NEW HAVEN STREETCAR PRELIMINARY ALIGNMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION PLAN FINAL REPORT JANUARY 2011 City of New Haven John DeStefano, Jr., Mayor Table of Contents TABLE OF CONTENTS New Haven Streetcar Final Report TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................... 1‐1 1.1 PROJECT HISTORY ................................................................................................................................... 1‐1 1.2 SCOPE OF SERVICES ............................................................................................................................... 1‐1 1.3 STAKEHOLDERS ....................................................................................................................................... 1‐2 1.4 APPENDIX .................................................................................................................................................... 1‐2 2. INTERNAL PROJECT COORDINATION ............................................................ 2‐1 2.1 KICK‐OFF MEETING ................................................................................................................................ 2‐1 2.2 PROJECT TEAM MEETINGS ................................................................................................................. 2‐1 2.3 STAKEHOLDER MEETINGS .................................................................................................................. 2‐1 2.3.1 Stakeholder Meeting 1................................................................................................................... 2‐1 2.3.2 Stakeholder Meeting 2................................................................................................................... 2‐2 2.3.3 Additional Stakeholder Outreach ............................................................................................. 2‐2 2.4 UTILITIES MEETINGS............................................................................................................................. 2‐2 2.4.1 South Central Connecticut Regional Water Authority ..................................................... 2‐2 2.4.2 Southern Connecticut Gas ............................................................................................................ 2‐3 2.4.3 United Illuminating Company .................................................................................................... 2‐4 2.4.4 Additional Utility Coordination ................................................................................................. 2‐5 2.5 FTA BRIEFING AND SITE VISIT ......................................................................................................... 2‐5 2.5.1 Agenda .................................................................................................................................................. 2‐5 2.5.2 Attendees ............................................................................................................................................ 2‐6 2.5.3 Meeting Notes ................................................................................................................................... 2‐6 2.6 COMPARISON TO PROVIDENCE ..................................................................................................... 2‐11 2.6.1 Peer Exchange ................................................................................................................................ 2‐12 2.7 APPENDIX ................................................................................................................................................. 2‐13 3. PUBLIC OUTREACH .............................................................................................. 3‐1 3.1 COMMUNITY OUTREACH PLAN ........................................................................................................ 3‐1 3.2 PROJECT WEBPAGE ................................................................................................................................ 3‐1 3.3 PUBLIC MEETING ..................................................................................................................................... 3‐2 3.3.1 Public Meeting Materials .............................................................................................................. 3‐2 3.3.2 Meeting Notes ................................................................................................................................... 3‐3 3.3.3 Public Comments ............................................................................................................................. 3‐3 3.3.4 Media Coverage ................................................................................................................................ 3‐7 3.4 APPENDIX .................................................................................................................................................... 3‐8 4. NEW HAVEN STREETCAR .................................................................................. 4‐1 4.1 WHY OPERATE A STREETCAR IN NEW HAVEN? ....................................................................... 4‐1 4.1.1 Development ..................................................................................................................................... 4‐2 4.1.2 Travel Market .................................................................................................................................... 4‐5 4.1.3 Demographics ................................................................................................................................... 4‐6 4.1.4 Existing Transit Service ............................................................................................................. 4‐11 4.1.5 Park and Ride Potential ............................................................................................................. 4‐13 i New Haven Streetcar Final Report 4.1.6 Summary .......................................................................................................................................... 4‐14 4.2 SERVICE CHARACTERISTICS ........................................................................................................... 4‐14 4.2.1 Service Area .................................................................................................................................... 4‐14 4.2.2 Conceptual Service Schedule ................................................................................................... 4‐15 4.2.3 Fare Collection ............................................................................................................................... 4‐15 4.2.4 Operations and Maintenance .................................................................................................. 4‐17 4.3 ALIGNMENT DESCRIPTION .............................................................................................................. 4‐17 4.3.1 Proposed Stops .............................................................................................................................. 4‐18 4.3.2 Maintenance Facility ................................................................................................................... 4‐22 4.4 APPENDIX ................................................................................................................................................. 4‐24 5. STREETCAR OVERVIEW ..................................................................................... 5‐1 5.1 DEFINITION ................................................................................................................................................ 5‐1 5.2 DESIGN CHARACTERISTICS ................................................................................................................ 5‐2 5.2.1 Horizontal Curves ............................................................................................................................ 5‐2 5.2.2 Vertical Curves .................................................................................................................................. 5‐2 5.2.3 Grades ................................................................................................................................................... 5‐3 5.2.4 Platform Considerations ............................................................................................................... 5‐3 5.2.5 Vehicle Clearance Envelope ........................................................................................................ 5‐3 5.2.6 Cross Slope (Roadway) ................................................................................................................. 5‐3 5.2.7 Lane Width ......................................................................................................................................... 5‐3 5.2.8 Traction Power/Overhead System .......................................................................................... 5‐4 5.2.9 Structural Loading .......................................................................................................................... 5‐4 5.2.10 Traffic Operations/Signals ........................................................................................................ 5‐4 5.2.11 Utilities .............................................................................................................................................