Mill Plain BRT LOCALLY PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE REPORT (FINAL)
May 24 2019
Prepared for: C-TRAN 2425 NE 65th Avenue Vancouver, WA 98661
Prepared by: HDR Engineering, Inc. 1050 SW 6th Ave., Suite 1800 Portland, OR 97204-1151 www.hdrinc.com and Parametrix 700 NE Multnomah, Suite 1000 Portland, OR 97232-4110 T. 503.233.2400 T. 360.694.5020 F. 1.855.542.6353 www.parametrix.com
Mill Plain BRT Locally Preferred Alternative Report (Final) C-TRAN
Contents
1 Introduction ...... 1-1 1.1 Corridor Description ...... 1-1 1.1.1 Study Organization ...... 1-4 2 Background ...... 2-1 2.1 Clark County High Capacity Transit System Study (2008) ...... 2-1 2.2 The Vine BRT on Fourth Plain ...... 2-3 2.3 Existing and Future Conditions in the Mill Plain Corridor ...... 2-3 2.3.1 Corridor Context ...... 2-3 2.3.2 Demographic Review ...... 2-4 2.3.3 Transit Service Assessment ...... 2-4 3 Purpose and Need ...... 3-1 4 Alternatives Analysis and Evaluation ...... 4-1 4.1 Alignment and Terminus Alternatives ...... 4-3 4.1.1 West Terminus ...... 4-3 4.1.2 East Terminus ...... 4-4 4.2 Evaluation Criteria ...... 4-5 4.3 Alignment and Termini Comparative Analysis ...... 4-6 4.3.1 Analysis Methods ...... 4-6 4.3.2 West Terminus Alignment Evaluation ...... 4-7 4.3.3 East Terminus Alignment Evaluation ...... 4-9 5 Preliminary Station Locations ...... 5-1 6 Community Engagement ...... 6-1 6.1 Open Houses ...... 6-1 6.1.1 Open House 1 ...... 6-1 6.1.2 Open House 2 ...... 6-1 6.1.3 Online Open House ...... 6-2 6.1.4 Open House 3 ...... 6-2 6.2 Stakeholder Interviews ...... 6-2 6.3 Community Briefings ...... 6-2 6.4 Advisory Committees ...... 6-3 6.5 Notifications and Availability of Information ...... 6-3 6.6 Community Engagement Next Steps ...... 6-3 7 Locally Preferred Alternative ...... 7-1 8 Next Steps ...... 8-1
Tables
Table 4-1. Evaluation Criteria and Measures ...... 4-5 Table 4-2. West Terminus Options Evaluation Summary and Ranking ...... 4-8 Table 4-3. East Terminus Options Evaluation Summary and Ranking ...... 4-10
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Figures
Figure 1-1. Mill Plain BRT Corridor ...... 1-3 Figure 2-1. Clark County High Capacity Transit System Plan ...... 2-2 Figure 2-2. Mill Plain Corridor ...... 2-4 Figure 2-3. C-TRAN Route 37 Mill Plain/Fisher’s Landing ...... 2-5 Figure 4-1. Mill Plain BRT Alignment with Termini Options ...... 4-2 Figure 4-2. West Terminus and Alignment Options ...... 4-3 Figure 4-3. East Terminus and Alignment Options ...... 4-4 Figure 4-4. Recommended West Terminus Alignment LPA ...... 4-9 Figure 4-5. Recommended East Terminus Alignment LPA ...... 4-11 Figure 4-6. Potential C-TRAN Bus Route Restructuring with Mill Plain Transit Center ...... 4-11 Figure 5-1. Preliminary LPA Alignment Station Locations ...... 5-2 Figure 7-1. Mill Plain BRT Locally Preferred Alternative ...... 7-2
Appendices
Appendix A. Mill Plain BRT Existing Conditions Report ...... Appendix B. Termini Evaluation Details ......
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Acronyms and Abbreviations
BRT bus rapid transit CAC Corridor Advisory Committee COV City of Vancouver DEIS Draft Environmental Impact Statement GIS Geographic Information System HCT high capacity transit I-205 Interstate 205 I-5 Interstate 5 LPA locally preferred alternative RTC Regional Transportation Council STOPS Simplified Trips on Project Software TAC Technical Advisory Committee WSDOT Washington State Department of Transportation
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Mill Plain BRT Locally Preferred Alternative Report (Final) C-TRAN
1 Introduction
This Locally Preferred Alternative Report describes the analysis and decision-making process associated with developing a bus rapid transit (BRT) route on Mill Plain Boulevard in Vancouver, Washington. BRT on Mill Plain Boulevard would be the second BRT route developed by C-TRAN, the transit agency serving the City of Vancouver (COV) and Clark County. C-TRAN’s first BRT route, The Vine, opened in January 2017 serving the Fourth Plain Boulevard corridor. The Mill Plain Boulevard Corridor was identified as a promising BRT corridor in the Clark County High Capacity Transit System Study (Southwest Washington Regional Transportation Council [RTC], 2008). Based on the success of the original Vine service on Fourth Plain Boulevard, the C-TRAN Board, in 2017, directed staff to prepare a study of what a Vine-style service would look like on Mill Plain Boulevard. This report describes the results of that study and presents the details of the locally preferred alternative (LPA). Specific questions related to the development of a Mill Plain BRT that are addressed in this report are listed below: Why has BRT been selected as the preferred high capacity transit (HCT) mode for the Mill Plain corridor? Why was Mill Plain determined to be the next Clark County BRT corridor? Where should the east and west termini be located? What is the best alignment for the service? What are the best potential locations for BRT stations in the corridor? 1.1 Corridor Description Mill Plain Boulevard is a COV major arterial operating from its intersection with Fourth Plain Boulevard near the Port of Vancouver west of Interstate 5 (I-5) to SE 192nd Avenue at the eastern edge of the COV near the City of Camas city limits. Immediately west of I-5, E Mill Plain Boulevard operates as a one-way couplet with 15th Street: three lanes westbound on E 15th Street and three lanes eastbound on E Mill Plain Boulevard. At the east end of the couplet, the four lanes merge into a four-lane, two-directional arterial: E Mill Plain Boulevard. East of I-5, E Mill Plain Boulevard is primarily a four-lane, two-directional arterial with turn lanes at major intersections. The BRT concept along Mill Plain Boulevard is envisioned to operate in mixed traffic between the Turtle Place Transit Station in downtown Vancouver and the area east or south of the intersection of Mill Plain Boulevard and SE 164th Avenue. West of I-5, commercial land uses predominate along Mill Plain Boulevard between the I-5 interchange and Washington Street. Immediately east of I-5, land uses include parks, Hudson’s Bay High School, and the Fort Vancouver National Historic Site. East of E Reserve Street, residential uses begin to predominate with commercial nodes located at major intersections. This mix of residential and commercial uses continues until N Lieser
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Road where medical facilities associated with the PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center predominate on the north side of Mill Plain Boulevard. Commercial uses begin to predominate as Mill Plain Boulevard travels across the Interstate 205 (I-205) interchange, with the area between I-205 and SE 164th Avenue taking on a highly commercial character. The intersection of Mill Plain Boulevard and SE 164th Avenue presents a choice for the BRT alignment to either continue east on Mill Plain Boulevard or turn south on SE 164th Avenue to tie into the Fisher’s Landing Transit Center. In downtown Vancouver, the Mill Plain BRT would tie in to the existing Vine terminus at Turtle Place. The alignment decision in downtown is whether the BRT would travel west of Fort Vancouver Way on E Mill Plain Boulevard/E 15th Street to Washington Street or turn south on Fort Vancouver Way and access downtown via E Evergreen Boulevard. Figure 1-1 illustrates the general Mill Plain BRT corridor alignment. Alignment alternatives and the evaluation and decision-making process are described in Section 5 of this report.
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Figure 1-1. Mill Plain BRT Corridor
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1.1.1 Study Organization C-TRAN is leading the planning and development of BRT improvements in the Mill Plain corridor. The project is a regional priority with two committees and the C-TRAN Board of Directors providing direction and input into the study process. Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) – Staff representatives from partner agencies and jurisdictions including COV, City of Camas, Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) and the RTC. Corridor Advisory Committee (CAC) – Citizens representing neighborhoods, businesses, school districts, major employers, and other advocacy groups active in the Mill Plain corridor. C-TRAN Board of Directors – The C-TRAN Board is the final decision-making body for the project and provides direction to C-TRAN staff regarding project planning, design, and implementation. The C-TRAN Board is composed of nine local elected officials representing the Clark County Council and the Cities of Vancouver, Camas, Washougal, Battle Ground, Ridgefield, La Center, and Yacolt. The Board also includes one non-voting labor representative from the Amalgamated Transit Union Local No. 757. With input from project partners, the C-TRAN Board will provide final decisions at key project milestones, including selection of the LPA described in this report.
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2 Background
Public transportation service in Clark County dates back to the late 1800s when a streetcar network served central Vancouver and provided a connection to a ferry across the Columbia River that then connected to the Portland streetcar network. C-TRAN was established in 1981 as the Clark County Public Transit Benefit Area Authority with a mandate to provide public transportation to all of Clark County. Prior to that time, a mix of public and private services served commuters to Portland, and the COV provided some limited local services operating only within the city. The potential to improve transit service in Clark County by implementing HCT in key corridors was first considered in 1991. The Clark County High Capacity Transit Analysis focused on HCT connections to Portland and recommended further study of light rail and bus-based HCT options. The South/North Corridor Project published a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (DEIS) that included light rail in the I-5 corridor serving downtown Vancouver with a terminus in the vicinity of Clark College. In 2008, the Columbia River Crossing Project published a DEIS that included light rail and BRT options to serve central Vancouver. In 2008, the RTC collaborated with C-TRAN to prepare and adopt a document that established clear policy direction for the development of HCT in Clark County, the Clark County High Capacity Transit System Study. 2.1 Clark County High Capacity Transit System Study (2008) The Clark County HCT System Study evaluated 15 potential travel corridors internal to Clark County to identify which, if any, should be considered for developing HCT. The study also considered a range of potential HCT modes, including light rail, streetcar, commuter rail, and BRT. The RTC Board, with concurrence from the C-TRAN Board, Clark County Commission, and city councils, adopted a plan that identified BRT as the preferred HCT mode for Clark County; it identified four promising HCT corridors (Figure 2-1): Fourth Plain Boulevard Mill Plain Boulevard Highway 99 I-205 C-TRAN moved forward with implementing BRT in the Fourth Plain Boulevard corridor with The Vine service, which opened in January 2017.
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Figure 2-1. Clark County High Capacity Transit System Plan
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2.2 The Vine BRT on Fourth Plain C-TRAN identified Fourth Plain Boulevard as a priority corridor for developing a BRT system and initiated planning and design for The Vine in 2011. The project was developed with considerable input from the community with regular meetings of a community advisory committee and extensive outreach to businesses and residents along the corridor. The Vine opened with BRT service in 2017 that featured level- boarding, low-floor, hybrid-electric buses; off-board fare collection; and real-time rider information at stations. Compared with the previous bus service on Fourth Plain Boulevard, The Vine has resulted in increased ridership, reduced travel times, and increased reliability while providing improved passenger safety and comfort. 2.3 Existing and Future Conditions in the Mill Plain Corridor The Mill Plain BRT study prepared a report on the existing and future conditions along the Mill Plain corridor; it presents a variety of data that help to understand both the existing character of the corridor and the forecast growth (see 0 for the Mill Plain BRT Existing Conditions Report). The report addresses land use, zoning, comprehensive plans, population, employment, and transit ridership and operations. The existing and future conditions are summarized below.
2.3.1 Corridor Context The study corridor was defined as 0.5-mile on either side of all potential BRT alignments (Figure 2-2). This corridor is predominantly within the Vancouver City Limits with only 1 percent located in unincorporated Clark County. The zoning and existing land uses within the corridor are a mix of single-family and multifamily residential, commercial, public facilities, medical facilities, and schools. The eastern portions of the corridor have a higher proportion of vacant land and commercial development. The COV Comprehensive Plan (2011) is the key planning document relevant to the corridor. It identifies centers and corridors within the Mill Plain corridor, including City Center, Central Park, and the PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center.
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Figure 2-2. Mill Plain Corridor
2.3.2 Demographic Review The demographic review of the corridor used data from the Census Bureau’s 2011–2016 American Community Survey, RTC population and employment data, and information on planned development. The corridor had a 2016 population of 92,670, approximately 20 percent of the total Clark County population. Consistent with the City’s Comprehensive Plan, RTC forecasts that the number of households in the corridor will increase by 35 percent between 2015 and 2040. Corridor employment was approximately 37,000 in 2015, and is forecast to grow by 30 percent by 2040. Transit currently carries 3.8 percent of the commute trips in the corridor, which is higher than the COV average of 3.3 percent and the County average of 2.3 percent. There are a variety of planned development projects in the corridor, including near-term (less than 5 years) plans for nearly 5,000 multifamily units.
