Proposed Downtown Denver Circulator/Distributor

Transcription

1 Proposed Downtown Denver Circulator/Distributor A FasTracks Service Plan March 2010 Rev Jan

2 Table of Contents 1 Introduction Background Alignment Transit Priority (Delay Reduction) Distributor Travel Time Operating Plan Ridership Demand Vehicles Stop Design Union Station Terminus Denver Art Museum Terminus Implementation Costs Next Steps Implementation Schedule Appendix A. Travel Time Estimation Appendix B. Service Parameters Appendix C. Distributor Alternatives List of Maps Map 1 Downtown Denver Distributor Proposed Route Alignment... 9 Map 2 Alternatives to Downtown Denver Distributor List of Tables Table 1 Bus Stop Interactions Table 2 Example: Fare Payment (Four Passengers Per Stop) Table 3 Proposed Downtown Distributor Headway Schedule Table 4 Forecast Ridership Table 5 Operating Cost Table 6 Capital Cost Table 7 Alternative Operating Scenario

3 List of Figures Figure 1 Bus bulb on the far side of intersection Figure 2 TransTeq Mall Shuttle bus Figure 3 30 foot bus Figure 4 Gillig Hybrid bus Figure 5 NABI Compo Bus Figure 6 Possible shelter design based on FasTracks designs Figure 7 Southern Terminus configuration Figure 8 Bus shelter at Denver Art Museum

4 1 Introduction The Downtown Distributor is designed to provide high quality transit service to Downtown Denver. As part of the FasTracks family of services, the Distributor will provide service to Denver Union Station, the main rail hub in Downtown Denver. This new route will link future FasTracks bus and rail riders with the heart of the Downtown employment district, while also providing connections to the Civic Center area and the museum district at the north of the Golden Triangle. The Downtown Distributor has three main purposes: Distribution. The route will serve to connect commuters from Union Station to their final destinations. With additional FasTracks projects under construction (commuter rail, light rail, BRT), Union Station will serve as a major commute hub from outlying areas to Downtown Denver. The Distributor will provide the last mile of transportation for many employees to reach their offices. Circulation. While many of the destinations along the route are employment based, there are also residential, commercial, and entertainment uses (including the Golden Triangle, Civic Center area, Denver Library and Art Museum). The Distributor will provide ways for Downtown residents or workers to reach other destinations within the area. Transit Connections. The Distributor connects the major transit hubs of Union Station and Civic Center Station, as well as light rail services on California/Stout. Passengers will have the opportunity to connect with any and all services on major corridors such as Broadway and Colfax. The Downtown Distributor will build on the successful 16 th Street Free Mall Shuttle brand of service. The Free Mall Shuttle has an established identity of its own, built upon simple, frequent, reliable, free service. These characteristics separate the Mall Shuttle from other traditional bus routes. Having a strong brand identity tends to reduce confusion, improve route visibility, and increase ridership. It will be important to create a strong identity for the Downtown Distributor associated with success of 16 th Street, but with key differences from the Mall and from other bus services. 1.1 Brand Principles The Downtown Distributor development is based around three guiding principles. Walk up Simplicity. Customers feel comfortable using transit which they can ride without having to learn the service in advance. Simple transit service is frequent, reliable, and visible. Ridership increases when customers know that they will not have a long wait for service, the route alignment is straightforward, and the service has a strong visual appeal. The 16 th Street Mall Shuttle is an excellent example of walk up simplicity. 4

5 Minimal Delay. The Downtown Distributor is designed to minimize the amount of time customers spend on the bus and waiting for the bus. This improves actual and perceived customer experience of the service. Especially after completing a longer transit trip into Downtown Denver, transit customers appreciate a quick trip to their final destinations. Form and Function. The Downtown Distributor combines functional transit design with an appealing form, improving the route s visibility and image on the street. The design features of the route help to reinforce the image of fast, frequent, reliable service, and set the route apart from standard bus services. 5

6 2 Background Plans for the Downtown Distributor evolved out of the FasTracks planning process and the Downtown Multimodal Access Plan, 2005 (DMAP). FasTracks proposes seven long distance, high capacity transit services in addition to the current Southwest and Southeast Corridor light rail lines. Most of these services will feed into Downtown Denver at Union Station. The implementation date for the Distributor must coincide with the improvements to Union Station (the second half of 2013 at the earliest). Downtown Denver currently includes over 100,000 employees, and over 6,000 households. By 2025, these numbers are expected to increase to over 145,000 employees and over 22,000 households. Transit ridership into Downtown Denver is predicted to increase by over 100 percent over this period of time, with approximately 16,000 people predicted to arrive during peak hours at Denver Union Station. Over half of these passengers are expected to have Downtown destinations. 1 The Downtown Distributor is proposed to provide additional capacity for distribution between Union Station and the Downtown area. Alternative distribution would be provided by the 16 th Street Mall Shuttle, Route 0 which runs on 17 th and 18 th Streets, and Route 15Ltd which serves 15 th and 17 th Streets (see Appendix C). The Mall Shuttle runs every 75 seconds during peak periods, while the 0 and 15Ltd provide a combined headway of under 4 minutes. Preliminary plans for the Downtown Distributor within the DMAP included peak hour headways and travel times similar to the 16 th Street Mall Shuttle, but with stops placed every 2 to 3 blocks. Significant discussion revolved around the question of whether or not to charge fares, and also the amount of transit priority which would be provided for the route. Evolving plans and more detailed studies of possible Distributor options are included in this report. Proposed frequencies are less than those originally envisioned, while transit priority and fare environment will play an important part in addressing the goals and brand principles described above. 1 Downtown Multimodal Access Plan,

