R6 Norristown Line Service Extension Study Final Report
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February 2009 Submitted to and the Submitted by DMJM Harris R6 Norristown Line Service Extension Study Final Report Acknowledgments This report was produced in collaboration with AECOM Consult, a DMJM Harris affiliate, and CHPlanning, a transportation and land use planning firm located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Mercator Financial Advisors prepared the analysis of potential tolling options for this report. Mercator Advisors is under contract to Select Greater Philadelphia/CEO Council for Growth which participated in this study. The authors gratefully acknowledge the contributions of the Study Technical Advisory Committee for the R6 Norristown Line Service Extension Study. We wish to thank the following organizations: · Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC) · Berks County Planning Commission · Chester County Planning Commission · Montgomery County Planning Commission · Office of US Senator Arlen Specter · Office of Congressman Jim Gerlach · Norfolk Southern Railroad · SEPTA · PennDOT District 6-0 · Berks Area Reading Transportation Authority (BARTA) · Greater Valley Forge Transportation Management Association · Select Greater Philadelphia/CEO Council for Growth The authors also appreciate the participation and efforts of Leo Bagley, Section Chief, Transportation Planning, of the Montgomery County Planning Commission, in the preparation of this report. July 2008 R6 Norristown Line Service Extension Study Final Report Table of Contents Executive Summary Chapter 1: Introduction Chapter 2: Study Process & Public Involvement Chapter 3: Evaluation Framework Chapter 4: Alternatives Considered Chapter 5: Analysis of Alternatives Chapter 6: Stations & Area Plans Chapter 7: Norfolk Southern Railroad Action Plan Chapter 8: Financial Plan & Financing Options Chapter 9: Next Steps Appendices · Appendix A: Study Technical Advisory Committee Meeting Minutes · Appendix B: Natural and Built Environment Matrix · Appendix C: Option 2: Route 422 Schuylkill River Bridge Toll, 2% Annual Traffic Growth · Appendix D: Option 2A: Route 422 Schuylkill River Bridge Toll, 1% Annual Traffic Growth Sensitivity · Appendix E: Option 3: Route 422 General Tolling, 2% Annual Traffic Growth · Appendix F: Option 3A: Route 422 General Tolling, 1% Annual Traffic Growth Sensitivity July 2008 R6 Norristown Line Service Extension Study Final Report Figures & Tables Executive Summary · Figure 1: R6 Extension Line Study Area and General Station Locations Chapter 1: Introduction · Figure 1-1: R6 Extension Line Study Area and General Station Locations Chapter 2: Study Process & Public Involvement · Table 2-1: Study Technical Advisory Committee Meetings · Table 2-2: Local Government and Agency Meetings · Table 2-3: Elected Officials Meetings · Table 2-4: Norfolk Southern Meetings Chapter 5: Analysis of Alternatives · Table 5-1: Comparison of Alternatives According to Financial and Economic Criteria · Table 5-2: Annual Ridership by Alternative Chapter 6: Stations and Area Plans · Figure 6-1: Port Kennedy and Valley Forge Stations · Figure 6-2: Valley Forge Station Zoning · Figure 6-3: Schuylkill Valley Metro Corridor Station Area Planning and Implementation Study Concept Plan · Figure 6-4: Schuylkill Valley Metro Corridor Station Area Planning and Implementation Study Illustrative Plan · Figure 6-5: Piazza Tract Development Plan · Figure 6-6: Upper Merion Township-Wide Pedestrian and Bicycle Network · Figure 6-7: Upper Merion Township-Wide Pedestrian and Bicycle Network Project Implementation Priorities · Figure 6-8: Valley Forge Conceptual Station and Access Plan · Figure 6-9: Phoenixville Station Location · Figure 6-10: Borough of Phoenixville Zoning Districts · Figure 6-11: Royersford Station Location · Figure 6-12: Pottstown Station Location · Figure 6-13: Borough of Pottstown Zoning Districts · Figure 6-14: Borough of Pottstown Pedestrian Plan · Figure 6-15: Monocacy Station Location July 2008 R6 Norristown Line Service Extension Study Final Report · Figure 6-16: Amity Township Zoning Districts · Figure 6-17: Amity Township Comprehensive Plan Future Land Use · Figure 6-18: Potential Parking at Monocacy Station · Figure 6-19: City of Reading Zoning Districts · Figure 6-20: BARTA Transportation Complex · Figure 6-21: Berks County Bicycle – Pedestrian Plan · Figure 6-22: Wyomissing Station Location · Figure 6-23: Borough of Wyomissing Zoning Districts · Figure 6-24: Penn Corridor Development Plan · Figure 6-25: Existing Pedestrian Underpass · Figure 6-26: Washington Square District Development Plan Chapter 7: Norfolk Southern Railroad Action Plan · Table 7-1: Estimated Capital Costs Chapter 8: Financial Plan & Financing Options · Figure 8-1: R6 Rail Line Extension Corridor · Table 