2.3.3 Transit Service Assessment Route 37 Mill Plain is the second highest ridership line in the C-TRAN system with almost 66,000 monthly rides. Route 37 currently connects downtown Vancouver to Fisher’s Landing Transit Center with buses alternating between a route on Mill Plain Boulevard east of SE 164th Avenue to SE 192nd Avenue and SE 34th Street, and a route on SE 164th Avenue that connects directly to Fisher’s Landing. The route operates with weekday headways of 15 minutes (west of SE 164th Avenue) and 20 to 30 minutes on weekends. Average stop spacing on Route 37 is approximately 0.25 mile, with the highest ridership stops located in downtown and at Fisher’s Landing. Other high activity stops are located along Mill Plain at 120th, 136th, Andresen, and Grand (Figure 2-3).
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Figure 2-3. C-TRAN Route 37 Mill Plain/Fisher’s Landing
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3 Purpose and Need
A purpose and need statement is defined early in a project to provide a clear statement of why a project is being considered and what it hopes to accomplish. The adopted Purpose and Need Statement for the Mill Plain BRT project follows:
The purpose of the Mill Plain BRT project is to provide transit system improvements to serve the business and residential growth along the Mill Plain corridor, improve east-west and regional connectivity, improve transit travel times (particularly for transit-dependent populations), and improve safety conditions to access transit. The level of improvements provided for the recent implementation of The Vine service can serve as a model for improvements for the Mill Plain Boulevard corridor. The Vine includes several design elements that have improved safety and security, travel time, schedule reliability, customer experience, and capacity, all of which have attracted increased ridership and supported environmental sustainability. In addition to physical and operational improvements, Mill Plain BRT will support the COV’s Comprehensive Plan, Complete Streets Policy, and the ongoing subarea planning processes (including The Heights District Plan in the central portion of the Mill Plain corridor).
The need for BRT-style transit improvements in the Mill Plain corridor is indicated by the following: Increasing need to accommodate projected employment and population growth along Mill Plain – The Mill Plain corridor is forecast to add over 13,000 new jobs by 2040, an increase of over 26 percent from today. The largest job growth is expected in the eastern portion of the corridor, centered on SE Mill Plain Boulevard east of SE 164th Avenue. Downtown Vancouver is also forecast to see heavy job growth with an increase of 84 percent. In addition, with the development of the waterfront and other new housing, downtown Vancouver is forecast to nearly triple the number of people residing there by 2035. Census data indicate that 8 percent of corridor residents do not have access to a car or are considered to be in poverty, both of which are above the average in Clark County. Increasing need for east/west travel, transit connectivity, and regional mobility – Growth forecasts confirm that neighborhoods in west and east Vancouver are anticipated to be centers for job growth in Clark County. The corridor is expecting nearly 6,000 multifamily units and nearly 2.8 million square feet of office and retail uses within the next 10 years. Improved transit on Mill Plain Boulevard can enhance service to existing and future employment areas and enhance the ability of above average numbers of transit-dependent residents to access the jobs and needed services along the corridor. In addition, improved corridor transit can provide better opportunities to connect to existing regional bi-state service options. Uncompetitive transit travel times and delay cause by traffic congestion – The Mill Plain corridor has the second highest ridership in the C-TRAN system, and increasing congestion impacts existing riders and hinders the ability to capture
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additional demand along the corridor. Traffic congestion on Mill Plain Boulevard during the mid-day and evening peak hours results in slow and inconsistent run times on Route 37. Some of the busiest existing bus stops and heaviest roadway congestion are found in the vicinity of the Mill Plain/I-205 interchange, where service typically operates at speeds as low as 8 miles per hour during the PM peak and will continue to slow over time. In addition, dwell time accounts for approximately 20 percent of transit run times due, in part, to the high number of existing bus stops along Mill Plain. Poor reliability of the current service – Routinely, 10 percent of the buses on the corridor are running at least 5 minutes late; with the forecast increase in ridership and traffic congestion, service reliability will worsen. Concerns with safety and access to transit – Existing bus stops along Mill Plain are often without safe pedestrian crossing access, particularly at mid-block locations. Lighting and security are also very limited at existing stops along Mill Plain, limiting the overall attractiveness of transit.
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4 Alternatives Analysis and Evaluation
The Clark County HCT System Study identified Mill Plain as a promising corridor for BRT improvements. The Vine on Fourth Plain Boulevard provides a template for the types of improvements that should be included for an arterial BRT system in Clark County. The BRT features included in The Vine and providing the template for Mill Plain BRT include the following: High quality stations Level, all-door boarding Off-board fare collection Real-time rider information 60-foot articulated buses Consistent branding with current Vine service Downtown terminus station at the Turtle Place Transit Center This foundation provided by The Vine left fewer decisions to be made regarding the definition of the LPA of the Mill Plain BRT project. The key decisions that remained focused on the location and alignment of the east terminus and the alignment to connect from Ft. Vancouver Way and Mill Plain Boulevard to Turtle Place. There are additional elements that will be determined as the project moves into a more detailed design phase that are not included as specific elements of the LPA. These elements include the number and locations of stations, street cross sections, and traffic signal priority treatments. The east and west termini and alignment choices are described in the following sections and are shown in Figure 4-1.
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Figure 4-1. Mill Plain BRT Alignment with Termini Options
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4.1 Alignment and Terminus Alternatives
4.1.1 West Terminus The west terminus would be located at the existing Vine downtown terminus at Turtle Place along 7th Street between Washington and Broadway Streets. The TAC and CAC identified two alignment choices for the Mill Plain Boulevard to Turtle Place connection (Figure 4-2).
Figure 4-2. West Terminus and Alignment Options
Mill Plain Alignment Option – The BRT would remain on Mill Plain west of Fort Vancouver Way, travel through the I-5/Mill Plain interchange, and use the westbound portion of the Mill Plain/15th couplet, traveling on 15th to Washington Street then south to Turtle Place. Leaving Turtle Place, the route would travel on Broadway Street to Mill Plain Boulevard and then head east through the I-5/Mill Plain interchange to Fort Vancouver Way and points east. Evergreen Alignment Option – The westbound BRT on Mill Plain would turn south on Fort Vancouver Way, then travel west on Evergreen, and cross I-5 to Washington Street where it would turn south to Turtle Place. Leaving Turtle Place, the route would travel north on Broadway Street, east on Evergreen, cross I-5, continue on Evergreen to Fort Vancouver Way, then north back to Mill Plain Boulevard.
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4.1.2 East Terminus The east terminus presents a choice between an alignment that remains on Mill Plain Boulevard east of SE 164th Avenue to the vicinity of 192nd Avenue where a new transit center would be built in the Columbia Tech Center (near the Clark College satellite campus) or an alignment along SE 164th Avenue from Mill Plain Boulevard to the existing Fisher’s Landing Transit Center (Figure 4-3). Figure 4-3. East Terminus and Alignment Options
Mill Plain Alignment Option – The BRT would remain on Mill Plain east of SE 164th to a new transit center planned for the north side of Mill Plain in the vicinity of the Clark College Columbia Tech Center campus. The specific location for the new transit center has not been identified, and bus routes would be restructured to serve the new transit center, maintaining transit service on SE 192nd Avenue and on SE 34th Street. SE 164th Alignment Option – Eastbound BRT on Mill Plain would turn south onto SE 164th Avenue and connect to the existing Fisher’s Landing Transit Center. Westbound BRT would travel north on SE 164th Avenue and then turn west onto Mill Plain.
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4.2 Evaluation Criteria The criteria used to evaluate and compare the alignment and termini options were derived from the criteria developed to select the LPA for The Vine on Fourth Plain Boulevard. The original Vine criteria were prepared with considerable input from the project’s CAC and considered a broad range of factors that were important to the community in selecting the alignment and termini for that project. Building on the experience gained during planning for The Vine, the team recognized that C-TRAN and the community now had a good understanding of how BRT could be implemented to improve transit service. The Vine criteria were simplified for use on the Mill Plain BRT to focus on issues that are most critical to the community and decision- makers. The TAC and CAC endorsed the simplified evaluation approach. Table 4-1 summarizes the goals, criteria, and measures used to evaluate and compare the alignment and termini alternatives.
Table 4-1. Evaluation Criteria and Measures Goal Criterion Measure Goal 1. Transit Travel Time Estimated travel time based on traffic models, station Improve Transit consolidation, dwell time reduction, etc. Service Ridership Estimate FTA-developed STOPS model used to estimate existing and future daily ridership on BRT Quality of Access to Regional Number of bus route connections and areas served Transit System with bus connections Opportunity to Extend BRT to Description of possible ways to extend to Vancouver Waterfront (West Terminus Waterfront development Only) Goal 2. Capital Cost Estimated cost to construct stations, etc. Create a Cost- Annual Operating Cost Estimated cost to operate BRT route based on number Effective, Long-Term of buses required, etc. Transit Solution Ability to Accommodate Future, Assessment of station capacity at stations jointly used Planned BRT Routes by existing and planned BRT Goal 3. Motor Vehicle Delay Number of signalized intersections and level of Meet Current and congestion Future Corridor Community Facilities Served Number of libraries, schools, parks, etc., within 0.5 mile Travel Demand Jobs within 0.5 mile GIS-based assessment of number of jobs Population within 0.5 mile GIS-based assessment of population Goal 4. Posted Speed Limit Posted speed in miles per hour Enhance Safety and Traffic Volume on Alignment Existing and forecast traffic volume on BRT alignment Security of the Segment Corridor Pedestrian Crossing Distance Distance required for pedestrians to cross BRT street at designated crossing locations Goal 5. Vacant and Developable Land Number of acres of vacant and developable within 0.5 Support Economic mile Vitality and Corridor Opportunity for Transit-Oriented Qualitative assessment based on market conditions Revitalization Efforts Development and available land Ability to Support City Plans and Qualitative assessment based on review of City plans Policies Goal 6. Low-Income Housing Units Number of units based on review of Vancouver Housing Support a Healthy within 0.5 mile Authority records and Livable Social Service Providers within Number of food pantries and shelters Community 0.5 mile Review of Pedestrian Assessment of the availability of street crossings, Environment sidewalks, sidewalk width, etc.
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4.3 Alignment and Termini Comparative Analysis The evaluation of the alignment and termini alternatives used a variety of planning tools including GIS mapping tools, Vissim and Synchro traffic models, and FTA’s Simplified Trips on Project Software (STOPS) ridership estimating model. In addition, qualitative analysis was provided by economic analysis and land use planning specialists. The comparative evaluation was prepared using state-of-the-art methods consistent with best planning practice.
4.3.1 Analysis Methods
STOPS Model FTA has long required that agencies applying for a Capital Investment Grant (such as Small Starts) provide a technically sound estimate of how many riders would use a proposed project. Agencies would typically utilize the regional travel demand model for this purpose; however, the regional models are complex and require extensive time and effort to fine tune the modeled networks and parameters to account for a transit project. In 2013, FTA released the STOPS model with the idea that it would provide a simplified, less data-intensive model that agencies could use to prepare technically sound ridership estimates. STOPS used data from the regional travel demand model, the US Census, transit agency operations data (GTFS files), and other data sources to estimate project ridership. For the Mill Plain BRT project, C-TRAN prepared a STOPS model that compared the ridership impact of the terminus alignment alternatives.
Geographic Information Systems Geographic Information System (GIS) mapping and analysis tools were used to define the corridor and measure a variety of factors that occur within 0.5 mile of the corridor. Maps and analysis produced using GIS are included in the Existing and Future Conditions Technical Memorandum included as 0.
Traffic Operations Models Two separate traffic operations models were used to assess operations at key intersections along the Mill Plain BRT alignment alternatives. Synchro: Uses traffic counts and field observations to test how well intersections operate under various conditions. Synchro results are used to calculate the amount of traffic delay and level of service at intersections. Vissim: Micro-simulation model that includes detailed information on an intersection or broader model area. Vissim is used to understand the interactions of traffic through a series of intersections and provides data on travel times and volume to capacity ratios. In the Mill Plain corridor, Vissim models are limited to the two freeway interchange areas where Mill Plain Boulevard interacts with I-5 and I-205.
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Qualitative Analysis Several qualitative measures were used in the alignment evaluation: Access to the regional transit system Opportunity to extend BRT to the Vancouver Waterfront (west terminus only) Ability to accommodate future BRT Opportunity for transit-oriented development Support for plans and policies These qualitative measures relied on research and professional judgment from technical specialists on the project team who compared the termini alignment alternatives. The technical specialists represent diverse fields such as transit planning and operations, real estate and development, and land use planning.
4.3.2 West Terminus Alignment Evaluation The west terminus alignment evaluation compared the Evergreen alignment with an alignment that would stay on Mill Plain and use the Mill Plain/E 15th couplet west of I-5 to Washington Street. The following highlight the key findings. A detailed evaluation matrix is included as 0 to this report.