7 3 Alignment The Downtown Distributor serves a variety of destinations along its two mile alignment. It runs from Union Station in the north, through Downtown Denver to the Denver Art Museum area in the south. Streets served include one way 18 th and 19 th Streets and Broadway and Lincoln Streets (shown in Map 1). The route alignment addresses the three main purposes of the Distributor. Distribution. For most of its alignment, the Downtown Distributor runs parallel to (2 or 3 blocks east of) the 16 th Street Free Mall Shuttle. While 16 th Street includes many commercial, recreational, and entertainment destinations, 18 th and 19 th Streets include mainly employment destinations. The Downtown Distributor will provide direct connections for employees of this area arriving via other transit services at Denver Union Station. Circulation. The route will also provide improved service to residents and other attractions along the route. The Golden Triangle area towards the south end of the route includes substantial residential development, while high density housing towards the northern end of the route caters to many lowerincome and elderly populations. The Downtown route passes through the Federal District along 19 th Street and the Civic Center area at Broadway and Colfax Streets, and also provides service to the Denver Public Library and the Denver Art Museum along Broadway. The route s southern terminus is across from the Art Museum at the intersection of 12 th Avenue and Acoma Street. Transit Connections. The Distributor will provide connections to many RTD transit services and several major transit hubs. Union Station Amtrak; commuter rail; light rail; Local, Express, and Regional bus service; 16 th Street Free Mall Shuttle Light rail D, F, and H lines at California and Stout streets. Civic Center Station Local, Express and Regional bus service; 16 th Street Free Mall Shuttle Local, Express, and Regional bus services with stops along the Distributor alignment. Sixteen on street stops are proposed along the Distributor alignment. The stops are spaced two to three blocks apart to allow for short walk distances but improved speed over the 16 th Street Mall Shuttle, which stops at every block. These stop distances are similar to current Downtown routes, and provide a balance of short walk distances and minimal delay. Precise stop locations are under review to determine the best configuration based on the location of major passenger generators, street frontage, parking and traffic patterns. At Union Station, the route will travel within the bus terminal ( bus box ) which will be constructed underneath the station. The Distributor can begin operation upon the completion (or at least navigability) of the bus box. The passengers will transfer to the Distributor from connecting routes 7

8 within the bus box. At the southern end, the route will terminate across the street from the Denver Art Museum, providing convenient access to the museum and other destinations in the area. 3.1 Running Environment Like most downtown areas, Downtown Denver streets include a mix of vehicle types and speeds (cars, buses, trucks, bicycles), frequent intersections, curb cuts, and pedestrian traffic. These other uses may increase the difficulty of navigating through city streets, and may make transit service slower. While each street on which the Distributor travels includes high volumes of automobile traffic, no substantial travel delays were observed during fieldwork for the route. Traffic on each street seemed to progress continually without apparent bottlenecks. The highest volume street is Broadway, which has four through traffic lanes. Congested intersections along the route include Broadway and Colfax, and Broadway and 18 th Street. The former includes the intersection of two major thoroughfares, and many associated bus routes. The latter involves a 5 sided intersection with long traffic signal cycles. An HOV lane off of I 25 funnels southbound traffic onto 19 th Street during peak hours. These are all possible sources of delay along the route. Due to these multiple causes of delay, current RTD bus speeds within the downtown area average less than 10 miles per hour. Speeds increase as bus routes travel further from the downtown core. The aim of the Distributor is to provide increased service quality, beyond traditional bus services. Methods of addressing delay will be discussed in the following section. 8

9 Map 1 Downtown Denver Distributor Proposed Route Alignment 9

10 4 Transit Priority (Delay Reduction) Speedier service is addressed by reducing the Distributor s potential delays, one of the key principles in the development of the Distributor. Including transit priority features helps separate the service from traditional bus routes, and provide enhanced customer experience. Customers perceive travel delay at roughly twice its actual value meaning that five minutes spent waiting at stops or traffic signals feels like ten minutes to a passenger. Faster service also requires fewer resources, allowing potential increases in frequency for no additional cost. Industry experience shows that transit routes which serve first mile or last mile trips are most effective when a passenger s maximum travel time is 10 minutes or less. Customers appreciate a quick travel time to their destinations, especially following a longer transit trip on a long distance bus or rail line. Shuttle routes in other cities have succeeded with travel time of this length, while those with longer travel times have struggled. As will be detailed in Section 5, Customer Travel Time, a one way trip on the Distributor is predicted to take slightly longer than 10 minutes. Any measures to reduce travel time and improve efficiency will bring Distributor operations more in line with the goal of travel time. The main delay reduction measures for this route include: Separate stops Bus bulbs Fare free environment with all door boarding 4.1 Separate Stops The Downtown Distributor is proposed to have exclusive stops, not shared by any other bus routes. This reduces the interaction between the Distributor and other bus services. Distributor buses will not have to wait for other buses to load and unload passengers before accessing each stop. Other bus routes also operate in a standard fare payment, one door boarding environment, increasing the amount of time that other routes spend at a bus stop in comparison to the Distributor. The amount of interaction saved between the Distributor and other bus routes differs along the alignment. The most congested areas of the alignment are along Broadway and the southern part of Lincoln Street, where some stops serve more than 15 RTD routes, including Local, Express, and Regional services. Several routes also serve portions of 18 th Street, including the 0 which runs at 5 to 10 minute headways. The least congested area of the route is 19 th Street, which includes Express and Regional services. These routes run frequently in the AM peak hours, however, increasing the benefits of separate stops. Table 1 shows three current RTD bus stops along the Distributor alignment, on Broadway, 18 th, and 19 th Streets. The number of buses serving each stop in each time period s peak hour is shown. For example, during the AM Peak period, a maximum of 28 buses may stop at Broadway and 13 th Street, or one bus 10

