Northwest Transit Corridor Alternatives Analysis Study

10 December 2012 Northwest Transit Corridor Alternatives Analysis Study in Association with: In Association with: Arcadis Cambridge Systematics, Inc. Jacobs Engineering Group, Inc. Pond & Company Sharon Greene + Associates STV/Ralph Whitehead Associates Sycamore Consulting, Inc. The Schapiro Group, Inc. Urban Collage, Inc. Final Report CONNECT COBB Northwest Transit Corridor Alternatives Analysis December 10, 2012 Study Participants: The citizens of Cobb County and the City of Atlanta Cobb County, Fulton County and the cities of Atlanta, Acworth, Kennesaw, Marietta, and Smyrna Atlanta Regional Commission Federal Transit Administration Numerous planning partners at state, regional and local agencies and institutions Study Consultant Team: Croy Engineering ARCADIS Cambridge Systematics, Inc. Jacobs Engineering Group, Inc. Pond & Company Sharon Greene & Associates STV/Ralph Whitehead Associates Sycamore Consulting, Inc. The Schapiro Group, Inc. Urban Collage, Inc. Connect Cobb - Northwest Transit Corridor Alternatives Analysis Table of Contents 1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ....................................................................................................................... 1 2. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................... 6 2.1 Corridor Study Area ...................................................................................................................... 6 2.2 Study Background ......................................................................................................................... 7 2.3 Purpose and Need ........................................................................................................................ 8 2.4 Report Organization .................................................................................................................... 11 3. EXISTING CONDITIONS..................................................................................................................... 13 3.1 Existing Road Network ................................................................................................................ 13 3.2 Existing Roadway Performance .................................................................................................. 14 3.3 Existing Transit Network ............................................................................................................. 19 3.4 Existing Transit Performance ...................................................................................................... 20 3.5 Land Uses and Socioeconomic Conditions ................................................................................ 21 3.6 Environmental Conditions ........................................................................................................... 27 4. DEFINITION OF ALTERNATIVES ...................................................................................................... 36 4.1 Technology/Transit Mode ............................................................................................................ 36 4.2 Technology Screening ................................................................................................................ 41 4.3 Identification of Alignments ......................................................................................................... 45 4.4 Initial Alignment Screening .......................................................................................................... 47 4.5 Identification of Station Locations ............................................................................................... 54 4.6 Preliminary Alternatives .............................................................................................................. 58 5. ANALYSIS ........................................................................................................................................... 62 5.1 Evaluation Framework and Methodologies ................................................................................. 63 5.2 Performance Measures ............................................................................................................... 63 5.3 Tier I Analysis .............................................................................................................................. 69 5.4 Tier II Analysis ............................................................................................................................. 77 5.5 Evaluation of Tier II Alternatives ................................................................................................. 94 Final Report – December 2012 Page i Connect Cobb - Northwest Transit Corridor Alternatives Analysis 6. PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT SUMMARY .................................................................................................. 96 6.1 Public Involvement Goals and Objectives ................................................................................... 96 6.2 Public Involvement Activities ....................................................................................................... 96 7. Funding Options ................................................................................................................................. 104 7.1 Potential Capital Funding Sources ............................................................................................ 104 7.2 Potential Operating Revenues .................................................................................................. 111 7.3 Preliminary Findings and Next Steps ........................................................................................ 114 8. Locally Preferred Alternative and Recommended Next Steps .......................................................... 116 8.1 LPA Development and Costing ................................................................................................. 116 8.2 LPA Evaluation .......................................................................................................................... 122 8.3 Recommended Next Steps ....................................................................................................... 125 Page ii Final Report – December 2012 Connect Cobb - Northwest Transit Corridor Alternatives Analysis Figures Figure 1-1: Locally Preferred Alternative ............................................................................................. 5 Figure 2-1: Northwest Atlanta Corridor ................................................................................................ 7 Figure 3-1: Corridor Traffic Volumes and Signalized Intersections(Cobb County Line to Kennesaw) .................................................................................................................................. 16 Figure 3-2: Corridor Traffic Volumes and Signalized Intersections (South Loop to Acworth) ............ 17 Figure 3-3: Corridor Traffic Volumes and Signalized Intersections (Cumberland to Delk Road) ....... 18 Figure 3-4: Projected Household Growth Under “No Build” Scenario, 2009 to 2030 ......................... 24 Figure 3-5: Projected Employment Growth under “No Build” Scenario, 2009 to 2030 ...................... 26 Figure 3-6: Community Resources .................................................................................................... 29 Figure 3-7: Cultural Resources ......................................................................................................... 30 Figure 3-8: Historic Sites for Initial Assessment ................................................................................ 31 Figure 3-9: Water Resources for Initial Assessment ......................................................................... 32 Figure 3-10: Low-Income Populations for Initial Assessment ............................................................ 33 Figure 3-11: Minority Populations for Initial Assessment ................................................................... 34 Figure 3-12: Hazardous Sites for Initial Assessment ......................................................................... 35 Figure 4-1: Characteristics of Transit Modes ..................................................................................... 42 Figure 4-2: Alignments for Initial Assessment ................................................................................... 46 Figure 4-3: Initial Transit Station Locations ....................................................................................... 56 Figure 4-4: Transit Station Characteristics ........................................................................................ 57 Figure 4-5: Tier 1 Alternatives ........................................................................................................... 61 Figure 5-1: Alternatives Analysis Two-Tiered Evaluation Process .................................................... 62 Figure 5-2: Aerial Structures ............................................................................................................. 89 Figure 7-1: Cobb County Transit FY 2011 Operating Revenues (in millions) .................................. 112 Figure 8-1: Locally Preferred Alternative ......................................................................................... 117 Figure 8-2: US-41 with median BRT ..............................................................................................

Load more