Goal 1 – Improve Transit Service Evergreen alignment would be approximately 4 minutes faster than the Mill Plain alignment Evergreen alignment would attract approximately 300 more daily rides under current conditions and approximately 200 more daily rides in 2040
Goal 2 – Create a Cost-Effective, Long-Term Transit Solution Mill Plain alignment would have one less station platform and would incur less capital cost Evergreen alignment would have lower operating cost due to shorter travel time Evergreen alignment would provide better travel time reliability due to avoiding congestion in the I-5/Mill Plain Boulevard interchange area Evergreen alignment would not require sharing existing Vine BRT stations along Washington or Broadway Streets which maintains vehicle capacity at those stations for future BRT
Goal 3 – Meet Current and Future Corridor Travel Demand Evergreen alignment includes six fewer traffic signals or roundabouts than the Mill Plain alignment Mill Plain alignment would serve slightly more population
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Goal 4 – Enhance Safety and Security of the Corridor PM peak hour traffic counts on Evergreen alignment show over 1,000 fewer vehicles Mill Plain west of I-5 is a designated truck route
Goal 5 – Support Economic Vitality and Corridor Revitalization Efforts Evergreen alignment would directly serve planned Providence Academy apartment and commercial development Mill Plain alignment has more potential to serve north downtown
Goal 6 – Support a Healthy and Livable Community Mill Plain alignment would serve more low-income housing Evergreen alignment serves a more walkable environment due to lower traffic volumes The comparative ranking of the two west terminus alignment alternatives is summarized in Table 4-2.
Table 4-2. West Terminus Options Evaluation Summary and Ranking
Goal Evergreen Mill Plain
Improve Transit Service
Create Cost-Effective, Long-Term Transit Solution
Meet Current and Future Corridor Travel Demand
Enhance Safety and Security
Support Economic Vitality
Support Healthy and Livable Community
More circle fill indicates more support for the goal.
Based on this comparative evaluation, the TAC and CAC recommended that the Evergreen Terminus Alignment be used to connect the Mill Plain BRT between Ft. Vancouver Way and Turtle Place (Figure 4-4).
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Figure 4-4. Recommended West Terminus Alignment LPA
4.3.3 East Terminus Alignment Evaluation The east terminus evaluation compared the Mill Plain alignment (including a new transit center) with an alignment on SE 164th Avenue to Fisher’s Landing Transit Center. The following highlight the key findings. A detailed evaluation matrix is included as 0 to this report.
Goal 1 – Improve Transit Service Mill Plain alignment would be approximately 12 minutes faster to the terminus than the SE 164th Avenue alignment to Fisher’s Landing Transit Center Mill Plain alignment would attract approximately 300 more daily rides under current conditions and approximately 400 more daily rides in 2040 SE 164th Avenue alignment would connect with two more existing and planned bus routes
Goal 2 – Create a Cost-Effective, Long-Term Transit Solution Mill Plain alignment would include a new transit center and incur more capital cost Mill Plain alignment would include route modifications and new service coverage which would result in more operating cost but would fulfill C-TRAN long-range plans Mill Plain alignment would likely result in less operating cost for the BRT route
Goal 3 – Meet Current and Future Corridor Travel Demand Mill Plain alignment includes five fewer traffic signals than the SE 164th Avenue alignment
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Mill Plain alignment would serve six more community facilities SE 164th Avenue alignment would serve more population Mill Plain alignment would serve more jobs
Goal 4 – Enhance Safety and Security of the Corridor PM peak hour traffic counts on Mill Plain alignment show over 2,000 fewer vehicles SE 164th Avenue is approximately 20 feet wider to cross for pedestrians
Goal 5 – Support Economic Vitality and Corridor Revitalization Efforts Mill Plain alignment has considerably more vacant and developable land Mill Plain alignment developable property is largely in a single ownership SE 164th Avenue alignment developable property is in fragmented ownership Mill Plain alignment provides better opportunity to support the City’s Complete Street Policy
Goal 6 – Support a Healthy and Livable Community Mill Plain alignment has better walking environment due to lower traffic volumes and better sidewalks The comparative ranking of the two west terminus alignment alternatives is summarized in Table 4-3.
Table 4-3. East Terminus Options Evaluation Summary and Ranking
164th Mill Plain
Improve Transit Service
Create Cost-Effective, Long-Term Transit Solution
Meet Current and Future Corridor Travel Demand
Enhance Safety and Security
Support Economic Vitality
Support Healthy and Livable Community
More circle fill indicates more support for the goal.
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Based on this comparative evaluation, the TAC and CAC recommended that the Mill Plain Alignment with new transit center be selected as the east terminus (Figure 4-5).
Figure 4-5. Recommended East Terminus Alignment LPA
The Mill Plain terminus with a new transit center located in the vicinity of the Clark College Columbia Tech Center Campus, would provide C-TRAN with an opportunity to restructure bus service to better serve Camas, Washougal, and east Vancouver. The new transit center that would not include a park and ride lot and would focus on connections among internal Clark County routes. Figure 4-6 displays a preliminary concept of how service could be restructured with the new Mill Plain transit center. This new transit center is anticipated to be the focus for internal county bus routes while Fisher’s Landing Transit Center and Park and Ride would focus on commuter routes to Portland. C-TRAN would work closely with bus riders and the community to define the final restructuring plan.
Figure 4-6. Potential C-TRAN Bus Route Restructuring with Mill Plain Transit Center
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5 Preliminary Station Locations
Preliminary station locations were identified through analysis of existing and future conditions along the corridor, a series of station location workshops to determine most feasible intersection locations for station placement, and discussions with key stakeholders and the Corridor Advisory Committee. The placement of the preliminary station locations were developed using the following indicators: Existing stop-level transit ridership along the Mill Plain corridor Access to key destinations along Mill Plain to accommodate corridor transit demand Passenger access to stations to promote safe and effective access to transit Avoidance of potential access and property impacts to businesses and residences Station spacing to promote capital and operations cost-effectiveness Avoidance of potential impacts to vehicle operations along the Mill Plain corridor Figure 5-1 illustrates the preliminary station locations along the proposed Mill Plain BRT LPA alignment. The preliminary station locations are labeled at the major intersections shown, and specific station placement will be evaluated and refined during the design phases of the project.
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Figure 5-1. Preliminary LPA Alignment Station Locations
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6 Community Engagement
C-TRAN is listening to community voices to plan safe, reliable, and effective transit solutions for the Mill Plain BRT project. The planning process for The Vine: Mill Plain BRT project offered many opportunities for community members to comment on the design options for Mill Plain including public open houses, stakeholder interviews, community briefings, and an advisory committee. 6.1 Open Houses 6.1.1 Open House 1 In August 2018, C-TRAN hosted their first project open house at Firstenburg Community Center to introduce The Vine: Mill Plain BRT project to the broader community. C-TRAN invited the public to learn more about the project and provide comments about the project purpose and need, corridor issues, routing options for the east and west ends of the corridor, evaluation criteria for the routing options, and future outreach. Dozens of community members viewed display boards around the room with background information about the project and timeline, the project purpose and need, existing conditions, and public involvement opportunities. In addition, attendees could provide comments directly on a corridor map to describe issues they experience along the corridor and use sticky dots to indicate their top priorities for the evaluation criteria. CTRAN received 17 comment forms and 29 comments on the corridor map expressing community issues and priorities for improved transit service on Mill Plain, thoughts about routing options for east and west ends of the route, suggestions for future outreach, and what evaluation criteria should be prioritized when developing the project.
6.1.2 Open House 2 In November, 2018, C-TRAN hosted their second community open house at Hudson’s Bay High School to provide information about proposed station locations, alignment options under consideration and no-build traffic findings. More than a dozen community members viewed display boards with background information about the project and timeline, the project purpose and need, and public involvement opportunities. In addition, attendees could provide comments directly on corridor maps showing potential station locations. Thirty-two comments were submitted: four via email, five via comment form, and 23 on the corridor map. Comments mostly focused on the proposed station locations and terminus alignments including design improvements suggested at specific locations, as well as other community issues and priorities relevant to project development.
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6.1.3 Online Open House In addition to an in-person open house, C-TRAN wanted to provide an additional opportunity for community members to learn about and comment on the potential station locations and terminus alignment options. Visitors to catchthevine.com were invited to comment through a link to the online open house. Community members could click on an interactive map showing the proposed alignment and stations. After selecting a potential station, they would see a street view of the proposed station location and have the opportunity to submit comments. The online open house launched on October 25 and covered the same topics as the November open house. When it closed on December 7, 2018, it had received 121 comments expressing that the majority of participants agreed with the proposed stations locations and termini options under consideration. There was no strong preference for east or west termini alignments under consideration.
6.1.4 Open House 3 In February, 2019, C-TRAN hosted their third open house at Fisher’s Landing Transit Center to provide details about the Mill Plain BRT project alignment and design considerations. More than 20 community members viewed display boards with background information about the project and timeline, preliminary station locations, proposed alignments including the proposed Locally Preferred Alternative, current traffic conditions, and a Phase 1 Public Involvement recap. C-TRAN received eleven comment forms expressing why attendees were interested in the project, general support of the proposed project alignment, and a desire to have bus stops near community amenities. 6.2 Stakeholder Interviews C-TRAN conducted a series of interviews with key stakeholders to introduce the Mill Plain Bus Rapid Transit project, learn how to best engage them, and gather early feedback to inform the project team about community needs and interests. During summer 2018, the project team met with six individuals, representing three distinct project stakeholder groups: neighborhoods, social service agencies, and small businesses. Stakeholders suggested public events that might be valuable for C-TRAN to join and also shared information about numerous projects planned and/or built within the area. The series of interviews lasted between 60 and 90 minutes each and resulted in sharing project information to key area stakeholders, gaining valuable information about the local community, and developing relationships. 6.3 Community Briefings C-TRAN offered project information through presentations, tabling events and briefings to four neighborhood association meetings and more than 10 community events ranging from the Clark County Fair, project area business fairs, jurisdictional partner open houses, and civic group meetings. Hundreds of members of the community were given
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an opportunity to learn – and provide comment – about the project through these public events. 6.4 Advisory Committees In addition to the four agency partners represented on the project’s TAC, the CAC was comprised of 16 community representatives. The Corridor Advisory Committee included representatives from social services; neighborhood associations; educational institutions; business and economic entities; medical facilities; and people who depend on transit, including seniors and those who are visually impaired. Both advisory committees met five times, with the CAC also participating in an in-depth corridor tour. At their last meeting, the CAC provided a strong recommendation for the project’s Locally Preferred Alternative. 6.5 Notifications and Availability of Information C-TRAN publicized project outreach opportunities through the following channels: Posted an invitation on the COV’s Nextdoor.com site, which includes just over 31,000 residents Shared event information at numerous community organization briefings Posted ads in The Columbian and Camas/Washougal Post Record Shared updates on C-TRAN’s website, Twitter and Facebook pages; as well as social media posts shared by C-TRAN community partners Emailed notice from C-TRAN and Vancouver Office of Neighborhoods Created bus advertisements Mailed postcards to more than 12,000 households and businesses along the corridor before each community open house Distributed flyers door-to-door to more than 400 businesses and organizations along the corridor Posted notices in community calendars for The Columbian, Camas/Washougal Post Record and The Reflector Distributed press release to local media before each community open house 6.6 Community Engagement Next Steps As the Mill Plain BRT project moves into the next phase of design, project staff will continue their commitment to inform the public. This effort will likely take the form of making project information widely available; providing briefings to community organizations; updating the project website frequently; and conducting outreach to interested individuals, especially business and property owners within the project area. The general public and CAC members will be invited to stay informed about project developments as the design progresses.
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7 Locally Preferred Alternative
Based on the evaluation, community engagement, and discussing with various project committees, the Mill Plain BRT LPA recommendation is as follows: Mode: Bus Rapid Transit Alignment: Mill Plain Corridor Termini: Evergreen to Downtown and East Mill Plain to new Transit Center near 192nd Ave Preliminary station locations Figure 7-1 illustrates the Mill Plain BRT LPA.
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Figure 7-1. Mill Plain BRT Locally Preferred Alternative
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8 Next Steps
In January 2019, the project team presented the recommended LPA to the TAC and CAC. Both committees endorsed moving forward with further development of the LPA. The C-TRAN Board adopted the LPA at its March 2019 meeting and provided further direction on the project. Following the board LPA approval, the project will begin the next phase of the project. This next phase will include more detailed design, analysis, and documentation to comply with the National Environmental Policy Act and the Washington State Environmental Policy Act. Key elements that will be addressed during the next phase include the following: BRT station locations – During LPA phase the project team identified a set of potential station locations that would decrease the number of bus stops along Mill Plain and result in an average of approximately 1/2 mile between stops resulting in reduced travel time. During Phase 2 these station locations will be refined to specific locations where the station footprint will best fit. Stations will be designed using Vine stations as a template, and they will be located and designed to safely accommodate pedestrians, bicyclists, and people using mobility devices. Mill Plain Transit Center – The LPA phase identified a general location and size of a new transit center in the vicinity of SE 184th Avenue. During the next phase, C- TRAN will work with property owners and neighborhood stakeholders to identify a specific location and develop a detailed design for the transit center. This will also include working with the broader community to determine how bus routes would be reconfigured to best utilize the transit center and improve bus service in east Clark County. Mill Plain at I-205 Interchange / Chaklov – During the LPA phase the project team developed a concept that would reconfigure the intersection of Mill Plain at Chaklov and modify the operations at the northbound I-205 on-ramp. This reconfiguration would provide for a westbound bus-only lane that would allow buses to improve their speed through an existing trouble spot and provide the ability to have a westbound bus stop adjacent to the Mill Plain/Chaklov intersection. Small Starts Application – The project received FTA approval to enter the Project Development phase in February 2019. This keeps the project on track to submit a Small Starts grant application for FY 2020 in September 2019. The grant application will use Project Justification Warrants based on the existing level of transit ridership along Mill Plain. The warrants allow the project to automatically receive a medium rating for the Mobility, Cost Effectiveness and Congestion Relief criteria. The project team will prepare analysis to address the remaining criteria: Land Use, Environmental Benefits and Economic Development. The next project phase will carry the project through the preparation of final design documents and permitting and have the project ready to move to construction by 2021 (assuming funding is available).