11 approximately every 2 minutes. If the Distributor used this stop, it would compete for space with these buses. Table 1 also shows approximately how long each stop would be occupied by loading and unloading buses within the hour (dwell time). Bus dwell time depends on the number of passengers boarding and alighting at each stop. For this exercise, dwell time is shown as 15 seconds per stop, which correlates roughly to four passengers boarding or alighting at the stop. At Broadway and 13 th Street during the AM Peak period, for example, the 28 other buses will use the stop for boarding and alighting for approximately 7 minutes (over 10 percent) of the hour, preventing Distributor loading and unloading during this time. Table 1 Bus Stop Interactions Buses Per Hour Broadway/13th 18th/Arapahoe 19th/Arapahoe AM Peak Midday PM Peak Total Dwell Time Per Hour (minutes based on 15 sec/stop) AM Peak Midday PM Peak Bus Bulbs Bus bulbs are a form of transit priority which serves multiple functions. In areas with on street parking such as Downtown Denver, bus bulbs extend the width of the curb into the parking lane to the edge of the right hand through lane. This way, buses stop in the through lane, eliminating the need to pull in and out of traffic to access the stop. Bus bulbs may save a significant amount of delay along the route. The travel time savings stem from not having to pull into and out of the stop, and not waiting for oncoming traffic to pass. Depending on the volumes of traffic on the street, bus bulbs may save between 5 and 8 seconds per stop. In San Francisco, the addition of bus bulbs on major corridors increased bus speeds by approximately 0.5 miles per hour. 2 While bus bulbs help reduce delay along the route, they also provide advantages to the pedestrian environment. This includes additional space dedicated for bus shelters, seating, and passenger information. Also, the additional sidewalk space provided by a bulb separates waiting passengers from 2 TCRP Report 65, Evaluation of Bus Bulbs,

12 normal pedestrian movements, helping to alleviate sidewalk congestion. Boarding and alighting times can be reduced by eliminating cross movement conflicts between boarding and alighting passengers and regular pedestrian movements. On congested sidewalks in San Francisco, bus bulbs provided time savings of approximately one second per passenger boarding and alighting. 3 Since bulbs are recommended along the length of the route, the stops will look alike and provide visibility and continuity. Bus bulb stops are mainly proposed on the far sides of intersections, allowing the bus to clear the intersection before boarding and alighting passengers. Alighting passengers will also cross the street behind the bus, eliminating delay caused by pedestrian movements. Cars in the right hand through lane must wait behind buses stopped at bulbs. For this reason, Figure 1 Bus bulb on the far side of intersection bus bulbs are only appropriate on streets with multiple lanes (such as 18 th /19 th and Lincoln/Broadway Streets). While this process may cause delay for drivers, buses needing to weave into and out of curb stops also causes interruptions for traffic operations. Frequent drivers on corridors with bulbs also respond to the presence of the bulbs and tend to drive in the left hand lanes where they will not have to stop. Following bus bulb implementation on Mission Street in San Francisco (a heavilytrafficked corridor), overall traffic speeds actually improved by roughly 5 mph. This improved speed is due to higher bus speeds (due to not having to pull into and out of stops) and the fact that many buses were not able to pull completely to the curb leaving the rear of the bus in the traffic lane, blocking cars. Bus bulb implementation smoothed the progress of all vehicles along the corridor. 4 Like any new bus stop, bus bulbs will require the removal of on street parking. Bulb stops, however, require less parking removal than standard stops, by eliminating the space needed on either side of a stop for buses to pull in and out. Depending on the length of the bus, a bus bulb requires the removal of two or three parking spaces, while a standard bus stop may require four to five spaces. 3 TCRP Report 65, Evaluation of Bus Bulbs, TCRP Report 65, Evaluation of Bus Bulbs,

