Sound Move Launching a Rapid Transit System for the Puget Sound Region

Appendix C: , J?enefits, system use and transportation impacts of Sound Move

., ,· .~ ., > .,_ ' '-· ..~ ·s -., • .-.::. ~:~ .. , . ' ·"···• ' ! . ··" ..

._j '# ... ·,

As adopted May 31, 1996 Sound Move Sound Move

Contents Introduction

Voters in the central Puget Sound region As with road and highway construction, Introduction 1 are being asked to make a major financial transit investments create value within a Benefits of RTA investments in the regional transit system investment in transportation improvements community that goes beyond where projects proposed in the Ten-year Regional Transit are built and how much concrete is poured. Background . 3 System Plan. This report provides the region's Personal mobility, regional connections, the Transit passenger trips 3 citizens with an assessment of various benefits availability of transportation alternatives, and the region can expect from this investment. impacts on the growth patterns, quality of life Forecast methods 4 and the economic well-being of .the region are Transportation improvements are Travel time savings 7 all values that must be considered in deciding undeniably linked to the growth, Transit ridership on RTA routes . on a transit investment, as they traditionally 8 development, quality of life and economic are in decisions on road investments. Travel time and number of transfers between selected centers 8 vitality of a region. Sound Move proposes a shows many of the broader Transit impact by major corridor 8 range of different types of transit Table 1 improvements to improve mobility and performance measures which can be difficult Transit trips to selected centers 9 provide a solid basis for meeting the to quantify yet deserve consideration. Benefits in addition to transit ridership of Sound Move anticipated growth in transportation demand 10 Only by considering these indirect benefits in our region well into the 21st century. In along with the traditional measures of transit Benefits of RTA investments in the NOV Expressway system and regional investment terms, Sound Move proposes to improvements and their costs can the citizens express bus service expand and diversify our region's portfolio of of our region have the complete picture transportation investments. Additional benefits of the HOY Expressway system 16 necessary to make an informed decision. Such Using the regional express bus routes . 17 Since improved transportation is such an consideration forces a look at the longer-term important part of maintaining the livability benefits and regional impacts of the proposed Regional express bus route ridership, by route 18 and vitality of the region- and because the system, not just a limited look at the direct Benefits of RTA investments in commuter rail and electric light rail RT A system plan offers a broader range of transportation benefits at the end of the 10- improvements than traditional transit plans year construction period. Many of the Rail hoardings . . 19 (including HOV Expressways and region­ benefits- such as development patterns or wide transit system coordination) - this shifting travel patterns -will not be realized O&M costs, fare revenue and operating subsidies analysis goes a step beyond an ordinary until well after the proposed system is in Fares . . 20 approach to an,alyzing benefits. place and functioning. Net operating cost 20 Rather than simply looking at the narrow Data and methodology used to analyze System efficiency . 20 range of direct benefits that can be thoroughly direct benefits of the transportation documented or conservatively projected this improvements in this proposal have been Cost effectiveness 21 report provides a broader discussion of declared appropriate following rigorous O&M cost of the regional express bus system by route 21 community and regional benefits that can be scrutiny by an independent Expert Review expected from this investment. Panel appointed by, and accountable to, the Comparing the capacity of rail systems and highway 23 state of Washington. The entire contents of this report will be subject to Expert Review System reliability 26 Panel review. References 27

C-1 Sound Move Sound Move

Benefits of RTA investments in the regional transit system

Background Transit passenger trips Table 1: Measures of performance by type The three-county district represented by There are about 2.5 million persons living Transit measures Other measures RT A has been studying ways to increase in 1.1 million households within the RTA transportation capacity for several years, District. Table 2 shows the intentionally Transit ridership (e.g., New businesses attracted Safety benefits of locating because: conservative estimates for daily and annual passenger trips and to the region HOV in center of roadway ridership for Sound Move. These estimates • population, employment and travel growth boardings) include only those transit riders using have strained our existing highways and regularly scheduled, regular fare bus and rail arterials to capacity Additional transit passenger Increased commercial Increased connections lines within the RTA District boundary (dial­ trips activity between, and to I from • future growth will make congestion worse a-ride, subscription bus, school bus, etc. are regional economic centers -congestion and delays will spread to excluded). more hours and more roads each day Time savings (to users) Reduction in highway Reducing or controlling The Transportation System Management delay for private and sprawl into currently unde­ • due to cost, environmental impacts, (TSM) forecast reflects transit ridership commercial vehicles veloped, natural areas community opposition and lack of growth due to population and employment available right-of-way and funding, new increases, completion of the state Value of travel time savings Construction and related Property value in areas near highway construction is unlikely within Transportation Department's core HOV benefit (to users) employment transit investment the RT A District system and those transit service increases that • the existing bus system is largely stuck in can be paid for within existing transit agency Subsidy per passenger trip Increased rail freight Enhancing the pedestrian the same traffic jams as private vehicles, so tax sources. The TSM alternative was and per passenger mile mobility environment and allowing the RTA wants to extend exclusive and originally studied along with the RTA's 1995 more trips to be made semi-exclusive rights-of-way to new transit Phase I transit proposal and was presented in without car services that have very high capacity, and the Regional Transit System Master Plan at the same time benefit many existing bus Technical Appendix (February, 1995). The Farebox recovery ratios Attaining Commute Trip Increased opportunities for routes methods and data used in this TSM forecast (OR/OE) Reduction Act goals local mobility due to reallo­ are completely consistent with the current cation of bus service • transit's capacity potential is very great, for RTA ten-year system plan analysis. Although example: a light-railline can provide the on a broad basis the TSM alternative is Transit system productivity Transportation benefits same peak-hour people-moving capacity as consistent with the six-year plans of local during special events a 12-lane highway at only 25 percent to 33 transit agencies, it is not intended to (reduced parking, reduced percent of the cost, and in a much narrower congestion, travel time savings) specifically represent those plans since they space do not cover the period through year 2010. Vehicle miles reduced Vehicle operating and cost savings • unlike most other metropolitan areas, the central Puget Sound region has its travel Tourist spending channeled into only a few major corridors by the same hills, mountains and water Improvements in transit Reduced parking demand (and that make this such a desirable place to system reliability value of parking costs saved) live. These constraints make transportation solutions relatively more expensive than in many other parts of the U.S.