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Appendix A Mill Plain BRT Existing and Future Conditions
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Mill Plain BRT Existing & Future Conditions
Final September 2018
Prepared for
C-TRAN 2425 NE 65th Avenue Vancouver, WA 98661
Prepared by
HDR Engineering, Inc. and Parametrix, Inc.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. INTRODUCTION AND STUDY AREA...... 1-1
2. JURISDICTIONAL RESPONSIBILITY ...... 2-1 2.1 City Limits ...... 2-1 2.2 Land Use and Zoning ...... 2-1 2.2.1 Land Use ...... 2-1 2.2.2 Zoning ...... 2-5 2.3 Public Facilities and Services ...... 2-7 2.4 Roadway Ownership and Management ...... 2-8 2.5 Plans and Policies ...... 2-8 2.5.1 Comprehensive Plan Designations ...... 2-10
3. DEMOGRAPHIC REVIEW ...... 3-1 3.1 Study Area Population and Demographic Characteristics ...... 3-1 3.1.1 Population Growth Trends ...... 3-2 3.2 Study Area Employment ...... 3-4 3.2.1 Employment Trends ...... 3-4 3.3 Planned Development ...... 3-7
4. TRANSIT SERVICE ASSESSMENT ...... 4-1 4.1 Existing Transit Routes ...... 4-1 4.2 Existing Transit Ridership – Route Level ...... 4-3 4.2.1 Line 37 Mill Plain/Fisher’s Landing ...... 4-4 4.3 Route 37 Transit Operations and Reliability ...... 4-10 4.3.1 Route 37 Operations Overview ...... 4-10 4.3.2 Route 37 Transit Speeds ...... 4-13 4.3.3 Route 37 Reliability Summary ...... 4-16
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1. INTRODUCTION AND STUDY AREA The Mill Plain Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project proposes to implement transit improvements similar to those included in C-TRAN’s existing BRT route in the Fourth Plain corridor (the Vine). The planning phase for the Mill Plain BRT project will develop background information on the Mill Plain corridor and organize land use, demographic and transportation system data that will aid in selecting the transit improvements that are most appropriate for serving the area. Data are presented for the overall study area and three key areas (subareas), A – Downtown Vancouver, B – Mid Mill Plain, and C – East Mill Plain (See Figure 1-1). The Mill Plain BRT study area is 0.5 mile extending out from the potential BRT alignments. Mill Plain is an east-west major arterial approximately 1 mile north of the Columbia River. The study area spans from downtown Vancouver to 192nd Avenue and includes interchanges with major north-south interstate highways Interstate 5 (I-5) and Interstate 205 (I-205).
Figure 1-1. Study Area
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2. JURISDICTIONAL RESPONSIBILITY 2.1 City Limits The majority of the study area is within the City of Vancouver city limits, while a small portion east of SE 164th Avenue is in unincorporated Clark County (see Figure 2-1 and Table 2-1).
Figure 2-1. Jurisdiction Limits
Table 2-1. Jurisdiction Location
Name Acres Sq. mi. Vancouver 7,693 12.0
Clark County* 73 0.1
* Unincorporated Clark County is all in Key Area C 2.2 Land Use and Zoning
2.2.1 Land Use
2.2.1.1 Key Area A – Downtown Vancouver Approximately 27 percent of the existing land uses within Key Area A – Downtown Vancouver are commercial, office, industrial, parking, public facilities, or hotel uses, predominantly in the southern half of the area (see Figure 2-2 and Table 2-2). Residential uses make up 19 percent, with single-family residential use dominating the northern half of the study area, and multi-family uses dispersed throughout downtown. Nearly 10 percent of the area is vacant; the majority of the vacant land is on the Vancouver waterfront. A large development project is currently underway on the waterfront, including a
2-1 Mill Plain BRT Existing Conditions C-TRAN maximum potential of 3,300 residential units and approximately 1 million square feet of office and retail space.1 Land use directly adjacent to the potential BRT alignment is primarily office and commercial uses.
Figure 2-2. Key Area A Existing Land Use
Table 2-2. Key Area A Top 10 Existing Land Uses
Existing land use Acres Percent Single-family residential 87.4 13.9 Vacant 60.9 9.7 Commercial 54.8 8.7 Office 43.8 7.0 Multi-family residential 31.2 5.0 Industrial 23.4 3.7 Parking 23.2 3.7 Public facilities 18.5 3.0 Park/open space 10.3 1.6 Hotel 6.9 1.1
Source: Clark County generalized by Parametrix Note: Right-of-way makes up 38.5% of the land in Key Area A.
2.2.1.2 Key Area B – Mid Mill Plain Key Area B – Mid Mill Plain extends from I-5 to SE 98th Avenue and is dominated by single-family residential uses, making up 32 percent of the area. Multi-family residential uses are the third most prominent uses with 7.9 percent of the area, bringing the total residential use close to 40 percent (see
1 https://www.cityofvancouver.us/ced/page/waterfront-development-project
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Figure 2-3 and Table 2-3). The residential area is interspersed with local concentrations of industrial, commercial, or institutional uses. The west end of Key Area B is fully utilized by public facilities and school uses including the Fort Vancouver National Historic Site, Hudson’s Bay High School and the main campus of Clark College. Overall, public, institutional, and medical uses make up the second most prominent uses with 18 percent of Key Area B. At the approximate center of Key Area B, there is a focus of commercial uses including shopping centers, restaurants, medical services, and a golf range. There is also a large cemetery adjacent to Mill Plain in this area. Near the east end of the Key Area B, there is a focus of medical uses, anchored by PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center.
Figure 2-3. Key Area B Existing Land Use
Table 2-3. Key Area B Top 10 Existing Land Uses
Existing land use Acres Percent Single family residential 974.3 32.0 School 282.3 9.3 Multi-family residential 240.4 7.9 Public facilities 196.3 6.5 Vacant 182.1 6.0 Commercial 138.5 4.6 Park/open space 131.2 4.3 Medical 69.2 2.3 Industrial 60.4 2.0 Office 32.1 1.1
Source: Clark County generalized by Parametrix Note: Right-of-way makes up 21.2% of the land in Key Area B.
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2.2.1.3 Key Area C – East Mill Plain Key Area C – East Mill Plain covers the area from SE 98th Avenue east to SE 192nd Avenue, including land south along SE 164th Avenue to the Fisher’s Landing Transit Center. Key Area C is primarily single-family residential—32.3 percent. Multi-family residential use brings the total residential uses in this area to 43.1 percent (see Figure 2-4 and Table 2-4). Commercial, office, and some medical uses are the primary uses immediately adjacent to Mill Plain Boulevard itself, and there are large centers of non-residential uses in the area from the I-205 interchange extending to the east. Fred Meyer and other major retailers are located around the I-205 interchange, the Kaiser Permanente Cascade Park Medical Center is located at SE 126th Avenue, and there is a large undeveloped area north of Mill Plain at SE 136th Avenue. The commercial area at SE 164th Avenue is anchored with retailers such as Target, Whole Foods, Michael’s, and Kohl’s. Services also include multiple restaurants and Regal Cinemas Cascade. The alignment options utilize either SE 164th Avenue to the south, or continue on Mill Plain to SE 192nd Avenue. Land uses east along Mill Plain include the Vancouver Tech Center which comprises a mix of commercial, retail, multi-family and office, while the SE 164th corridor south of Mill Plain is more predominantly retail commercial with adjacent single- and multi-family uses.
Figure 2-4. Key Area C Existing Land Use
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Table 2-4. Key Area C Top 10 Existing Land Uses
Existing land use Acres Percent Single-family residential 1,324.0 32.3 Commercial 435.6 10.6 Vacant 403.8 9.9 Multi-family residential 400.2 9.8 Office 167.8 4.1 School 156.8 3.8 Industrial 88.2 2.2 Park/open space 80.8 2.0 Medical 58.2 1.4 Church 45.0 1.1
Source: Clark County generalized by Parametrix Note: Right-of-way makes up 19.6% of the land in Key Area C.
2.2.2 Zoning The City of Vancouver zoning designations for the study area are shown in Figure 2-5 and are broken out by individual zones and key areas in Table 2-5. Single-family and other low-density residential designations make up approximately 45 percent of the study area. This zoning is intended to retain the integrity of existing low-density neighborhoods while allowing a range of housing styles and costs, including infill and redevelopment. The western and eastern ends of the study area include concentrations of mixed use and commercial zoning; these zones comprise 29 percent of the study area.
Figure 2-5. Zoning Designations
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Table 2-5. Zoning Designations by Key Area
ACRES Key area A B C Total Percent Mixed use City center (CX) 363 9 372 5 Mixed use (MX) 379 379 5 Central park mixed use (CPX) 1 528 528 7 Employment center mixed use (ECX) 63 63 1 Commercial Community commercial (CC, C2, CCB) 32 114 510 656 8 Neighborhood commercial (NC, C1, CN, CNB) 0 4 8 12 0.2 General commercial (GC, CG) 210 210 3 Office Office commercial industrial (OCI) 18 89 145 252 3 Business park (BP, OFF) 2 2 0 Industrial Light industrial (IL, ML, LI, IND, LI/EC) 6 119 181 305 4 Heavy industrial (IH, MH, HI) 12 12 0.2 Low-density residential Single-family residential (R1-5) 22 22 0.3 Single-family residential (R1-6, R-6, LDR-6) 35 35 0.5 Low density residential, 2du/ac (R-2) 76 76 1 Low density residential, 4du/ac (R-4, RLD-4) 235 160 395 5 Low density residential, 6du/ac (R-6, RLD-6) 822 733 1,555 20 Low density residential, 9du/ac (R-9) 156 372 897 1,424 18 Higher-density residential Residential (R-18, MF-18) 2 339 191 533 7 Residential (R-22, AR-22) 14 254 268 3 Residential (R-30) 80 129 209 3 Public Public facilities (PF, IP, UP) 7 7 0.1 Park 8 192 94 294 4 Greenway/open space (GW) 123 123 2 Water 2 0 0 2 0 TOTAL All zones 600 3,039 4,097 7,735 100
Source: Clark County Notes: du/ac = dwelling units per acre
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2.3 Public Facilities and Services There are many public facilities and services in the study area (see Figure 2-6 and Table 2-6). These services range from those involved in serving the entire community (police, fire, hospitals, and libraries) to those more likely to support low-income and transit-dependent community members with services such as food pantries and shelters. Because these services are important to the transit-dependent population, the information below includes some services outside of but near to the study area. Transit riders may need to make connections to other routes in order to access these locations. Within the study area, One Life Food Pantry and Fish of Vancouver Food Pantry are located in Key Area A, Martha’s Pantry Food Pantry and Fish of Vancouver Food Pantry are located in Key Area B, and East Vancouver Community Church Food Pantry is located in Key Area C. There are three housing shelters located in Key Area A and one in Key Area B. Parks, schools, fire and police stations are generally evenly distributed throughout the study area.
Figure 2-6. Public Facilities and Services Locations
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Table 2-6. Number of Public Facilities and Services by Key Area
Service A B C Total
Community 2 2
Fire 1 2 3 Food pantry 2 2 1 5
Hospital 1 2 3
Library 1 1 2 Park 1 15 16 32
Police 1 1 2 School 1 10 9 20
Shelter 2 1 3 Total 7 31 34 72
Source: Clark County and Parametrix 2.4 Roadway Ownership and Management Mill Plain Boulevard east of I-5 and the majority of the roadways in the study area, are owned and operated by the City of Vancouver. Between I-5 and Franklin Street, Mill Plain Boulevard operates as a couplet with 15th Street and is designated as State Route (SR) 501, owned and operated by the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT). West of Franklin Street, Mill Plain Boulevard continues as SR 501 to the Port of Vancouver. WSDOT also owns and operates the interstate freeways in the study area, I-5 and I-205. Small portions of local streets in the study area east of 164th and north of Mill Plain Boulevard are located in unincorporated Clark County and are owned and operated by the county. 2.5 Plans and Policies This section describes a few key policy and planning documents relevant to the Mill Plain corridor. These include plans and policies that either provide a clear policy context for transit in the corridor or describe plans that may be significant to the consideration of transit improvements. Vancouver City Center Vision Plan (2007) This document describes plans for promoting downtown residential development, improvements to the Main Street corridor, and development of the Vancouver waterfront. The report also recommends planning for a high-capacity transit connection to Oregon and consideration of a frequent service downtown circulator. Central Park Plan Update (2008) The original Central Park Plan was adopted in 1979, and the 2008 update was prepared to reevaluate the plan and determine what had been accomplished with regard to the original goals and implementation strategies, what remained to be done, and what needed to be amended. This update includes policies that call for implementing Great Streets concepts for the arterials that serve the area.
