Table of Contents Page Executive Summary i List of Acronyms v Chapter 1 Introduction 1 Identifying the Most Feasible ART Corridor 1 Chapter 2 Corridor Evaluation Process 3 Phase 1: Preliminary Screening 3 Data Collection 3 Graphic Presentation of the Data 4 Analysis of the Data 4 Results of Phase 1 Preliminary Screening 5 Regional Connectivity 7 Summary and Recommendations of Phase 1 7 Phase 2: Evaluation of the 13 Corridors 9 Route Segmentation 9 Potential Ridership 10 Existing Transit Ridership 13 Combining of Socio-Economic and Transit Analyses Results 16 Summary and Recommendations of Phase 2 16 Phase 3: Evaluation of the Six Short-Term ART Routes 20 Institutional Support 20 Travel Time Savings 21 Summary and Recommendations of Phase 3 24 Phase 4: Evaluation of the Final Three Routes 26 Institutional Support 27 Community Support 28 Support of the Divisions for Implementing an ART 30 Technical / Management Capabilities of the Divisions 30 Regional Connectivity 31 Current Ridership 32 Ridership Potential 35 Travel Time Savings 39 ROW 43 Chapter 3 Summary and Recommendations of the Selection Process 46 First ART Project 47 Chapter 4 Development of the Short, Medium and Long-Term ART Network 49 Table of Contents Page Chapter 5 Concept Development for Pace’s ART System 51 Vehicle Types 52 Fare Collection System 53 Fare Structure 54 BRT Shelters 54 Branding and Marketing 55 Operations 56 Maintenance 57 Intelligent Transportation Systems 58 Chapter 6 Implementation Plan for the Milwaukee ART 60 Cost Estimation 60 Operating Plan 63 Capital Cost Estimate Ranges 63 Operating Cost Estimate Ranges 64 ART Funding Options – Program Authorization and Oversight Requirements 67 ART Project Delivery Options 70 Summary of Implementation Strategy for the Milwaukee ART Route 72 Chapter 7 Study Summary and Recommendations 74 Project Follow-Up 77 Sources of Information 78 Appendices A. Characteristics of Successful BRT Systems B. Evaluation of the 24 Corridors C. Socio-Economic / Transit Ridership Data Maps and Exhibits D. Evaluation of the 13 Group 1 Corridors E. Socio-Economic / Transit Data Tables and Maps F. Evaluation of the Six Short-Term ART Routes by Institutional Support Criteria G. Travel Time Savings / ROW Data for the Three Final Routes H. Municipal Outreach I. Short, Medium and Long-Term ART Network J. ART Strategic Decision Matrix EXECUTIVE SUMMARY An important component of Pace’s strategic plan, Vision 2020, is to strengthen the service on key travel corridors in its service area. In the plan, line-haul routes on these corridors will provide the backbone of a high-speed inter-suburban transit network connecting critical transportation centers. An Arterial Bus Rapid Transit (ART), Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system specifically tailored to the characteristics of Pace’s transit market and suburban service area is the ideal choice to provide high service level at a low cost. Pace has initiated this study to: 1. Identify the corridor where the initial ART route could be implemented 2. Define the ART network 3. Determine the preliminary characteristics of the ART system 4. Identify the funding options and define the project delivery strategy for the first ART route Identifying the Initial ART Route In Vision 2020 Pace has identified 24 key travel corridors in its service area. In this study these 24 corridors were analyzed to identify the corridor with the highest potential for successful ART service. Successful BRT routes share common characteristics, including that they: serve existing transit markets, generate new transit riders, directly connect to the larger transit network, provide rider benefits in terms of reduced travel time and enjoy the support of the local communities and regional agencies. Based on these characteristics, the following criteria were used to determine the potential of the 24 corridors for successful ART service: Existing ridership Potential to generate new riders Regional connectivity Support from local communities and regional institutions Potential for travel time savings The list of 24 candidate corridors was reduced to one initial ART route through the application of these criteria through a 4-Phase process. Phase 1: The initial 24 corridors were evaluated by existing ridership, potential to generate new riders and whether they directly connect to the existing transit network of CTA, Metra and Pace’s exurban routes. Socio-economic and route-level transit data, as well as system maps, were used for this evaluation. At the conclusion of Phase 1, 13 corridors were identified to have existing Pace service, transit supportive land use characteristics, population densities, and socio- economic indicators and direct connectivity to the rest of the transit network. Phase 2: These 13 