13 4.3 Fare Payment The Downtown Distributor is proposed to operate without requiring fare payment. While the benefit of charging a fare is cost recovery, buses operate more slowly when fares are required. The major issues associated with fare payment include: Slow boarding time Boarding allowed only through front door Confusion regarding RTD s Zonal payment system Reduced ridership potential TRCP Report 100 (Transit Capacity and Quality of Service Manual) summarizes average boarding time under various fare payment scenarios. Fare required: 4 seconds per passenger No fare required: 2.5 seconds per passenger. The fare free boarding time is 38 percent faster. Not charging a fare also enables multiple door boarding. If passengers space themselves equally at each door, the boarding time is reduced equally by the amount of doors present. Boarding allowed through two doors effectively means that boarding time will be cut in half (having three doors, such as on the Mall Shuttle, means that boarding time would be cut by a factor of three). Table 2 illustrates boarding time in fare payment and free fare scenarios. Table 2 Example: Fare Payment (Four Passengers Per Stop) Passengers Boarding Boarding Time per Passenger (sec) Boarding Time (sec) Multiple Door Boarding (2 doors) (sec) Total Boarding Time per stop (sec) Fare payment Free Fare The free fare, two door boarding environment is roughly 70% faster than the fare payment scenario. Over nine on street stops in one direction (at four passengers per stop), this equates to over 1.5 minutes of time saved per one way trip. While delay reduction is a strong argument for a fare free scenario, the other major benefit is increased ridership. The fare free Mall Shuttle has been highly successful partly because of the ease of being able to walk on and off of the shuttle without spending money or looking for change. Fare free services appeal to riders who may not normally ride transit, because of the simplicity of riding. Free transit 13

14 services within downtown areas may increase ridership by a factor of 50 percent or more, based on implementation of fare free services in other American cities. 5 The Federal Transit Administration requires that ADA accessible dial a ride paratransit be provided within a reasonable distance of current fixed route service (RTD specifies a ¾ mile distance). When free fixed route service is provided, paratransit service must be free as well. Providing additional free service within the network may incur additional paratransit costs to comply with regulations. 5 TCRP Report 95, Transit Pricing and Fares: Traveler Response to Transportation System Changes,

15 5 Distributor Travel Time Outside of Union Station, a round trip on the Downtown Distributor will take roughly 22 minutes at peak travel times. Each one way trip will take slightly more than 10 minutes, for an overall speed of slightly more than 10 miles per hour. This is roughly in line with the goal of a maximum 10 minute one way travel time for customers (average would be about half that), which increases the importance of transit priority measures to ensure greater speed. A significant portion of the route s total travel time is spent within the bus box at Union Station with a proposed speed of 5 miles per hour, navigating through the bus box takes roughly 8 minutes, bringing the total round trip time to approximately 30 minutes. The transit priority measures are an important part of keeping the overall trip time to 30 minutes or less without them, the travel time would average 33 to 34 minutes per round trip, decreasing service attractiveness and increasing cost. Travel times were estimated by evaluating similar routes along the corridor, such as Route 0. RTD also performed test runs on the alignment, providing another example of predicted travel time. Neither of these examples perfectly replicated the conditions proposed on the Distributor running times on the 0 did not include bus bulbs and included increased boarding time for fare payment, while test runs did not account for passenger boardings. The proposed travel time takes into account these two scenarios and the likely benefits of transit priority strategies. The methodology for developing travel time is included in Appendix A. The Downtown Distributor is designed to provide higher speed service than both standard RTD routes and the Mall Shuttle. Approximate downtown speeds on Route 0 average roughly 9 miles per hour. The Mall Shuttle takes 11 minutes to travel one way from Union Station to Civic Center station a speed of approximately 7 miles per hour. Based on proposed Distributor speeds of approximately 10 miles per hour, the same trip on the Distributor after leaving the bus box will take roughly 7 minutes a 35 percent decrease in travel time. The improved speed is gained through the following: Stops placed every two to three blocks rather than every block. Stops separated from other bus routes. Bus bulbs. Fare free environment with all door boarding. Diesel hybrid vehicles which have standard bus speeds, rather than CNG hybrid Mall Shuttle vehicles with a top speed of 25 mph. Vehicle recommendations will be detailed in Section 7. Other approximate travel times along the route (outside the bus box) include: Union Station to 19 th /Stout: 4 minutes Civic Center Station to Union Station: 7 minutes (11 minutes on Mall Shuttle) Denver Art Museum to 18 th /Market: 9 minutes 15

16 6 Operating Plan 6.1 Schedule The Downtown Distributor schedule is developed around the following premises: Headway based schedules, rather than schedule timepoints. Frequent peak hour service to provide distribution to/from Union Station. Robust midday service to provide internal circulation throughout the area. Limited evening service hours, due to few evening related destinations. Most entertainment destinations are centered around the 16 th Street Mall, which receives comprehensive service from the Mall Shuttle. Weekend service (identical on Saturday and Sunday) to provide connections to key attractions such as the library and museums. This is a preliminary schedule, based on likely demand patterns throughout the day, and may be adjusted for initial implementation depending on budget and completed FasTracks projects. The schedule also may be improved in future when the ridership markets demand increased service. Peak service frequency may be increased to serve commuter traffic, while the service span may be lengthened to serve local residents or weekend travelers. Table 3 below shows service headways at each hour of the weekday and weekend. 16

