CTA Red Line Extension Alternatives Analysis Locally Preferred Alternative Report August 2009 Locally Preferred Alternative Report Table of Contents Table of Contents List of Tables ............................................................................................................................ iii List of Figures .......................................................................................................................... iv Acronyms Used in this Document ............................................................................................. v 1.0 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................ 1 1.1 Context of the Alternatives Analysis .............................................................................. 1 1.2 Purpose of the Alternatives Analysis Report ................................................................. 2 1.3 Organization of this Report ............................................................................................ 2 2.0 PURPOSE AND NEED ...................................................................................................... 3 2.1 Description of Study Area .............................................................................................. 3 2.2 Transportation Facilities and Services ........................................................................ 13 2.3 Performance of the Transportation System ................................................................. 18 2.4 Specific Transportation Problems ............................................................................... 27 2.5 Potential Transit Markets ............................................................................................. 31 2.6 Project Goals and Objectives ...................................................................................... 32 3.0 SCREEN 1 EVALUATION ............................................................................................... 33 3.1 Study Area Corridors ................................................................................................... 33 3.2 Transit Technologies ................................................................................................... 40 3.3 Technology and Profile Evaluation .............................................................................. 44 3.4 Screen 1 Findings ....................................................................................................... 46 4.0 SCREEN 2 EVALUATION ............................................................................................... 49 4.1 Definition of Alternatives .............................................................................................. 49 4.2 Evaluation.................................................................................................................... 51 5.0 SCREEN 3 EVALUATION ............................................................................................... 54 5.1 Definition of Alternatives .............................................................................................. 54 5.2 Screen 3 Evaluation .................................................................................................... 62 5.3 Screening Summary .................................................................................................... 64 6.0 LOCALLY PREFERRED ALTERNATIVE ....................................................................... 66 6.1 Selection of a Locally Preferred Alternative ................................................................ 66 6.2 Description of Service Plan ......................................................................................... 66 6.3 LPA Transportation Characteristics ............................................................................. 71 6.4 LPA Environmental Characteristics ............................................................................. 75 6.5 LPA Cost and Financial Analysis ................................................................................ 88 6.6 LPA Achievement of Project Goals and Objectives .................................................... 94 7.0 PUBLIC INVOLVEMENT ................................................................................................. 98 7.1 Public Involvement Approach ...................................................................................... 98 7.2 Implementation and Execution of Public Involvement ............................................... 100 7.3 Meeting Format ......................................................................................................... 101 7.4 Screen 1 Public Involvement Summary .................................................................... 102 7.5 Screen 2 Public Involvement Summary .................................................................... 102 7.6 Screen 3 Public Involvement Summary .................................................................... 103 7.7 Final Reporting .......................................................................................................... 104 8.0 NEXT STEPS ................................................................................................................. 105 Red Line Extension ii August 2009 Alternatives Analysis Locally Preferred Alternative Report Table of Contents List of Tables Table 2.1: 2000 and 2030 Population .......................................................................................... 5 Table 2.2: 2000 and 2030 Employment ....................................................................................... 9 Table 2.3: CTA Red Line Service Summary .............................................................................. 13 Table 2.4: Metra Boardings by Station ....................................................................................... 16 Table 2.5: CTA and Pace Bus Routes Serving 95th Street Station ............................................ 17 Table 2.6: CTA Fare Structure .................................................................................................... 18 Table 2.7: Speeds for Selected Bus Routes Serving 95th Street Terminal ................................ 24 Table 2.8: CTA and Pace Bus Routes Serving 95th Street Station Performance ....................... 27 Table 2.9: 95th Street Station Bus Terminal Delay (7:00-9:00 a.m.) ......................................... 30 Table 2.10: Passenger Volumes at 95th Street Bus Terminal (7:00-9:00 a.m.) .......................... 30 Table 3.1: Summary Corridor Evaluation ................................................................................... 39 Table 3.2: Summary Corridor Evaluation Conclusions .............................................................. 40 Table 3.3: Operating Characteristics of Technology Alternatives .............................................. 43 Table 3.4: Technology Evaluation .............................................................................................. 45 Table 3.5: Summary of Technology and Profile Evaluation ....................................................... 47 Table 3.6: Summary of Screen 1 Evaluation of Alternatives ...................................................... 48 Table 4.1: Recommendations of Step 2 Evaluation ................................................................... 51 Table 4.2: Summary of Screen 2 Step 2 Evaluation of Alternatives .......................................... 51 Table 4.3: Recommendations of Screen 2, Step 3 Evaluation .................................................. 52 Table 4.4: Summary of Screen 2 Step 3 Evaluation of Alternatives .......................................... 52 Table 5.1: Screen 3 Evaluation Summary and LPA Recommendation ..................................... 63 Table 6.1: LPA and Existing Northbound Red Line Weekday Service Characteristics .............. 67 Table 6.2: Estimated Northbound Running Times ..................................................................... 68 Table 6.3: Proposed Bus Routes Changes ................................................................................ 69 Table 6.4: Estimated Travel Times from 130th Street to Jackson Blvd. ..................................... 71 Table 6.5: Parking Spaces for 2015 and 2030 ........................................................................... 72 Table 6.6: Number of Transfers between Select Origin-Destination Pairs ................................ 72 Table 6.7: Reliability and Safety ................................................................................................ 73 Table 6.8: Estimated 2030 Average Weekday Station Boardings ............................................. 74 Table 6.9: Traffic Impediments .................................................................................................. 75 Table 6.10: Annual 95th Street Station Ridership (in millions) .................................................... 75 Table 6.11: Poverty Status and Zero-Car Households within ½-Mile Station Areas .................. 76 Table 6.12: Land Use and Development ................................................................................... 81 Table 6.13: Summary of Potential Environmental Impacts ........................................................ 87 Table 6.14: LPA Capital Cost ($M, 2009) .................................................................................. 88 Table 6.15: Program Capital