City Avenue Transportation Connectivity Plan Public Workshop November 15, 2012 Introduction
TONIGHT’S WORKSHOP
What is the City Ave Connectivity Plan and why is it needed? How does it fit in with other past and current efforts? What does the study include? How can I participate?
Introduction
STUDY ADVISORY COMMITTEE
• Robert Duncan, Lower Merion Township • Angela Murray, Lower Merion Township • Carissa Hazelton, Lower Merion Township • Terry Foley, City Avenue Special Services District • Greg Krykewycz, Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission • Andrew Melony, City of Philadelphia Planning Commission
Introduction
STUDY STAKEHOLDERS
• Lower Merion Township • Belmont Village Civic Association • City of Philadelphia • Merion Civic Association • City Avenue Special Services • Neighborhood Club of Bala Cynwyd District • Overbrook Farms Club • Delaware Valley Regional • Wynnefield Heights Civic Association Planning Commission • Wynnefield Residents Association • Montgomery County Planning Commission • Wynnewood Civic Association • SEPTA • Commercial property owners and tenants • PennDOT • Other residential property owners and
tenants What is the Connectivity Plan?
STUDY AREA
CITY AVE. What is the Connectivity Plan?
CITY AVENUE SPECIAL SERVICES DISTRICT
Vision of the District:
• Transformation of City Avenue from an auto-oriented drive- through to a pedestrian friendly, successful, vibrant, and highly desirable, diverse mixed-use corridor.
• A City Avenue Community, formed by a balanced mix of residences, offices, schools, stores, restaurants and institutions, a place where people can live, work, play and learn. What is the Connectivity Plan?
STUDY GOALS
• Increase awareness of transit in the City Avenue District • Propose improvements to transit services and facilities • Recommend improved physical pedestrian connections to transit and businesses • Increase use of transit for travel to work destinations in the corridor • Promote walking and bicycling for local trips in the corridor
‒ Reduce auto dependence ‒ Reduce congestion ‒ Create a more desirable environment Existing Conditions
TRANSIT Community Issues process indicates that current transit service is poorly understood • Three regional rail stations with less frequent service than some stakeholders would like • Seven bus routes Encouraging stakeholders to use transit will involve listening carefully to find out what access changes will resonate in the community Existing Conditions
TRANSIT FACILITIES
Bala Station
Overbrook Station Existing Conditions
TRANSIT FACILITIES
Kings Grant bus stop. This stop is a short block from One Bala Plaza. Existing Conditions
TRANSIT FACILITIES Existing Conditions
EXISTING BUS ROUTES AND STOPS
CASSD Regional Center
Existing Bus Route
Existing Bus Stop
Train Station Existing Conditions
EXISTING BUS ROUTES AND STOPS
To Penn Valley, Gladwyne To Ardmore, (limited weekday service) Suburban Square Route 44
To Center City
Existing Bus Route
Existing Bus Stop
Train Station Existing Conditions
EXISTING BUS ROUTES AND STOPS
Route 1
To NE Phila Roosevelt Blvd. PARX Casino
City Ave. & 54th St.
Existing Bus Route
Existing Bus Stop
Train Station Existing Conditions
EXISTING BUS ROUTES AND STOPS
Route To Germantown 65
Existing Bus Route
Existing Bus Stop
Train Station
To 69th St. Transportation Center Existing Conditions
EXISTING BUS ROUTES AND STOPS
Wissahickon Transfer Center Route 38
Existing Bus Route
Existing Bus Stop
Train Station To Ben Franklin Parkway, Center City Existing Conditions
EXISTING BUS ROUTES AND STOPS
Route 40
Existing Bus Route
Existing Bus Stop
Train To Univ. of Penn, Station Society Hill Existing Conditions
EXISTING BUS ROUTES AND STOPS
Route G
Existing Lankenau Bus Route Hospital
Existing Overbrook Bus Stop Station Train Station
To Columbus Commons Existing Conditions
EXISTING BUS ROUTES AND STOPS
To Penn Valley, Gladwynne (limited weekday service) Route 52
Existing Bus Route
Existing Bus Stop
Train Station To West Phila, 52nd St. Existing Conditions
RESIDENTS NEED ALTERNATIVES TO DRIVING
Previous Efforts
2004 TOWNSHIP-WIDE BICYCLE NETWORK FEASIBILITY STUDY • Township residents focused on recreational purposes, but transportation was also important
• Specific recommendations developed by the Study and codified in the Official Map
• Potential extension of Cynwyd Heritage Trail to City Avenue and beyond Previous Efforts
TRANSPORTATION CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROGRAM • Lower Merion Township side of City Avenue from Presidential Boulevard to Old Lancaster Road • Program for roadway and traffic signal improvements through Year 2030 • Impact fees for new development to be used for transportation improvements
Previous Efforts
CYNWYD HERITAGE TRAIL • Cynwyd Station Improvements • Trail is complete from the Cynwyd train station to Belmont Avenue • A connection to Manayunk using the SEPTA bridge is under design
Previous Efforts
CIRCULATION ELEMENT OF COMPREHENSIVE PLAN
Some Circulation Plan proposed recommendations are for the City Avenue corridor: • Create a pedestrian/bicycle friendly route parallel to City Avenue using Latches Lane, Union Avenue, Llanberris Road, a short section of Belmont Avenue • Secure an easement through West Laurel Hill Cemetery to reach the Cynwyd Heritage Trail at Barmouth. • Extend the Cynwyd Heritage Trail as a rail with trail to City Avenue. Plan to link trail extension to Fairmount Park as recommended in the City of Philadelphia’s comprehensive plan. • Add bicycle lanes on Bryn Mawr Avenue from City Avenue to Montgomery Avenue (bicycle lanes already exist on the City side of City Avenue)
What does this study include?