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For Mill Plain Boulevard, the plan calls for full multimodal access, passive traffic calming, and ensuring safe pedestrian crossings. Clark County High Capacity Transit System Study (2008) The Southwest Washington Regional Transportation Council (RTC) led the effort to prepare and adopt an HCT plan for Clark County. The document identified BRT as the preferred HCT mode for improved transit in Clark County and identified four corridors with the highest potential to support HCT. The Vine BRT on Fourth Plain, which opened in 2017, was the first of the four corridors to be implemented. This Mill Plain BRT project will result in a plan for the second corridor. Section 30 Subarea Plan (2009) The Section 30 Subarea Plan is a long-term master plan for the area north of the Mill Plain corridor between SE 172nd and SE 192nd Avenues and between SE 1st and SE 18th Streets. The area is predominantly a former sand and gravel quarry with other related heavy industrial uses. This planning document describes the future development of a mixed-use neighborhood at this site. There has been minimal development on the site since the plan was completed. City of Vancouver Comprehensive Plan (2011) The intent of the comprehensive plan is to present a clear 20-year vision for Vancouver’s future—a vision that can be easily understood, evaluated, and implemented. Plan policies are implemented through subarea plans, provisions of the Vancouver Municipal Code, and other local standards. The jurisdiction of the Vancouver Comprehensive Plan is the land within Vancouver’s city limits (see Figure 2- 7). Unincorporated areas in the Vancouver urban growth area (UGA) are governed by Clark County. Vancouver UGA lands are anticipated to be annexed to the City over the 20-year planning period and will become subject to the Vancouver Comprehensive Plan if and when annexation occurs. The Vancouver Comprehensive Plan is intended to coordinate development and to smooth the transition of services between the incorporated and unincorporated urban areas as annexation is considered. The comprehensive plan identifies corridors and centers where growth is to be planned for and accommodated. Centers and corridors within the Mill Plain BRT study area where plans have been completed include the Vancouver City Center Vision Plan, Central Park Plan Update, Peace Health SW Washington Medical Center Master Plan, and the Section 30 Subarea Plan. Additional planning areas related to the Mill Plain corridor include the current Heights District Planning process and plans for the 164th corridor. Regional Transportation Plan (2014) The Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) for Clark County is the region’s principal transportation planning document. It represents a coordinated planning process between local jurisdictions to develop regional solutions to transportation needs. The first RTP for Clark County was adopted in December 1982. An interim RTP, which acted as a framework for development of Growth Management Act (GMA) transportation elements, was adopted in September 1993. The first RTP for Clark County to comply with the requirements of the federal Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA) of 1991 was adopted in December 1994. Since then, the RTP has been updated regularly. At the time the 2014 RTP was developed, planning was underway for the Vine BRT on Fourth Plain Boulevard. The plan recognizes that other potential BRT routes were identified in the Clark County HCT System Plan and that they would require decisions on the alignment and operations to be completed through a local planning and decision-making process.
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City of Vancouver Complete Streets Policy (2017) The intent of the Complete Streets Policy is develop a policy framework to improve the safety, access, and mobility for all users of the transportation network throughout the City of Vancouver. The adopted Policy includes a Complete Streets project checklist to assist in transportation capital project scoping and development, ensuring that safe and accessible facilities are incorporated to benefit all users. The guiding principles of the policy include: serve all users and modes; provide interconnected transportation networks; implement flexible design; incorporate environmental design; use best practices; coordinate internally and among jurisdictions; include all projects and phases; and measures performance. Several pilot projects are currently underway to improve multi-modal facilities, particularly those to improve biking and walking. City of Vancouver: The Heights District Plan (On-going) The City of Vancouver is currently in the process of establishing a vision for future growth and development within an area adjacent to central Mill Plain Boulevard near Devine Road and Andresen Road. One of the goals of the Plan is to integrate future BRT service along Mill Plain and increase connections to, from, and through the District area. The Plan will includes a Subarea Plan, Redevelopment Plan, and Environmental Impact Statement, and is expected to be complete in late 2019.
2.5.1 Comprehensive Plan Designations The City of Vancouver Comprehensive Plan and Clark County Comprehensive Plan designations for the three key areas are shown in Figure 2-7, Figure 2-8, and Figure 2-9. The majority of the study area is under the jurisdiction of the Vancouver Comprehensive Plan, but a small area in Key Area C – East Mill Plain is in unincorporated Clark County within the Vancouver UGA and is governed by Clark County. In Key Area A – Downtown Vancouver the primary planned designation is for commercial uses for 64.2 percent of the area (Figure 2-7 and Table 2-7). The southwest corner of Key Area A is designated for industrial uses, and approximately the northern third of the area is designated for low-density residential use.
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Figure 2-7. Key Area A Comprehensive Plan Designations
Table 2-7. Key Area A Comprehensive Plan Designation Acreage
Comp. Plan Land Use Acres Percent Commercial 402.6 64.2 Urban low-density residential 167.4 26.7 Industrial 36.2 5.8 Parks/open space 9.7 1.5 Public facility 7.1 1.1 Urban high-density residential 2.2 0.3 Water 1.6 0.3
Source: Clark County
The two most common comprehensive plan designations in Key Area B – Mid Mill Plain are public facility and low-density residential, comprising a total of approximately 65 percent of the area. The public facility designation is largely clustered at the west edge of this area, along I-5; however, there are additional public facility focus areas along MacArthur Boulevard and on Mill Plain at NE 87th Avenue. There is a focus on industrial designation along the south end of the study area near the Pearson Field (see Figure 2-8 and Table 2-8).
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Figure 2-8. Key Area B Comprehensive Plan Designations
Table 2-8. Key Area B Comprehensive Plan Designation Acreage
Comp. Plan Land Use Acres Percent Urban low-density residential 1,325.8 43.6 Public facility 646.8 21.3 Parks/open space 404.9 13.3 Urban high-density residential 383.8 12.6 Industrial 153.4 5.0 Commercial 126.8 4.2 Water 0.3 0.0
Source: Clark County
Residential designations, including low-density and high-density residential, are the primary uses planned for Key Area C – East Mill Plain totaling approximately 59 percent of the area. Commercial and industrial designations together comprise approximately 35 percent of the area with concentrations along Mill Plain and around the SE 164th Avenue intersection (see Figure 2-9 and Table 2-9).
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Figure 2-9. Key Area C Comprehensive Plan Designations
Table 2-9. Key Area C Comprehensive Plan Designation Acreage
Comp. Plan Land Use Acres Percent Urban low-density residential 1,807 44.1 Commercial 767 18.7 Industrial 688 16.8 Urban high-density residential 594 14.5 Public facility 169 4.1 Parks/open space 73 1.8
Source: Clark County
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3. DEMOGRAPHIC REVIEW 3.1 Study Area Population and Demographic Characteristics The census block groups entirely or partially contained within the study area are used to characterize population. The total population in these census blocks is 92,670 based on Census 2011–2016 American Community Survey data. The total area of the block groups is 17,321 acres, giving a gross density of 5.4 people per acre (see Figure 3-1 and Table 3-1). Key Area A – Downtown Vancouver has the highest population density at 8.2 people per acre. Table 3-1 also includes a measure of population characteristics along the alignment. These data are based on the population in the block groups that contain or abut Mill Plain Boulevard within the study area. The average median income in Key Areas A, B and C is lower than in Clark County as a whole, and in the households closest to the alignment, lower than the City of Vancouver as a whole. Although the average median income in Key Area B is roughly $4,000 less per year than for the City of Vancouver, the census data show there is a larger population living in poverty in this area than there is in the rest of the study area with 13.9 percent of the population in poverty. The American Community Survey asks how many vehicles are available in a household for members of that household to use ranging from 0 to 6 or more. The resulting data are used to evaluate how many households have no vehicles, indicating potential dependence on public transportation. While approximately 6.5 percent of the population within the City of Vancouver live in households without access to a car, within Key Area A there is a much higher proportion, with approximately 17.7 percent of the population living in households without a car. For locations close to the alignment and alignment options, the data show approximately 8.8 percent have no access to a car.
Figure 3-1. Population Density
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Table 3-1. Study Area Population Characteristics
Gross Percent pop. Gross Minority Perce Percent density housing Median nt in with no (pop/ac Housing density income pover car Key area Total pop. ) units (du/ac) (average) ty access A 7,442 8.2 3,614 4.0 $ 41,563 15.2 10.0 17.7 B 26,883 5.1 11,891 2.3 $ 53,722 19.9 13.9 8.8 C 58,345 5.2 23,715 2.1 $ 64,906 19.9 6.1 5.3 Corridor 92,670 5.35 39,220 2.3 $ 53,772 19.5 8.4 7.5 Camas* 30,389 1.9 10,870 0.7 $ 87,012 14 2.5 2.4 Vancouver* 164,709 6.4 68,417 2.7 $ 57,418 20.5 9.7 6.7 Clark Co. 450,893 1.1 172,874 0.4 $ 72,819 15.4 6.9 4.6
Source: Census ACS (2011-2016) * City statitistics calculated by block group where the block group centroid determined the city designation.
3.1.1 Population Growth Trends The Southwest Washington RTC develops and maintains population and employment forecasts for Clark County to support the Regional Travel Demand Model. These forecasts are developed consistent with local comprehensive plans and are approved at the state and local levels. The population and employment data are organized using Transportation Analysis Zones (TAZs) which the model uses to generate and assign trips to the transportation system. Data from 2015 and forecasts for 2040 are used to evaluate growth trends in the study area. As shown on Figure 3-2, Figure 3-3, Figure 3-4 and Table 3-2, the data include households within TAZs that are either within or partially within the study area. The model projects a large increase, nearly 170 percent, in the number of households in Key Area A – Downtown Vancouver, which includes Vancouver waterfront development. Key Area B – Mid Mill Plain and Key Area C – East Mill Plain are each forecast to have a modest increases in households of 9.7 percent and 14.8 percent.
Table 3-2. Households by TAZ 2015–2040
Households
Key area TAZ count 2015 2040 Percent change A 32 2,917 7,845 168.9 B 38 11,472 12,582 9.7 C 49 19,272 22,115 14.8
Source: Southwest Washington RTC
3-2 Mill Plain BRT Existing Conditions C-TRAN
Figure 3-2. Households by TAZ: 2015
Figure 3-3. Households by TAZ: 2040
3-3 Mill Plain BRT Existing Conditions C-TRAN
Figure 3-4. Household Change by TAZ: 2015–2040 3.2 Study Area Employment
3.2.1 Employment Trends TAZ data from 2015 and forecasts for 2040 were used to evaluate employment trends in the study area. All three key areas are expected to have increased employment by 2040 (see Figure 3-5, Figure 3-6, Figure 3-7, and Table 3-3). Key Area A – Downtown Vancouver is forecast to grow the most, with 62.1 percent more jobs in 2040. Key Area B – Mid Mill Plain is forecast to see a 16.1 percent increase, and Key Area C – East Mill Plain is forecast to add almost 4,000 new jobs for a growth of 22.5 percent.
Table 3-3. TAZ Employment Data: 2015–2040 by Key Area
Employees Key area TAZ count 2015 2040 Percent change A 32 9,157 14,832 62.1 B 38 10,737 12,446 16.1 C 49 17,349 21,262 22.5
Source: Southwest Washington RTC Table 3-4 indicates how the employees in these TAZs travel to work. The majority of employees in each key area, as well as Vancouver and Clark County as a whole, drive single-occupant vehicles (SOV) to work. The percentage of transit use is highest in Key Area A – Downtown Vancouver, with 6.3 percent.
3-4 Mill Plain BRT Existing Conditions C-TRAN
Table 3-4. Employee Transportation
SOV Carpool Transit Bike Walk Home Key area (percent) (percent) (percent) (percent) (percent) (percent) A 75.6 7.2 6.3 2.2 8.3 7.4 B 84.7 11.1 3.9 0.5 3.9 4.9 C 86.6 9.1 3.4 0.2 1.9 6.5 Corridor 85.2 9.5 3.8 0.4 3.0 6.1 Camas* 83.1 8.2 2.2 0.7 2.0 10.7 Vancouver* 87.1 10.5 3.3 0.4 2.8 5.2 Clark Co. 87.9 9.0 2.3 0.4 1.9 6.5
Source: Census ACS (2011-2016) * City statitistics calculated by block group where the block group centroid determined the city designation.
Table 3-5 indicates demographic characteristics of employees in the study area. The majority of employees in the study area are between 29 and 54 years of age and earn a monthly income of greater than $3,333. The largest percentage of minority employees within the study area is in Key Area C – East Mill Plain.
Table 3-5. Employee Characteristics
Monthly Monthly income Monthly Workers Workers Workers income $1,250– income Minority under 29 29 to 54 over 54 < $1,250 $3,333 > $3,333 workers Key area Total jobs (percent) (percent) (percent) (percent) (percent) (percent) (percent) A 11,286 16.1 59.1 24.8 13.9 23.3 62.9 9.8 B 10,680 15.9 60.2 23.9 13.5 33.9 52.6 10.0 C 19,813 27.9 54.0 18.0 19.8 38.6 41.6 12.5
Source: Longitudinal Employer – Household Dynamics 2015
3-5 Mill Plain BRT Existing Conditions C-TRAN
Figure 3-5. Employees 2015
Figure 3-6. Employees 2040
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Figure 3-7. Employee Change: 2015 - 2040 3.3 Planned Development Figure 3-8 shows locations of residential, commercial, institutional and other planned developments within the Mill Plain BRT study area. Figure 3-9 is included to provide a detailed map for the planned developments in Key Area A – Downtown where considerable development is ongoing and planned for the waterfront area. Table 3-6 and Table 3-7 summarize list and summarize the near, medium, and long term developments. Near term is assumed to be within 5 years, medium term is within 5-10 years, and long term is 10 or more years. Overall, the planned development will be consistent with the existing character of the three key areas of the Mill Plain corridor. In addition to the waterfront development in downtown, a mix of affordable housing, multi-family, office and retail developments are anticipated in the north and east portions of Key Area A – Downtown. In Key Area B – Mid Mill Plain, planned developments are of a relatively modest scale and will likely be consistent with the existing commercial and residential character of this portion of the corridor. Key Area C – East Mill Plain has several multi-family, office and retail projects in the pipeline that will also be consistent with the existing character of this portion of the corridor. The eastern portion of Key Area C is expected to see development consistent with plans for the growth of the Columbia Tech Center area, a major master-planned, mixed-use development area in East Vancouver.