17 Table 3 Proposed Downtown Distributor Headway Schedule Service Hours Weekday Weekend 5:00 6:00 am 10 6:00 7:00 am 5 7:00 8:00 am 5 8:00 9:00 am 5 9:00 10:00 am :00 11:00 am :00 12:00 pm :00 1:00 pm :00 2:00 pm :00 3:00 pm :00 4:00 pm :00 5:00 pm :00 6:00 pm :00 7:00 pm 10 7:00 8:00 pm Bus Operations Driver layover time will be 5 minutes per round trip, or 17 percent of the overall running time. The total route cycle time therefore is 35 minutes. At a five minute frequency, 7 buses will be required to operate during peak periods (without transit priority measures, 8 buses would be required during peak periods). Four buses will operate during off peak hours, and three buses will be required on weekends. Detailed schedule and resource information is available in Appendix B. Due to the short length of the route, all driver layover time will be allocated to the bus box at Union Station, where there are adequate rest facilities. Such facilities are not proposed for the southern terminus. Buses will lay over at the northernmost stop within the bus box. In order to keep reliable headway based schedules, clock timers (such as those used on the 16 th Street Mall Shuttle) will show drivers when to depart from each terminus. In case of heavy loads of passengers arriving at Union Station, multiple buses may run southbound at the same headway, providing extra capacity along the route in AM peak hours. Such vehicles can then deadhead back to Union Station. 17

18 7 Ridership Demand Downtown Denver Distributor forecast ridership increased significantly from the 2009 to 2010 model runs because of the following: Change in analysis year from 2015 to 2020 Change in fare assumption from Local fare to free fare Local and regional land use policy shifts Ongoing model enhancements land use and travel models The ridership data are presented in Table 4 below. The proposed service schedule can still accommodate the indicated 2020 peak hour load; however, the opening day (in 2014) load will be considerably less than the 2020 forecast, because only the West Corridor will have opened by then. This allows time to gain experience with how riders distribute themselves among the Mall Shuttle, the Downtown Circulator and Local bus routes and to make interim adjustments to these services as warranted. Table 4 Forecast Ridership Item Model Run Conducted in 2009 Model Run Conducted in 2010 Analysis Year Peak Headway 5 min. 5 min. Off Peak Headway 15 min. 10 min. Fare Yes No Average Weekday Ridership 3,260 21,300 Peak Hour Load Peak Hour Load per Bus

19 8 Vehicles The Downtown Distributor vehicle will play a key part in fulfilling the overall aims of speed, simplicity, and image. The following criteria were taken into account when recommending a vehicle for the Downtown route. Ease of boarding, enabling passengers to board and alight through all doors with minimum delay. Speed, to provide a quick trip end to end. Maneuverability, to navigate Downtown streets and the bus box. Capacity, to accommodate heavy loads over short distances. Branding, to provide a unique identity to the route. Emissions, to reduce the carbon footprint of Distributor operations. The vehicle choice involves selection of the bus body type and engine/fuel type. Engine/fuel types affect speed and emissions, and may include standard diesel, diesel hybrid, compressed natural gas (CNG) and CNG hybrid. Diesel hybrid is the preferred type due to the relative ease of fueling and maintenance, lower fuel consumption, lower noise, and reduced emissions with proper tailpipe emissions filter technology. In many cases, the various bus body types are available with multiple engine types. Several bus vehicle choices were evaluated including: The hybrid electric vehicle used on the Mall Shuttle (current TransTeq bus) A smaller scale vehicle, such as a 30 foot dieselelectric hybrid bus or automotive trolley A standard low floor diesel electric hybrid bus which RTD already utilizes in its fleet (Gillig Hybrid bus) Figure 2 TransTeq Mall Shuttle bus The NABI Compo Bus, a low floor diesel electric hybrid vehicle built from light, durable composite fiberglass Articulated buses were also considered for use on this route, in order to accommodate heavy loads of passengers arriving at Denver Union Station. Due to the high probability of varied ridership demand during the day, however, articulated buses are not recommended because the additional capacity would likely not be necessary during off peak periods. Positive qualities of the TransTeq Mall Shuttle vehicle include its expanded standing capacity, its threedoor configuration which reduces boarding/alighting time, as well as its unique design, identifying the route with frequent, downtown based service. The 16 th Street Mall, however, is a different type of running environment than a standard street. The Mall Shuttle vehicles are quite low (6 to 8 inches above the ground) and run at slow speeds (top speed of 25 mph). Using the Mall Shuttle vehicle for the Distributor might require street improvements, and may provide a slower trip for passengers. 19

