SEPTA 69 Street Transportation Center

SEPTA 69th Street Transportation Center

Parking Demand Study Draft Report Upper Darby, PA October 10, 2014

PHL10103.03

www.timhaahs.com 550 Township Line Road Suite 100 Blue Bell, PA 19422 T: 484.342.0200 F: 484.342.0222

www.timhaahs.com

TIMOTHY HAAHS & ASSOCIATES, INC. 550 Township Line Road Suite 100 Blue Bell, PA 19422

October 10, 2014

Mr. Jack F. McElwee, Jr. Project Manager Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority 1234 Market Street Philadelphia, PA 19107

RE: SEPTA 69th Street Transportation Center Parking Demand Study – Draft Report Upper Darby, Pennsylvania

Dear Mr. McElwee:

Timothy Haahs and Associates, Inc. (TimHaahs) has prepared this draft report which includes our analysis of the parking demand at the SEPTA 69th Street Transportation Center. Once you have reviewed our draft report, we would like to schedule a call to discuss our findings, obtain your comments, and answer any questions. Thank you for allowing us to work with you on this important project. Please do not hesitate to call me, Bo Choi, or Noli Alarcon at any time.

Very truly yours,

Vicky Gagliano, LEED AP, MBA Bo Kyung Choi, MCRP Project Manager/Parking Specialist Planning Analyst

CC: Noli Alarcon, PE

P L A N N I N G E N G I N E E R I N G A R C H I T E C T U R E P A R K I N G SEPTA 69th Street Transportation Center October 10, 2014

TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION ...... 1 Scope of Services ...... 1 Study Area ...... 1 Study Area Parking Zones ...... 3

CURRENT PARKING CONDITIONS ...... 5 Zone A: SEPTA 69th Street Transportation Center ...... 5 Zone A: Parking Rates ...... 5 Zone A: Parking Demand and Occupancy ...... 6 Zone A: Effective Supply and Parking Adequacy ...... 7 Zone B: Millbourne Station ...... 8 Zone B: Parking Rates ...... 8 Zone B: Parking Demand and Occupancy ...... 9 Zone B: Effective Supply and Parking Adequacy ...... 10 Zone C: Other Parking Areas ...... 11 Summary of Current Conditions ...... 11

FUTURE PARKING DEMAND ...... 12 Pent-Up Demand ...... 12 Current SEPTA Lot Users ...... 13 Pedestrians and Bicyclists...... 14 Taxi Users ...... 14 Dropped-Off Commuters ...... 14 Carpooling Commuters ...... 14 Commuters Arriving by Bus ...... 14 Commuters Arriving by Trolley ...... 15 Commuters Arriving by NHSL ...... 15 Commuters Arriving by Market-Frankford Line ...... 15 Pent-Up Demand Summary ...... 15 SEPTA Growth ...... 16 Upper Darby Future Development and Growth ...... 16 TOD at SEPTA 69th Street Station ...... 18 Other Factors ...... 18 Vehicle Ownership ...... 18 Fuel Cost Impact ...... 20 Roadway Construction Projects ...... 21 Future Parking Demand Summary ...... 21

SEPTA 69th Street Transportation Center October 10, 2014

TABLE OF CONTENTS - CONTINUED

TABLES AND FIGURES

Table 1: SEPTA Commuter User Types ...... 13 Table 2: Pent-Up Demand Summary ...... 15 Table 3: Historical SEPTA Ridership (avg. weekday in thousands) ...... 16 Table 4: Number of Vehicles by Household ...... 18 Table 5: Mode of Transportation to Work by Vehicles per Household ...... 19

Figure 1: Study Focus Area Aerial Map...... 2 Figure 2: Parking Zone Map ...... 4 Figure 3: Detailed Map - Zone A ...... 5 Figure 4: Current Parking Demand & Occupancy – Zone A ...... 6 Figure 5: Current Parking Adequacy – Zone A ...... 7 Figure 6: Detailed Map - Zone B ...... 8 Figure 7: Current Parking Demand & Occupancy – Zone B ...... 9 Figure 8: Current Parking Adequacy – Zone B ...... 10 Figure 9: Upper Darby Comprehensive Plan Map (Opportunities for Change)...... 17 Figure 10: Upper Darby Population Projections ...... 17 Figure 11: SEPTA Ridership vs. Fuel Price per Gallon (East Coast) ...... 20 Figure 12: Roadway Construction Projects 2015-2018 ...... 21

SEPTA 69th Street Transportation Center October 10, 2014

Introduction

The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) retained Timothy Haahs and Associates, Inc. (TimHaahs) to perform consulting services for the 69th Street Transportation Center parking facility located in Upper Darby, PA.

Scope of Services

The following tasks were included as part of this assignment:

1. Site Visit to observe the station parking and how it relates with the Central Business District (CBD), 2. Gather parking supply and demand data on a single day, 3. Visit competing stations to understand how they compare with the 69th Street station, 4. Collect ridership statistics (and projections) from SEPTA including all changes in service, 5. Estimate future commuter parking needs based on ridership growth and market conditions, 6. Meet with municipal representatives to discuss the CBD and planned future developments, 7. Estimate the future parking impact based on the CBD discussion above, 8. Review the TOD programming to estimate the parking need by hour, and 9. Summarize the future parking adequacy using the existing baseline demand, future ridership growth, future CBD development, and TOD programming.

