Materials developed by K. Watkins, J. LaMondia and C. Brakewood Planning Process & Alternatives...

Materials developed by K. Watkins, J. LaMondia and C. Brakewood

Planning Process & Alternatives Analysis

Unit 7: Forecasting and Encouraging Ridership


Outline

• Objectives of transit planning

• Planning process

• Measuring performance


Consider this Minneapolis Example...


Which Would You Choose?

The New Green Line• Shorter distance• Runs on existing railways• Less expensive• Faster service with

fewer stops• Serves less dense

neighborhoods• Less walkable stations

The New Blue Line• Longer distance• Requires new railways• More expensive• Slower service with

more stops• Serves more dense

neighborhoods• More walkable stations


Decisions Made Through the Planning Process

• Right of way changes

• Infrastructure changes

• Operating changes

• Coverage changes

• Investment changes

• Policy changes


Broad Transit Planning Objectives

• Develop competitive transit service in the central urban area and along major corridors

• Provide maximum possible right of way separation

• Increase ridership and revenue

• Manage parking to promote transit usage


Project Justification

• Mobility improvements

• Environmental benefits

• Operating efficiencies

• Cost effectiveness

• Transit supportive land use policies

• Economic Development


Who’s Involved?

• Federal Transit Administration

• Stated Department of Transportation

• Regional Planning Agencies

• City Planning Agencies

• Transit Agencies

• Citizen Advisory Groups

FUN

DIN

G APPRO

VAL


What are the Metro Planning Products?

• Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP)– Long range projects to sustain metro area• Large transit system changes included

• Transportation Improvement Program (TIP)– Those projects from the MTP to be accomplished

in the next 4 years• Specific transit improvements included

• Unified Planning Work Program (UPWP)– Planning activities in the very short term• Collecting information and studying transit included


Transport (& Transit) Planning Process


Transport (& Transit) Planning Process

• Regional Vision & Goals– Monitor conditions & identify improvement areas

• Alternate Improvement Strategies– Forecast future population, land use, and

transportation growth– Assess impacts of different transport strategies

• Evaluation & Prioritization of Strategies– Quantify & compare the impacts/ costs of

different transport strategies


Different Planning Scales

Short Range Planning• Projects implemented

within 3 to 5 years• Requires less investment• Involves less infrastructure

& construction• Uses existing modes• EXAMPLES:

– New service schedules– New vehicles– Rerouting lines

Long Range Planning• Projects implements within

10 to 25 years• Requires larger investments• Involves more infrastructure

& construction• Implements new modes• EXAMPLES:

– Constructing a new rail line– Building a new terminal– Installing new BRT technology


Integrating Transit with Regional Planning

Within Regional Planning• Incorporates transit into

region-level alternatives

• Considers impacts/ evaluation at regional level

• MPO agency led process

Added to Regional Planning• Focus on transit at project-

level alternatives

• Considers impacts/ evaluations at project level

• Transit agency led process


Step 1: Define Goals & Objectives


Step 2: Collect Existing Inventories


Step 3: Forecast Changes & Conditions


Step 4: Set Evaluation Criteria

• What’s important to the decision-maker?

• Passengers– Availability, frequency, reliability, comfort

• Operator/ Agency– Cycle speed, coverage, safety, costs, capacity

• Community– System cost, reliability, social impacts,

environmental impacts


Step 5: Design Alternative Plans


Step 6: Calculate Impact of Designs

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS

LAND USE IMPACTSSOCIAL IMPACTS


Step 7: Evaluate & Select Most Effective Plan

• Effectiveness – How well alternatives support transport-efficiency goals

• Impacts– How well alternatives support economic & environment goals

• Cost-effectiveness (or cost-benefit analysis) – How well alternatives balance capital/ operating costs with benefits

• Financial feasibility – How well alternatives utilize readily available funding sources

• Equity – How well alternatives distribute costs and benefits across different

population groups


Measures of Effectiveness

• Transportation system capacity

• Number of accidents and incidents

• Level of service/volumes/trips on key facilities

• Accessibility measures

• System redundancy & reliability


Measures of Impacts

• Regional economic impacts– Ex: jobs added; redevelopment of distressed areas

• Effects on the human environment– Ex: change in number of nearby residences/businesses; number

of facilities, disruption or barriers

• Effect on the natural environment– Ex: number, nature, likely impacts, implications for approvals;

rare, threatened or endangered species

• Consistency with local or state plans and policies– Ex: proximity and impact on priority development areas; land use

and zoning policies.


Measures of Cost-Effectiveness

User Benefits (Costs)– time-savings;– out-of-pocket cost savings

(parking, tolls, fares);– vehicle operating cost savings

(fuel, oil, tires, insurance, depreciation); and

– safety benefits (reduced accidents, injuries and fatalities)

Non-user Benefits (Costs)– environmental benefits

(costs); and– resource savings for

transportation operations and maintenance (infrastructure unit costs)

Net Present Value (NPV) = [PV of Benefits ($) – PV of Costs ($)]

Benefit/Cost ratio (B/C) = PV of Benefits ($)/PV of Costs ($)


Cost-Effectiveness

Cost-effectiveness Index = Cost Measure ($)/Benefit Measure


Measures of Financial Feasibility

• Existing sources dedicated to project– Surplus/deficit of projected funds VS projected needs

• New sources– Steps necessary to develop the source (referenda,

legislation)

• Non-dedicated– Current and projected percentage of the total budget


Measures of Equity

• How much does transit investment improve service to transit-dependent population?

• What are the distribution of costs across population through?

• What is the incidence of significant environmental impacts?


Example Trade-Off Analysis


Reference

The materials in this lecture were taken from:• FHWA, "The Transportation Planning

Capacity Building Program.” http://www.planning.dot.gov/

• FTA, "Evaluation of Alternatives." http://www.fta.dot.gov/12304_9718.html

Materials developed by K. Watkins, J. LaMondia and C. Brakewood Planning Process & Alternatives...

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Transcript of Materials developed by K. Watkins, J. LaMondia and C. Brakewood Planning Process & Alternatives...