20 Using a smaller scale bus might better accommodate possible low levels of passenger demand during off peak periods, and may provide a unique look for the route. Smaller scale vehicles, however, with peak capacities of around 50 passengers, would be less equipped to handle large amounts of passengers arriving at Denver Union Station. Trains are scheduled to arrive in close proximity to each other at DUS in order to facilitate transferring; however, this practice also results in large volumes of downtown bound passengers arriving simultaneously. Additional vehicles would likely need to be used during peak periods, increasing the cost of providing Figure 3 30 foot bus service. In future, when demand increases, smaller vehicles also may not be able to handle passenger volumes. Both the NABI Compo Bus and the Gillig Hybrid vehicle provide increased capacity as compared to smaller vehicles, and improved speed and maneuverability as compared to the Mall Shuttle. Both are low floor buses which are easier for passengers to board, and allow for a reconfigured interior to create additional standing capacity. These buses would allow boarding through two doors instead of three, but the overall benefits of free fares and multiple door boarding is not materially decreased by lack of a third door. With appropriate branding and design schemes, both vehicles would provide the necessary service attributes to the Downtown Distributor. At roughly $600,000, the NABI Figure 4 Gillig Hybrid bus Compo Bus is more expensive than the Gillig hybrid bus at $520,000. The NABI Compo Bus is preferred as it is 5 feet longer than a standard bus (as long as the Mall Shuttle), allowing for greater capacity, and has a distinctive look which would add to the identity of the route. The design is streamlined, giving the impression of speed. Compo Buses are currently used in Los Angeles, Chicago, and Phoenix transit systems on high profile routes. As RTD does not currently have Compo Buses within its fleet, however, adding a new vehicle type may create additional maintenance responsibilities and possible costs. A uniquely branded Gillig hybrid vehicle is an acceptable and less expensive alternative. Figure 5 NABI Compo Bus 20

21 Recommended vehicle specifications: Vehicle: NABI Compo Bus Length: 45 feet Drive System: Diesel Electric Hybrid Height: Low floor Doors: Two Seating: Forward facing in rear, centerfacing along left side Bike racks: Included The preferred seating configuration includes more seating than the Mall Shuttle, but more standing room than traditional buses. Forward facing seats would be provided in the rear of the vehicle (within the high floor portion of a low floor bus), and center facing seats provided along the left side of the vehicle. This will allow for more than 20 seats per vehicle, as opposed to 13 on the Mall Shuttle vehicle, yet still allow considerable standing room. Bicycle racks are proposed to be included on the front of vehicles, where a passenger can quickly pull down the rack and load the bicycle while other passengers board. Due to the short length of the route, most cyclists will generally ride to their destinations therefore, bicycle boarding is not expected to slow the overall Distributor operations. Racks will be available, however, to provide service for all passengers. The route is proposed to have a peak vehicle requirement of seven buses. In order to include spare buses and the ability to provide extra trips for heavy loads of passengers, a total of 12 buses are proposed for procurement. 21

22 9 Stop Design Bus stop design has three main purposes: To visually link the transit vehicle and stop location together, supporting the brand; To provide a positive customer experience, and To assist in reducing delay along the route. Sixteen on street stops are proposed for the Distributor. As discussed in Section 4, each on street stop is proposed to be unique to the Distributor, and most would be designed as a bus bulb. Most stops are proposed on the far sides of intersections. Customer amenities at each stop will include a bus shelter, wayfinding, and rider information. 9.1 Farside Stops Farside stops allow buses to clear intersections before accessing the stop. In nearside stop environments, buses will often reach the stop during a green light phase, only to have the light turn red once boarding/alighting takes place, delaying the bus another traffic signal cycle. The farside stop locations are less likely to require transit signal priority to reduce delay. With farside stops, passengers will also cross the street behind the bus, increasing passenger safety and decreasing possible delay from passenger crossings. While most stops are farside, in certain cases along the route, mid block stops are proposed due to conflicting farside uses. 9.2 Bus Bulbs The bus bulbs provide dedicated space for passenger amenities, and reduce conflict between waiting passengers and pedestrian traffic. They also allow buses to board passengers quickly without pulling in and out of traffic. Each bulb will extend for the length of the bus (45 feet), with additional length as needed to extend the bulb to the edge of the street intersection, also reducing pedestrian crossing times. Bus bulbs are proposed at every stop along the route, with the exception of three stops where there is no available parking lane (all located on 19 th Street). At these locations the bus will simply stop in the right hand traffic lane. Bus bulb costs vary according to their configuration along the street and relocation of certain street elements, such as drainage. The average estimated cost is $46,500 per bulb. Creating new bus stops will require the removal of some on street parking; however, parking removal will be less with bulb designs rather than with stops at the curb. Preliminary estimates show that approximately 39 on street parking spaces would be affected, while approximately 50 would be affected 22

23 by new curb stops. Removal of metered stops will result in decreased City parking revenue; however, the Distributor will provide increased customer access to businesses along the corridor. 9.3 Customer Amenities Shelters. Each stop will include a bus shelter with temporary seating. The design of the shelter is an opportunity to provide a visually appealing, unique look to the route, as well as to link the shelter design and colors to the buses themselves. Current RTD designs for proposed FasTracks shelters could be slightly modified for the Distributor route, by adjusting colors and/or building materials. Using these types of shelters would visually link the Distributor route to FasTracks services, as well as providing an attractive and economical design. Current FasTracks West Corridor shelter designs may be shortened to provide the appropriate shelter length for a bus route (approximately 15 to 20 feet). Using existing designs with complementary components can reduce design Figure 6 Possible shelter design based on FasTracks designs cost as well as provide a visual linkage between the Distributor and FasTracks lines. Shelters should be placed roughly in the middle of the bus bulb, increasing the likelihood that passengers will space themselves equally between the bus s two doors and not congregate near the front door. Costs for the FasTracks type shelter designs are estimated at roughly $65,000 per stop. These shelters provide a strong visual image for the route, but standard RTD bus shelters may be used depending on available funds. Providing shelters also incurs maintenance costs. The open design of the FasTrackstype shelter is easier to clean and maintain than the more enclosed standard bus shelters. Information. Customer information will cater both to the experienced RTD customer as well as to new system users and visitors. Each shelter will include a route map, route headways, and information regarding connecting transit services. Information should be placed in a well lit area, and where customers reading the information will not block boarding/alighting or the view of oncoming buses. Due to the route s headway based operations, customer information should display the days and time periods which correspond to particular headway lengths 5 minutes in weekday peak periods, 10 minutes during the midday and evenings, and 15 minutes on weekends. The route map at each stop will include the extent of the Distributor as well as downtown Denver. Distributor stops will be labeled, as well as major destination points along the route and within the city. Connecting transit services, such as light rail, the 16 th Street Mall Shuttle, and bus services should be 23