C-2 C-3 Sound Move Sound Move

• Transfers -Transfers are the movement of The transit ridership evaluated throughout Highlight: Highlight: passengers between vehicles and routes to the remainder of this report is based on the About 258,000 trips are made each day on complete their trips. Transfers explain why It's claimed that transit carries a formal ten-year forecast, and excludes the the fixed-route transit system in the Puget the average transit trip consists of more than relatively small portion of all trips in the presumption that transit could serve a larger Sound Region. If all of those trips were one boarding, and are a good measure of region: depending on how "trips" are share of the transportation market due to instead made in single-occupant vehicles how well integrated the individual routes counted between 3 and 8 percent. people shifting travel modes because of the it would create a line of cars almost 650 making up a transit system are. But, the same could be claimed about the Commute Trip Reduction Act. The impacts of miles long. The year 2010 daily transit CTR are outside the RTA's formal travel Transfer rates are an indication of how the regional highway system. After five ridership represents a line of cars more demand forecasting process. The ridership also individual elements of a transit system decades and many billions of dollars of than 950 miles long. excludes the success of cities and counties in complement each other. Nationwide, and investment, the region's interstate highway system (I-5, I-90 and I-405) achieving state Growth Management Act goals indeed worldwide, higher transfer rates are carries only about 10 percent of all trips. and ridership beyond the 2010 horizon. Definitions: strongly and positively correlated to higher • Hoardings -Transit boardings represent the transit ridership. The bottom line is that the region's The forecasts of HOV ramp use and benefits economy needs a balanced, well­ come from a recent state Transportation number of times a passenger steps into any • Passenger miles- Passenger miles are a transit vehicle. functioning transportation system - Department technical report. measure of service that a transit line or route including roads and transit - to remain • Passenger trips (or transit trips)- Trips is providing to its customers. It is a function competitive. represent the complete journey made by a of the average length of a trip made by Highlight: person from an origin to a destination (such passengers. For example, 100 passengers A recent study by the Federal Transit as home to work). Because people may traveling ten miles each result in 1,000 Forecast methods Administration concluded that the annual transfer from one route to another to passenger miles. Likewise, it would take 500 local, state and federal subsidies to the complete such a journey, trips can consist of people to travel the same 1,000 passenger The RT A's forecasts are based on: transit system in Washington, DC returns more than one transit boarding. miles if their average trip length was only • a thoroughly documented modeling I $3.2 billion in measurable benefits each two miles. forecasting methodology developed over a year. These benefits include congestion five-year period, and specifically designed to relief, times savings for individuals and avoid the systematic biases which freight, and transportation cost savings Table 2: Ten-year total transit trips Forecast with for households near transit stations. 2010 TSM incremental contributed to over-forecasts of transit (previously 2010 RTA Commute Trip ridership in other parts of the country Existing studied) forecast Reduction ridership during the l980s • a methodology reviewed by the state's Daily transit trips* 258,000 323,000 389,000 439,000 independent Expert Review Panel, Percent change from existing N/A +25% +51% +70% appointed to ensure that RT A methods are Daily transit hoardings 335,000 428,000 555,000 625,000 reasonable and comply with commonly accepted engineering, forecasting and Annual transit trips 75 million 98 million 117million 131 million planning practices Annual transit hoardings 98million 130 million 167million 187million • adopted regional population and Transfer rate 1.3 1.32 1.43 1.43 employment forecasts.

*Transit trips and boardings included here apply only to the fixed-route, scheduled-service parts of the transit system. Demand-responsive, school bus, custom I subscription bus and van services are excluded.

C-4 C-5 Sound Move Sound Move

The 2010 ten-year transit ridership forecast Travel time savings The value of the time savings alone that includes the effects of population and Highlight: result from the efficiencies inherent in the Table 3 illustrates the combined travel time employment growth, the effects of transit The estimates in this report represent the RTA transit system improvements amount to savings for the region achieved by the improvements (including reinvesting local transit ridership on average weekdays $32 per year for every person living in the investments included in Sound Move. bus service made available by the regional and, in the case of annual values, include RTA District in the year 2010. express routes), the six-year plans of the average weekends. If the RTA investment transit operators within the RT A District and does even a moderately better job of completion of the HOV lanes in the three­ serving special events, this would add Table 5: Travel times and number of transfers between selected centers county area. The forecast reflects putting in another two million trips per year. PM peak-period travel times (includes time on vehicle plus transfer time) place a ten-year transit system plan, including: Origin center Trip Existing bus 2010 RTA RTA time savings • twenty regional express bus routes, Snohomish County Everett to downtown Seattle 1311 60 71 • twelve HOV ramps providing direct access Table 4: Summary of transit hoardings to center HOV lanes, serving: Everett to downtown - the RT A's new regional express bus Weekday Annual Seattle to Kent 2032 853 118 routes, hoardings hoardings North King County Downtown Seattle to - existing services provided by Community Columbia City 29 13 16 Transit, Everett Transit, Pierce Transit and Light rail 107,000 32.6 million Downtown Seattle to Puyallup 841 54 30 King County-Metro, Commuter - carpools and vanpools rail 12,600 3.2 million Downtown Seattle to Everett 75 67 8 • a commuter rail line from Everett to Regional Downtown Seattle to Lakewood, express bus 54,000 15.8 million Capitol Hill 16 5 11 • a light-rail line in Seattle from 45th Street to ' South King County Auburn to Tacoma Dome 8()1 21 59 S. 200th Street via Sea-Tac Airport, and Total 173,600 51.6 million Kent to Columbia City 661 303 36 • a light-rail line in Tacoma from 9th Street to the Tacoma Dome commuter rail station. Renton to Federal Way 78 47 31 East King County Bellevue to Federal Way 1011 64 37 Table 3: Travel time savings by mode Bellevue to Sea-Tac Airport 78 49 29 Carpools Bus Rail Canyon Park to Bellevue 611 26 35 and vanpools riders riders Total Pierce County Puyallup to downtown Seattle 1081 54 54 Downtown Tacoma to Daily Time Savings (minutes) 380,000 350,000 1,050,000 1,780,000 downtown Seattle 58 58 0 Annual Time Savings (million hours) 1.6 1.5 5.1 8.2 Lakewood P&R to Auburn 7()1 38 32