Please note, the requested ridership statistics including transfer data, future projections, and service changes (Item #4) were not available from SEPTA. In addition, at the time of this draft report, SEPTA did not provide programming for the 69th Street Station development (Item #8). Finally, through discussions with Upper Darby representatives, we understand several new developments and projects have been discussed but there are not any available plans, timeline, or program specifics at the time of this draft report.

Study Area

The SEPTA 69th Street Transportation Center is located in Upper Darby Township, in Delaware County, and adjacent to Millbourne Township. The following public transit services arrive at and depart from the Center:

 Market-Frankford Line  Norristown High Speed Line (Rt 100)  Media and Sharon Hill Trolley Lines (Rt. 100 & 102)  Eighteen (18) SEPTA Bus Routes (Rt. 21, 30, 65, 103, 104, 105, 106, 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, 112, 123, 116, 120, 123 and 126)

The study area is generally bordered by the Market-Frankford/Norristown High Speed Lines railroad to the north, Park Avenue to the east, Market Street to the south, and Merion Terrace/Brief Avenue to the west. A portion of 69th Street is also included in the southern portion of the study area in order to better understand the parking trends in downtown. A map of the study focus area is included on the following page.

1 SEPTA 69th Street Transportation Center October 10, 2014

Figure 1: Study Focus Area Aerial Map

Source: Google Earth and Timothy Haahs & Associates, 2014

2 SEPTA 69th Street Transportation Center October 10, 2014

Study Area Parking Zones

TimHaahs divided the study site into three areas:

Zone A: 69th Street Transportation Center Commuter Lot, Employee Lot A, and On-street municipal meters on Chatham

Zone B: Millbourne Station On-street municipal meters and commuter permit parking zones on Wister Drive, Garden Court, Sellers Avenue, and Burd Avenue

Zone C: Other Adjacent Parking Areas

TimHaahs collected parking the inventory data for all on- and off-street parking areas within Zones A and B during our field visits on Monday, June 30th and Tuesday, July 1, 2014. We also conducted occupancy counts for the surface parking lots and on-street parking meters. This allowed us to obtain data representing peak conditions on a typical busy weekday.

In addition, TimHaahs performed field observations on the other parking facilities in Zone C during the two days listed above. Parking areas in Zone C include the SEPTA Employee Lot B, Upper Darby Municipal Lot 2, and on- and off-street parking facilities along 69th Street and Market Street. The following map depicts the general boundaries for each zone.

3 SEPTA 69th Street Transportation Center October 10, 2014

Figure 2: Parking Zone Map

Source: Timothy Haahs & Associates, 2014

4 SEPTA 69th Street Transportation Center October 10, 2014

Current Parking Conditions

Zone A: SEPTA 69th Street Transportation Center

A total of 279 parking spaces were identified in Zone A as follows: 187 surface lot spaces are owned and operated by SEPTA for commuter use, 38 surface lot spaces are owned and operated by SEPTA for employee use, and 54 on-street metered spaces are owned and operated by Upper Darby Township. Figure 3 illustrates the parking areas within Zone A.

Figure 3: Detailed Map - Zone A

Source: Timothy Haahs & Associates, 2014

Zone A: Parking Rates

Parking rates in the SEPTA Commuter Lot are a flat $2.00 per day for up to 24 hours. In addition, there are two small parking areas without signage that are currently being used by SEPTA employees. Some of those vehicles displayed a permit or other document on the front dashboard. During our site visit, we observed approximately 38 vehicles within those two parking areas. Directly adjacent to the commuter lot are 54 on- street metered parking spaces along Chatham Road. The rate at the municipal meters is $0.25 per 45 minutes with 12 hour time limit.

5 SEPTA 69th Street Transportation Center October 10, 2014

Zone A: Parking Demand and Occupancy

Our team conducted parking occupancy counts on Monday, June 30th between 4PM and 5PM, and Tuesday, July 1st between 8 am and 3 pm. The occupancy counts allowed us to capture the parking utilization patterns of the on-and off-street parking facilities during a typical business day. The overall peak hour of demand occurred at 2PM on Tuesday, July 1st with 259 vehicles occupying the 279 parking spaces. The following figure summarizes the demand and occupancy for Zone A during the survey days.

Figure 4: Current Parking Demand & Occupancy – Zone A

PARKING DEMAND PARKING 7/1/14 (Tues.) 6/30/14 (Mon.) ZONE A TYPE SUPPLY 8AM 9AM 10AM 11AM 12PM 1PM 2PM 3PM 4PM 5PM SEPTA Commuter Lot Surface Lot 187 184 186 185 187 187 186 187 185 141 107 SEPTA Employee Lot A Surface Lot 38 33 35 37 29 32 35 36 27 20 15 Chatham St. On-Street Meter 54 6 22 31 37 35 34 36 34 30 25 TOTAL 279 223 243 253 253 254 255 259 246 191 147

PARKING OCCUPANCY PARKING 7/1/14 (Tues.) 6/30/14 (Mon.) ZONE A TYPE SUPPLY 8AM 9AM 10AM 11AM 12PM 1PM 2PM 3PM 4PM 5PM SEPTA Commuter Lot Surface Lot 187 98% 99% 99% 100% 100% 99% 100% 99% 75% 57% SEPTA Employee Lot A Surface Lot 38 87% 92% 97% 76% 84% 92% 95% 71% 53% 39% Chatham St. On-Street Meter 54 11% 41% 57% 69% 65% 63% 67% 63% 56% 46% TOTAL 279 80% 87% 91% 91% 91% 91% 93% 88% 68% 53%

Source: Timothy Haahs & Associates, 2014

At 2PM on the survey day, the Zone A parking facilities experienced a peak hour occupancy of 93%. The weekday morning demand increased from 80% at 8AM to 91% at 10AM while the weekday afternoon demand declined from 88% at 3PM to 53% at 5PM. In addition, the SEPTA commuter lot was above 98% occupied from 8am until 3pm during our site visit.