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Figure 3-8. Planned Development in the Mill Plain Study Area
Figure 3-9. Planned Development in Mill Plain Study Area – Downtown Focus
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Table 3-6. Planned Development
No. units Sq. ft. Key area Timeline Land use Projects (if known) (if known) Long-term Multi-family 1 355 245,500 Hospitality 1 Multi-family 8 458 Med-term Office 2 200,000 A Downtown Retail 2 62,000 Hospitality 3 409,500 Multi-family 17 3,825 4,976,808 Near-term Office 6 930,195 Retail 5 116,528 Long-term Retail 1 3,712 Multi-family 4 33 Med-term Office 6 613,000 B Mid Mill Plain Retail 1 Multi-family 2 30 Near-term Office 2 251 419,700 Single-family 1 12 Long-term Retail 8 71,500 Multifamily 3 549 Office 2 75,000 Med-term Retail 2 96,384 Single Family 1 156 C East Mill Plain Hospitality 3 64,000 Multi-family 7 1,070 683,304 Office 7 3 229,913 Near-term Retail 9 94,292 Single-family 1 6 Specialty 1 97,400 Multi-family 1 355 245,500 Long-term Retail 9 75,212 Hospitality 1 Multi-family 15 1,040 Med-term Office 10 888,000 Retail 5 158,384 Corridor Single Family 1 156 Summary Hospitality 6 473,500 Multi-family 26 4,925 5,660,112 Office 15 254 1,579,808 Near-term Retail 14 210,820 Single-family 2 18 Specialty 1 97,400
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4. TRANSIT SERVICE ASSESSMENT This section summarizes a variety of transit data for the C-TRAN system as a whole and for Route 37 Mill Plain. The data help to paint a picture of how the system is used and where operational problem areas exist in the Mill Plain corridor. 4.1 Existing Transit Routes C-TRAN routes are classified as commuter/limited routes and internal Clark County routes. The commuter routes typically provide peak-hour service to various employment centers in Portland, as well as key connections to the TriMet system. One limited route, Route 47 Battle Ground Limited, operates within Clark County and provides one morning connection to downtown Vancouver and one evening return to Battle Ground. Table 4-1 and Figure 4-1 describe the C-TRAN commuter/limited routes and Figure 4-2 and Table 4-2 list and map the existing C-TRAN internal Clark County routes.
Table 4-1. Commuter/Limited Routes
Peak Weekday Weekday headway ridership / Connects to Route To – From (minutes) revenue hour Route 37 47 – Battle Ground Limited Battle Ground / Yacolt – Once Daily 4.1 Yes Downtown Vancouver 60 – Delta Park Regional Downtown Vancouver – 15 38.6 Yes (A&B) Delta Park Max Station 65 – Parkrose Regional Fisher’s Landing TC – 15 22.4 Yes Parkrose TC 105 – I-5 Express Salmon Creek P&R – 30 14.9 Yes Downtown Portland Transit Mall 134 – Salmon Creek Express Salmon Creek P&R – 15 23.7 No Downtown Portland Transit Mall 157 – Lloyd District Express 99th St TC – 30 15.2 No Moda Center Max Station 164 – Fisher’s Landing Fisher’s Landing TC – 10 30.6 Yes Express Downtown Portland Transit Mall 177 – Evergreen Express Evergreen P&R – 30 18.4 No Downtown Portland Transit Mall 190 – Marquam Hill Express Andresen P&R – 10 22.5 No OHSU 199 – 99th Street Express Salmon Creek P&R – 15 30.1 No Downtown Portland Transit Mall
Source: C-TRAN based on April 2018 data
4-1 Mill Plain BRT Existing Conditions C-TRAN
Figure 4-1. C-TRAN Commuter Routes
Table 4-2. Internal Clark County Local Routes
Peak Weekday Connects weekday ridership/ to Route Route To – From headway rev hour 37 37 – Mill Plain / Fisher’s Landing Downtown Vancouver – Fisher’s Landing TC 15 22.3 - 2 – Lincoln Broadway & Evergreen – 99th St TC 60 12.9 Yes 6 – Fruit Valley / Grand Fruit Valley Rd – Columbia House P&R 30 14.4 Yes 7 – Battle Ground Vancouver Mall – Battle Ground 45 13.8 No 9 – Felida 99th St TC – Salmon Creek P&R 60 13.1 No 19 – Salmon Creek 99th St TC – WSU Salmon Creek 40 15.8 No 25 – St. Johns Downtown Vancouver – 99th St TC 30 15.4 Yes 30 – Burton Downtown Vancouver – Fisher’s Land TC 30 17.6 Yes 32 – Evergreen/Andresen Vancouver Mall – 99th St TC 30 19.7 Yes 39 – VA/Rose Village Downtown Vancouver – VA TC 60 8.9 Yes The Vine (BRT) Downtown Vancouver – Vancouver Mall TC 10 36.2 Yes 71 – Highway 99 Downtown Vancouver – 99th St TC 30 20.1 Yes 72 – Orchards Vancouver Mall TC – NE 76th St & Ward Rd. 30 14.5 No 73 – Vancouver Mall Loop Vancouver Mall 60 7.4 No 74 – East Fourth Plain Vancouver Mall TC – NE 162nd Ave & Ward 60 14.3 No Rd. 78 – 78th Street 99th St TC – Vancouver Mall TC 60 17.8 No 80 – Vancouver Mall/Fisher’s Vancouver Mall TC – Fisher’s Landing TC 30 22.3 Yes Landing 92 – Camas / Washougal Fisher’s Landing TC – Downtown 30 16.1 Yes Camas/Washougal Source: C-TRAN based on April 2018 data
4-2 Mill Plain BRT Existing Conditions C-TRAN
Figure 4-2. Internal Clark County Routes 4.2 Existing Transit Ridership – Route Level The Vine BRT service on Fourth Plain Boulevard is the highest ridership route in the C-TRAN system. Route 37 Mill Plain/Fisher’s Landing has the second highest overall monthly ridership, more than 37,000 more monthly riders than the next highest internal Clark County route, Line 71 Highway 99 (see Table 4- 3).
Table 4-3. C-TRAN Lines by Monthly Ridership (April 2018)
Service Rank Route Ridership type 1 50 – The Vine (BRT) 107,290 Local 2 37 – Mill Plain / Fisher’s Landing 65,997 Local 3 60- Delta Park Limited 44,962 Regional 4 71 – Highway 99 28,540 Local 5 32 – Evergreen / Andresen – Hazel Dell 28,376 Local 6 30 – Burton 26,432 Local 7 80 – Vancouver Mall – Fisher’s Landing 20,579 Local 8 164 – Fisher’s Landing Express 24,791 Commuter 9 25 – St. Johns 15,107 Local 10 65 – Parkrose Limited 14,885 Regional
Source: C-TRAN based on April 2018 data
4-3 Mill Plain BRT Existing Conditions C-TRAN
4.2.1 Line 37 Mill Plain/Fisher’s Landing Route 37 Mill Plain/Fisher’s Landing connects downtown Vancouver with Fisher’s Landing Transit Center on SE 164th Avenue (see Figure 4-3, Figure 4-4, and Figure 4-5). Service operates at approximately 15 minute headways between downtown Vancouver and SE 164th Avenue/Mill Plain Boulevard between 6:00 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. During this time period, buses operate between SE 164th Avenue/Mill Plain Boulevard to Fisher’s Landing either via Mill Plain, SE 192nd Avenue, and SE 34th Street or every other bus operating on SE 164th Avenue directly to Fisher’s Landing.
Figure 4-3. C-TRAN Route 37
Figure 4-4. Eastbound Route 37
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Figure 4-5. Westbound Route 37
Table 4-4 and Table 4-5 describe the characteristics of Route 37 Mill Plain/Fisher’s Landing. The route is 2.8 to 3.2 miles longer (depending on direction) when it operates on the SE 192nd Avenue loop compared with the SE 164th Avenue-only routing. The combined weekday headway is typically 15 minutes and 20 minutes on weekends.
Table 4-4. Route 37 Route Statistics (Downtown to SE 164th Ave)
Average Stop Direction Distance Stops Spacing Weekday headway Weekend headway Eastbound 8.3 35 0.28 miles 15 20*/30** Westbound 8.8 32 0.24 miles 15 20*/30**
Source: C-TRAN based on April 2018 data * Saturday ** Sunday
Table 4-5. Route 37 April 2018 Stop Statistics
Total monthly Average daily Monthly ramp Mean dwell time Direction boardings boardings deployments (seconds) Eastbound 23,390 1,114 734 16 Westbound 31,967 1,522 738 22 Total 55,357 2,636 1,472 19
Source: C-TRAN based on April 2018 data
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Figure 4-6 and Figure 4-7 illustrate the average weekday boardings at each stop along Route 37 in each direction of travel. Ridership is generally higher at major transfer locations and major trip generators.
Figure 4-6. Average Daily Eastbound Boardings (April 2018)
Figure 4-7. Average Dwell Time for Eastbound Stops on Route 37 (April 2018) Table 4-6 presents the five highest eastbound boarding locations for Route 37. Downtown at Evergreen and C is the highest, followed by Andresen Road and three locations immediately east of downtown.
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Table 4-6. Top 5 Eastbound Stops by Daily Boardings (April 2018)
Stop Average daily boardings Evergreen Blvd & C St 306 Mill Plain & Andresen 68 Mill Plain & Grand 65 Mill Plain & Fort Vancouver Way 56 Mill Plain & Reserve 56
Table 4-7 and Table 4-8 present data on the dwell time and wheelchair ramp deployments for Route 37 stops. The stops at Mill Plain and Chkalov and near Andresen both experience long dwell times and have a high number of wheelchair lift deployments.
Table 4-7. Top 5 Eastbound Stops by Longest Average Dwell Time (April 2018)
Mean dwell time Stop (seconds) Mill Plain & 6600 Block (near Andresen) 35 Mill Plain & Chkalov Dr 27 Mill Plain & Grand 23 SE 192nd & Mill Plain 22 Mill Plain & 16000 Block 22
Table 4-8. Top 5 Eastbound Stops by Total Ramp Lifts (April 2018)
Total monthly Stop ramp lifts Evergreen Blvd & C St 172 Mill Plain & Chkalov Dr 61 Mill Plain & 6600 Block (near Andresen) 53 Mill Plain & 105th Ave 44 Mill Plain & Grand 42
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Figure 4-8. Average Daily Westbound Boardings (April 2018)
Figure 4-9. Average Dwell Time for Westbound Stops on Route 37 (April 2018) Figures 4-8 and 4-9 provide a visual of the existing Route 37 boarding activity and dwell times by stop. The most active stops include the terminal stops in downtown and at Fisher’s Landing, as well as stops at SE 120th, SE 136th and SE 104th Avenues.
4-8 Mill Plain BRT Existing Conditions C-TRAN
Table 4-9. Top 5 Westbound Stations by Daily Boardings (April 2018)
Average daily Stop boardings Fisher’s Landing Transit Center 275 Washington & 13th St 165 Mill Plain & 120th Ave 127 Mill Plain & 136th Ave 105 Mill Plain & 104th Ave 56
Table 4-10. Top 5 Westbound Stations by Longest Average Dwell Time (April 2018)
Mean dwell time Stop (seconds) Mill Plain & Andresen 64 Mill Plain & 104th Ave 48 Mill Plain & 136th Ave 44 Mill Plain & 164th Ave 40 Washington & 13th St 40
Table 4-11. Top 5 Westbound Stations by Total Ramp Lifts (April 2018)
Stop Total ramp lifts Fisher’s Landing Transit Center 82 Washington & 13th St 82 Mill Plain & 120th Ave 78 Mill Plain & 104th Ave 69 Mill Plain & Andresen 65
Table 4-12. Line 37 January 2018 Service Period (January 7 – May 6, 2018)
Revenue hours Service type Revenue hours (percent) Weekday 2,462 83 Saturday 281 9.4 Sunday 221 7.6
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4.3 Route 37 Transit Operations and Reliability C-TRAN collects data on the performance of all routes in the system. The data can be used to evaluate how well specific routes are able to meet schedules. This section discusses a review of on-time performance for Route 37 based on data collected during April 2018.
