American Society of Highway Engineers METRO Light Rail Update Brian Buchanan Director, Design and Construction October 13, 2009 1
High Capacity Transit System 2
20-Mile Light Rail Line 3
Operations Operations Monday thru Thursday 4 a.m. midnight Friday 4:40 a.m. to 3 a.m. (Sat) Saturday 4:30 a.m. to 3 a.m. (Sun) Sunday 4:30 a.m. to midnight Frequency Weekdays 10 mins peak hours -20 mins off peak Saturday - 15 mins peak hours 20 mins off peak Sunday and Holiday -20 mins all hours of day 4
Average Monthly Boardings 1 5 1 September ridership numbers are through September 20, 2009.
Average Hourly Boardings (Weekday) 1 1 Average hourly boardings (weekday) are from February April 2009. 6
LRT Intercept Survey April 2009 Summary of Survey Results 35% never used transit the year before 40% used transit on a weekly basis 45% walked to a METRO station 40% utilize METRO to/from home for needs other than work or ASU 27% use METRO for work and 12% for ASU 68% of those surveyed had at least 1 car available for their trip 7
Northwest LRT Extension Land Acquisition continues Construction on hold Funding and completion date uncertain 8
FTA Alternatives Analysis 3 corridors under study Recommendations will include selection of: Route Transit Mode Light Rail Transit Bus Rapid Transit Modern Streetcar Preliminary Station Locations 9
Central Mesa Corridor Study Recommendation 10
Central Mesa LRT Project: Next Steps MAG approval Regional Plan Update Initiate federal Environmental Assessment Work with Downtown Mesa stakeholder group Station locations and design LRT traction power substation and communication building sites # of traffic lanes On-street parking Bike lanes Street lighting Initiate engineering in late spring 2010 FTA approval needed first 11
Tempe South Rural BRT 12
Tempe South Mill Modern Streetcar 13
I-10 West High Capacity Transit Study Area 14
I-10 West Mainline: Approvals to Date Recommendation for High Capacity Transit Improvements in the I-10 median west of I-17: Phoenix City Council April 2008 METRO Board June 2008 MAG Regional Council July 2008 15
LRT or BRT in the I-10 Median: ADOT Coordination Continued coordination with ADOT: Future I-10 improvements Future I-17 Improvements South Mountain Freeway Connection Transit station locations and configuration I-10 West, Phoenix AZ LRT in I-225 Median, Denver CO 16
Universe of Alternatives Evaluated 17
LRT Alternative 19 th Ave. Jefferson Washington/Jefferson 18
LRT Alternative I-17 Jefferson Washington/Jefferson 19
LRT Alternative 19 th Ave. Adams Washington/Jefferson 20
LRT Alternative I-17 Adams Washington/Jefferson 21
LRT East/West Alignment: Adams Street Adams reconsidered: community input, proximity to employment and economic development potential. Street abandoned adjacent to AZ Dept. of Administration Building. Looking west on Adams Street (abandoned) between AZ Dept of Administration Building and Parking Garage 22
LRT North/South Connection: I-17 or 19 th Avenue Coordination with the BNSF: Spacing between RR and LRT along 19 th Ave. Overpass vs. underpass of BNSF associated with I-17 alignment. Evans Station along BNSF line, Denver Colorado 23
Conceptual Jefferson Street Overpass 24
LRT Alternative Downtown Connection Options 25
Currently Reviewing Central Avenue Option with CityScape Development 26
Next Steps Fall 2009 Complete Technical Analysis I-17 vs. 19 th Ave Adams Street vs. Jefferson Street Downtown Connection LRT vs. BRT Late Fall 2009 Preliminary Recommendation Alignment Mode 27
ARRA Projects Central & Camelback P-n-R Expansion Shade Canopies at Phoenix P-n-R s Design Build Projects Completed by Summer 2010 28
Thoughts Interesting time in History Construction costs are down but minimal capital/operating money available Stimulus dollars are nice but rules limit quick implementation Multi-modal transportation is sustainable Highways/Freeways and Transit can and should co-exist Consider the Future Can Highways/Freeways be the wheel and transit be the spokes? 29
Thank You Questions? 30
31