Contacts

Steve Lawson, PhD Director

slawson@rsginc.com 802-295-4999