Annual Value of Savings $19.2 $18.0 $61.2 $98.4 (millions of 1995 $) 1 This trip requires a transfer between bus routes. 2 This trip requires two transfers between bus routes. 3 This trip would require a transfer between rail lines (at some times of the day). ·

C-6 C-7 Sound Move Sound Move

Transit ridership on RTA routes Additional ridership benefits, not included Percentages include ridership on fixed Highlight: in the Table 6, may be expected from travel to route, fixed schedule transit service. Table 4 summarizes the average weekday The region is in the process of developing and from special events. Rail transit has Excluded are paratransit, dial-a-ride, light rail, commuter rail, and regional bus and implementing strategies for achieving proven more attractive than expected for carpools I vanpools, etc. The range shown for hoardings for 2010, assuming Sound Move is I single site, high-traffic special events. This future transit mode shares comes from two state Commute Trip Reduction Act goals ' ( completed. - a 35 percent reduction of "vehicle miles includes sporting events and other high­ sources. The low end of the range comes from After the ten-year plan is completed, 44 of travel" consumed by workers traveling attendance public events. the RTA' s own conservative forecasting for the year 2010. The high end ofthe range percent of all transit passengers in the region to/from major employment sites during The Tacoma Dome, the Kingdome, the new comes from the PSRC' s recent travel demand will make all or part of their trips using an peak hours. baseball stadium at the south end of Seattle's forecasting supporting its Metropolitan RT A service. To the extent that the RTA program can downtown, the Puyallup Fairgrounds, the Transportation Plan (MTP). The MTP is an provide an alternative way to meet this Bellevue Convention Center, the Washington update of the transportation element of Vision Travel time and number of transfers aggressive goal (rather than forcing State Convention & Trade Center and the 2020, the region's adopted growth strategy. between selected centers employers to find their own solutions) the University of Washington are all within daily and annual transit ridership could be walking distance of major transit stations Comparing travel times for two different as high as 439,000 and 131 million, included in Sound Move. While this region is transit systems is a deceptively simple­ respectively. This represents a 70 percent perhaps less familiar with transit's Table 7: Activity center mode splits sounding way of evaluating the value of a increase over today's ridership levels. effectiveness in mitigating traffic associated transit investment - especially when the Percentage of work and college trips by transit with these types of events, other regions have two systems are very different. Such a found transit to be essential in delivering comparison is affected by the introduction of 1990 Range of significant percentages of event attendees an HOV expressway system, electric light rail, Center transit % future transit % Table 6: Peak transit share of all travel, without the serious congestion and parking and commuter rail. These new elements, by corridor, 2010* impacts experienced here. Downtown paired with fare integration, will significantly Share of all trips Everett 2% 5% to 30% change the way many people make their made in carpool, Transit trips to selected centers transit trips in the future. In reality, it is Corridor vanpool, bus or train Northgate 7% 8% to 16% exceedingly difficult to fairly express the Table 7 presents the percentage of work relative advantages and disadvantages of each 1-5 North 40 percent and college trips made by transit riders to a University system strictly using tables. However, for set of selected regional centers. This 1990 data 1-5 South 40 percent District 18% 22% to 52% consistency with previous planning, Table 5 is from the U.S. Census Journey-to-Work compares existing transit travel to future I-S/Pierce County 25 percent survey compiled by the Puget Sound Regional Downtown transit travel times on RTA services. Council (PSRC). Bellevue 5% 7% to47% Cross lake 30 percent Transit impact by major corridor 1-405 North 30 percent Downtown Seattle 34% 45% to 60% Table 6 shows the portion of all travel 1-405 South 30 percent through the region's major highway corridors Downtown that will be carried in transit vehicles during Tacoma 3% 6% to37% rush hours. *These numbers illustrate the importance of transit in the major corridors at the most congested times of the day. Average 13% 17% to 45%

C-8 C-9 Sound Move Sound Move

The values shown are for PSRC' s preferred In addition to the number of riders and the Highlight: implementation strategy (Note: these are year associated costs, there are many other aspects 2020 projections). Results for the other PSRC If the RTA investment in bus service, rail of Sound Move that deserve attention. These strategies would be in the range shown. The systems and HOV direct access ramps issues are presented as questions and answers transit mode shares projected by the PSRC are affects the regional economy sufficiently in Table 9. significantly higher in part because their to increase personal income by as little as forecasts are not constrained by FT A one-tenth of one percent (.oon that guidelines in the same way as the RT A's. This increase can be conservatively estimated Table 8: Annual value of regiona l benefits from investing in Sound Move is particularly true when looking at the effect to be $85 million per year. of a regional rail system on land use and If the RTA's economic benefit increased Low-range Mid-range High-range regional policies to reduce both congestion employment one-half of one percent (.005 ), estimate estimate estimate and vehicle emissions. The PSRC makes a that increase would be worth $425 million Measures ($M/yr ) ($M/yr) ($M/yr) deliberate effort to forecast these effects. each year. Travel time savings for system users 78 98 118 Benefits in addition to transit ridership of This increase represents only personal income, and excludes any additional affect Parking cost savings for system users 10 13 16 Sound Move on regional commercial activity. Reduction in vehicle miles traveled The RT A believes that only a broader (auto operating cost savings) 15 19 23 interpretation of transit system benefits can Travel time savings for drivers of private account for the new transit systems (and the Table 8 presents the varied benefit vehicles 16 20 24 popularity of those systems) in the following measures benefit with an estimated dollar west coast cities: range for each. The value ranges might be Reduction in required employer-provided compared, for example, to the ten-year system parking 12 14 17 • San Diego, CA plan cost per year of approximately $200 • Los Angeles, CA million (in local tax dollars). The variety of Increased mobility for commercial vehicles 11 13 16 • San Jose, CA benefits is wide and far-reaching. Construction and related employment 64 80 96 • San Francisco, CA Table 8b presents a wide range of Increased property value in areas near Under Under Under • Sacramento, CA additional measures which are worthy of transit stations study study study • Portland, OR consideration when evaluating a regional transit investment. These measures are either Bus service replaced by RTA, available for • Vancouver, BC more qualitative in nature or difficult to reinvestment 20 25 30 As an example, Tri-Met in Portland quantify. For that reason, the RTA has not Improvements in transit system reliability 5 7 9 concluded that "Investment in new made a formal dollar-value estimate of the development adjacent to MAX already benefits. Nonetheless, these measures bring Total 231 289 349 exceeds the cost of the project by fivefold." up significant potential benefits worthy of additional public discussion and research.