corridors were further evaluated against the criteria on a more detailed level. The corridors were divided into operable segments. Each segment was characterized with a socio-economic score representing the segment’s ridership generating potential; and a transit criteria score representing the segment’s productivity and connectivity. High scoring segments were connected into routes operable at a minimum frequency throughout the entire length of the route. Out of these routes, six were selected to be implemented within a 10-year time frame. It Pace Arterial Rapid Transit Study i Executive Summary was, in part, the intent to select routes throughout Pace’s entire service area. These six routes directly connect to one another as well as to the CTA and Metra networks. The following six routes were selected: Milwaukee, Dempster, Oak Brook, Harlem, 95th Street and Halsted Street. Phase 3: These six routes were further evaluated by two additional criteria: 1) potential for travel time savings based on Right-of-Way (ROW) characteristics; and 2) support from regional institutions if they were selected to be the first ART route. Based on ROW characteristics (rail road grade crossings and number of lanes and turning lanes), it was determined that achieving travel time savings on 95th Street would be a challenge requiring some familiarity with ART operation. Based on ongoing studies in the region and regional plans for the next 10 years, it was identified that two of the six routes, Harlem and Halsted, would receive regional institutional support in the second 5-year of the 10-year implementation time frame. The remaining three routes, Milwaukee, Dempster and Oak Brook, have no ROW impediment for travel time savings and would receive immediate regional institutional support. These three routes were evaluated in Phase 4. Phase 4: These three routes were further evaluated by these two additional criteria: 1) potential for travel time savings at signalized intersections and from reduction in the number of stops and 2) support from local communities along the routes. Based on Pace’s Transit Signal Priority (TSP) Initiative and Queue Jump Bypass Lane Project, as well as inspection of the corridors, it was determined the TSP, but not queue jump lanes, could result in travel time savings along these routes. Based on input from Pace’s community relations staff, local communities supportive of transit were identified along these three routes. As Milwaukee and Dempster ART routes emerged as the top two candidates from the evaluation process, key stakeholders along these routes were contacted in order to introduce the ART plan and gauge stakeholders’ initial reaction to it. The outreach program was successful: all six communities along the routes – Des Plaines, Park Ridge, Niles, Skokie, Morton Grove and Evanston – as well as Chicago DOT (CDOT) and Chicago Transit Authority (CTA) expressed their support for the ART idea and showed interest in working with Pace toward developing ART on Milwaukee and Dempster corridors. Three of the communities, Niles, Skokie and Morton Grove, have provided Pace with their redevelopment plans for future coordination with the ART projects. The result of the community outreach effort strengthened the results of the corridor selection process. At the conclusion of the evaluation process, the top three routes were compared to one another based an all 5 criteria. At the conclusion of this evaluation process, the Milwaukee ART route was rated as having the highest potential for a successful ART service, followed by the Dempster ART route. Network Development The short, medium, and long-term ART networks were developed using results of the segment evaluation in Phase 2 and Pace’s goal of connecting all sub-regions of its service area. Pace Arterial Rapid Transit Study ii It is the recommendation of this study to begin the ART network implementation of the following: Milwaukee ART – from the CTA’s Jefferson Park Station to Golf Mill Mall (7 miles) Followed by additional five ART routes within 10 years: Dempster ART – from the CTA’s Davis Street Station in Evanston to O’Hare K-N-F (15 miles) Oak Brook ART – from the CTA’s Forest Park Station to Yorktown (12 miles) Harlem ART – from Milwaukee Avenue to 95th Street (28 miles) 95th Street ART – from the CTA’s 95th Street Station to Harlem Avenue (9 miles) Halsted ART – from the CTA’s 95th Street Station to 159th Street (16 miles) These six ART routes would form the Short-Term ART Network. The medium-term network would be an expansion of the short-term network: some of the short- term ART routes would be extended further into the suburbs and segments of the remaining seven corridors would be added. Four of the short-term ART routes would be extended: Milwaukee extension – from Golf