24 clearly displayed. It may be possible to utilize the standard downtown Denver map that would be shared with 16 th Street Mall information displays. Wayfinding. A uniquely designed stop pylon with the intersection name clearly labeled will help to direct passengers to the Distributor route, visible from at least a block away. The pylon should be backlit for wayfinding during evening hours. Wayfinding signs should also be prominently included at Denver Union Station to direct customers to boarding locations, as well as on Broadway at 12 th Avenue, directing passengers to the southern terminus. These will be discussed in Sections 10 and

25 10 Union Station Terminus Union Station will serve as the hub for the Downtown Distributor. Union Station will undergo significant improvement and expansion within the coming years to accommodate new FasTracks services. At the time of Downtown Distributor implementation, Union Station will serve: Amtrak trains Amtrak Thruway and charter bus connections FasTracks commuter rail lines Existing and FasTracks light rail lines Local, Limited, Express, and Regional bus routes 16 th Street Free Mall Shuttle Buses other than the Mall Shuttle will be routed into an underground bus box for boarding and alighting. Buses will stop at bays with automated passenger information, such as those at Market Street and Civic Center Station. Bus routes which currently terminate at Market Street Station will terminate at Union Station in future. The path traversing the bus box is slightly more than ½ mile in length. The Downtown Distributor route will include three stops within the bus box two at the southern end and one at the northern end. Wayfinding signs should be clearly placed on station platforms, showing the Distributor route alignment and directing passengers to the boarding locations. 1 st stop, Southern end Alighting only (near commuter rail) 2 nd stop, Northern end Boarding and alighting, plus layover time for bus drivers (nearest to light rail) 3 rd stop, Southern end Boarding only (nearest to commuter rail) The designated speed within the bus box is 5 miles per hour. Including entrance and exit from the bus box via Wynkoop Street, the time spent traversing the bus box is estimated at approximately 8 minutes. Considering that a round trip on the Distributor takes roughly 30 minutes, navigating through the bus box makes up a significant part of both the route s mileage and running time. 25

26 11 Denver Art Museum Terminus The southern end of the route will terminate across the street from the Denver Art Museum, at the southeast corner of 12 th Avenue and Acoma Street. Planning the terminus at this location creates a strong linkage between the Distributor and the museum area. The design of the terminus can create a sense of permanence for the route, as well a visually appealing image. In order to create dedicated space for the route, this terminus will include a permanent off street bus cut out lane. Buses will run west on 12 th Avenue, turning left onto Acoma Street and into the designated area. The cut out lane will be roughly 120 feet in length, providing space for two buses. The proposed design is shown in Figure 6. The bus shelter at this location will be larger than on street shelters, and include expanded seating. In order to establish the route as part of the Museum district, the shelter may include design features complementary with the distinctive Museum architecture. An example of possible shelter design is shown in Figure 7. Creating the bus cut out lane will require construction and land acquisition costs. Based on preliminary RTD estimates, the construction budget for the southern terminus is roughly $620,000. While land purchase is possible, there are options available for RTD to procure use of the land without buying it outright, such as leasing the property without acquiring all of the rights inherent to its use (such as air rights). RTD will evaluate the available options for procuring the necessary space. Figure 7 Southern Terminus configuration 26

27 Figure 8 Bus shelter at Denver Art Museum 27

28 12 Implementation Costs The approximate costs and budgets for operating the Downtown Distributor are provided below. Costs include daily operations as well as capital costs associated with vehicles and stop construction. No fare revenue is assumed for the route. Under the FasTracks plan, Denver RTD has specified available funding for the route, including just over $2.4 million in annual operating costs, and $13 million for vehicles (20 buses at $650,000 apiece) Operating Costs The following costs are based on 255 weekdays and 110 weekend days per year. Weekday service includes 74 total service hours per day, while weekends include 27 service hours per day. Detailed service information is included in Appendix B. The proposed operating plan is within the defined budget for Distributor operations. Table 5 Operating Cost Annual Service Hours Operating Cost Per Hour Total Annual Operating Cost 21,800 $ $1,962,000 Distributor Operating Budget $2,415, Capital Costs Capital costs for the route include vehicle procurement, construction of bus bulbs, station amenities, and construction costs for the Southern terminus. Land acquisition costs for the Southern Terminus are not included, and will be addressed as planning progresses. Due to the reduced vehicle requirements in comparison to original Distributor plans, vehicles are proposed to cost $5.8 million less than originally budgeted. 6 Operating cost determined based on other current RTD services, and is subject to review. 28