C-10 C-11 Sound Move Sound Move

The values shown are for PSRC' s preferred In addition to the number of riders and the Highlight: implementation strategy (Note: these are year associated costs, there are many other aspects 2020 projections). Results for the other PSRC If the RTA investment in bus service, rail of Sound Move that deserve attention. These strategies would be in the range shown. The systems and HOV direct access ramps issues are presented as questions and answers transit mode shares projected by the PSRC are affects the regional economy sufficiently in Table 9. significantly higher in part because their to increase personal income by as little as forecasts are not constrained by FTA one-tenth of one percent (.001), that guidelines in the same way as the RT A's. This increase can be conservatively estimated Table 8: Annual va lue of regional benefits from investing in Sound Move is particularly true when looking at the effect to be $85 million per year. of a regional rail system on land use and If the RTA's economic benefit increased Low-range Mid-range High-range regional policies to reduce both congestion employment one-half of one percent (. 005 ), estimate estimate estimate and vehicle emissions. The PSRC makes a that increase would be worth $425 million Measures ($M/yr) ($M/yr) ($M/yr) deliberate effort to forecast these effects. each year. Travel time savings for system users 78 98 118 Benefits in addition to transit ridership of This increase represents only personal income, and excludes any additional affect Parking cost savings for system users 10 13 16 Sound Move on regional commercial activity. Reduction in vehicle miles traveled The RTA believes that only a broader (auto operating cost savings) 15 19 23 interpretation of transit system benefits can Travel time savings for drivers of private account for the new transit systems (and the Table 8 presents the varied benefit vehicles 16 20 24 popularity of those systems) in the following measures benefit with an estimated dollar west coast cities: range for each. The value ranges might be Reduction in required employer-provided compared, for example, to the ten-year system parking 12 14 17 • San Diego, CA plan cost per year of approximately $200 • Los Angeles, CA million (in local tax dollars). The variety of Increased mobility for commercial vehicles 11 13 16 I • San Jose, CA benefits is wide and far-reaching. Construction and related employment 64 80 96 • San Francisco, CA Table Sb presents a wide range of Increased property value in areas near Under Under Under • Sacramento, CA additional measures which are worthy of transit stations study study study • Portland, OR consideration when evaluating a regional transit investment. These measures are either Bus service replaced by RTA, available for • Vancouver, BC more qualitative in nature or difficult to reinvestment 20 25 30 As an example, Tri-Met in Portland quantify. For that reason, the RTA has not Improvements in transit system reliability 5 7 9 concluded that "Investment in new made a formal dollar-value estimate of the development adjacent to MAX already benefits. Nonetheless, these measures bring Total 231 289 349 exceeds the cost of the project by fivefold." up significant potential benefits worthy of additional public discussion and research.

C-10 C-11 Sound Move Sound Move

Table 9: Other issues related to benefits of Sound Move

Questions Answers

Is the RTA Ten-Year System Plan part of a Tab le Bb: Additional measures of regional benefits worthy of consideration Yes- the RTA ten-year system plan is consistent comprehensive approach to regional with the region's adopted Metropolitan Trans­ (and further research ) mobility? portation Plan, and puts in place a large part of the transit component of that plan. Increased commercial activity from new businesses attracted to the region due to improved transportation Will the RTA Plan improve transit travel Yes- the bus, HOV and rail investments Value of retaining existing employers in the region due to transportation improvements times in the region's congested corridors? improve travel times in all major corridors, especially compared to future congested speeds. Increased rail freight mobility Because much more of the transit system will Aid to the region's employers in achieving the Commute Trip Reduction Act goals operate in protected rights-of-way, transit speeds and travel times will be preserved at the Transportation benefits (reduced parking, congestion, and travel time savings) of transit same as the roadway system becomes much carrying a higher share of trips to special events more congested and auto travel gets slower. Vehicle ownership and insurance savings Will the RTA plan provide additional Yes- the plan significantly increases people­ Increased tourist expenditures capacity in congested corridors? moving capacity in all major, congested corri­ dors. Air quality and other health benefits

Safety benefits of locating HOV lanes in center of road Are the new RTA services and facilities Yes- the plan enriches the existing network of being integrated into the existing transit express bus routes, enhances service coordina­ Increased connections between and to I from regional economic centers system and fare structure? tion at rail stations and new transit centers, and provides significant new funding for fare Reduction or control of suburban sprawl into currently undeveloped, natural areas integration. The RTA plan allows the local bus Enhanced pedestrian environment allowing more people to engage in activities without a car operators to reinvest 400,000 hours of bus service each year. Improvements in road system reliability

Increased opportunities for local mobility due to reinvestment of bus service Is the RTA plan part of an integrated Yes- a "high-capacity transportation" system regional growth management strategy? has always been regarded as essential to the New people-moving capacity in the region's most congested corridors success of growth management in this region. Preservation of transit travel times via dedicated ROW, while roads become more congested Does the RTA serve major centers of Yes- RTA services (bus and rail) will connect Integrating the four-operator, multi-county transit fare systems economic activity? Does it improve access centers with over 700,000 jobs. All major special to jobs? events locations are connected by RTA services. Improving transit as a travel option for both "choice" and "dependent" riders during a period in which the region's roads become more congested Does the RTA plan improve access to Yes- all RTA services and stations will be fully opportunities and activities, for individuals accessible to people with disabilities. All major facing special challenges to their mobility? employment and special event locations will be served by the RTA. The regional express bus system also includes supplementalADAfunding.