6 SEPTA 69th Street Transportation Center October 10, 2014

Zone A: Effective Supply and Parking Adequacy

In order to account for parking spaces lost due to misparked vehicles, snow removal, construction, and the natural flow of vehicles in and out of a parking facility, we adjusted the parking supply using an effective supply factor. Effective supply is a common term used in the parking industry that essentially accounts for the “cushion” needed to efficiently utilize a parking facility. Simply stated, it considers that a parking supply for daily commuters operates at a maximum efficiency when the parking occupancy is no greater than 85 to 98% of the actual parking supply. When occupancy exceeds this level, patrons may experience delays and frustration while searching for the last few remaining spaces. This creates a perception that the supply is inadequate even when there are some spaces still available.

Based on this concept, we have assigned a factor of 98% (or a 2% cushion) for both SEPTA parking lots. Since both of the SEPTA lots are used by commuters and employees who frequently park at this location, the lots are not very large. This allows motorists to easily scan for vacant parking spaces, and most commuters consciously park within the stall. Therefore, a 2% cushion is sufficient.

We applied a factor of 95% (or a cushion of 5%) for the on-street spaces as they are slightly less convenient, more expensive, and it is less clear whether or not commuters are permitted to park at the meters. After applying the effective supply factors previously described, the parking supply of 279 spaces is reduced to an effective supply of 272 spaces, resulting in a 7-space cushion for Zone A.

In order to quantify the current parking adequacy, we compare the effective supply against the survey day parking demand. The following figure quantifies the effective supply and parking adequacy (surplus or shortage) for each of the facilities within Zone A.

Figure 5: Current Parking Adequacy – Zone A PARKING ADEQUACY EFFECTIVE 7/1/14 (Tues.) 6/30/14 (Mon.) ZONE A TYPE SUPPLY 8AM 9AM 10AM 11AM 12PM 1PM 2PM 3PM 4PM 5PM SEPTA Commuter Lot Surface Lot 183 (1) (3) (2) (4) (4) (3) (4) (2) 42 76 SEPTA Employee Lot A Surface Lot 37 4 2 0 8 5 2 1 10 17 22 Chatham St. On-Street Meter5145292014161715172126 TOTAL 272 49 29 19 19 18 17 13 26 81 125

Source: Timothy Haahs & Associates, 2014

While the overall parking surplus at the peak hour was 13 spaces, the Commuter Lot was essentially operating at a shortage from 8 am until 3 pm.

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Zone B: Millbourne Station

Zone B encompasses on-street metered spaces, as well as commuter and resident permit parking spaces adjacent to Millbourne Station which is approximately 0.35 miles away from the Transportation Center. All on- street parking areas within this zone are within a 5 to 10 minute walking distance from both the Millbourne and 69th Street stations. Millbourne Station is located in the Borough of Millbourne, sharing its west border with Upper Darby Township. The following figure depicts the parking areas within Zone B.

Figure 6: Detailed Map - Zone B

Source: Timothy Haahs & Associates, 2014

Zone B: Parking Rates The Millbourne Borough offers a yearly parking permit for residents and a monthly parking permit for commuters. The resident permit (yellow sticker) is $20.00 rate per year and allows residents to park their vehicles on designated on-street parking spaces. Monthly commuter permits are available to the general public for $30.00 per month and can be renewed every month without office visits. The Borough offers a total of 30 monthly commuter permits. During our site visit, monthly commuter permits were still available.

A total of 42 on-street metered parking spaces are identified in Zone B. The 16 meters on Wister Drive are $0.25 for 2 hours or $0.10 for 30 minutes with a 12 hour time limit. The 9 meters on Garden Court and 3 meters on Sellers Avenue are $0.25 for 45 minutes with a 12 hour time limit. Finally, the 13 meters on W. Tylor Boulevard are $0.25 for 45 minutes with a 24 hour time limit. Figure 6 illustrates the location of on-street parking areas within the Zone B.

8 SEPTA 69th Street Transportation Center October 10, 2014

Zone B: Parking Demand and Occupancy

Our team also conducted occupancy counts for the on-street metered parking spaces in this zone. The overall peak hour of demand occurred at 1 pm on Tuesday, July 1, with 20 vehicles occupying the 42 parking spaces. The following figure summarizes the demand and occupancy for Zone B during the survey days.