8-1: Preliminary Debt Capacity Analysis Results: Schuylkill River Bridge Toll · Table 8-2: Preliminary Debt Capacity Analysis Assumptions: Schuylkill River Bridge Toll · Table 8-3: Preliminary Debt Capacity Analysis Results: General Tolling · Table 8-4: Preliminary Debt Capacity Analysis Assumptions: General Tolling · Table 8-5: Comparison of Preliminary Debt Capacity Analysis Results: Options 2 and 3 · Table 8-6: Year 2025 Average Weekday Corridor Boardings · Table 8-7: Year 2025 Average Weekday Project Boardings · Table 8-8: Year 2025 Average Weekday New Riders and User Benefits · Table 8-9: Year 2000 Average Weekday New Riders and User Benefits · Table 8-10: Financial Plan Scenario 1- Capital Funding, 2008 · Table 8-11: Financial Plan Scenario 1- Operating Funding, 2008 · Table 8-12: Financial Plan Scenario 2- Capital Funding, 2008 · Table 8-13: Financial Plan Scenario 2- Operating Funding, 2008 · Table 8-14: Financial Plan Scenario 3- Capital Funding, 2008 · Table 8-15: Financial Plan Scenario 3- Operating Funding, 2008 · Table 8-16: Financial Plan Scenario 4- Capital Funding, 2008 · Table 8-17: Financial Plan Scenario 4- Operating Funding, 2008 July 2008 R6 Norristown Line Service Extension Study Final Report Executive Summary July 2008 Executive Summary 1 Executive Summary Background The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) and the Berks Area Reading Transportation Authority (BARTA) conducted feasibility studies and a major investment study and draft environmental impact statement (MIS/DEIS) of the Schuylkill Valley Metro (SVM) concept linking Reading to Philadelphia via the King of Prussia area. SEPTA submitted a New Starts application to the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) in 2002 for this service; however, FTA gave the project an overall ranking of “Not Recommended” due to the high cost of the proposed service. Over the past several years, local officials have been investigating ways to keep the project alive. As a consequence, the Montgomery County Planning Commission recently initiated the R6 Norristown Line Service Extension Study to determine the viability of lower cost commuter rail service to communities along the US 422 corridor. The purpose of the R6 Norristown Line Service Extension Study was to identify new rail alternatives and sources of capital and operating funding for commuter rail service. The study analyzed various rail service alternatives utilizing the present Norfolk Southern line between Norristown and Wyomissing and the existing R6 Norristown Line to access Center City Philadelphia. To analyze these rail alternatives, existing studies and technical information were used and ridership and capital and operating costs were updated using current available data. 1 Early and ongoing coordination with Norfolk Southern occurred throughout the study. In addition to traditional funding sources, the project explored innovative financing techniques, such as public- private partnerships, that could support the implementation of rail service. The study includes the Norfolk Southern rail corridor located between the Norristown Transportation Center in Norristown, Montgomery County and Wyomissing in Berks County. Spanning Montgomery, Chester and Berks counties, the corridor is approximately 44 miles long and runs through Amity and Upper Merion townships, the boroughs of Phoenixville, Pottstown, Royersford and Wyomissing and the cities of Norristown and Reading. Figure 1 illustrates the Norfolk Southern rail line and general station locations. The objectives of the project are as follows: 1. Provide another transportation option in the congested US 422 corridor. Commuter rail service would provide another transportation option for residents commuting to Philadelphia and help reduce traffic in this rapidly developing region in Pennsylvania. 2. Contribute to downtown revitalization efforts in the corridor. Towns along the US 422 corridor wish to use the reinstitution of commuter rail service to act as a catalyst for development and redevelopment. 3. Explore funding mechanisms to improve local transportation infrastructure. Innovative funding sources and financing techniques should be identified that could pay for rail service and perhaps other needed transportation projects in the US 422 corridor. 1 Primary sources of information utilized for this report include: Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority and Berks Area Reading Transportation Authority, Schuylkill Valley Metro Major Investment Study/Environmental Impact Statement (MIS/DEIS), Urban Engineers, September 2001 and the Schuylkill Valley Rail Assessment Study, Parsons Brinkerhoff, March 2005. R6 Norristown Line Service Extension Study Final Report Ÿ July 2008 Executive Summary 2 Figure 1: R6 Extension Line Study Area and General Station Locations Study Process &