C-12 C-13 Sound Move Sound Move

Benefits ofRTA investments in the HOV Expressway system and regional express bus service

The state Transportation Department's As individuals switch to carpools, Office of Urban Mobility has estimated that Highlight: vanpools and buses from single-occupant Table 11: Peak-period travel time savings the direct access HOV ramps included in the One full40-foot bus is equivalent to a line ) vehicles, and as time savings accrue for all for drivers RT A ten-year plan will serve slightly more of cars stretching highway system users - and as these benefits than 200,000 people on an average day. Forty­ ) Peak vehicle-miles • six city blocks, if traffic is moving spread out to vehicles on arterials and local reduced per day 300,000 two percent of these trips will be on buses - at 25 m.p.h., or roads - there will be regional economic to a great extent the RTA' s regional express benefits that can be estimated. These benefits Daily reduction in • 4.5 city blocks if traffic is moving bus routes - with the remainder in carpools included reduced operating costs for peak-period delays at 15 m.p.h .. and vanpools. automobiles. These benefits are summarized (person hours) 6,700 in Table 12. The HOV Expressway system will also Annual reduction in offer significant time saving advantages for from general purpose traffic lanes, freeing up As people experience travel time savings peak-period delays both carpool and vanpool users and capacity on the region's highways. As moving around the region, and as some find (millions of person hours) 1.7 passengers on the region's bus systems. Table capacity shifts, general purpose vehicle improved, faster transit to be an attractive 10 shows benefits achieved through the HOV speeds will increase, making for faster trips option to their private auto, employers will Annual value of savings $20 million Expressway investments. for both personal trips and commercial also benefit. Table 13 summarizes just one of The HOV Expressway system, the bus vehicles. Some people will shift their travel these benefits -reduced employer-provided modes to take advantage of the attractive, parking. services that will use that system, and the Table 12: Auto operating cost savings person trips served will benefit nonusers as competitive alternative to the car offered by well. Vehicle trips made in the HOV the HOV Expressway system, further Mode shift savings increasing travel time advantages for general Expressway segments -including those Annual vehicle purpose traffic. Table 11 summarizes these made by express buses - will be removed miles of travel 125 million travel time benefits. Auto operating cost savings $19 million Table 10: Travel time savings for HOV Expressway system users Parking cost savings $13 million Carpools Bus Tota l for RTA Total savings $32 million and vanpools* passengers ten-year plan } Daily time savings (min.) 380,000 350,000 730,000 ) Table 13: Benefits to employers Annual time savings (mil. of hours) 1.6 1.5 3.1 Annual value of savings (mil. of 1995 $) $19.2 $18.0 $37.2 Reduction in demand for employer-provided parking spaces 14,000 *Though included here, carpool and van pool users are not counted in the transit ridership discussed throughout this appendix. Annual cost per parking place $1000

Savings $14 million

C-14 C-15 Sound Move Sound Move

lanes by the state, will create a seamless Additional benefits of the HOV Expressway Highlight: system Table 14: Centers connected via bus system of exclusive transit/HOV rights-of­ routes using HOV Expressway way, where HOV' s can get out of the Based on US Dept. of Energy data, Developing an HOV Expressway will have congestion caused by general purpose American Public Transit Association several important regional benefits, including: Economic center Center employment traffic. The potential improvement to bus estimates the fuel efficiency comparisons (201 0) of public transit compared to the average • Connecting regional economic centers­ service is so dramatic that completing the HOV system has been a major goal of the car to be: The RT A will connect many of the region's Auburn 10,000 region's transit operators for a decade. vital economic centers. While many will be Bellevue 58,00 • one bus with seven passengers is connected by the electric-light rail and Dupont 7,000 • Safety effects of direct access to HOV equivalent to one car commuter rail systems, an even larger East gate 10,000 lanes - Changing lanes ranks among the • one full bus equals six cars number will be connected by an HOV Everett 35,000 most hazardous vehicle movement on a system significantly enhanced by the Federal Way 18,000 highway. The RTA's direct access ramp RT A's investment. Regional economic Issaquah 8,000 elements will eliminate, to a great extent, Using the regional express bus routes centers receiving direct benefit of the HOV Kent 21,000 the current system's indirect access to the The regional express bus routes would Expressway system and the express bus Kirkland 8,000 "wrong" side of the freeway which forces typically operate in an express mode. Most of route services are listed in Table 14. The Lakewood 5,000 buses and HOVs to weave through traffic them would operate frequently (every 15 centers shown will be connected to all Lynnwood 18,000 to get to HOV lanes. The ramps will also minutes during rush hours), and would others via bus routes using the HOV Ex­ Overlake 27,000 help eliminate the multiple unsafe lane operate all day, every day. pressway system. Puyallup 8,000 changes to get on and off the highway. • Reliability of the regional bus system - Redmond 11,000 While reduced accidents, and the cost of The total annual ridership on these routes It is difficult to forecast and place a dollar Renton 35,000 those accidents can't be forecast, it is is 15.8 million. The average weekday value on the improved transit and HOV Seattle 209,000 nonetheless a direct benefit of the RTA' s hoardings total 54,000. In addition to the system reliability that the HOV Sumner 6,000 investment. The value of this safety benefit ridership on these routes, the RT A transit Expressway system will create. Since the Tacoma 51,000 would be difficult to overstate. While investments free up hours of bus service for current HOV system isn't continuous, and SeaTac 26,000 difficult to quantify, the safety aspect of the reinvestment in local routes. The RT A and direct access to the lanes is rare, vehicles Tukwila 26,000 direct access ramps will make a real local bus operators would work together to that might otherwise make their entire trip Totem Lake 10,000 difference in the lives of the approximately determine the locations of these reinvestments in an HOV lane actually make a large Northgate 14,000 200,000 people who will use them on an after RT A services are in place. The potential portion of that trip in general purpose Bothell 9,000 average day. These people will not have to ridership gains from these additional local bus lanes. This means that for significant parts University District 19,000 experience four to six lane changes each services are substantial. Assuming that the of their journeys, buses and HOV s are that it commonly takes to reach and then reinvested bus service is equal in productivity Total subject to the delays, breakdowns and 650,000 exit the center HOV lanes. to the present Pierce Transit local routes and gridlock common on the region's King County-Metro suburban routes, the highways. The HOV Expressway system, estimated 400,000 hours of service would along with completion of the HOV core carry approximately six million additional riders per year.