Figure 7: Current Parking Demand & Occupancy – Zone B

PARKING DEMAND PARKING 7/1/14 (Tues.) 6/30/14 (Mon.) ZONE B TYPE SUPPLY 8AM 9AM 10AM 11AM 12PM 1PM 2PM 3PM 4PM 5PM Wister Dr. On-Street Meter 16 8 10 12 12 12 13 11 10 9 8 Garden Ct. On-Street Meter9 2222222222 Sellers Ave. On-Street Meter4 0122232411 W. Taylor Blvd.On-Street Meter130010123432 TOTAL 42 10 13 17 16 17 20 18 20 15 13

PARKING OCCUPANCY PARKING 7/1/14 (Tues.) 6/30/14 (Mon.) ZONE B TYPE SUPPLY 8AM 9AM 10AM 11AM 12PM 1PM 2PM 3PM 4PM 5PM Wister Dr. On-Street Meter 16 50% 63% 75% 75% 75% 81% 69% 63% 56% 50% Garden Ct. On-Street Meter 9 22% 22% 22% 22% 22% 22% 22% 22% 22% 22% Sellers Ave. On-Street Meter 4 0% 25% 50% 50% 50% 75% 50% 100% 25% 25% W. Taylor Blvd. On-Street Meter 13 0% 0% 8% 0% 8% 15% 23% 31% 23% 15% TOTAL 42 24% 31% 40% 38% 40% 48% 43% 48% 36% 31%

Source: Timothy Haahs & Associates, 2014

At 1 pm on the survey day, the Zone B parking facilities experienced peak hour occupancy of 48%. The weekday morning demand increased from 24% at 8 am to 40% at 10 am, while the weekday afternoon demand declined from 48% at 3 pm to 34% at 5 pm. In addition, the SEPTA commuter lot was above 98% occupied from 8 am until 3 pm during our site visit. The parking occupancy at the Millbourne Station parking facilities was significantly lower than the 69th Street commuter parking lot despite being only a 5 to 10 minute walking distance from both the 69th Street and Millbourne stations.

9 SEPTA 69th Street Transportation Center October 10, 2014

Zone B: Effective Supply and Parking Adequacy

In order to account for parking spaces lost due to misparked vehicles, snow removal, construction, and the natural flow of vehicles in and out of a parking facility, we adjust the parking supply using an effective supply factor. Effective supply is a common term used in the parking industry and it essentially accounts for the “cushion” needed to efficiently utilize a parking facility. Simply stated, it considers that a parking supply for daily commuters operates at a maximum efficiency when the parking occupancy is no greater than 85 to 98% of the actual parking supply. When occupancy exceeds this level, patrons may experience delays and frustration while searching for the last few remaining spaces. This creates a perception that the supply is inadequate even when there are some spaces still available.

Based on this concept, we have assigned a factor of 90% for all on-street parking spaces, 5% lower than the facilities in Zone A since a motorist looking for a vacant on-street space may have to drive down several streets and make several turns before they can identify a vacant space. After applying the effective supply factor, the parking supply of 42 spaces is reduced to 40 spaces resulting in a 2-space cushion for Zone B.

Figure 8: Current Parking Adequacy – Zone B PARKING ADEQUACY EFFECTIVE 7/1/14 (Tues.) 6/30/14 (Mon.) ZONE B TYPE SUPPLY 8AM 9AM 10AM 11AM 12PM 1PM 2PM 3PM 4PM 5PM Wister Dr. On-Street Meter157533324567 Garden Ct. On-Street Meter9 7777777777 Sellers Ave. On-Street Meter4 4322212033 W. Taylor Blvd. On-Street Meter 12 12 12 11 12 11 10 9 8 9 10 TOTAL 40 30 27 23 24 23 20 22 20 25 27

Source: Timothy Haahs & Associates, 2014

During our site visit, the Zone B on-street parking areas operated with a 20 to 37-space surplus. However, the meters along Sellers Avenue were most heavily utilized by commuters due to their proximity to the station.

10 SEPTA 69th Street Transportation Center October 10, 2014

Zone C: Other Parking Areas

TimHaahs also performed field observations on the parking facilities that are geographically adjacent to the Transportation Center, yet from a user perspective, less related to the development strategy at the Transportation Center. SEPTA Employee Lot B contains 140 spaces and is located along Merion Terrace, approximately 0.25 miles northwest of the Transportation Center. At 11:30AM on the observation day, 90 spaces were occupied with the employee vehicles. Municipal Lot #2 located at the corner of Market Street and Bywood Avenue is directly west of the Transportation Center and has 111 parking spaces. The daily rate at the Municipal Lot #2 is $4.00. Furthermore, there are on-street parking meters located along Market Street and 69th Street which serve as short-term parking spaces for the downtown retail establishments and businesses. The meter rates are $0.25 for 45min with a 2 hour time limit. The following figure illustrates the parking facilities within Zone C.

Summary of Current Conditions

While the parking facilities adjacent to the 69th Street Station were well utilized during our site visit, there were available parking spaces throughout the day. When looking at only the parking facilities surveyed within Zones A and B, the 321 spaces were occupied over 80% from 9 am until 3 pm, indicating a healthy but still adequate parking system. It should be noted that the SEPTA commuter lot was, at times, completely full and commuters who were unable to park in the $2.00 SEPTA lot were pushed to the more expensive meter parking along Chatham Street. However, at no time during our site visit were both the SEPTA commuter lot and Upper Darby on-street meters along Chatham Street completely full. This either indicates that commuters are extremely price sensitive and opposed to paying more than $2.00 per day, or the current pent- up demand for parking at this location is not much higher than the SEPTA commuter lot capacity. Please note, our occupancy counts were conducted during summer months and since monthly parking revenue statistics were not available, we have not adjusted our data for seasonal fluctuations.