4.3.1 Route 37 Operations Overview The following provides an overview of existing operations on Route 37 Mill Plain/Fisher’s Landing. Figures 4-10, 4-11, 4-12, and 4-13 chart the mean travel time versus the schedule travel time for all eastbound and westbound trips for April 2018. Generally, the mean travel time is within the scheduled travel times for each direction of travel for all times of day. However, the scheduled travel time experiences a wide range of variability due to recurring delay and congestion at various locations throughout the corridor. Midday and PM peak period tend to require more scheduled travel time. Eastbound
First: 4:47 a.m. (from Mill Plain at 6600 block) 5:54 a.m. full route (Evergreen Blvd & C St)
Last: 12:36 a.m. (Evergreen Blvd & C St)
Total Runs: 68
Scheduled Run Times: approximately 40 to 50 minutes Westbound
First: 5:11 a.m. (Fisher’s Landing TC)
Last: 12:04 a.m. (Fisher’s Landing TC)
Total Runs: 65
Scheduled Run Times: approximately 40 to 50 minutes Weekend Eastbound
First: 7:15 (Sat)/ 7:30 (Sun) (Evergreen Blvd & C St)
Last: 11:05 (Sat)/10:30 (Sun) (Evergreen Blvd & C St)
Total Runs 45 (Sat) / 31 (Sun)
Scheduled Run Times: approximately 30 to 45 minutes Weekend Westbound
First: 7:22 (Sat) / 7:57 (Sun) (Fisher’s Landing TC)
Last: 10:32 (Sat) / 9:57 (Sun) (Fisher’s Landing TC)
Total Runs: 43 (Sat) / 29 (Sun)
Scheduled Run Times: approximately 30 to 40 minutes
4-10 Mill Plain BRT Existing Conditions C-TRAN
Eastbound to Fisher's Transit Center via SE 164th Ave 60.0
50.0
40.0
30.0 Mean Travel Time 20.0 Scheduled Travel Time
10.0 Mean Travel MeanTravel (minutes) Time
0.0
6:08 7:15 8:12 9:12
20:09 10:14 11:16 12:18 13:18 14:18 15:18 16:18 17:18 18:15 19:14 21:09 22:07 23:06 Departure Time
Figure 4-10. Mean Eastbound Travel Time for Route 37 (April 2018)
Eastbound to Fisher's Transit Center via SE 192nd Ave 60.0
50.0
40.0
30.0 Mean Travel Time 20.0 Scheduled Travel Time
10.0 Mean Travel MeanTravel (minutes) Time
0.0
9:57 5:54 6:57 7:57 8:57
11:00 12:02 13:03 14:03 15:03 16:03 17:03 18:02 18:59 Departure Time
Figure 4-11. Mean Eastbound Travel Time for Route 37 (April 2018)
4-11 Mill Plain BRT Existing Conditions C-TRAN
Westbound to Downtown Vancouver via SE 164th Ave 60.0
50.0
40.0
30.0 Mean Travel Time 20.0 Scheduled Travel Time
10.0 Mean Travel MeanTravel (minutes) Time
0.0
5:32 6:34 7:31 8:31 9:31
20:33 10:29 11:31 12:31 13:31 14:31 15:31 16:31 17:31 18:34 21:33 22:34 23:34 Departure Time
Figure 4-12. Mean Westbound Travel Time for Route 37 (April 2018)
Westbound to Downtown Vancouver via SE 192nd Ave 70.0
60.0
50.0
40.0
30.0 Mean Travel Time
20.0 Scheduled Tavel Time
10.0 Mean Travel MeanTravel (minutes) Time
0.0
6:10 5:11 7:08 8:08 9:08
19:55 10:08 11:08 12:08 13:08 14:08 15:08 16:08 17:07 18:09 Departure Time
Figure 4-13. Mean Westbound Travel Time for Route 37 (April 2018)
4-12 Mill Plain BRT Existing Conditions C-TRAN
4.3.2 Route 37 Transit Speeds Transit operational “heat maps” were produced using travel time and location data collected on all Route 37 buses for a three day period in April 2018. These heat maps provide key input in identifying operational bottlenecks and locations that may warrant transit priority features to improve travel time and reliability. Figure 4-14 and Figure 4-15 detail transit speeds along Route 37 from Downtown Vancouver to 164th Avenue by location and time of day in each direction of travel. As shown, transit speeds are consistently below average within proximity of the I-205 interchange, where the westbound service operates as slow as 8 mph during the PM Peak.
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Figure 4-14. Route 37 Eastbound 50th Percentile Speeds
4-14 Mill Plain BRT Existing Conditions C-TRAN
Figure 4-15. Route 37 Westbound 50th Percentile Speeds
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4.3.3 Route 37 Reliability Summary Table 4-13 through Table 4-24 below provide a look at the on-time performance for Route 37 during April 2018. The data are provided for three runs (both eastbound and westbound) during the morning, midday, and evening peaks. These are monthly averages for each run and can be used to identify runs that have chronic operations issues. During the morning peak, the westbound (Fisher’s Landing to downtown Vancouver) on-time performance was very good, with deviations from the scheduled times of less than 2 minutes at the locations reviewed. Two of the eastbound runs reviewed started prior to 7:00 a.m. and had similar very good schedule adherence. The eastbound run that started at 7:57 showed the operational impact as traffic continues to grow throughout the morning in the corridor. The 7:57 run on average was approximately 5 minutes late at a time point at SE 136th Avenue, although it made up some of that time prior to arriving at Fisher’s Landing Transit Center 2 minutes late. The three midday runs that were measured had start times between 11:00 a.m. and 1:20 p.m. Similar to the morning peak runs, the three westbound midday runs were within 2 minutes of their scheduled times. The eastbound midday runs were considerably behind schedule with the 12:18 run more than 7 minutes late arriving at Fisher’s Landing. During the PM peak the three runs in each direction departed between 4:00 p.m. and 6:15 p.m. In the PM peak, the westbound again had better schedule adherence; however, the 4:01 run arrived in downtown more than 2 minutes late. The two eastbound runs starting after 5:00 p.m. were both over 2 minutes late arriving at Fisher’s Landing. On average 10% of all trips, eastbound and westbound, run more than 5 minutes late, whereas 17% of all trips arrive early.
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4.3.3.1 AM Peak
Table 4-13. Eastbound Deviation Observations for April 2018
Evergreen Blvd & C St Mill Plain & SE 136th Ave Fisher’s Landing TC (Stop 1104) (Stop 1312) (Stop 106) Scheduled Actual Scheduled Actual Scheduled Actual Final departure departure departure departure departure departure deviation 6:08 6:08:23 6:28 6:28:32 6:45 6:44:16 -44 seconds 6:57* 6:57:46 7:18 7:19:50 7:38 7:36:52 -1 second 7:57* 7:58:50 8:18 8:23:12 8:39 8:41:09 129 seconds
* Includes extended route via SE 192nd and SE 34th Ave.
Table 4-14. Eastbound Deviation Averages for April 2018
Scheduled arrival Actual arrival – departure (minutes) (minutes) Trip start Mean Mean Minimum Maximum 6:08 37 35.9 32.9 55.2 6:57* 41 39.1 34.0 42.5 7:57* 42 42.3 37.4 47.0
* Includes extended route via SE 192nd and SE 34th Ave.
Table 4-15. Westbound Deviation Observations for April 2018
Fisher’s Landing TC Mill Plain & 136th Ave Evergreen Blvd & C St (Stop 106) (Stop 2141) (Stop 1104) Scheduled Actual Scheduled Actual Scheduled Actual Final departure departure departure departure departure departure deviation 6:10* 6:11:26 6:31 6:30:51 6:57 6:57:01 1 second 7:02 7:02:14 7:16 7:16:04 7:43 7:43:09 9 seconds 8:01 8:02:53 8:15 8:15:37 8:42 8:42:34 34 seconds
* Includes extended route via SE 192nd and SE 34th Ave.
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Table 4-16. Westbound Deviation Averages for April 2018
Scheduled arrival (minutes) Actual arrival – departure (minutes) Trip start Mean Mean Minimum Maximum 6:10* 47 45.6 43.2 47.2 7:02 41 40.9 38.8 42.5 8:01 41 39.7 36.6 43.9
* Includes extended route via SE 192nd and SE 34th Ave.
4.3.3.2 Midday
Table 4-17. Eastbound Deviation Observations for April 2018
Evergreen Blvd & C St Mill Plain & 136th Ave Fisher’s Landing TC (Stop 1104) (Stop 1312) (Stop 106) Scheduled Actual Scheduled Actual Scheduled Actual Final departure departure departure departure departure departure deviation 11:00* 11:00:14 11:23 11:28:06 11:46 11:45:51 51 seconds 12:18 12:19:19 12:44 12:47:33 1:03 1:10.09 429 seconds 1:18 1:18:43 1:44 1:45:59 2:03 2:07:21 261 seconds
* Includes extended route via SE 192nd and SE 34th Ave.
Table 4-18. Eastbound Deviation Averages for April 2018
Scheduled arrival (minutes) Actual arrival – departure (minutes) Trip start Mean Mean Minimum Maximum 11:00* 46 45.6 41.8 53.6 12:18 45 50.8 39.7 55.7 1:18 45 48.6 34.5 57.6
* Includes extended route via SE 192nd and SE 34th Ave.
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Table 4-19. Westbound Deviation Observations for April 2018
Fisher’s Landing TC Mill Plain & 136th Ave Evergreen Blvd & C St (Stop 106) (Stop 2141) (Stop 1104) Scheduled Actual Scheduled Actual Scheduled Actual Final departure departure departure departure departure departure deviation 11:01 11:02:01 11:16 11:15:37 11:47 11:45:27 93 seconds 12:08 12:09:34 12:31 12:32:36 1:02 1:03:38 98 seconds 1:01* 1:01:50 1:16 1:15:23 1:47 1:45:18 -102 seconds
* Includes extended route via SE 192nd and SE 34th Ave.
Table 4-20. Westbound Deviation Averages for April 2018
Scheduled arrival (minutes) Actual arrival – departure (minutes) Trip start Mean Mean Minimum Maximum 11:01 46 43.4 40.9 47.4 12:08 54 54.1 47.6 60.0 1:01* 46 43.5 40.4 48.1
* Includes extended route via SE 192nd and SE 34th Ave.
4.3.3.3 PM Peak
Table 4-21. Eastbound Deviation Observations for April 2018
Evergreen Blvd & C St Mill Plain & 136th Ave Fisher’s Landing TC (Stop 1104) (Stop 1312) (Stop 106) Scheduled Actual Scheduled Actual Scheduled Actual Final departure departure departure departure departure departure deviation 4:03* 4:04:29 4:29 4:34:05 4:55 4:54:10 -50 seconds 5:18 5:19:54 5:44 5:46:09 6:03 6:05:52 172 seconds 6:15 6:17:44 6:40 6:41:43 6:58 6:52:59 -301 seconds
* Includes extended route via SE 192nd and SE 34th Ave.
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Table 4-22. Eastbound Deviation Averages for April 2018
Scheduled arrival (minutes) Actual arrival – departure (minutes) Trip start Mean Mean Minimum Maximum 4:03* 52 49.8 44.6 60.9 5:18 45 46.0 38.5 53.2 6:15 43 35.5 31.3 38.8
* Includes extended route via SE 192nd and SE 34th Ave.
Table 4-23. Westbound Deviation Observations for April 2018
Fisher’s Landing TC Mill Plain & 136th Ave Evergreen Blvd & C St (Stop 106) (Stop 2141) (Stop 1104) Scheduled Actual Scheduled Actual Scheduled Actual Final departure departure departure departure departure departure deviation 4:01 4:02:22 4:16 4:18:14 4:47 4:49:37 157 seconds 5:07* 5:05:56 5:31 5:32:14 6:01 6:01:15 15 seconds 6:02 6:02:56 6:17 6:17:19 6:44 6:44:36 36 seconds
Table 4-24. Westbound Deviation Averages for April 2018
Scheduled arrival (minutes) Actual arrival – departure (minutes) Trip start Mean Mean Minimum Maximum 4:01 46 47.3 43.8 53.3 5:07* 54 55.3 46.8 84.7 6:02 42 41.7 37.4 45.1
* Includes extended route via SE 192nd and SE 34th Ave.
4-20 Mill Plain BRT Locally Preferred Alternative Report (Final) C-TRAN
Appendix B Mill Plain BRT Alignment Evaluation Summary
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Mill Plain BRT Alignment Evaluation Summary (Final) Note: See attached alignment options map for details on routing
West Terminus (Downtown) Alignment Evaluation Summary East Terminus Alignment Evaluation Summary
Evergreen Mill Plain 164th Mill Plain
Improve Transit Service Improve Transit Service
Create Cost-Effective, Long- Create Cost-Effective, Long- Term Transit Solution Term Transit Solution
Meet Current and Future Meet Current and Future Corridor Travel Demand Corridor Travel Demand
Enhance Safety and Security Enhance Safety and Security
Support Economic Vitality Support Economic Vitality
Support Healthy and Livable Support Healthy and Livable Community Community
Mill Plain BRT Alignment Evaluation Summary (Final) 12/21/2018
West Terminus (Downtown) Evaluation Matrix
Evergreen Alignment Mill Plain Alignment
Goal 1. Improve Transit Service
1a. Transit Travel Time 4 minutes faster than Mill Plain alignment 4 minutes slower than the Evergreen alignment (roundtrip). (roundtrip). Projected travel time difference based on shorter Projected travel time difference based on longer travel distance, fewer traffic control devices, and travel distance, more traffic control devices, and less traffic congestion. more traffic/freight congestion. Note: Mill Plain is designated as State Route 501 west of I-5. This portion of SR 501 is included in the National Freight Network and serves significant freight traffic at the I-5 interchange and to the west on the 15th/Mill Plain couplet.