C-16 C-17 Sound Move Sound Move

Benefits of RTA investments in commuter rail and electric light rail

Regional express bus route ridership, There are several well-established reasons Rail hoardings by route Table 15: Regional express bus route for the RT A to consider rail as a significant Table 16 shows the estimated rail forecasts component of a regional transit plan: The bus routes shown in Sound Move are hoardings by line for Sound Move. an example of a regional express bus system RTA regional express • since rail usually travels in its own right-of­ Annual hoardings With 105,000 hoardings, the Seattle-SeaTac that responds to each subarea's priorities. bus routes (millions ) way, it offers a high-speed alternative to light-rail line would carry well over three These routes were defined with enough cars times the current ridership of Portland's MAX detail to estimate costs and ridership for final A Everett- Aurora Village 0.4 • trains operating in their own right-of-way line. plan adoption, but the routes will be refined B. Everett -Mountlake Terrace- are extremely reliable since they are not A range of commuter rail ridership is as they are put in place. The community Seattle 1.3 subject to congestion, accidents, shown. The range is due to a degree of involvement process, and subarea priorities breakdowns or bad weather delays. at the time the routes are implemented will c. Everett- Bothell- Bellevue 1.2 uncertainty that remains regarding the affect the way the actual routes are initiated. D. Lynnwood- Bothell- Bellevue 0.8 Not all of the benefits that urban areas following factors: derive from a rail system can simply be stated For this reason, the detailed ridership • the breakdown between peak- and off-peak E. Woodinville - Northgate 0.5 as some form of "count" or another- such as forecasts simply illustrate the general service direction service, and plan. It is essential to have flexibility when F. Issaquah- Bellevue- Northgate 1.7 the number of rail users or, the number of rail riders who would have been in cars had the • the degree of through-routing of the developing the scope and schedules of new G. Redmond- Bellevue - Seattle 2.2 regional express bus services so that the rail system never been built. Another good service between the two lines to the north H. Bellevue- Renton- SeaTac routes can respond to actual customer 1.4 measure of the benefits of rail might be the and south of downtown Seattle. listing of "Preferred Cities for Corporate demand. I. Redmond- University District 0.5 While the range shown here is for Relocation" recently published by the Urban Federal Way- Auburn- Renton- informational purposes, all the ridership­ Because of the cost factors surrounding J. Land Institute. The Institute's Land Use Digest Bellevue related numbers used elsewhere in this new all-day express bus routes, the RTA will 0.7 2 listed the ten cities receiving the most document (including the measures of put regional express bus routes in place K. Puyallup - Auburn- Renton- corporate reallocations for both 1994 and 1995. productivity) reflect the low end of the incrementally. This will allow initial service Bellevue 0.7 In both years, nine of the ten cities have either range. The RT A has made use of the "worst levels to build to full service over time (an long-established rail systems or new ones L. SeaTac- West Seattle- Seattle 1.3 case" commuter rail forecasts to ensure that average of three years). During this time, the undergoing expansion. RTA will review route ridership as it is M. Tacoma- Federal Way- all the estimates and calculations are established and grows. It will allow bus SeaTac - Seattle 0.6 conservative. service resources to be retargeted if a bus N. Tacoma- Seattle 0.6 route fails to prove reasonably attractive to Table 16: Rail station hoardings riders. This retargeting will respect the needs 0 . Dupont - Lakewood - Seattle 0.2 and priorities of subareas from whose budget P. Tacoma - Auburn 0.1 Line Daily hoardings Annual hoardings the service funding is drawn. The Q. South Hill- Dupont incremental approach will allow the RT A to 0.6 Seattle-SeaTac light-rail line 105,000 32.0 million effectively balance the dual goals of offering R. Lakewood- Tacoma 0.3 Tacoma light-railline 2,000 0.6 million efficient services and delivering services Everett-to-Seattle commuter rail* 2,400 - 3,200 0.6 - .8 million S. Mid-Pierce County- Tacoma 0.2 promised in Sound Move. Lakewood-to-Seattle commuter rail* 10,200- 14,000 2.6 - 3.6 million T. Lakewood - Puyallup 0.5 Total 119,600-124,200 35.8 - 37.0 million Total 15.8 *All calculations of commuter rail productivity use the low end of the range shown.

C-18 C-19 Sound Move Sound Move

O&M costs, fare revenue and operating subsidies

Fares Cost effectiveness Table 17: Net operating cost Fare revenue forecasts assume continuing Table 19: Annual O&M cost of the system Table 19 reflects the annual O&M cost of plan per additional rider the present transit fares to 2010, with fare Annual O&M the RT A ten-year plan per additional rider riders cost Fares increases only matching the inflation rates over the cost of the existing transit system. assumed in the financial plan. Based on the Year 2010 Light rail 32.6M $38M $20M ridership forecasts, the fare revenues upon O&M cost of the regional express bus Additional passenger completion of the ten-year plan would be: Commuter system by route trips compared to today' s · • Light rail = $20 million/year rail 3.2-4.4M $21.7M $5- $7M system 42 million The RTA regional express bus routes • Commuter rail= $5-7 million/year Regional would typically operate with limited stops. Additional transit express bus 15.8M $40.5 M $13M hoardings compared to • Regional express bus= $13 million/year Most of these routes are different from today' s express routes in that they would run quite today' s system 69 million These annual fare revenues are expressed frequently- every 15-30 minutes during peak Cost per additional in constant 1995 dollars. periods and every 30-60 minutes during the passenger trip $2.40 Table 18: Farebox recovery rest of the day - and would operate in two Net operating cost directions, all day, every day (including week­ Cost per additional boarding $1.45 The net operating cost subsidy is the Light rail 53 % ends). The total estimated annual ridership on annual operating and maintenance (O&M) Commuter rail 23-32% these new routes is 15.8 million hoardings. As shown in Table 18, the 20 all-day regional cost, minus fare revenues. • System-level operating revenue per Rail system combined 42 -45% express bus routes would have an average operating expense (OR/OE) ratios typically farebox recovery ratio of about 32 percent. System efficiency Regional express bus routes 32% include more operating revenue than fares Table 17 reflects the farebox revenues and For individual routes this recovery ratio alone - for example, advertising revenue. System total 38-40% O&M costs of the RTA plan by mode. would range between 15 percent and 50 RTA regional express route estimates percent (this compares to system farebox represent farebox revenues, only. No other The farebox recovery ratios (operating recovery ratios for the region's four transit operating revenues are included. revenue per operating expense ratios) shown operators ranging from 5.6 percent to 23.4 • Many reporting methods also omit some in Table 18 exceed those established as percent according to the Federal Transit operating expenses which the RT A has minimum acceptable levels by the RT A Board; Administration report: 1994 Transit Profiles for included (e.g., a 15 percent add-on for 40 percent and 20 percent for the rail and bus Agencies in Urbanized Areas Exceeding 200,000 ADA supplemental service). These various systems, respectively. Population). Comparing route-level forecasts supporting costs are very often excluded to system-level statistics could easily lead to when transit system bus operators present misleading conclusions because: route level information, complicating direct comparisons.