11 SEPTA 69th Street Transportation Center October 10, 2014

Future Parking Demand

As part of this study, we evaluated the various factors which will impact the future parking demand at the proposed SEPTA 69th Street Station parking garage. Specifically, we have quantified the impact from the following factors:

 Existing Pent‐Up Demand from commuters  Future Demand from Upper Darby Township Growth and Development  Future Demand from a proposed SEPTA Joint Development on the existing surface lot

Pent-Up Demand

While demand is easily quantified at a specific point in time, the pent-up demand (un-met demand due to capacity limitations) is much more difficult to determine. For example, the SEPTA commuter lot was at or near capacity for most of the daytime hours during our site visit. We do not know how many other commuters would prefer to park at this location but are forced to find an alternate parking facility or mode of transportation. Some commuters who arrive at the early morning hours are able to easily park in the lot but those with a later departure (i.e. after 9am) may have difficulty finding a space. In addition, some commuters may be on the cusp of that gap between the lot having available spaces and being fully occupied that they are not willing to risk the chance that the lot is full and instead, look for another alternative in order to make sure they can make their train or bus.

While the SEPTA commuter lot was very heavily utilized, the adjacent on-street parking meters along Chatham Road (photo right) never filled up completely during our site visit. In fact, even at the busiest hour, it was only 67% occupied. We understand that the rates in that location are higher than the $2.00 flat fee in the SEPTA lot as it would cost a commuter $1.00 for every 3 hours, $3.00 for 9 hours, and $4.00 for 12 hours which is double the daily rate for the SEPTA lot. Based on our field observations, there was not any pent-up demand for the Chatham Road on-street meters.

We also noted several vacant on-street parking spaces located along Garden Court directly adjacent to Chatham Road. When we inquired with the Millbourne Township about the availability, they explained that those spaces are for commuter permits only and that the non-resident monthly rate is $30.00 (or approximately $1.50 per workday (a savings of $10.00 per month for a regular commuter). According to SEPTA representatives, only a limited number of non-resident monthly commuter permits are available. However, it was noted that they have availability and are not able to completely sell out at the time of our visit, which was further observed with less than half of the parking spaces occupied during the peak commuting hours. Again, at the time of our site visit, the on-street meters in Millbourne did not display any additional pent-up demand.

Our team also observed a few commuters walking north along 69th Street towards the station during the early morning hours. We were unable to determine if they are residents who live in the area or if they are parking in other locations that may be free of charge or less than the $2.00 daily rate. Since the SEPTA commuter lot was not completely full at that hour, those commuters are demonstrating a high level of price sensitivity and would likely continue to walk to the station. For those reasons, the commuters who are walking to the station would not typically have any pent-up demand.

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In order to determine which types of commuters would actually utilize the parking at the proposed garage at 69th Street Station, we evaluated each type of commuter and how they use the system. The following table outlines each type of existing user and whether or not they would likely consider driving to the station once the proposed garage is open and more parking spaces are available.

Table 1: SEPTA Commuter User Types

USER TYPE FUTURE PARKING DEMAND IMPACT ESTIMATE* 1 Current SEPTA Lot Users None. Existing users would continue to drive and park at this location. 2 Walk to the Station None/Low - These users would not realize a cost savings. Users are likely price sensitive, live within walking distance, and/or have access to another parking area. 3 Bike to the Station None/Low - These users would not realize a cost savings. Users are likely price sensitive or live within biking distance. 4 Take a Taxi to the Station Varies - These users would realize a cost savings. No Impact if they do not own a personal vehicle or possess a driver's license. Medium to High Impact if they are using a taxi because the lot is usually full. 5 Dropped-Off at the Station Varies - These users would not realize a cost savings. No Impact if they do not own a personal vehicle or possess a driver's license. Medium to High Impact if they are being dropped off because the lot is usually full. 6 Carpool to the Station Varies - These users would not realize a cost savings. No Impact if they do not own a personal vehicle or possess a driver's license. Medium to High Impact if they carpool because the lot is usually full. 7 Arrive by Bus Varies - These users may realize a cost savings. No impact from those why pay using a weekly or monthly pass. Low impact from those who pay using cash/token who transfer to another line. Low/Medium impact from those who pay using cash/token and their destination is Upper Darby.** 8 Arrive by Trolley Varies - These users may realize a cost savings. No impact from those why pay using a weekly or monthly pass. Low impact from those who pay using cash/token who transfer to another line. Low/Medium impact from those who pay using cash/token and their destination is Upper Darby.** 9 Arrive by NHSL Varies - These users may realize a cost savings. No impact from those why pay using a weekly or monthly pass. Low/Medium impact from those who pay using cash/token who transfer to another line. Medium impact from those who pay using cash/token and their destination is Upper Darby.** 10 Arrive by Market-Frankford Line Varies - These users may realize a cost savings. No impact from those why pay using a weekly or monthly pass. Low impact from those who pay using cash/token who transfer to another line. Low/Medium impact from those who pay using cash/token and their destination is Upper Darby.**

* Cost savings calculation only includes RT transit fares and parking fees. Actual fuel and mileage expenses will vary by the users origin. Transit use typically follows the same trend as fuel prices. ** Assumes the proposed garage will allow non-transit users to park at the facility for $2.00 per day. Source: Timothy Haahs & Associates, 2014

Current SEPTA Lot Users

Assuming each space only turns over once per day by a commuter (i.e. a commuter will occupy the parking space during most of the weekday, daytime hours), approximately 187 daily commuter vehicles would continue to utilize the proposed garage. While we observed non-transit vehicles parking in the lot, we also understand that the existing lot is intended for transit users only. The rate at the SEPTA lot is considerably lower than the rates at the Upper Darby surface lot(s) and on-street meters. vIf a policy was not in place to restrict access for commuters only, we anticipate additional employees from nearby businesses may park in the proposed garage as the parking demand in the area increases and fewer free or low cost parking areas exist.