29 Table 6 Capital Cost Capital Expenditure Cost Per Item Number Total Cost Vehicles $600, $7,200,000 Bus Bulbs/Stop Infrastructure $200, $2,200,000 Stop Amenities (shelter, info, Signage) $35, $595,000 Starter Clocks $10,000 2 $20,000 Southern Terminus Construction $550,000 $550,000 Subtotal Construction Cost $3,365,000 Design & Construction Mgmt (20% of capital cost) $673,000 Contingency (20% of capital cost) $673,000 Southern Terminus Land Acquisition TBD Total Capital Cost $11,911,000 Distributor Capital Budget $13,000,000 29

30 13 Next Steps Implementation Schedule The following schedule details the progress of the Downtown Distributor towards the proposed implementation date of 2013, pending the opening of the bus terminal at Denver Union Station. January 2010: Receive final draft report from consultant. February 2010: Submit draft report to CCD for formal review and comment and for endorsement to implement. Submit draft report for FasTracks review and funding endorsement. June 2011: Complete VISSIM analysis September 2011: Complete preliminary construction design December 2011: Receive endorsements from CCD and FasTracks. December 2011: Complete review of vehicles, make recommendation. Incorporate changes from all reviews into proposal. January 2012: Submit proposed service and vehicle recommendation to RTD Board for review and advancement to public input process. February 2012: Hold public meeting. March 2012: RTD Board approval of proposal. May 2012: Complete specifications for vehicles and request bids. September 2012: Select vehicle and execute purchase request. January 2013: Complete final construction design. May 2013: West Corridor opens. September 2013: Vehicles received. January 2014: Complete construction. August 2014: All vehicles and improvements available to initiate service when the bus facility at DUS is opened, which is required. 30

31 Appendix A. Travel Time Estimation A travel time estimate for the Downtown Denver Distributor is necessary to derive vehicle requirement, service hour, and cost estimates for the proposed route. The travel time for the route was estimated based off of the following factors: Gillig bus test run conducted on October 8, Existing Route 0 schedule and travel times Time savings assumptions for bus bulbs Estimated passenger loading times These factors were combined to develop a conservative estimate for the proposed route s travel time in varying running environments throughout the day. RTD Test Runs On October 8, 2009, RTD conducted two test runs of the proposed route alignment using a Mall Shuttle vehicle and a standard low floor 40 Gillig bus. The Mall Shuttle test run was driven conservatively, with the operator stopping at every intersection, taking turns slowly, and anticipating changing signals by easing to a stop. The Gillig test run, however, provided a more accurate portrayal of what is to be expected from the Downtown Distributor route. The operator stopped less frequently and at approximately the same number of stops as those proposed for the distributor. The Gillig vehicle also runs similarly to the NABI Compo bus that is recommended for the distributor route. The round trip running time from the Gillig test run, which occurred during the morning peak travel period, was minutes from 19 th /Wynkoop to 18 th /Wynkoop. Time of Day and Alignment Adjustments Travel time adjustments were made to account for the slightly longer alignment followed during the Gillig test run. The Gillig test run, which included a loop along 11 th Avenue and Acoma Street to access the southern terminus, was approximately 0.15 miles longer than the proposed distributor route alignment. The observed Gillig running time was slightly decreased to compensate for this discrepancy. Running time differences for time periods throughout the day were derived based upon the current Route 0 schedule. The travel time changes for various time periods between stops on 18 th Street, 19 th Street, Broadway, and Lincoln Street were applied to the minute running time observed during the Gillig test run. From this method, the longest estimated travel times for the distributor route occur during the noon hour and PM peak travel periods. 31

32 Time Savings and Passenger Boarding Adjustments Assumed time savings from bus bulbs were applied to the running times for the various time periods throughout the day. Bus bulbs save approximately 5 seconds per stop when implemented. The proposed stop configuration for the distributor route includes bus bulbs at 15 of the 16 on street stops, providing approximately 1.25 minutes of time savings per round trip. Dwell times for each stop were also added onto the travel time estimate to account for passenger boarding time. Passenger boarding time is estimated to take approximately 10 seconds per stop under the proposed distributor plan. This estimate assumes all door and free boarding. With 16 on street stops and a slightly longer dwell time at the southern terminus, passenger boarding time is expected to add approximately 3 minutes to each round trip. Bus Box Travel Time All prior steps developed an estimated travel time for the distributor route outside of the bus box at Denver Union Station. Because of reduced travel speeds and a more congested operating environment, the travel time through the bus box was estimated independently from the rest of the route alignment. Considering the unique operating environment in the bus box, the distributor route is expected to take approximately 8.5 minutes to travel through the 0.65 mile bus box from 18 th Street and Wynkoop Street. Final Travel Time Estimation The results of the travel time estimation can be found in Table A. The longest round trip travel times are estimated to occur during the noon hour and PM peak travel periods, where the distributor route will take approximately 27 minutes to complete one round trip. 32