C-20 C-21 Sound Move Sound Move

Comparing the capacity of rail systems and highways

Due to the cost factors surrounding new This section provides a consistent, all-day express routes, the RTA will put the Highlight: conservative and understandable calculation Highlight: regional express bus routes in place Among US cities with populations over 1 of capacity for the highways and rails. This is Compared to a peer average (including incrementally. This will allow a buildup from million, cities with rail systems have a comparison of practical highway capacities Tri-Rail, BWI Airport, Northern Indiana, initial service levels to full service over time. transit mode splits - the share of all trips with practical rail capacities. Comparisons are Penn DOT, Staten Island and Caltrain) for During this period, the RTA will conduct a served by transit - 120 percent higher not made of "theoretical" maximum capacities commuter rail operating expenses, the RTA systematic review as route ridership is than cities with bus-only transit systems. that have not been experienced or sustained, commuter rail system will have a 14 established and grows. Table 20 presents the in the case of highways, or might not be percent to 19 percent lower average cost Sources: 1990 US Census and Federal Transit annual boardings and O&M costs for the achievable, in the case of rail. per trip. Administration Section 15 reports regional express bus system, by route. Capacity is defined as the highest number of vehicles that can be accommodated by a The Highway Capacity Manual also states lane as a stable flow of traffic according to the that "the LOSE boundary . .. has been Table 20: Regional express bus route forecasts Transportation Research Board's Highway generally been found to be the critical density Capacity Manual. at which capacity most often occurs. This RTA reg ional express Annual hoardings Annual O&M cost corresponds to ... a capacity of 2,000 pcphpl bus routes (millions) (millions) Highway engineers usually describe highway operation in terms of levels of [passenger cars per hour per lane] for 60-mph and 70-mph design speeds." Thus, the actual A. Everett -Aurora Village 0.4 $1.6 service (LOS), ranging from LOS A to LOS F. number of vehicles per lane is less than 2,000 B. Everett - Mountlake Terrace - Seattle 1.3 $2.9 LOS F represents "breakdown flow" and is per hour if the traffic includes vehicles larger c. Everett - Bothell - Bellevue 1.2 $1.8 usually referred to as the failed condition. D. Lynnwood - Bothell - Bellevue 0.8 $1.5 According to the Highway Capacity Manual, than passenger cars (i.e., trucks). E. Woodinville - Northgate 0.5 $1.7 "the boundary between LOS D and LOS E Using the 2,000 vehicles per hour per lane F. Issaquah - Bellevue- Northgate 1.7 $3.7 describes operation at capacity. Operations at as the standard for sustainable capacity, the G. Redmond - Bellevue - Seattle 2.2 $3.3 this level are extremely unstable .... At practical person-carrying capacity of a lane H. Bellevue- Renton- SeaTac 1.4 $3.2 capacity, the traffic stream has no ability to can be determined by multiplying the number I. Redmond - University District 0.5 $1.9 dissipate even the most minor disruptions. of vehicles by the average occupancy of a J. Federal Way -Auburn - Renton- Bellevue 0.7 $2.0 Any incident can be expected to produce a vehicle on the highway. K. Puyallup- Auburn- Renton- Bellevue 0.7 $1.4 serious breakdown with extensive queuing... L. SeaTac - West Seattle - Seattle 1.3 $1.3 . Maneuverability within the traffic stream is A survey of western U.S. cities shows that M. Tacoma -Federal Way - SeaTac 0.6 $1.2 extremely limited, and the level of physical the average vehicle occupancy (AVO) on N. Tacoma- Seattle 0.6 $4.6 and psychological comfort afforded to the highways range from around 1.1 persons per 0. Dupont - Lakewood - Seattle 0.2 $2.8 driver is extremely poor. Average travel vehicle to 1.3. In 1990, Puget Sound area P. Tacoma -Auburn 0.1 $0.9 speeds at capacity are approximately 30 counts showed average vehicle occupancies at Q. South Hill -Dupont 0.6 $1.9 m.p.h. ." 21locations along the region's highways R. Lakewood - Tacoma 0.3 $1.3 ranging from 1.05 to 1.24 in the morning and S. Mid-Pierce County- Tacoma 0.2 $0.6 from 1.06 to 1.4 in the afternoon (these counts T. Lakewood -Puyallup 0.5 $0.9 and the U.S. Census report that average occupancy dropped in the region between TOTAL 15.8 $40.5 1980 and 1990).

Note: The RTA cost estimates include a 15% add-on for ADA supplemental service.

C-22 C-23 Sound Move Sound Move

Based on current Puget Sound region The passenger carrying capacity of a rail The RT A light-rail system will information, average vehicle occupancy over system is a function of the number of rail accommodate six-car trains. The capacity of Highlights: an entire day does not appear to exceed 1.25 vehicles in a train, the number of passengers each rail car, including standing passengers, is A recent Federal Transit Administration (give or take a couple hundredths of a person) carried in each vehicle and the number of 125 people (this number is consistent with study concluded that households in -though there aren't enough comprehensive trains that operate per hour in each direction. experience in many U.S. cities and does not communities with a variettj of commercial counts or surveys to allow a definitive exceed vehicle capacity recommended by the activities within walking distance of rail calculation. The state Transportation Federal Transit Administration for use in stations save an average of $250 per Department sometimes uses the 1.25 value for Table 21: Highway lane capacity federally-supported planning studies). Thus, month in car ownership costs. Nationwide highway performance analysis. six-car trains would each be capable of this savings totals $20 billion per year. (LOSE (Average (Persons carrying 750 passengers. Assuming there is an average of 1.25 capacity vehicle per lane persons per vehicle, the average person­ per lane) occupancy) per hour) With modern signaling, the RTA rail lines carrying volume on an average freeway lane will be capable of a peak-use level of service is 2,500 people per hour, as shown in Table of at least one train every three minutes. This 2,000 X 21. 1.25 2,500 translates into 20 trains per hour, per This translates into a six-lane highway with direction, and yields a peak system capacity a practical person-carrying capacity of 15,000 as shown in Table 22. people per hour, or twelve-lanes capable of A rough comparison, shown in Table 23, accommodating 30,000 people per hour. can then be done between the current capacity of the region's highways and the proposed rail system. Table 22: Peak-use rail system capacity