13 SEPTA 69th Street Transportation Center October 10, 2014

Pedestrians and Bicyclists

We do not anticipate these users will adjust their current method to arrive to the station even if additional parking spaces are available as these commuters demonstrate a high level of price sensitivity.

Taxi Users

We anticipate some of the existing taxi users may adjust their current method to arrive to the station once additional parking spaces are available. However, taxi ridership statistics are not available to allow us to determine how often they are used, whether or not those users own a personal vehicle, possess a valid driver’s license, only use the service during inclement weather or when transporting heavy/bulky items, or only use the service when they need to reduce their time in transit.

We understand approximately 35,000 weekday commuters departed from the 69th Street Station in 2013. Based on our field observations, we estimate less than 0.5% of the commuters arrived by taxi (<175 per day), and of those, approximately 5 to 10% would drive and utilize the proposed garage. This equates to an estimated increase in demand of approximately 8 to 17 vehicles per day from existing taxi users.

Dropped-Off Commuters

We anticipate some of these users may adjust their current method to arrive to the station once additional parking spaces are available. However, statistics are not available to allow us to determine how many commuters are dropped off on a daily basis, whether or not those users own a personal vehicle, possess a valid driver’s license, only use the service during inclement weather or when transporting heavy/bulky items, or only use the service when they need to reduce their time in transit.

Based on our field observations, we estimate less than 0.5% of the total station users are dropped off at the station (<350 per day), and of those, 3 to 5% would drive and utilize the proposed garage. This equates to an increase in demand of approximately 5 to 8 vehicles per day from existing commuters who are dropped-off at the station.

Carpooling Commuters

We do not anticipate many of these users will adjust their current method to arrive at the station even if additional parking spaces are available. Since we did not observe any vehicles with multiple passengers during our site visit and carpool statistics are not available, we have not estimated any additional use for the proposed garage.

Commuters Arriving by Bus

We understand that approximately 13,300 weekday commuters arrived at 69th Street Station via bus in 2013. According to SEPTA representatives, approximately 90% of the commuters arriving by bus are actually transfers and returning home from work. We estimate 1,330 commuters originate as a bus rider and of those, we estimate 1 to 3% may opt to drive after additional parking spaces are available. This equates to an increased demand of approximately 13 to 39 vehicles per weekday from commuters who are currently using the bus.

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Commuters Arriving by Trolley

Approximately 7,300 weekday commuters arrived at the 69th Street Station in via trolley in 2013. Again, according to SEPTA representatives, approximately 90% of the commuters arriving by trolley transfer to another transit service. We estimate 730 commuters originate as a trolley rider and of those we estimate 3 to 5% may opt to drive after additional parking spaces are available. This equates to an increase in demand of approximately 22 to 37 vehicles per day from existing commuters who are currently using the trolley.

Commuters Arriving by NHSL

Approximately 4,700 weekday commuters arrived at the 69th Street Station via NHSL in 2013. Again, of those, only 470 originate from an NHSL station using the same 90% transfer factor provided by SEPTA representatives. The probability that an NHSL commuter would opt to drive and park at the 69th Street Station is highly dependent on the location of their boarding station and the fees associated with parking at that station. Data showing the origination of NHSL commuters who disembark at the 69th Street Station was not available. We have assumed for the purpose of this study that 1 to 2% of the NHSL commuters would opt to drive and park at the proposed 69th Street Station parking garage. This would increase the demand by approximately 47 to 94 vehicles per day.

Commuters Arriving by Market-Frankford Line

During a typical weekday, approximately 15,900 weekday commuters arrived at the 69th Street Station via the Market-Frankford Line (MFL) in 2013. We anticipate a large volume of these commuters are returning home from work (approximately 90% per SEPTA representatives or 14,300) and only 1,600 actually originate from one of the MFL stations. For the purpose of this study, we have assumed that 1 to 3% of the MFL commuters would opt to drive and park at the proposed 69th Street Station parking garage. This would increase the demand by approximately 16 to 48 vehicles per day.

Pent-Up Demand Summary

Based on the statistics provided by SEPTA, we estimate the future demand at the proposed 69th Street Station parking garage is approximately 298 to 430 spaces when only including the existing demand, and the anticipated pent-up demand from existing trolley, bus, NHSL, and MFL commuters. The following table summarizes our calculations.

Table 2: Pent-Up Demand Summary Vehicles Captured/ USER TYPE Estimated Demand 1 Current SEPTA Lot Users 187 2 Walk to the Station 0 3 Bike to the Station 0 4 Take a Taxi to the Station 8 - 17 5 Dropped-Off at the Station 5 - 8 6 Carpool to the Station 0 7 Arrive by Bus 13 - 39 8 Arrive by Trolley 22 - 37 9 Arrive by NHSL 47 - 94 10 Arrive by Market-Frankford Line 16 - 48 ESTIMATED DEMAND 298 to 430 Source: Timothy Haahs & Associates, 2014

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SEPTA Growth

Future SEPTA growth projections were not provided at the time of this report. However, we have reviewed the historical ridership as presented in the annual reports. The following table summarizes the annual ridership.