STUDY TASKS
• Existing transportation facilities inventory
• Existing transit operations review Inventory We are here • Corridor demographics and destinations • Ridership survey • Train station access analysis Analysis • Bus transit service analysis • Transit plan • Passenger information plan Recommendations • Pedestrian and bicycle facilities plans • Report Scope of Services
INVENTORY
Inventory of existing transportation facilities • Review documents, confirm conditions in the field, and produce base mapping Existing transit operations review • Meet with SEPTA about service levels, vehicles, and facilities • Ride the trains and buses to get the patron’s perspective on service Corridor demographics and destinations • Understand anticipated changes in households, population, and employment • Review anticipated development proposals • Meet with user groups: people with disabilities, senior citizens, college/university students
Scope of Services
ANALYSIS
Ridership survey • Determine the public’s attitudes toward transit service and access in the corridor Train station access analysis • Conduct walking audits of Bala and Overbrook stations • Examine platform access, routes between the platform and the street, street access in the immediate station vicinity, and access to buses Bus transit service analysis • Map key destinations and stops • Identify unmet community transit needs Scope of Services
REPORT
Transit • Recommendations for service and facility improvements • Consistency with ordinance, map, Transportation Capital Improvement Program • Suggestions for improving passenger information Pedestrian facilities • Recommendations for improving the walking experience: sidewalk improvements, filling in gaps, enhancing crossings • Recommendations for improving the bicycling experience: bike lanes, shared lane markings, shared-use paths Report • Implementation plan with costs, timing, and responsible parties Scope of Services
PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT • Five stakeholder meetings • Three hands-on walking audits with staff and stakeholders • Bala Station • Overbrook Station • One key area identified by stakeholders • Three public workshops SCHEDULE
1. Inventory of Existing Conditions ...... November 2012 • Past studies, mapping, transit operations review 2. Community Involvement ...... in progress • Find out what local residents, business owners, employees and officials want from the Connectivity Plan 3. Transit Analysis...... fall-winter 2012-2013 • Identify deficiencies, analyze improvements 4. Improvement Alternatives ...... winter 2012-2013 • recommend potential improvements to train stations, bus service, pedestrian and bicycle connections 5. Implementation Plan and Report ...... spring-summer 2013 How can I participate?
DEVELOP COMMON THEMES
Potential common themes: • If more people took the bus or train to work, it would help traffic on City Avenue. • There is already a lot of bus service along City Avenue. • More people would ride the bus if they were confident they knew the best route to take and what time the bus would arrive. • More people would ride the bus if the wait at stops was more comfortable. • More people would ride the bus if the service was better. • There is not enough parking at the train stations. • As a local resident, driving is the preferred option for trips to City Avenue destinations. • A shuttle service is needed from Overbrook train station to the Regional Center east of Belmont Avenue. How can I participate?
ON THE DOT BOARDS . . . • Tell us which common themes make the most sense to you. • Write down issues that you feel are important. How can I participate?
ON THE MAP BOARDS . . .
Tell us where you live and work • Place a BLUE sticker at your RESIDENCE location. • Place a GREEN sticker at your WORK location. • If you live or work outside the map area, just place the sticker at the edge of the map in the direction of your residence or workplace.
How can I participate?
ON THE MAP BOARDS . . .
On the Pedestrian and Bicycle Hot Spots board, place stickers at locations that are most important to you, such as: • Problem street crossings • Location where sidewalk is needed or needs to be improved • Safety problem locations • Destinations that need bicycle parking
Use YELLOW stickers for PEDESTRIAN locations Use RED stickers for BICYCLE locations How can I participate?
ON THE MAP BOARDS . . .
On the Transit Hot Spot Board, place stickers at locations of importance to you, such as: • Bus stops that need improvements • Bus stops that are hard to get to • Locations that need a bus stop and don’t have one • Problem locations at train stations How can I participate?
ON THE IDEAS MAP. . .
On the Planning Ideas Map, you can describe problem locations in more detail. Tell us what you want to see (or don’t want to see), and provide your ideas for improvements. • Place a numbered sticker on the map at the location • Take a Post-it, write down the sticker number, and write your comment for that location.
How can I participate?
ON THE SURVEY FORM, TELL US . . . • What makes your community special? • What would you like the City Avenue corridor to be like in the future? • How can the train stations and bus service support your corridor vision? • General comments How can I participate?
STAY INFORMED AND GIVE US YOUR INPUT!
Two more public meetings will be held in winter and in late spring.
The Connectivity Plan will only be successful if it addresses community needs and reflects community values. Questions?