Passengers Tra ins Passengers Two Directions Passengers Table 23: Current highway and proposed rail system capacity Per Train Per Hour Per Hour Per Hour Highway Rail

750 X 20 15,500 X 2 30,000 Number of Persons Total Equivalent one Equivalent two highway per highway direction rail direction rail lanes lane capacity capacity capacity

6 X 2,500 15,000 15,000 N!A

12 X 2,500 30,000 N/A 30,000

C-24 C-25 Sound Move Sound Move

System reliability References

Reliability is one measure of a transpor­ The light-rail system will provide American Automobile Association, Landis, Guhathakurta and Zhang, tation system's performance. It plays an significantly greater reliability than all other "Statistics: Auto Operating Costs", in The Capitalization of Transit Investments into Single important role in influencing how a person types of public transportation in the region. Urban Transportation Monitor, (May, 1995). Family Home Prices: A Comparative Analysis of chooses to travel (auto, bus, rail, bicycle, etc.). The light-raiL system will operate in exclusive Five California Rail Transit Systems, University American Public Transit Association, Try System reliability basically evaluates how rights-of-way (a mix of tunnels, priority of California at Berkeley, Working Paper 619, Transit Week Program Guide, (May, 1996). ma:ny transit vehicles arrive on time, or within surface and aerial alignments). (July, 1994). a limited deviation from a published Arrington, G. B., Jr., Beyond the Field of Since the commuter rail system will run Land Use Digest 2, ULI -the Urban Land schedule. Dreams: Light Rail and Growth Management in entirely on existing and improved freight Institute, (February, 1996). Portland, Tri-Met, (March, 1995). System reliability has dropped significantly railroad tracks -with a high degree of grade Municipality of Metropolitan Seattle, in the central Puget Sound region's separation and fully protected at-grade Cambridge Systematics, et al, Investment in Managing Employee Parking in a Changing transportation network in the last decade. crossings (with signals, crossing arms, etc.)­ Public Transportation: The Economic Impacts of Market, Service Development Division, Single-occupancy vehicles are experiencing a it should operate very reliably. the RTA on the Regional and State Economies, (November, 1993). high degree of unreliability because of traffic Northeastern Illinois Regional Transportation Finally, the regional express bus system Authority (January, 1995). Oregon Department of Transportation, congestion. will be more reliable than current bus service Freight Mobility Study, per conversation with Traffic congestion in the central Puget (though it will be less reliable than the light Central Puget Sound Regional Transit C. Deffebach, Portland METRO, (May, 1996). Sound corridor has increased rapidly in the rail and commuter rail systems because it Authority, "Decision '96" Resource Book: last ten years, and it now affects travel on must still deal with general traffic congestion). Developing a New Phase I Transit System Ballot Parsons Brinckerhoff I Kaiser Engineers, most-major freeways, expressways and These new regional bus services will use HOV Proposal, (January, 1996). Regional Transit System Statewide Employment and Income Impacts, (July, 1994). arterials. Hours of congestion have also lanes wherever available. The RT A will also Central Puget Sound Regional Transit work closely with local jurisdictions to increased, with stop-and-go traffic a Authority, Master Plan, (October, 1994). Parsons Brinckerhoff Quade & Douglas, commonplace experience at midday and on develop transit priority treatments at critical Inc., Travel Time Savings Summary Report: Central Puget Sound Regional Transit weekends in many places. Traffic congestion "pinch points" on regional express bus routes Puget Sound HOV Pre-Design Studies, Phase II Authority, Phase I Study Options Results Report, is expected to get worse as travel demand to allow faster and more reliable service. (Final Draft), Washington State Department of (September, 1994). continues to rise. Overall, Sound Move should offer greater Transportation, Office of Urban Mobility, The reliability of public transportation is system reliability than is currently available. Central Puget Sound Regional Transit (March, 1996). Authority, Regional Transit System Master Plan experiencing a decline similar to general Phillips, Don, "Federal Study Says Technical Appendix, (February, 1995). automobile traffic in many corridors where Spending on Transit Reaps Bonanza for high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes are not Federal Transit Administration, Transit Area", in The Washington Post, (April, 1996), available. For example, bus operating speeds Profiles: Agencies in Urbanized Areas Exceeding reference to Federal Transit Administration on urban arterials in the Seattle have dropped 200,000 Population for the 1994 National Transit 1996 report. 22-46 percent between 1962 and 1992. Even Database Report Year, (December, 1995). with HOV lanes, traffic pinch-points have Puget Sound Regional Council, 1995 substantially reduced reliability. The three King County Transit Division, Six-Year Metropolitan Transportation Plan: The types of transit featured in the RTA ten-year Transit Development Plan for 1996 - 2001, Transportation Element of Vision 2020, the system plan (light rail, commuter rail, and Transportation Department (December, 1995). Region's Growth Management, Economic and regional express bus routes on HOV lanes) Transportation Strategy, (May, 1995). will provide greater reliability than the current public transportation system.

C-26 C-27 Sound Move

Puget Sound Regional Council, 1995 Population and Employment Forecasts for the Central Puget Sound Region, (August, 1995). Shunk, Gordon A. (editor), The Effects of Added Transportation Capacity (Conference Proceeding), Texas Transportation Institute, (1991). Trade Development Alliance of Greater Seattle, King County: Crossroads of the Global Economy, King County Economic Development Office (1995).

C-28 Sound Move - the Regional Transit System Plan

Central Puget Sound Regional Transit Authority Union Station 401 S. Jackson St. Seattle, Washington 98104-2826 E-mail: [email protected] (800) 201-4900

Information presented in the system plan is provided by the Sound Transit to inform citizens and may be reproduced freely.

Sound Transit Executive Director: Joni Earl

This information is available in accessible formats upon request at 888-889-6368 or 888-713-6030 TTY. Sound Transit information is also available on the Web at www.soundtransit.org.

7 SOUNDTRANSIT