Table 3: Historical SEPTA Ridership (avg. weekday in thousands) FY 2004 FY 2005 FY 2006 FY 2007 FY 2008 FY 2009 FY 2010 FY 2011 FY 2012 FY 2013 SEPTA Ridership 1,031 1,021 1,027 1,041 1,087 1,103 1,088 1,114 1,129 1,137 Annual % Change (0.97%) 0.59% 1.36% 4.42% 1.47% (1.36%) 2.39% 1.35% 0.71% Source: SEPTA & Timothy Haahs & Associates, 2014

While ridership has, for the most part, experienced an upward trend, the average annual ridership growth increase since 2004 is 1.1%. Applying the average historical growth rate to the existing commuter lot demand, we would anticipate an additional 10 vehicles in 5 years and 19 vehicles in 10 years. Please note, specific growth projections for the system or the transit services at the 69th Street Station were requested from SEPTA but were not provided at the time of this report.

Upper Darby Future Development and Growth

The Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan adopted in 2004 introduces four visions for the Township’s future as follows:

 Quality community facilities and resources,  Safe, clean, vital neighborhoods accessible to all,  Vibrant, attractive, safe commercial and employment centers, and  Safe efficient, accessible public transportation.

The development strategy of the 69th Street Station is described in the plan under the third and fourth visions.

The 69th Street Terminal area will continue to be the business center of Upper Darby Township. It will be an attractive and vibrant mixed-use center with regional transit access, walkable streets, historic buildings, entertainment venues, quality retail shops, ample parking, and quality businesses that meet the demands of local residents and draw employment from other parts of the region. …

Upper Darby will be served by a transportation system that accommodates all modes of travel, including vehicles, pedestrians, bicyclists, and transit. The Township will continue to maintain a strong relationship with SEPTA in the provision of excellent transit service and access to transit stops. The transportation system will reflect high standards of safety, accessibility, and visual quality, with special attention to issues such as landscaping, traffic calming, parking supply, road capacity, and pedestrian accommodation. (Source: Upper Darby Township Comprehensive Plan, 2004. pp 1-5.)

In accordance with the Comprehensive Plan, the 69th Street Station area is designated as a site for a transit oriented development opportunity. Also, the downtown area surrounding the station is specified as Market Street Gateway which has an opportunity for employment center redevelopment. If the Township carries forward the developments per the Comprehensive Plan, the overall parking demand may increase. However, it should be noted that according to Upper Darby representatives none of the projects listed in the comprehensive plan have a defined budget, timeline, and program at the time of this draft report. The Township’s strategy plan for potential future development is illustrated on the following page.

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Figure 9: Upper Darby Comprehensive Plan Map (Opportunities for Change)

Source: Upper Darby Township Website (http://www.upperdarby.org/Projects/Comprehensive_Plan.html).

The population growth of the Township may affect the parking demand in the 69th Street Station area. According to the U.S. Census data, Upper Darby experienced a peak population of 95,910 in 1970 which then declined until 1990. Since then the population has experienced an upward trend which we anticipate will continue over the next 5 to 10 years. Based on the historical population trend analysis, we anticipate the Upper Darby population will reach approximately 89,000 residents in 2020 (a 7.9% increase over 2010).

Figure 10: Upper Darby Population Projections

Year Population 1930 47,145 1940 56,883 1950 84,951 1960 93,158 1970 95,910 1980 84,054 1990 81,777 2000 81,821 2010 82,795 2020 89,331

Source: U.S. Census Bureau & Timothy Haahs & Associates, 2014

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The parking demand is also influenced by the changes in the number of employees who are working in the Township. According to an employment projection by Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC), the number of employee in Upper Darby had decreased by 5.6% from 1990 to 2000. DVRPC also anticipates a pessimistic forecast, 17.4% decrease of employment in the Township by 2025. Due to the negative growth forecast, we have not applied any future projections for an increase in demand from Upper Darby employment growth.

TOD at SEPTA 69th Street Station

In order to quantify the impact of a TOD development, information regarding the proposed or potential program is needed (i.e. type of land use, square footage, number of beds, etc.). At the time of this draft report, SEPTA representatives were not able to provide information on the proposed future TOD.

Ideally, any TOD at this location would be complimentary to transit use which would maximize the shared parking opportunity. We understand the actual development plans are dependent on market conditions and at this time, we are unable to quantify how many additional spaces would be needed to support a TOD above and beyond the spaces provided for commuters.

Other Factors

We also identified other factors which may impact future parking demand at 69th Street Station. The following section of this report outlines those factors.

Vehicle Ownership

The majority of transit lines arriving at the 69th Street Station service stations located in Delaware and Montgomery County. Vehicle ownership is a critical statistic because commuters who have two or more cars in their household would have the ability to modify their commuting behavior by driving to the station and parking on-site. According to the U.S. Census data, only 53% of the households in Delaware County and 62% of the households in Montgomery County own two or more vehicles.

