WELCOME Transit Options Amherst - Buffalo Public Workshops Sponsored by Niagara Frontier Transportation Authority Greater Buffalo Niagara Regional Transportation Council
Where do you live? Where do you go? Where do you work?
Study Process Flow Chart Public Involvement and Agency Coordination Goals and Objectives Detailed Evaluation Methodology (FTA rating criteria) Purpose and Needs We Are Here Define Detailed Build Alternatives Screen & Evaluate Identify Long List of Conceptual Surviving Build Detailed Detailed Evaluation Multi-Modal Alternatives Alternatives Define No-Build Alternatives of Alternatives Alternatives Tier 1 and Tier 2 Alternatives Screening Steps (current year & horizon year) Screening Methodology & Locally Preferred Evaluation Criteria Alternative
Alternatives Analysis Study Process Fatal Flaw Analysis - Tier 1 Screening We Are Here Step 1 Step 2 Step 3 Step 4 Establish Universe (Long List) of Alternatives Apply Purpose and Need Test and Market Assessment (transit mode) Reasonable Test #1 and Test #2 Fatal Flaw Results (Tier 1 Results) Conceptual Analysis - Tier 2 Screening Step 1 Step 2 Identify Alternatives that Advance to Tier II Provide High Level Conceptual Engineering & Apply Evaluation Criteria to Screen Alternatives Step 3 Conceptual Analysis (Tier 2) Results Detailed Analysis - Tier 3 Screening Step 1 Identify Reasonable Range of Alternatives that Advance to Detailed Level Analysis Step 2 Step 3 Step 4 Step 5 Conduct Detailed Definition of Alternatives Apply Evaluation Criteria to Alternatives Alternatives Analysis Results (Tier 3 Results) Recommendation of a Locally Preferred Alternative
Draft Purpose and Need Purpose Provide a fast, reliable, safe, and convenient transit ride in the Amherst-Buffalo corridor Link activity centers Support planned regional economic development Need Expanded transit service is needed to serve:»» Ongoing development and redevelopment»» Existing and new activity centers»» Transit-dependent populations in the study area
Study Area
Potential Connections
What is Bus Rapid Transit (BRT)? Vehicles Stations & Terminals Variety of sizes, floor heights Conventional buses or special BRT vehicles Interior (seats, doors) for:»» Efficient boarding, alighting»» Easy internal circulation Permanent, weather protected Passenger information, amenities Secure, well-lit Convey system identity with branding Priority Bus Lanes Operate in a broad variety of physical and operating environments Vehicles receive priority to move faster than general traffic Critical design parameters: Systems Passenger information Off-board, advanced fare collection Traffic signal prioritization Automatic Vehicle Location»» Safely supports rapid, reliable service, enforcement»» System identity
BRT Examples Euclid Corridor BRT in Cleveland at the Cleveland Laurel Canyon BRT Station, Orange County, CA State University Stop Viva BRT Bus stop, Toronto, Canada Chicago BRT Jump Bus Jeffery Corridor Fordham/Pelham Select Bus Service, New York, Hylan Blvd, Staten Island, Improved Bus Stop NY
What is Light Rail Transit? (LRT) Can operate on streets or dedicated Rightof-Way Can have elevated platforms, street-level or underground access High passenger capacity Increased reliability
Examples of LRT Buffalo, NY NFTA Metro LRT Station Access Buffalo, NY NFTA Metro LRT Minneapolis, MN- Metro LRT Green Line Los Angeles Metro LRT Buffalo, NY NFTA Metro LRT NJ Transit LRT River Line
What is Preferential Bus Service? Contains limited elements of BRT systems Improved service plan Intersection-specific improvements Improved station stops Passenger information improvements
Preferential Bus Service Examples New Jersey Transit Peak Bus Shoulder Lanes (Photo: NJT) Improved bus stop and Passenger Information Services Chicago, Jeffery Corridor Go Bus, New Jersey Transit (Photo: NJT) Peak Hour Bus Lanes Chicago Jump Bus, Jeffery Offset (Interior) Bus Lane Boulevard
What is Enhanced Bus Service? Limited to service improvements Frequency of service Distance between bus stops (express service) Modification of bus route (new routes and route extensions)
Enhanced Bus Service Examples NFTA, Buffalo NY - Green Technologies Hybrid Bus NFTA - Multi-modal Connectivity at Transit Stations Improved Bus Stop Amenities DART, Texas Bicycle Amenities
Share Your Ideas Here Please join us and share your ideas! We encourage you to draw or write on the study area maps
Transit Options Amherst-Buffalo Presentation at 5:30 PM and 7:00 PM