1b. Ridership Estimates (Average Weekday)1 2015: Approximately 300 more daily riders 2015: Approximately 300 fewer daily riders 2040: Approximately 200 more daily riders 2040: Approximately 200 fewer daily riders
1c. Quality of Access to Regional Transit System Intersects 15 routes in Downtown Vancouver Intersects 15 routes in Downtown Vancouver Access Vancouver: Yes Access Vancouver: Yes Access Clark Co North: Yes Access Clark Co North: Yes Access Clark Co East: No Access Clark Co East: No Access Portland: Yes Access Portland: Yes 1d. Opportunity to Extend BRT to Waterfront Connection available from either 8th or 6th and Connection available from either 8th or 6th and Washington via Esther or Grant. Washington via Esther or Grant.
Mill Plain BRT Alignment Evaluation Summary (Final) 12/21/2018
Evergreen Alignment Mill Plain Alignment
Goal 2. Create a Cost-Effective, Long-Term Transit Solution 2a. Capital Cost 2 additional station platforms and associated 1 additional station platform and associated access improvements ($$) access improvements; may also require signal modification for queue jump and potential transit priority striping. ($)
2b. Annual Operating Cost More consistently reliable and faster run time Less reliable with additional time estimated at 30 (estimated at 30 to 90 seconds faster per trip). to 90 seconds. Reliability would be poor due to Reliable and faster run times would result in travel through congested freeway interchange. consistently lower operating cost over the long Risk of significantly higher operating cost. term.
2c. Ability to Accommodate Future, Planned BRT Preserves BRT station capacity since this Consumes the platform capacity by operating two Routes alignment only uses Turtle Place and not existing BRT routes that serve the existing BRT stations at BRT stations at Broadway/13th and Broadway/13th and Washington/12th Washington/12th
Goal 3. Meet Current and Future Corridor Travel Demand
3a. Total Motor Vehicle Delay Compared to No- Existing signals at LOS B; 7 traffic signals and 2 Existing signals at LOS B & C; 15 traffic signals Build roundabouts (roundtrip); avoids I-5 interchange (roundtrip); Designated Truck Route; impacted by congestion I-5 interchange congestion
3b.1. Number of Community Facilities2 with ½ 9 10 Mile of Alignment
3b.2. Number of Jobs within ½ Mile of Alignment 2015: 13,140 2015: 13,490 (2015 & 2040) 2040: 19,210 2040: 19,290
Mill Plain BRT Alignment Evaluation Summary (Final) 12/21/2018
Evergreen Alignment Mill Plain Alignment
3b.3. Population within ½ Mile of Alignment 2015: 4,730 2015: 6,580 (2015 & 2040) 2040: 14,550 2040: 15,830
Goal 4. Enhance the Safety and Security of the Corridor
4a. Posted speed limit on alignment segment 25 mph 25 mph 4b. Traffic volume on alignment segment 250 (Both directions on Evergreen east of C 1,300 (One-way westbound on 15th St west of C (AM peak hour counts – May 2018) Street) Street) Lower truck traffic Higher truck traffic – port access route
4c. Distance to cross alignment segment at 50 feet (Evergreen) 40 feet (15th Street using bulb-outs) nearest signalized pedestrian crossing Note: Evergreen has bike lanes with two thru Note: 15th currently has three traffic lanes and traffic lanes and left turn lane. bulb-outs at crosswalks. Removal of bulb-outs would increase crossing distance.
Goal 5. Support Economic Vitality and Corridor Revitalization Efforts
5a.1. Amount of Vacant Land3 and/or 21 acres (vacant) 22 acres (vacant) 4 Developable Land within ½ Mile 10 acres (developable) 10 acres (developable)
5a.2. Qualitative Assessment of Opportunity for Would directly serve planned Providence Full vacant, developable block between 15th & Transit Oriented Development Academy apartment and commercial 16th and between Main and Washington development on Evergreen and C More market momentum in the north downtown Limited development opportunity along area alignment east of I-5 More commercial and mixed-use zoning
5b. Qualitative Assessment of Ability of BRT More activity centers directly served (Civic Supports Main Street development consistent Alignment to Support City Plans and Policies Center, Library, Farmers Market) consistent with with Vancouver City Center Vision Plan HCT Study
Mill Plain BRT Alignment Evaluation Summary (Final) 12/21/2018
Evergreen Alignment Mill Plain Alignment
Goal 6. Support a Healthy and Livable Community
6a.1. Number of Low-Income Housing Owned by 6 (506) 10(748) Vancouver Housing Authority w/in ½ Mile5
6a.2. Number of Social Service Providers w/in ½ 3 3 Mile
6b. Qualitative review of pedestrian walking Better walkability given lower traffic volumes Poorer walkability given higher traffic volumes environment along segment, proximity of sidewalk to roadway, along segment, proximity of sidewalk to roadway, sufficient pedestrian crossing locations, and and less ideal pedestrian comfort/interest. better pedestrian comfort/interest.
1 Ridership differences based on alternatives with highest ridership, or Alts 3 & 4 for the west terminus alignments. (See attached alternatives for basis of ridership estimate) 2 Community facilities include community centers, libraries, parks, hospitals, food pantries, schools, and shelters. 3 Vacant Land Methodology: Parcels identified as Vacant and not constrained by Clark County’s Vacant Buildable Lands Model. 4 Developable Land Methodology: o Remove parcels identified as any of the following: Vacant, Public, Cemetery, Rail ROW, Right-of-way, Neighborhood Common Space, Single Family Residents on lot with single family zoning, Mobile Home Parks, Vancouver Housing Authority Ownership, Historic Inventory. o Include parcels identified as any of the following: Surface Parking or Storage. o Parcels with an improvement values less than half of the land value were included and reviewed individually. 5 Shown as “Number of Properties (Number of Units)”
Mill Plain BRT Alignment Evaluation Summary (Final) 12/21/2018
East Terminus Evaluation Matrix
164th to Fisher’s Landing Alignment Mill Plain Alignment
Goal 1. Improve Transit Service
1a. Transit Travel Time 12 minutes slower to terminus than Mill Plain 12 minutes faster to terminus than 164th alignment (roundtrip) alignment (roundtrip) Projected travel time difference based on longer Projected travel time difference based on shorter travel distance, more traffic control devices, and more travel distance, fewer traffic control devices, and traffic congestion. less traffic congestion.
1.b. Ridership Estimates (Average 2015: Approximately 300 fewer daily riders 2015: Approximately 300 more daily riders 1 Weekday) 2040: Approximately 400 fewer daily riders 2040: Approximately 400 more daily riders
1c. Quality of Access to Regional Transit Assumes bus connections at Fisher’s Landing TC Assumes route reconfiguration concept based on System would be similar to existing. implementing new Mill Plain Transit Center near Clark College CTC. Intersects 6 routes (Routes: 30, 41, 65, 80, 92, 164) Access Vancouver: Yes Intersects 4 routes (Routes: 30, 65, 80, 92) Access Van Mall: Yes Access Vancouver: Yes Access Clark Co East: Yes Access Van Mall: Yes Access Portland: Yes Access Clark Co East: Yes Access Portland: Yes Goal 2. Create a Cost-Effective, Long-Term Transit Solution
2a. Capital Cost 4 additional station platforms and associated access 4 additional station platforms and associated access improvements; modification to existing Fisher’s improvements; new transit center (land acquisition Landing TC to accommodate Vine Buses ($$$) and facilities) at terminus to accommodate transferring to local routes and layover/recovery facilities ($$$$)
Mill Plain BRT Alignment Evaluation Summary (Final) 12/21/2018
164th to Fisher’s Landing Alignment Mill Plain Alignment
2b. Annual Operating Cost Bus Network: New route would be needed to provide Bus Network: With introduction of Mill Plain Transit service coverage on Mill Plain east of 164th and on Center, route modifications and new service 34th Street and 192nd Avenue. Other bus routes would coverage areas would be introduced. These new operate similar to existing and new service to provide services would cost more to operate initially but additional coverage in east Clark County would evolve would fulfill C-TRAN long range plans for additional over time. service to east Clark County. BRT Route: Slightly more operating cost than Mill BRT Route: Slightly less operating cost than 164th Plain alignment due to slower run time to reach alignment due to reaching terminus in less time and terminus. Some risk of requiring an additional vehicle. less risk of requiring an additional vehicle.
Goal 3. Meet Current and Future Corridor Travel Demand
3a. Total Motor Vehicle Delay Compared to Existing signals at LOS C & D Existing Signals operate well – likely at LOS B No-Build Traffic Control Devices: 13 existing traffic signals Traffic Control Devices: 8 existing traffic signals (roundtrip) (roundtrip)
3b.1. Number of Community Facilities with 4 10 ½ Mile of Alignment2
3b.2. Number of Jobs within ½ Mile of 2015: 5,450 2015: 7,200 Alignment (2015 & 2040) 2040: 5,850 2040: 8,260
3b.3. Population within ½ Mile of Alignment 2015: 13,610 2015: 8,620 (2015 & 2040) 2040: 13,850 2040: 10,690
Mill Plain BRT Alignment Evaluation Summary (Final) 12/21/2018
164th to Fisher’s Landing Alignment Mill Plain Alignment
Goal 4. Enhance the Safety and Security of the Corridor
4a. Posted speed limit on alignment 40 mph 40 mph segment
4b. Traffic volume on alignment segment 5,720 (South segment at 164th and Mill Plain) 3,580 (East segment at Mill Plain and 164th) (PM peak period segment volumes)
4c. Distance to cross alignment segment at 90 feet (164th) 70 feet (Mill Plain) nearest signalized pedestrian crossing
Goal 5. Support Economic Vitality and Corridor Revitalization Efforts
5a.1. Amount of Vacant3 and/or 51 acres (vacant) 157 acres (vacant) Developable4 Land within ½ Mile 33 acres (developable) 59 acres (developable)
5a.2. Qualitative Assessment of Opportunity Large vacant parcel is available but would require TOD supportive zoning in place. for Transit Oriented Development rezoning to be TOD supportive. Many deep, vacant lots available. Potential TOD on Fisher’s Landing site. Existing Columbia Tech Center drives demand Fragmented property ownership. for commercial amenities and housing. Lack of contiguous parcels. Most land owned by single developer.
5b. Qualitative Assessment of Ability of BRT 164th identified as Future Corridor in Comp Plan. Supports planned development described in Alignment to Support City Plans and Policies HCT Plan calls for connection to Fisher’s Landing Section 30 Plan (2009). TC to provide transfer opportunities. Supports Columbia Tech Center designation as a Future Center in Comp Plan. Less existing development which provides opportunity for implementing Complete Street Policy.
Mill Plain BRT Alignment Evaluation Summary (Final) 12/21/2018
164th to Fisher’s Landing Alignment Mill Plain Alignment
Goal 6. Support a Healthy and Livable Community
6a.1. Number of Low-Income Housing 3 (534) 3 (534) Properties Owned by Vancouver Housing Authority within ½ Mile5
6a.2. Number of Social Service Providers 0 0 w/in ½ Mile
6b. Qualitative review of pedestrian walking Poorer walkability given higher traffic volumes along Better walkability given lower traffic volumes along environment segment, proximity of sidewalk to roadway, segment, proximity of sidewalk to roadway, insufficient pedestrian crossing locations, and less sufficient pedestrian crossing locations, and better ideal pedestrian comfort/interest. pedestrian comfort/interest.
1 Ridership differences based on alternatives with highest ridership, or Alts 2 and 4 for the east terminus alignments. (See attached alternatives for basis of ridership estimate) 2 Community facilities include community centers, libraries, parks, hospitals, food pantries, schools, and shelters. 3 Vacant Land Methodology: Parcels identified as Vacant and not constrained by Clark County’s Vacant Buildable Lands Model. 4 Developable Land Methodology: o Remove parcels identified as any of the following: Vacant, Public, Cemetery, Rail ROW, Right-of-way, Neighborhood Common Space, Single Family Residents on lot with single family zoning, Mobile Home Parks, Vancouver Housing Authority Ownership, Historic Inventory. o Include parcels identified as any of the following: Surface Parking or Storage. o Parcels with an improvement values less than half of the land value were included and reviewed individually. 5 Shown as “Number of Properties (Number of Units)”
Mill Plain BRT Alignment Evaluation Summary (Final) 12/21/2018
Mill Plain BRT - Alignment Options
Mill Plain BRT Alignment Evaluation Summary (Final) 12/21/2018
Mill Plain BRT - Basis of Ridership Estimate Alternatives
Alternative 1: Mill Plain DT – Fisher’s Landing Transit Center Alternative 2: Evergreen DT – Fisher’s Landing Transit Center
Alternative 3: Mill Plain DT – E Mill Plain Transit Center Alternative 4: Evergreen DT – E Mill Plain Transit Center
Mill Plain BRT Alignment Evaluation Summary (Final) 12/21/2018
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