Alternatives Analysis Update Report Ogden/Weber State University Transit Project Study APPENDIX A Ogden/Weber State University Transit Corridor Alternatives Analysis Draft Final Report Ogden-Weber State University Transit Corridor Alternatives Analysis Draft Final Report Prepared by: Utah Transit Authority MAY 2011 Final Draft Report – Alternatives Analysis Ogden/Weber State University Transit Corridor TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ............................................................................. ES-1 ES.1 BACKGROUND ....................................................................................................... ES-1 ES.2 AGENCY COORDINATION AND PUBLIC OUTREACH ........................................ ES-1 ES.3 SCREENING OF ALTERNATIVES ......................................................................... ES-2 ES.4 RECOMMENDED ALTERNATIVE ......................................................................... ES-3 ES.5 FINANCIAL ANALYSIS ........................................................................................... ES-4 ES.6 NEXT STEPS .......................................................................................................... ES-5 ES. 6.1 FTA Section 5309 ........................................................................................ ES-5 ES. 6.2 National Environmental Policy Act .............................................................. ES-6 1. OVERVIEW ................................................................................................. 1-1 1.1 PURPOSE OF THE ALTERNATIVES ANALYSIS REPORT ........................................ 1-1 1.2 WHAT IS COVERED IN THE ALTERNATIVES ANALYSIS REPORT ......................... 1-1 1.3 SCOPE OF THE AA AND EIS ....................................................................................... 1-2 Essential Tasks of the AA Process ............................................................................... 1-2 1.4 HOW THESE ALTERNATIVES WERE SELECTED ..................................................... 1-3 2. PURPOSE AND NEED .............................................................................. 2-1 2.1 INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................... 2-1 2.2 STUDY AREA ................................................................................................................ 2-1 2.3 PROJECT PURPOSE ................................................................................................... 2-3 2.4 STATEMENT OF PROJECT NEED .............................................................................. 2-3 2.4.1 Increased Population and Employment Growth ................................................. 2-4 Regional Population and Employment .......................................................................... 2-4 Local Population and Employment ............................................................................... 2-5 2.4.2 Significant traffic congestion, declining roadway level-of-service and Air Quality ................................................................................................................. 2-6 Person Trips to 2030 (Project Study Area and Region) ................................................ 2-8 2.5 INADEQUATE TRANSIT SERVICE CONNECTING MAJOR ACTIVITY CENTERS ... 2-9 2.5.1 Activity Centers and Destinations ........................................................................ 2-9 2.5.2 Increasing Demand for Transit Service in the Study Area ................................. 2-12 2.5.3 Poor Transit System Reliability and Inability to Attract Choice Riders ............. 2-14 2.5.4 Insufficient service for transit-dependent populations....................................... 2-14 Low Income and Minority Populations ........................................................................ 2-15 Transit Dependent Population .................................................................................... 2-16 2.6 DEVELOPMENT AND GEOGRAPHIC CONSTRAINTS THAT LIMIT TRANSPORTATION OPTIONS .................................................................................. 2-16 2.7 SUPPORT REDEVELOPMENT, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT, AND Final Draft Report ŇMay 2011 i Final Draft Report – Alternatives Analysis Ogden/Weber State University Transit Corridor SUSTAINABILITY ....................................................................................................... 2-16 2.8 SERVE FORECASTED WSU GROWTH .................................................................... 2-17 3. DEVELOPMENT OF ALTERNATIVES ..................................................... 3-1 3.1 EARLIER PLANNING STUDIES AND ALIGNMENTS .................................................. 3-1 3.2 MODE/TECHNOLOGY CHOICES ................................................................................ 3-1 3.3 DEVELOPING ALTERNATIVES ................................................................................... 3-2 3.4 INITIAL ALIGNMENT ALTERNATIVES ........................................................................ 3-2 3.5 REFINED ALTERNATIVES ........................................................................................... 3-6 3.5.1 Downtown Segments ........................................................................................ 3-10 3.5.2 Cross-town Segments ...................................................................................... 3-10 3.5.3 WSU/McKay Dee Segment .............................................................................. 3-12 3.6 EVALUATING ALTERNATIVES .................................................................................. 3-15 3.6.1 Process .............................................................................................................. 3-15 3.6.2 Step 1: Initial Screening .................................................................................... 3-15 3.6.3 Step 2: Second Level Evaluations and Screening ........................................... 3-19 3.6.3.1 Transit Benefits/Ridership Potential ............................................................... 3-19 3.6.3.2 Cost ................................................................................................................ 3-20 3.6.3.3 Traffic ............................................................................................................. 3-20 3.6.3.4 Community Development ............................................................................... 3-20 3.6.3.5 Environmental Impacts .................................................................................. 3-20 4. EVALUATION OF ALTERNATIVES ......................................................... 4-1 4.1 INITIAL SCREENING RESULTS .................................................................................. 4-1 4.1.1 Evaluation Results for the Downtown Segment .................................................. 4-1 4.1.2 Evaluation Results for the Cross-town Segment ................................................ 4-2 4.1.3 Evaluation Results for the WSU-McKay Dee Segment ...................................... 4-3 4.2 DETAILED EVALUATION, REFINEMENT AND SELECTION OF FINAL ALTERNATIVES ........................................................................................................... 4-4 4.2.1 Downtown Segment ............................................................................................. 4-6 Downtown Conclusions ...................................................................................... 4-6 4.2.2 Cross-town Alignments ....................................................................................... 4-7 4.2.3 WSU-McKay Dee Alignments ............................................................................. 4-9 WSU-McKay Dee Conclusions ......................................................................... 4-10 4.2.4 Ridership ........................................................................................................... 4-11 4.3 ADDITIONAL REFINEMENTS AND SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION ................ 4-12 4.3.1 Refinements in Alignments ............................................................................... 4-12 4.3.2 Traffic Analysis and Micro-simulation ............................................................... 4-12 Economic and Community Development Information ...................................... 4-14 5. AGENCY COORDINATION AND PUBLIC OUTREACH .......................... 5-1 5.1 PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND POLICY COMMITTEES ........................................... 5-1 5.2 EARLY SCOPING PERIOD .......................................................................................... 5-1 Final Draft Report ŇMay 2011 ii Final Draft Report – Alternatives Analysis Ogden/Weber State University Transit Corridor Agency Scoping Meeting Results ................................................................................. 5-3 Public Scoping Comments ............................................................................................ 5-3 5.3 PUBLIC OPEN HOUSE ................................................................................................. 5-7 5.4 COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT ...................................................................................... 5-7 5.5 LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND AGENCY COORDINATION .......................................... 5-8 6. RECOMMENDED ALTERNATIVE ............................................................ 6-1 6.1 DESCRIPTION .............................................................................................................