Table 4: Number of Vehicles by Household Delaware County, PA Montgomery County, PA Household Percent Household Percent No Vehicle Available 23,049 11% 18,683 6% 1 Vehicle Available 73,857 36% 98,470 32% 2 Vehicles Available 77,079 37% 132,709 43% 3 or More Vehicles Available 32,036 16% 58,221 19% Total 206,021 100% 308,083 100% Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2012 American Community Survey 5-year Estimates.

According to a survey regarding commuter trends, only 9.3% and 4.9% of the Delaware and Montgomery County residents, respectively, use public transportation to commute to work. In Delaware County, 53% of the residents who use public transportation have 1 vehicle or less and in Montgomery county 33% of the public transportation users has 1 vehicle or less. While vehicle ownership may not always dictate transit use, 56% of the residents in Delaware and 25% of the residents in Montgomery County who do not own a vehicle are currently using public transportation as a means to commute to work. The table on the following page summarizes the mode of transportation for Delaware and Montgomery County residents which is further detailed by the total number of vehicles per household.

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Table 5: Mode of Transportation to Work by Vehicles per Household Delaware County, PA Montgomery County, PA Commuters % of Total Commuters Commuters % of Total Commuters Total Commuters 256,215 100.0% 400,928 100.0% 194,556 321,286 Car, Truck, or Van - Drove Alone 75.9% 80.1% 2,748 3,302 No Vehicle Available 1.1% 0.8% 40,137 55,388 1 Vehicle Available 15.7% 13.8% 92,563 159,499 2 Vehicles Available 36.1% 39.8% 59,108 103,097 3 or More Vehicles Available 23.1% 25.7% 19,810 29,778 Car, Truck, or Van - Carpooled 7.7% 7.4% 1,271 1,565 No Vehicle Available 0.5% 0.4% 5,385 5,616 1 Vehicle Available 2.1% 1.4% 8,001 13,457 2 Vehicles Available 3.1% 3.4% 5,153 9,140 3 or More Vehicles Available 2.0% 2.3%

Public Transportation (Excluding Taxi) 23,854 9.3% 19,703 4.9%

No Vehicle Available 5,742 2.2% 1,884 0.5%

1 Vehicle Available 7,127 2.8% 4,697 1.2%

2 Vehicles Available 7,755 3.0% 9,186 2.3% 3,230 3,936 3 or More Vehicles Available 1.3% 1.0%

Taxicab, Motorcycle, Bicycle, or other Means 2,437 1.0% 3,163 0.8%

No Vehicle Available 293 0.1% 321 0.1% 704 727 1 Vehicle Available 0.3% 0.2% 970 1,181 2 Vehicles Available 0.4% 0.3% 470 934 3 or More Vehicles Available 0.2% 0.2%

Others 15,558 6.1% 26,998 6.7%

No Vehicle Available 1,736 0.7% 2,169 0.5%

1 Vehicle Available 3,859 1.5% 5,648 1.4%

2 Vehicles Available 6,315 2.5% 12,461 3.1%

3 or More Vehicles Available 3,648 1.4% 6,720 1.7% Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2012 American Community Survey 5-year Estimates.

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Fuel Cost Impact

As part of this analysis, we also reviewed the historical relationship between SEPTA ridership and fuel costs. The SEPTA ridership trends between FY 2004 and FY 2007 were not significantly impacted by the rising fuel prices. However, since FY 2007, ridership trends have more closely followed fuel prices indicating a meaningful correlation between fuel prices and public transportation.

Figure 11: SEPTA Ridership vs. Fuel Price per Gallon (East Coast)

Source: SEPTA, Fiscal Year 2013 Annual Report

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Roadway Construction Projects

Roadway construction may affect SEPTA ridership changes at 69th Street Station. According to the 2015 Twelve Year Program published by Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission (DVRPC) encompassing the counties of Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia in Pennsylvania and some other counties in New Jersey announced key road construction projects over the next 12 years. Most SEPTA service routes operate in those areas. The following figure lists the planned roadway construction projects over the next three years and depicts the location of each. Although #5 through #9 are not shown, those sites are also adjacent to SEPTA stations.

Figure 12: Roadway Construction Projects 2015-2018

Roadway Construction Projects 1 I-95/Turnpike Interchange (D10&D20) 2 I-95 Overhead Bridge Rehab. Chester 3 Ellis Town Ctr Intersection Rte 3 & 252 4 7th Ave. Chester Creek Bridge 5 Chester Valley Ped./Bike Trail Ext. 6 Route 309 – Five Points Intersection 7 US 202 Main to Elm Street 8 Tyson Avenue Signal Improvements 9 South Philadelphia Access Road 10 Schuylkill Bridge Rehab. @ Chestnut&30th 11 Vine Street Bridges Rehabilitation 12 Market Street Bridge Rehabilitation 13 Schuylkill Bridge Rehab. @ Greys Ferry 14 Lincoln Drive Recon. Ridge to Wissahickon

Source: PennDOT, 2015 Twelve Year Program, Delaware County Public Transportation Map and Guide

Future Parking Demand Summary

We anticipate 298 to 430 spaces will be needed in the proposed garage to accommodate the existing users of the 69th Street Station commuter lot and pent-up demand from other existing users. An additional 10 to 20 spaces may be needed to accommodate normal growth in ridership for a total of 310 to 450 total spaces excluding the demand from Upper Darby Township, any new TOD projects located at the 69th Street Station, and any impact from the other factors discussed in this report which are difficult to quantify or project.

We recommend updating the demand projections using a shared parking model once a more defined TOD program is available.